Perennials and Annuals – Page 4 – The Garden Professors™

Neon for your garden

Was wandering through Target on Monday for the first time in months.

Helloooo!? The 80’s called and wants its neon crap back.

Didn’t care for it then and certainly don’t care for it now. Though there is the increased safety factor of being highly visible at all times, whether in sunglasses or underwear.

But never mind my lack of style.

It made me think about a few plants that, if the light is right, certainly display that glowing, saturated color, found in the “Astro-Brite” pack of copy paper usually reserved for yard sales and such.

Close to dusk, the Kniphofia uvaria ‘Echo Mango’ in our garden stands out from 100 yards away. Bred and selected by Richard Saul of Atlanta’s ItSaul Plants Inc., it is one tough perennial, taking heat and humidity with aplomb.

My experience has been one big early summer flush of blooms, with some significant reblooming until frost. Best in full sun, it’s also drought tolerant and cold hardy to USDA Zone 5. It doesn’t get whopping huge like some other Kniphofia do – stays a nice manageble size, topping out at 3′ to 4′ tall. ‘Echo Mango’ (or any other Red Hot Poker) adds a terrific bit of vertical interest to an otherwise mound-y mixed border. Best with fellow warm colors. Pink, not so much.

‘Echo Mango’ = glowsticks!
Achillea ‘Paprika’ doesn’t go so well with it. Mental note to relocate it in fall.

You can almost hear the sound of space lasers…
Eeee-yoooooo-eeeee-yoooooo…or maybe that’s just me.

Valentine’s in May

Lamprocapnos spectabilis (the species formally known as Dicentra
spectabilis) is an easy, tough, arctic-hardy, spring-blooming perennial
that always makes me happy. I’ve posted previously about the wonders of
‘Gold Heart’ – all the screaming yellow foliage you can stand, topped
with magenta flowers.

Last fall, I’d finally gotten my mitts on a hard-to-find one named ‘Valentine’. Already dormant in the pot, I planted it with hopes that it would somewhat resemble the tag photo (and hype) as I’d not seen it in person. What a treat when it finally unfurled last week…woo hoo!

Pride of Place Plants is the introduction and marketing firm (“plant sports agents” as I call companies like this. Pun intended). According to Pride of Place, ‘Valentine’ (USPP22739,COPF etc.) arose as a chance seedling in the garden of Phyllis and Lyle Sarrazin, Prince George British Columbia, Canada.

This is a true “color break” for the species. The heart-shaped flowers glow fluorescent red, and the dark red stems really pop against the rest of springtime’s green. Keep it away from pink stuff, though. Yeek.

Possibly available at a fine independent garden center near you; or through mail-order – I know Plant Delights Nursery carries it.

Gardeners plus QR Codes equals Really Happening?

Proven Winners is putting QR codes on plant tags. So is Walters Gardens, a major wholesaler of perennial liners. Growers often purchase tags from the propagator to go along with the liners. In the case of patented plants, that’s a common method of collecting royalties – the finishing grower has to purchase the tag.

Quick response (QR) codes are everywhere. For those that are vague on the concept, it’s a two-dimensional barcode. Install a code-reader app on your smartphone, snap a photo of the code, and your web browser takes you to a specific site for more information. The marketing experts associated with our industry say they’re a “must” if we want to connect with the ” iEverything” customer. Even botanical gardens are slapping them on plant identification labels, interpretive signage, and more (that’s on my to-do list).

My question: are YOU, dear readers, taking advantage of this technology (as it applies to purchasing plants)? Or is it enough to pull the tag out of the pot and note that this petunia, though oddly-named, needs full sun and gets 8″ to 12″ tall?

Image snagged from Kristy O’Hara’s article “Doing More With the QR Code” in Greenhouse Grower magazine

I realize we have a wide variety of interests and occupations represented – which makes things even more interesting. So whether you’re a grower, a horticulture professional, or a semi-dangerous gardener, please leave a comment as to whether you’ve ever used one. If so, did you find it useful? Any other thoughts?

