Flower Library

Euphorbia, Firesticks

2011-05-16T14:00:00.000-07:00

Features

• Deadheading Not Necessary
• Drought Tolerant *
• Foliage Interest
• Heat Tolerant
• Low Maintenance

*Even drought tolerant annual and perennial plants will need water for the first few weeks while they get established. Shrubs and trees will need to be watered for the first year after they are planted. After this, little or no supplemental water will be necessary when planted in the ground. No plant is truly drought tolerant in a container; water is necessary for all plants in containers.

Ornamental Characteristics

Foliage Color:

Multicolored

Garden Height:

24 - 36"; Medium

Spacing:

18 - 24"

Habit:

Upright

Container Plant Style:

Filler - Intermingles well with other plants to fill in the middle ground of a combination

Plant Needs

Duration:

Annual

Bloom Time:

Grown for Foliage

Zones:

Annual except in zones 9 - 11

What is my zone?

Hardy Temp:

25°F (-4°C)

Exposure:

Part Sun to Sun

Water Needs:

Dry

Maintenance:

Easy

Uses:

Landscapes and containers

Great in landscapes and containers.

Patent Information

Growing Tips

Plants in the spurge family often will bleed a milky, white sap if cut or wounded. This sap is a form of latex. Most people will have little or no reaction due to sap exposure from the euphorbia that Proven Winners sells. However, people with sensitive skin or latex allergies should be cautious when handling euphorbia. Poinsettias are in this same family. If you have ever experienced a skin irritation due to contact with poinsettias you should be cautious with all euphorbia.

Golden Barrel Clusters

2011-05-16T13:52:00.000-07:00

Echinocactus grusonii
Despite being one of the most popular cacti in cultivation, it is rare and critically endangered in the wild.
Growing as a large roughly spherical globe, it may eventually reach over a meter in height after many years. There may be up to 35 pronounced ribs in mature plants, though they are not evident in young plants, which may have a knobbly appearance. Note: Younger Golden Barrels do not look similar to the mature ones. The sharp spines are long, straight or slightly curved, and various shades of yellow or, occasionally, white. Small yellow flowers appear in summer around the crown of the plant, but only after twenty years or so.

While easy to grow, these plants do have some basic requirements; an average minimum, winter temperature of 12°C, good drainage with less watering in winter. Excess water in cool periods may lead to rot. Golden Barrels are hardy to about 15ºF (-8ºC) for brief periods.

Moroccan Mound - Euphorbia resinifera

2011-05-16T13:44:00.000-07:00

Euphorbia resinifera (Moroccan Mound) -
A mounding succulent to 1 to 2 feet tall by 4 to 6 feet wide with upright pale blue-green leafless 4-sided column-like stems that have brown spines on the margins and near the rounded tip that also bear small yellow flowers late winter to early spring. The stems are crowded together tightly to form a solid mass. Plant in a draining soil - even clay if on a slope in full sun or with afternoon shade in desert gardens. Irrigate occasionally to little in coastal gardens, a bit more inland spring through summer. Hardy to 20°F. This easy to grow and hardy succulent plant is native to Morocco, where it occurs on the slopes of the Atlas Mountains. It has been grown in California gardens for many years with older clumps forming masses that cover many square feet. Evidence of its long cultivation here is its listing in "Cacti and Other Succulents: An Annotated List of Plants Cultivated in Santa Barbara" that was edited by Pearl Chase and published in 1930. Other common names include Officinal Spurge and Resin Spurge, owing to this plant being one of the oldest documented medicinal plants with the extracted latex, called Euphorbium, being used for many purposes. The name Euphorbia was noted by Pliny the Elder as being a reference to Euphorbus, the physician of King Juba II of Numidia. The description above is based on our research of Euphorbia resinifera and observations of it growing in our nursery, in our own garden and in other gardens

Habit and Cultural Information

Category: Succulent

Family: Euphorbiaceae (Spurges)

Origin: Morocco (Africa)

Evergreen: Yes

Flower Color: Yellow

Bloomtime: Winter/Spring

Height: 1-2 feet

Width: 4-6 feet

Exposure: Full Sun

Irrigation: Low Water Needs

Winter Hardiness: 20-25° F

May be Poisonous

Argentine Giant

2011-05-16T13:33:00.000-07:00

Echinopsis candicans, Cactus Family ( Cactaceae ), Argentine Giant Cactus. Also called .
A columnar cactus with each stem fast growing up to 4 inches wide, 3 feet tall, and clumping 6 - 7 feet wide. Most books say that they only clump to about 3 feet but as you can see from the top photo, the plants can spread to about 7 feet.
It's fragrant blooms normally open at night and persist until early morning. The bright white petals and yellow centers attract night pollinators such as, moths and bats.
While it is said to be a nocturnal blooming cactus with the flowers closing at early morning. On cool, cloudy days in Arizona; the flowers continue blooming during the day.
Echinopsis candicans is low water use, but that does not mean it requires no water. It prefers deep infrequent irrigation and well-draining soil.

Height: Height to about 3 feet. Spreading to about 7 feet.
Flowers: White some are YELLOW very fragrant, up to 8 inches in diameter.
Blooming Time: March - April.
Segments: Green stems are stems 3 or 4 inches thick.
Fruit: Purple, with a red pulp.
Elevation: 0 - 2,800 Feet.
Habitat: Sandy flats. Full Sun. A Xeriscape Landscape plant. Native to Argentina.