Almost forgot…Why am I pestering you for this information? I teach the senior level Ornamental Plants Production and Marketing course here at Virginia Tech. If I think it’ll give our future growers and garden center managers/owners an economic edge, I’ll certainly recommend it.

Final Exam of 2012?

Actually, just a pop quiz.

Continuing the "flowers that look like Christmas ornaments" bit as started on our Facebook page…here’s another, as seen a couple of days ago in our visit to the conservatory at the Biltmore Estate, Ashevegas, N.C.

You can probably guess the family by the leaf shape.

Nice dangly peduncle, no?

Let’s have some guesses, temperate-zone readers! This had me stumped, and I’m not unfamiliar with tropicals. And yes, I want one.

(Zone 9-10 west-coasters: please sit on your hands for a bit, then you can tell us how common it is and "I pull this weedy thing out of my garden by the handful." Ha!!!)

The eternal [gardening] optimist

I’ve gotten better, actually. After slaying hundreds of dollars worth of mail-order and/or inappropriate plants, I’ve learned to curb my urges a bit.

But not this time.

I was overcome by a sale at “Annies Annuals and Perennials” – the most decadent, irresistible, West Coast, Zone 9 catalog ever.

Behold! The impossible-to-grow and majestic Puya*

Mine! Mine! Mine!
It will reside in my greenhouse over the winter.

Packing peanut left in pot for scale.

Now taking bets as to how many years ’till bloom. Side action on years/months until I kill it.

*Can one of you familiar with the genus inform me as to pronunciation? I’m pretty sure my current “rhymes with booyah” isn’t it.

Ornamental Peppers for the Holidays (!)

Growers and garden centers are always on the lookout for Poinsettia alternatives. Points make up the vast majority of potted flowering plants sold this time of year, but other crops are gaining ground. Due in part to the popularity of All-American Selection (AAS) winner ‘Black Pearl,’ there’s been an explosion of ornamental pepper varieties. Most are pretty versatile – can be used as bedding plant, in containers, and as a potted flowering plant. Edible? Depends on your threshold for pain.

I took these photos during an August visit to the immense trial gardens of Rakers (Litchfield MI). They had at least 30 varieties of ornamental pepper, and many look very similar. Hopefully I’ve got these labeled correctly…

‘NuMex Twilight’, bred by the folks at the Chile Pepper Institute at New Mexico State, has been around for a while. There were lots of look-alike cultivars in the trial. But they all resemble Christmas lights!

‘Sangria’ peppers start purple then ripen bright red.

I believe this one is ‘Pretty in Purple.’

I think any of these would be very gift-able for the holidays. Dressed up with a nice 5" clay pot and a raffia bow…would you buy an ornamental pepper for decor or a gift?

Fall for Ornamental Grasses

I’ve written about ornamental grasses previously – they really are one of the toughest, most useful yet under-appreciated groups of garden plants. Most provide at least three seasons of interest, but fall is when they really shake their pom-poms.

On a recent conference trip to western Michigan with pal and plantsman Paul Westervelt, we stopped by the trials at Walter’s Gardens of Zeeland – one of the largest perennial propagators (wholesale) in the country.

It was a beautiful, breezy day in their extensive gardens, and the grasses were positively alive with light and motion (and kittens – seven or eight, I think). What a fantastic afternoon.

Here are a few recent introductions that knocked our socks off. All are hardy to at least USDA Zone 5, heat tolerant to Zone 8 or 9, and the non-natives have been screened for any invasive tendencies. All are patented.

Panicum virgatum ‘Dust Devil’

There are many great cultivars of our native switchgrass out there; but few come in under 6’ or 7’ – problematic for the small garden. Dust Devil is comparatively petite – 3 to 4 feet tall, blue-green foliage, and resists the rain beat-down that often happens to the rangy cultivars. Selected by Michigander Gary Trucks.