Bougainvillea Brazillensis

2010-11-03T11:42:00.000-07:00

The Bougainvilleas are very common plants in the Phoenix area. Most varieties are hybrids between B glabra and B. spectabilis.

Bougainvillea brasiliensis is a name with no botanical validity.

Cultural Practices:

The bougainvillea root system is extremely fragile. The plant doesn't like to be moved. Take extra caution when removing the plant from the pot before placing it in the ground.

Blooms year around in protected locations.

Propagation:
Cuttings from mid-winter to early spring, keep soil mixture moist, better with bottom heat.

Mexican Bird of Paradise

2010-11-03T08:42:00.000-07:00

Mexican Bird of Paradise is native to Northern Mexico. Its lush, ferny compound leaves provide a dark green backdrop for the bright yellow flower spikes that appear on the branch tips during the warm season. These flowers are followed by woody pods, which "explode" as they mature, adding a little bit of natural music the outdoor environment. This plant grows fairly rapidly 10-15 feet tall and spreads to 15 feet wide. The Mexican bird of paradise can be grown as a small tree or pruned to keep it a shrub.

Maintenance

Plant Mexican bird of paradise in the fall in full sunlight exposures for best establishment. This large shrub is evergreen in mild climates, but where frost occurs, it will shed foliage. Although extremely tolerant of sun and reflected heat, it requires good drainage to thrive. Established Mexican bird of paradise plants require little water. Mature plants may reach a height of 15 feet tall. Regular pruning will help control size.

Eve's Needle, Opunia Subulata, Cane Cholla

2010-11-03T08:29:00.000-07:00

Recommended Temperature Zone:

sunset: 11-13

USDA: 9-10
Frost Tolerance: Hardy in Phoenix
Minimum Avg. Temperature: 50°F (10°C)
Sun Exposure: Full sun
Origin: High elevations in Ecuador and Peru, 8000 to 12000 feet (2400 to 3600 m)
Growth Habits: Tree-like cactus, up to 13 feet tall (4 m), 10 feet in diameter (3 m); stems up to 20 inches long (50 cm); awl like leaves, up to 5 inches long (12 cm); 1 to 4 spines, up to 3.2 inches long (8 cm);

Watering Needs: Little water
Propagation: Cuttings
Blooming Habits:

Red flowers, up to 2.4 inches long (6 cm)

Prickly Pear, Opuntia violaceae santa rita

2010-11-03T08:25:00.000-07:00

Form: large clump-forming segmented cactus

Seasonality: evergreen

Size: 2-5ft with equal or greater spread

Leaves: flat round pads, to 8in long; new growth is reddish or purply, mature pads off-green; in fall all pads may be purple; aeroles evenly spaced about 1in apart; spines usually absent on face but found along perimeter of pads; numerous yellow, fuzzy-looking glochids are dangerous (see notes)

Flowers: orangy yellow, 3.5in diameter, along edge of pads

Fruit: oblong, purplish, plump, 1in tall 1/2in in diameter; smaller than O. engelmannii

Stems/Trunks: generally not trunk forming; usual form is mounded

Range/Origin: Arizona, Texas, New Mexico and Sonora Mexico; elevations of 2000-4000ft

Hardiness: mid to low teens

LANDSCAPE VALUE:

accent

silhouette

CULTURAL REQUIREMENTS:

Exposure: full sun

Water: none, usually okay on natural rainfall; gauge water needs by monitoring pads for signs of shriveling, may need supplemental water in long periods of drought

Soil: tolerant, good drainage

Propagation: vegetatively, using single pads or larger segments; allow time for callusing of cut end

Maintenance: minimal

NOTES:

icon of the desert southwest

The reddish brown glochids of Opuntia violaceae are very loosely attached and fly off when the plant is handle. The loose glochids are an irritant, and can get under clothing, in eyes, and may even be a breathing hazard. For safe handling, wet specimens before moving. The water weighs down the glochids, preventing them from becoming airborne.

Dwarf Myoporum (ground cover)

2010-06-04T15:49:00.000-07:00

not the best photo

More information
HERE
may die if over watered!

Cape Honeysuckle

2010-06-04T15:35:00.001-07:00

Chuparosa

2010-06-04T15:27:00.000-07:00

More Information
HERE

Native to the Sonoran Desert, "chuparosa" is a shrub that normally grows to about 3 feet tall and 4 feet wide. Under ideal contitions, it can grow to 4 feet tall and 6 feet wide. Leaves are semi-succulent and measure about 1 inch long. Tubular flowers are nearly 1.5 inches long. Red is the most common flower color with yellow or orange variations less common. Chuparosa attracts hummingbirds and blooms through the long, mild winters in Southern Arizona.

Plant chuparosa in the fall or spring in fast-draining soil. This shrub is drought tolerant and can grow on 10 inches or less of annual rainfall. The foliage will be sparse, unless chuparosa is given periodic water in the summer and during the growing season. Growth rate is moderate to fast, depending on the amount of supplemental water applied. It should be watered monthly or just often enough to prevent wilting. Prune chuparosa in the spring to remove winter-damaged stems and rejuvenate the plant.

Valentine Bush

2010-06-04T15:23:00.001-07:00

not a very good photo

More information

HERE

Eremophila Maculata Valentine or Emu Bush

Chilean Mesquite Tree

2010-06-04T15:11:00.000-07:00

1 in the backyard

Native to arid and subtropical regions of South America, the Chilean Mesquite tree grows either singly or multi-trunked. Trunks are twisted with dark, coarse textured bark. Upright grower with a wide crown and flat top. Drought tolerant, and grows fast with supplemental water to 30 feet tall. Relatively inconspicuous yellow-green, catkin-like flowers appear in the spring. Some varieties of this tree have thorns, some don't. Chilean mesquite trees tend not to lose as many leaves during the winter as the Argentine mesquite. Edible seedpods that are 3-5 inches long ripen and drop in the summer months.

Plant Chilean mesquite tree in full sun. Drip irrigation during the first year after planting, with little to no supplemental irrigations needed after establishment. It will require vigorous pruning to shape when young. Chilean mesquite tree produces frequent crossed branches and grows sprouts around pruning wounds. Attempts to train this tree into a symmetrical, standard shape will be impossible. Falling seedpods (beans) may create a litter problem in high traffic areas.

More information

HERE

Limit water to control rapid growth and windstorm uprooting.

Palo Brea Tree

2010-06-04T08:51:00.000-07:00

2 planted in front yard

More information
HERE
and
HERE

Green Cloud Sage

2010-06-04T08:46:00.000-07:00

More information
HERE

1 in front yard

CHIHUAHUAN RAIN SAGE

2010-06-04T08:39:00.000-07:00

More information
HERE

Leucophyllum laevigatum
3 in front yard

Britton's Ruellia

2010-06-04T08:31:00.000-07:00

Britton's Ruellia

more information

HERE

5 in front yard

Baja Fairy Duster

2010-06-03T14:17:00.000-07:00

Calliandra californica

More information

HERE

planted in large clump, backyard corner

Red Bird of Paradise

2010-06-03T14:12:00.000-07:00

The Mexican Bird of Paradise (RED)

Caesalpinia pulcherrima

More information

HERE

switching to desert landscape ideas

2010-06-03T14:02:00.000-07:00

. . . and now . . . above, i will be posting
photos and information about
Landscape Plants for the Arizona Desert

a guide to growing more plants that are Low-Water-Use Plants.

Corkscrew Willow

2009-03-15T14:27:00.000-07:00

Corkscrew Willow Tree [Salix matsudana "Tortuosa"]

The Corkscrew Willow has a twisted and curled branch structure which make it as interesting in the Winter as it is in the Spring. Corkscrew Willows grow to 30' in height and grows quite rapidly. Corkscrew Willow Trees are very adaptable to poorly drained soil and will withstand both full-sun exposure and partial shade. The branch structure forks vertically close to the trunk giving the Corkscrew Willow a shrub like appearance at early stages of development.

Blue Flax

2009-03-15T14:16:00.000-07:00

Fast-growing Blue Flax is easy to please, likes sun or shade, adapts to soil. Pretty blue flowers open on 18- to 24-in. stems with blue-green lancelike foliage. Blooms May-July.
Zones 4-9.

Crape Myrtle - Hardy Tonto

2009-03-15T14:13:00.000-07:00

Tougher than its refined Southern cousin but every bit as beautiful. Tolerates subzero temps, consistently produces loads of sweet flowers. Leaves turn scarlet in fall. Grows just 7-10 feet tall with a rounded top. Red-tinged, gray-barked branches are heavy with blooms from mid to late summer.

Bleeding Heart - Old Fashioned, Pink

2009-03-15T14:11:00.000-07:00

Mulch during the first winter. Foliage may die back after flowering in July or Aug. May die back after flowering to resume growth the following spring. Keep well watered during dry periods in the summer. Will not tolerate wet soils. To help improve conditions, mix in peat moss, compost, or dehydrated manure. May be mulched around the base during the first winter. Good for naturalizing. Clusters of drooping heart-shaped blooms.

Definitely an old fashioned plant - was probably in a grandmother's garden. CALLED LYRE FLOWER. ALL PLANT PARTS MAY BE TOXIC IF INGESTED.

Bleeding Heart - Old Fashioned, White

2009-03-15T14:07:00.001-07:00

Dainty, heart-shaped flowers dangle from 2- to 3-foot stems in late spring. Lovely in front of ferns, behind a crowd of fragrant lilies of the valley, or anywhere in a woodland garden. Dark green leaves provide a striking contrast to the snowy-white blooms of the White Old-Fashioned Bleeding Heart. Prefers full to partial shade.

Zones: 2-9.

Yarrow - Summer Pastel

2009-03-15T14:04:00.000-07:00

Having these blooms in your garden is like looking through a kaleidoscope all summer long! Heat-loving and hardy plant provides vivid color late in the season. Soft pastel colors and aromatic, fernlike foliage are sure to brighten any space in your garden. A great choice for wildflower or rock gardens and cut flowers. Bareroot.

Heat loving and hardy plant provides vivid color late in the season.

Height: 24-36”.
Zones: 3-9.

Patio Blueberry

2009-03-15T14:03:00.001-07:00

Patio Blueberries are often grown as an ornamental! Handsome, cold hardy and compact. Produces dusky blue berries as big as the ones in the supermarket, but even tastier! Round, firm and flavorful. Keeps its quality when frozen.

Birdhouse Gourd

2009-03-15T13:59:00.000-07:00

Birdhouse Gourd
Big Enough for Bluebirds

Requires only that you cut entrance, take out seeds, and varnish to make gourds last.

Grows 12-14 inches tall. 95 DAYS.

Purple Beautyberry

2009-03-15T13:51:00.000-07:00

Beautyberry ( Callicarpa )
Plant this upright, 3-4 ft. shrub where you can watch birds enjoy its juicy bright purple berries!