Pennisetum alopecuroides ‘Burgundy Bunny’

Paul and I were especially impressed by this sport of ‘Little Bunny’. I’ve grown tons of ‘Little Bunny’ which is eminently useful for a pouf of “grassiness” at the front of the border. ‘Burgundy Bunny’ brings terrific color that only gets better in the fall, in the same small package. From Walla Walla Nursery and introduced by Plant Haven.

Paul models Pennisetum alopecuroides ‘Red Head’

Nothing petite about this monster Fountain Grass. Wow. 5’ tall and as wide, with gigantic foxtail plumes. As with most Pennisetum species, the show starts mid-summer and continues through fall. Selected by the perennially prolific Brent Horvath of Intrinsic Perennials.

Schizycharium scoparium Blue Heaven™ (‘MinnBlueA’)

Selected by grass maven Dr. Mary Meyer from her trials at the University of Minnesota. Mary has found a nice Little Bluestem that has outstanding foliage color (gets even better as the season progresses) and a very upright habit that fights the flop. Native across much of North America and perfect for awful sites, Little Bluestem laughs at clay, heat, and drought, once established.

Andropogon gerardii ‘Indian Warrior’

Little Bluestem’s big brother of the tall grass prairie. Another upright flop-fighter, this Big Bluestem is from Brent Horvath/Intrinsic. I’ve enjoyed Andropogon in my garden (got it from Paul) – the colors are amazing- but by summer’s end, they’ve flopped all over their neighbors. Can’t wait to give ‘Indian Warrior’ a try.

Lots more info on these and other grasses and perennials at Walters Gardens’ consumer portal www.perennialresource.com

Kittens in the grasses. Ahn.

Finally: when in Grand Rapids, stop by HopCat for a tremendous selection of Michigan craft beers and hard ciders and the suitably-name Crack Fries (yes!!!).

New and/or interesting plants/stuff

Worst post title, ever. Sorry.

Attended the bazillionth annual OFA "The Association For Horticulture Professionals" Short Course in Columbus, Ohio last week. It’s a huge 1500-booth trade show with educational session featuring 150+ speakers. Of which I was one. The focus used to be strictly floriculture, but has expanded to include some woodies plus lots of garden center items and marketing options. This a "wholesale" show – attendees are mostly growers who purchase propagative materials to grow on and sell to consumers. It’s always interesting to see what’s out there…here’s a few things that caught my attention:

Sedum ‘Maestro’ from Proven Winners. They’re expanding their perennial offerings a bit, and this looks yummy. Dark foliage and very intriguing bud/flower color combo:

Every company has loads of petunia and calibrachoa in every shade imaginable. Some new introductions are notable for their subtle, almost vintage shades. All of these would be fun for combination planters:

‘Glow Mocca’ from the Dutch firm Florensis, now a partner with Ball Horticulture. Closest thing to a black and white petunia (or any flower, for that matter) I’ve seen. So new it’s not in a catalog. This little photo doesn’t do them justice.

‘Suncatcher Vintage Rose’ from Ball FloraPlant. I’m not a pink petunia person (certainly wouldn’t admit to it, anyway) but the soft rose shades and neat, small flowers were lovely.

Weird lighting in their booth makes this Ball introduction ‘Pink Suncatcher’ much more yellow than it really is – more of a straw yellow with pinkish margins.

Enough with the subtle:

This new Ecke/Dummen poinsettia didn’t catch my eyes as much as claw them out. ‘Luv U Pink’ is indeed screaming pink, which sounds gross but actually looked pretty cool with some of lime green decor around it (kind of preppy). The distinctive small overlapping bracts are because it’s not a straight-up poinsettia, rather a hybrid with some other Euphorbia species (secret recipe!).

This fluffy ornamental kale ‘Glamour Red’ is from American Takii – an AAS award winner, grown from seed. You just want to grab it and floof the foliage with both hands. Or maybe that was just me. Proof that kale can be both glamorous AND delicious…

More floofiness: Dianthus ‘Green Ball.’ From Ball, of course. An apetalous mutant for every garden!