Use a few stems in flower arrangements for bursts of vivid color.

Berries appear late summer to fall and persist even after leaf drop, adding winter color to the landscape.

Excellent for hedges, screening and as specimen plants. Deer resistant.
Full sun to partial shade.

Zones 5-9.

Lamium

2008-08-13T14:53:00.000-07:00

Dead Nettle, Lamium Maculatum

Fast growing perennial - use as ground cover.

Prefers a semi-shady dry area with well-drained soil but will tolerate a wide range of soils and moisture. It is best to cut this plant back after the first bloom to promote compact growth. This plant can be invasive.

Partial Sun, Partial Shade, Full Shade

deer resistant.

A good plant to use for naturalizing, massing or as a ground cover.

Pests: Slugs and snails

Diseases: May receive leaf scorch if planted in too much sun, Root Rot

Good Companion Plants: Bleeding Heart, Barrenwort, Hosta, Bugleweed, Ghost Fern, Carex, Lenten Rose

Many More Varieties shown HERE

Hen and Chicks

2008-08-12T08:55:00.000-07:00

Hen and chicks (also known as Hen-and-chickens) is a common name for a group of small succulents, belonging to the flowering plant family Crassulaceae, native to Europe and northern Africa. They grow close to the ground with leaves formed around each other in a rosette, and propagating by offsets. The 'hen' is the main plant, and the 'chicks' are the offspring, which start as tiny buds on the main plant and soon sprout their own roots, taking up residence close to the mother plant.

Plants commonly referred to as "Hens and chicks" include ground hugging species of Sempervivum (Houseleeks) such as Sempervivum Pekinese, Sempervivum arachnoideum (Cobweb Houseleek), and Sempervivum tectorum (Common Houseleek); the related genus Jovibarba. The name is also used for some species of Echeveria, Sedum and Bergenia although these plants differ significantly from, and should not be confused with, Sempervivum and Jovibarba. The description below provides characteristics of Sempervivum and Jovibarba only.
Aside from the common morphology, the many species of hen and chicks differ widely in appearance. Colours range from lime green to burgundy to purple, and size varies from as small as 1 cm to as large as 20 cm across. The leaves can be thin and spiky or thick and rounded with a pointed tip. Some, such as Cobweb Houseleek, have fine spiderweb-like filaments that grow naturally from leaf edge to leaf edge, forming a white cover on the top of the plant, while others have fine hairs that cover the entire plant structure.

Upon maturity (usually around 3 to 4 years old) the plant will send up a single stalk that can reach 5-15 cm tall. The head of the stalk is a cluster of star-shaped flower buds 1-2 cm in diameter, which range in color from dark pink to yellow and that flower for several weeks. After blooming, the plant will die. Usually by this time it has produced many offsets ('chicks').
Hen and chicks are popular in gardens for their varied and interesting appearance and hardiness. They are grown as container planting or rock gardens. They do best in well-drained, rocky soil; if they stay wet, the outer leaves will rot. Although they do best in sun, they will grow in light shade.

Geranium - Indian Dunes

2008-08-12T08:23:00.000-07:00

Scented Leaf, Brocade Leaf - - - A treat for the senses.
Unique leaf shape,attractive growth habit and vivid fragrance makes these geraniums a new old time favorite.
Dried leaves are ideal for sachets and exotic recipes.
Plants make your garden smell as beautiful as it looks.
Perfect for containers, alone or as components to mixed containers.

Full sun to partial shade.

Corkscrew Willow Tree

2008-08-12T04:10:00.000-07:00

The Corkscrew Willow tree, Salix matsudana, 'Tortuosa', is a small to medium-sized, upright spreading tree of about 30 feet in height with a 15-foot-spread.

This deciduous tree is also known as Tortuosa or Dragon's Claw Willow. The main ornamental feature of this plant is the contorted and twisted branches and twigs. Branches arise from the trunk at an acute angle and grow up almost parallel to the trunk before they curve back to the horizontal.
The winter branch pattern is most interesting and accounts for the popularity of the tree. Corkscrew Willow trees tolerate any soil, especially wet soils with poor drainage. It is a fast growing tree with narrow light green leaves.

Lacecap

2008-07-29T12:08:00.000-07:00

Hydrangea macrophylla normalis) should be much more widely grown. They are treated exactly the same as mopheads. In some ways the lacecap is easier to place in the landscape than its showier mophead sister because it is looser, more graceful and more subtle in its effect.There is no doubt that mature lacecaps can be magnificent. They fit quite naturally into woodsy locations, snuggling under and around trees such as dogwoods and other shrubs. I have also seen spectacular single specimens light up a front yard.

i hope mine will look like this one. I bought her at Penny's and she was suffering. It has been a year now and she is large but no blossoms yet and her leaves are burnt.

Dichroa Febrifuga - Evergeen Hydrangea

2008-07-29T11:57:00.000-07:00

General aspect and origins - Dichroa febrifuga is an evergreen shrub that grows in Nepal and in China, and belongs to the 50 most important plants in the traditional Chinese herbalism :

the bark, leaves and roots have some interesting properties.

Leaves - The evergreen foliage of this shrub has strong similar features with that of the common Hydrangea (and indeed, they are both from the same familly.)

- Flowers have five petals and prominent stamens. They are generally pure blue, but can have mauve traces, depending on the acidity levels of the ground.

Fruit - This plant has inedible berries, which appear during fall. These berries are most ornamental : they are blue with electric reflects and can last long on the shrub in winter.