In the "stuff" department, saw the usual assortment of greenhouse equipment, garden center supplies, etc. with one notable exception: the infiltrations of Fairies. Fairy Garden decor was everywhere. I must have missed this memo:

Hardscaping including pavers and fences; patio furniture, trellises, etc. At least you don’t need a truckload of gravel and an entire weekend to lay a fairy patio.

Fairy plants. Especially selected for…teensyness? There really was no rhyme or reason. Just a different (and named) fairy on each tag (collect ’em all!). My Little Pony meets Horticulture.

Here’s a completed fairy garden. That’s a container of Fairy Dust on the table. I think it’s the same as stripper glitter, just in a much smaller jar. Missing from this tableaux? Two tiny martini glasses.

Hope you enjoyed your brief whirl through the tradeshow!

Worth seeking out – Silphium perfoliatum

A couple of years ago (have we been blogging for that long?!) I wrote a bit on defining our terms – beyond simply native, non-native, invasive. One of my points was that natives can be overly-vigorous, but some people take exception with the term "invasive" when used with native plants. I chose "passive-aggressive" as a way to describe certain mild-mannered natives that end up reseeding rampantly.

One example: Silphium perfoliatum – Cup Plant.

Climbing right out of the garden and onto our deck.

The genus Silphium is comprised of fifteen (+) (at the moment) species, often grouped under the common name "Rosinweed." I’d not paid much attention to the genus until a trip to a bit of tall grass prairie in 2004 got me hooked on these towering lovelies. I’ve grown S. terebinthaceum, S. trifoliatum, and S. laciniatum. All seem much better behaved than S. perfoliatum; but not as fun. The coarse, square stems; perfoliate water-holding leaves, and overall grand scale makes cup plant perfect for back of the border or scattered throughout a meadow planting.

Silphium perfoliatum ranges up through eastern N. America from Louisiana to Quebec and west to Nebraska and Kansas. Big, round buds give way to golden yellow flowers – yet another “yellow daisy thingy” or YDT The YDT designation is a totally non-scientific teaching term for the yellow-flowered Asteraceae clan that grace the mid- and late-summer garden.

Honeybees and butterflies love the ring of oversize, nectar-filled disk florets and bees collect pollen from the stamen. The ray florets are fertile and a flower head can set copious amount of seed. Once ripe, the achene floats away on a breeze (if not scarfed up by a goldfinch)…to land and germinate in some part of your garden not intended for a 9’ tall yellow daisy thingy. Hence the aggressive part. Weed out the unwanted early on, when those first coarse leaves appear; wait too long and the tap root will make it tough to pull. I say this from recent experience (last night) when I upended myself trying to yank some unyielding Silphium from a clump of unsuspecting Echinacea. Ended up chopping the huge stems off at the base -possibly to be used as firewood.

Suddenly Symphyotrichum

Also the Anemone x hybrida, Solidago, etc. Everything’s blooming early here in the Mid-Atlantic.

"Fall-Blooming Anemone." Not.

I teach an herbaceous plant i.d. and use course each fall and spring. By looking back at my plant lists, I can tell what was blooming when. I usually teach the asters at the end of September.

That’s going to be tough this year, since they are all BLOOMING RIGHT NOW dammit. This will be a great experiment in "does deadheading = rebloom" for many of the asters. Things like garden phlox (Phlox paniculata) are dependable post-deadheading rebloomers, but I can’t say I’ve ever needed to deadhead Asters to get another flush of blooms, since they bloom right before frost for us, then pffftttt anyway.

Great Fanny’s Aster, this is too early! (Sympyotrichum oblongifolium ‘Fanny’)

My source for perennial maintenance advice is Tracy DiSabato-Aust’s marvelous "The Well-Tended Perennial Garden." I’ve utilized her strategies for cutting back to both delay blooms and create a more compact plant. If I’d been thinking ahead (ha, ha!), a good whacking on some of these things might have fended off blooms for another month or so; or at least had something to look at when class starts at the end of August. But alas. At this point the best I can hope for is a sporadic bloom or two. At least I have lots of photos for lecture…