Dichroa febrifuga remains fairly rare in cultivation. It should however meet some success, as it has an interesting evergreen foliage, and truly ornamental flowers and fruits. Moreover, this plant should withstand USDA zones 9 without major damage.

Soil - This shrub is not especially fussy about the quality of the soil. However, it is often said to do best in slightly to fairly acidic ground.

I bought mine from Rebecca's Green House.

Cotoneaster

2008-07-28T17:33:00.001-07:00

Shrub, spreading, to little more than one-foot tall,
C. dammeri has bright, glossy green, elliptical, alternate, simple 3/4 to 1-1/2 long leaves; solitary, profuse, white to pinkish flowers in spring producing bright red 1/4-inch diameter berries.

Himalayacalamus Falconeri

2008-07-19T12:18:00.000-07:00

This is one of the bamboo varities I have gotton from Gib and Diane.

It's nicname is Candy Stripe.

A beautiful Himalayan bamboo with masses of leaves borne on long, slender branchlets. Culms are green, striped with yellow or lavender-pink. Formerly misidentified, and known as Drepanostachyum hookerianum.

A newly erected genus of clump-forming bamboos of the lower altitudes of the Himalayan mountains.

Abutilon (flowering maple)

2008-06-05T16:21:00.001-07:00

I fell in love with this plant some years ago and knew I had to have it in my garden someday.
Today my friend Diane gave me one from her garden. It's flowers will be orange.

They are sometimes called Flowering Maple, but not a maple at all. The leaves resemble one. They are known for their rapid growth and plentiful, long-lasting blossoms. I like how they sort of droop . . . gives it a serene look as in a Japanese garden. She will look great with my true Japanese Maples and the bamboo.
Easily started from greenwood cuttings in autumn. Stake young plants and water often during growing/blooming season. Pinch growing tips and prune in early spring to promote bushy growth.
,

More photos here
PS: I posted this and then discovered (duh) I already have an abutilon in my garden. Let me explain. I didn't know she would be this "flowering maple" i so love. The first one is so small, and has not bloomed yet! I must feed her!

Maidenhair Fern

2008-05-26T17:05:00.000-07:00

Growth Rate: Fast growth rate
Plant Group: Ground-cover, Perennial
Plant Zone: Zone 3, Zone 4, Zone 5, Zone 6, Zone 7, Zone 8
Size at Maturity: 2 - 3 ft

I took this from the forest and put it in My Serenity Garden - Spring 2008

Aeonium undulatum

2008-05-26T16:58:00.000-07:00

This Aeonium is from the Canary Islands. It grows to 3' tall on a single stalk.

The rosettes are about 8" across and nice bright glossy green.

The leaves have a slight undulation to them, which makes the heads that much more ornamental.

The bloom is dark yellow and forms out of the center of the rosette into a large cone.

Looks great planted in groups or popping out of something low growing.

Give shade in hotter areas.

USDA Zones 9-11

Sun-Shade - Average Water

Aeonium tabulaeforme

2008-05-26T16:45:00.000-07:00

Aeonium tabulaeforme (SAUCER PLANT)
A most unusual plant from the Canary Islands.
Individual plants form a perfect flat disc which can grow to 8" in diameter.

I bought mine at a plant sale the Master Gardeners and Riley Creek School hosted.
Spring 2008
Yellow bloom
full sun
3"-4" tall

Hosta

2008-05-26T16:40:00.000-07:00

Hosta Tardiana
Hosta Chinese Sunrise

I bought bags of these wonderful hostas at Costco.
The love part shade to full shade.
Ht: from 18" to 24"

Duranta Replens

2008-05-21T13:28:00.000-07:00

Sky Flower

My Mother gave me this plant and isn't she beautiful.

It has a dense foliage of 1-2" bright green leaves and grows into an arching 10-12' large shrub or small tree. Its 1/2" fragrant lilac-blue flowers appear throughout the year in clusters, followed by a fine show of 1/2" golden-yellow berries. Most cultivars of this species have a dark blue stripe in the center of each flower petal, but different selections may have darker or lighter flowers. This species is by far the heaviest berry producer, which is good for ornament and good for the birds (most references, however, caution that the berries can be poisonous to humans if eaten – Duranta erecta plants may be somewhat thorny along the stems (or not, depending on the cultivar grown), make great hedge, screen, or barrier plants, and are definitely the hardiest of all to cold.

Lovely Butterfly and Duranta photos here.

Brodiaea

2008-05-12T15:15:00.001-07:00

Love blue? Here's a lush bloomer you can count on
Handsome: dainty flower clusters on plants surge up from a grassy clump
Wonderful planted in pots or planters or borders

Full sun

Early to Mid Summer

12-16 "

Zone 5-10 More Photos and infor HERE

Golden Hops

2008-05-10T17:27:00.000-07:00

Humulus lupulus ‘Aureus’ Golden Hops

Found in English gardens.

This is not a plant for every garden. It is a fully deciduous vining plant that can grow 20 feet or more in a single spring-summer period, then must be cut back completely down to the roots the next winter, after which it grows again the following spring.

Young golden leaves mature to dark green, giving a two-tone appearance.

Tiny hop blossoms are used for sleep pillows and pilsner-style beers.

Site in afternoon shade to prevent sun scald.

It forms into a thick climber hiding chain link fences.

The beauty of the plant comes from its golden-green, deeply lobed leaves. Later in the summer it will flower with small pendulous pale pink blossoms which eventually dry on the vine, but the leaves are still the story.

For adventurous gardeners this plant is fun, unusual and a bold statement. It could be grown against a wall with wires to lead it, on a free standing trellis or even into and among an established climbing rose or other woody vine. They will adapt to most garden soils and prefer full sun.

If you love to garden and want to try something new and different, Golden Hops is for you.

Blue Jasmine

2008-05-10T17:13:00.000-07:00

Blue Jasmine - Billardiera Cymos

New Zealand introduction.
Twining stems carry lovely, pale blue, jasmine-like, starry flowers in spring and summer followed by showy snow white berries.
Superb in a conservatory or sheltered garden.

Family: Pittosporaceae
Full sun/Part Sun

I bought this at the Plant Sale that the Master Gardeners had in town.
I don't know much about it but if she is a vine and bluish than she is welcome in my garden.

Iris - Germanica, White Superior

2008-05-10T17:02:00.000-07:00

Well I had a dickens of a time trying to find a photo of the iris I planted yesterday.

It will look similar to the photo above, only the center will be more like a rich egg yolk color.

I received it FREE because I ordered other plants from a nursery.

Partial Sun to Shade

Height: 24-48 "

Late Spring

Excellent cut flower

Excellent patio planter

You know me . . . not a fan of iris, but if she is special she will steal my heart.

Coral Bells

2008-05-10T16:54:00.000-07:00

Unique, silvery-blue marbled foliage is complemented by tiny white flowers on airy panicles for several weeks in spring.

A hummingbird favorite!

Perfect for naturalized and shade gardens and even containers placed in shade.

Provides color and contrast to rock gardens, perennial borders and woodland and shade gardens.

18” tall.

Space 18” apart.

Zones 4-7.

Heuchera American ‘Dale’s Strain’

Obedient Plant

2008-05-07T09:05:00.000-07:00

Physostegia virginiana

Obedient plant got its name for the flower's ability to be twisted on the stem and remain as arranged.

Name: Physostegia virginiana

Common name: Obedient plant, false dragonhead.

Family: Labiatae

Description: Tall, upright perennial with tubular flowers of rose, light purple or white.

Hardiness: USDA Hardiness Zones 3-9.

Propagation: Seed, cuttings and division.

Landscape use: Native beds, naturalizing, background plantings and cut-flower beds.

Hollyhock Red Double

2008-05-06T16:36:00.000-07:00

This lady in red - a statuesque 5-7' tall - attracts attention at the back of borders and in bouquets. Large, fully double flowers of deep rose red appear all along the tall, slender stems from early summer to fall. Butterflies visit these Double Red Hollyhocks often! Plant 24-36" apart in well-drained soil.

Zone 3 to 9

Peonies

2008-05-06T16:14:00.000-07:00

Cotton Candy Mix of Peonies

Collection of three classics:

Double Red Karl Rosenfield
Double Pink Sarah Bernhardt
Double White Shirley Temple

Every year in late spring, certain homes have them in beds, borders, along drives--and anywhere they grow, they create probably the most beautiful clump of flowering of the whole season. Big, usually fluffy flowers in glossy green foliage.

Perennial peonies are what experienced gardeners call investment plants. They're some of the most permanent landscaping you can buy. In fact, many continue blooming beautifully for over 100 years. Once they're established, they're as hardy and dependable as oaks, creating a fantastic season of bloom in your yard year after year.

Growing magnificent peonies is not difficult. All you need is full sun and good soil. (In even partial shade, the bloom will be scant or non-existent--keep them out in the sun!) As most gardeners know, the roots look like a bunch of carrots--thick long tapering tuber-like masses that increase every year. Feed them, water them, and the clumps will expand rapidly, and more and more blooms will result.

Types of peonies: The standard perennial peony is Paeonia lactiflora but within the species, there are thousands of hybrids old and new. And there are several flower types: Singles, like the breathtaking "Krinkled White", Semi-doubles, like the beautiful red "Kansas", and of course, the most popular, the huge fully-double peonies with multi-petaled flowers up to 8 or 10" across. Examples of classic doubles are pink "Sarah Bernhardt", red "Karl Rosenfield", and white "Shirley Temple."

There's really no end to a gardener's pleasure with peonies. They're all good for cutting. The foliage stays glossy and green all summer long, and they attract almost no pests. (Don't confuse the standard perennial peony with the "Tree Peony", a separate group. Tree Peonies are more shrub like, and don't die down completely each winter.)

Staking: This is important, since once a peony is established, the heavy flowers are often too heavy for its stems. You don't have to stake them, but if you don't, you're going to have big beautiful flowers nodding down in the mud. So once you have a healthy clump, use "peony rings" to keep them upright. The "rings" are simply wheel-like wire arrangements that stand up over the peony like a little wire table as the plant sprouts in the spring. With upright supports, the "peony ring" is placed so the shoots will grow up through the round wire bale. Of course, the foliage quickly hides the "ring", and you have a beautifully-supported clump well before the flowers open. Where to find Peony Rings? GardenersSupply.com has great ones which I've used, and I recommend them.

Botanical Name : Paeonia lactiflora
Common Name : Peony
Type : Perennial
Bloom Time : Late spring to early summer
Sun/Shade : Full sun to partial shade
Soil Preferences : Will tolerate some drought but thrives in moist, fertile, well-draining soil.
Variety : Karl Rosenfield, Shirley Temple, & Sarah Bernhardt
Advantages : Attracts butterflies, great cut flowers, and deer resistant.
Zones : 3-8
How To Grow It : Plant the roots with the eyes (buds) pointing up and place them 1-2" below the soil level. If they are planted too deeply, poor flowering will result.

Clematis

2008-05-06T15:24:00.001-07:00

Countess of Lovelace

Large double mauve-blue flowers from May-June and single blooms in the late summer.
Blooms twice each summer!

Ht. 8-10 ft.
Hybrid of Sophia Plena and Jackmanii
Zone 5
Pruning group B

fertilize 1-3 times in the growing season.

I put her on the trellis on the shed in the shade.
Wish me luck!

Melianthus major (Peanut Butter Plant)

2008-05-03T14:17:00.000-07:00

Honey Bush

Zone 8 (dry)
Full Sun
Height 6’ to 13’

This South African evergreen is a unique architectural plant producing blue saw tooth 6” leaves that, when rubbed, smell like a peanut butter sandwich. Grows 4-6 feet tall. Prune and lift for cold storage in wet winter climates. Looks great in an exotic garden. Kids love it for the Peanut butter fragrance!

The Honey Bush, Melianthus major can be one of the most striking specimens in the garden. The Honey Bush is large (up to 12 feet tall, but more often 6 feet). Melianthus major is very sculptural and has strong contrast between the maroon flowers and the grey foliage. It can also get away a bit if you are not looking. It runs. The runners are not too difficult to contain but must be watched or they will make for a much larger specimen than you might have intended. The red flowers drip nectar and attract birds like little else. If your goal is attracting hummingbirds, they will stake the Honey Bush out and protect it from all comers, occasionally including the gardener. We have had March visits from the hooded oriole this year. The plants are quite drought tolerant, though that is how I prefer to contain them. I give Melianthus major a source of water and leave a desert around them. For such a tropical looking plant they are also surprisingly frost tolerant. Plant in full sun to light shade.

Freesia

2008-04-20T15:10:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite flowers . . . Freesia

Native to Africa. They are herbaceous plants which grow from corms which send up a tuft of narrow leaves and a sparsely branched stem bearing a few leaves and a loose one-sided spike of fragrant narrowly funnel-shaped flowers.

Blooms: Mid Summer

Height: 10"

Full Sun

Iris - Siberica

2008-04-20T15:06:00.000-07:00

Butter and Sugar

I do not like Iris. Never have.
However, they do grow well here and these Butter and Sugar Iris came in a package with other bulbs I do like! I'll plant them.

A breakthrough in Siberian iris breeding! Award-winning variety bears an abundance of two-toned, creamy white and yellow blooms, accented with greenish veins.

Grows 24-36" tall. Plant 2-3' apart.

The most graceful of the irises, Siberians sport large, ruffled flowers in exciting color combinations. Arching foliage remains attractive all summer; seed pods add interest to dried flower arrangements. Hardy, carefree plants bloom mid May to early June.

Alcea - Hollyhock

2008-04-20T14:55:00.000-07:00

Alcea rosea (Common Hollyhock )

Malvales

Blooms: Summer

Height: 5 - 8 ft.

It was imported into Europe from China in the sixteenth century.

Sidalcea Candy Girl

2008-04-20T14:53:00.000-07:00

If you like Hollyhocks, you'll love Sidalcea 'Candy Girl', a mini look-alike for continuous bloom in your midsummer border. Clump-forming and compact, it sends up slender spikes covered with clusters of bright candy pink flowers.
Bloom: Summer
Height: 30"
Borders

Liatris Spicata

2008-04-20T14:44:00.000-07:00

(common names: Blazing-star, Gay-feather or Button snakeroot)

A genus of ornamental plants in the Asteraceae family.

Bloom: Early Summer

Height: 30"

Sun/Partial Shade

Borders

Mexican Sunflower ~ Tithonia

2008-01-30T06:14:00.000-08:00

Scientific Name
Tithonia rotundifolia

Common Name
Mexican sunflower

More information HERE and HERE

Flowering Season: Summer to fall
Light Requirements: Sun
Flower Color: Orange, yellow
Height: 36 to 60 inches
Spacing: 24 inches
Comments: Moderate drought tolerance

Peony

2007-10-13T21:17:00.000-07:00

Paeonia lactiflora 'Sarah Bernhardt'

Noteworthy Characteristics:
This herbaceous (soft stemmed) peony cultivar is a shrubby plant that, each year, will typically grow to 3' tall by mid-spring, bloom, display attractive foliage throughout the summer and early fall, and then die to the ground after frost. An old standard that features very large, very fragrant, rose-pink double flowers. Blooms in late season (usually May-June in the St. Louis area). Glossy green foliage is divided into oval to lance-shaped leaflets. Excellent cut flower.

General Culture:
Easily grown in rich, fertile, medium moisture, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade. Add compost as needed before planting. Each plant will flower for approximately 7-10 days. Plant other cultivars with staggered bloom times to extend the total peony bloom period to approximately 6 weeks during May and June (in the St Louis area). Remove spent flowers after blooming. Cut foliage to the ground and remove from the garden in fall after frost. Plants are long-lived, do not need to be divided and can be left undisturbed for years.

Problems:
Peonies are considered to be relatively pest free. Botrytis blight and Phytophthora blight are sometimes problems. Ants on peony buds are common and totally harmless. If plants do not flower, possible causes include (1) planted too deep or too shallow, (2) too much shade, (3) late frost killed buds or (4) plant is too young or has been recently moved or disturbed. Large, fully double flowers of this cultivar usually need staking or other support because they tend to arch toward the ground in the best of weather and can be literally driven into the ground by a hard rain.

Uses:
Peonies are a standard of the perennial border, both as specimens and in groups. Also effective as accents or herbaceous hedges along fences, sidewalks, driveways or walls. Flowers are extremely showy, and foliage remains attractive throughout the growing season, either alone or as a frame or backdrop for other flowering perennial

Johnson's Blue Geranium

2007-10-10T09:46:00.000-07:00

The best-known blue Geranium, "Johnson's Blue" is a clear, vivid periwinkle blue with flowers perfectly formed and relatively large at 2" wide.

Immediately after flowering, it's a good idea to shear back the foliage to allow a flush of new growth. This will help to keep the plant more compact and mounded.

The finely cut leaves quickly form wide clumps and are the perfect backdrop for the flowers in late spring. In the fall, the foliage takes on a brilliant orange and red tones, extending this perennial"s seasonal interest even further.

True Geranium

"Mrs. George Jackman" Clematis

2007-10-09T10:49:00.000-07:00

There are few white-flowering clematis that get me excited, but this one is really special.

Dainty and elegant, 'Mrs. George Jackson' is probably best known for its prolific displays of semi-double flowers on old wood and single flowers on new wood -- both at the same time.

They're both stately and dainty, and daintiness isn't an easy feat with six-inch wide blooms! The rounded petals are a wonderfully clear shade of antique white to ivory-cream, accentuated by a small cluster of brown stamens in the center.

It generally starts blooming in early June on old wood, then continues blooming until September on new growth with an occassional flush on old wood again. It's wonderful against a dark background.

Since this is a 'pruning group 2' clematis, cut the shoots back to a set of buds about three feet above the soil line while still dormant in late winter.
When planting, place the plant two inches deeper in the hole than it was growing in the pot; this will help prevent wilt.

Mulch your clematis after planting as well.

Abutilon, Variegated

2007-09-27T15:12:00.000-07:00

Abutilon is a large genus of about 150 species of broadleaf evergeens in the mallow family (Malvaceae). The genus includes annuals, perennials, shrubs, and small trees from 1-10 m tall, and is found in the tropical and subtropical regions of all continents. The leaves are alternate, unlobed or palmately lobed with 3-7 lobes. The flowers are conspicuous, with five petals, mostly red, pink, orange, yellow or white.
Common names include Abutilon, Chinese Bell Flower, Chinese Lantern, Mallow, Indian Mallow, and Flowering Maple (for the maple-like leaves of some species, although the genus is not related to the true maples).
Abutilon species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Yellow-banded Skipper (which feeds exclusively on A. avicennae) and Chionodes mariona.

Blue Sunrise Geranium

2007-09-26T13:36:00.001-07:00

Perennial. "Blogold" Crane's Bill
A cool reversal. Lavender-blue flowers float like dark suns against the backdrop of a bright chartreuse foliage "sky".

Bloom Season & Habit:
Glowing chartreuse leaves are attractively lobed and veined on spreading, mounded clumps. The 1-1/4 inch flowers are almost true-blue with pale centers and delicate magenta venation. Foliage darkens and reddens in cool autumn nights. Flowers continuously from June until fall. Bloom may slow or stop in very hot summers, recovering in fall.

Locations:
Full sun to part shade. USDA Hardiness Zones: 5 to 8

Use:
Great for the sunny perennial border, rock garden, or planted in masses as a ground cover.

Size:
16" tall by 24" wide. Use 2 to 3 plants per square yard.

Culture:
Grows best in well-drained soil and high light. Add grit or sand to heavy clay soils to improve drainage. Remove dead flowers and old leave to encourage rebloom and production of fresh foliage. Divide in spring as needed.

Echinacea

2007-09-13T23:51:00.000-07:00

Echinacea

Growing tips
Site and soil preferences
Echinacea plants need full sun. While good, fertile loam is ideal, any decent soil is OK. Otherwise, they need very little care and, being sturdy, no staking.
Planting associations
Try them with ornamental grasses, such as Deschampsia cespitosa and Panicum virgatum. Echinaceas mix well with blue echinops and perovskia, or pink persicarias.
Propagation
Plants can be propagated through division, by taking cuttings of young shoots in spring, or by sowing seed. Unlike other plants, the seed from named varieties will produce plants that replicate the parents.
Problem solver
Coneflowers are long-lived and resistant to pests and diseases, but older plants can die for no apparent reason. Occasionally take cuttings as a precaution

Sunflower

2007-09-13T23:48:00.000-07:00

Sunflower

Fuchsia

2007-09-13T23:30:00.000-07:00

Fuchsia

Verbena (Bonariensis)

2007-09-13T23:16:00.001-07:00

Verbena bonariensis

General Culture:
Tender perennial that is winter hardy to USDA Zones 7-10. Grow as an annual in average, moist, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. Tolerates poor soils as long as drainage is good.

Noteworthy Characteristics:
Brazilian vervain is a rapid-growing, clump-forming tender perennial. In Plants typically form a 1-foot tall basal clump of serrate, lance-shaped, dark green leaves (to 5” long) from which rise erect, slender, wiry, branching, sparsely-leaved, 4-angled stems to 3.5’ tall bearing clusters (to 2” across) of tiny rose-violet flowers. Blooms mid summer to fall. Synonymous with V. patagonica.

Problems:
No serious insect or disease problems. Watch for powdery mildew.
Uses:
Group or mass in mixed borders, meadows, cottage gardens.