(in-kar-VIL-ee-uh  MAIR-ay)

General Information:

Incarvillea mairei, looks very tropical with its large pink flowers. It's hard to believe that such a plant is hardy to zone 3.

Incarvillea mairei:photo by Robert Pavlis

Known as the dwarf hardy gloxinia, flowering fern or Chinese trumpet flower, it is more compact than other Incarvillea species and seems to be longer lived. I’ve grown several Incarvillea species from seed in zone 5 and most only last a few years. This one has been in the garden for at least 5 years. In colder climates it takes 2 years to flower from seed.

Grows well in full sun, but some reports suggest it might do better in part shade with more moisture. 

As far as I can tell it is not available as an alba form, although alba seeds are sometimes offered for sale. These will be either I. delavayi or a hybrid. 

Incarvillea mairei:photo by Robert Pavlis

The plant forms a cigar shaped tuber and is occasionally sold as a dry tuber. Plant it with the eye up and the pointy end down, but if you can’t tell which end is up, just plant it horizontally about 3” below soil level.

Life Cycle: perennial

Height: 30cm (12in)

Bloom Time: early summer

Natural Range: SW China to Nepal 2400-4500 m

Habitat: sunny dry slopes

Synonyms:  Incarvillea compacta, Incarvillea grandiflora, Incarvillea racemose, Tecoma mairei

Cultivation:

Light: part shade to full sun

Soil: well drained

Water: average to dry

USDA Hardiness Zone: 3- 9

Propagation: seed, division

Seedex availability (ORG&HPS annual Seed Exchange): common

 (hy-PER-ee-kum ath-oo-um)

General Information:

There are over 400 Hypericum species and all have yellow flowers, usually with 5 petals. They can be annuals, perennials and even shrubs. Hypericum athoum is one of the jewels of the genus making a very nice clump that flowers much of the middle and late summer.

Hypericum athoum; photo by Robert Pavlis

H. athoum makes a nice tight clump. Leaves are 8-15 mm long, ovate to oblong-ovate and softly hirsute (ie hairy). It forms clusters of 2 to 7 yellow flowers, about 15 mm in diameter. The flowers are quite large for the size of the plant.

 Hypericum athoum; photo by Robert Pavlis

The common name, St. John’s wort is used to name many of the Hypericum species and is of little use in identifying plants.

A great rock garden plant that deserves to be grown more frequently.

Life Cycle: perennial

Height: 1o cm (4 inch)

Bloom Time: mid to late summer

Natural Range: Greece

Habitat: shady rocks, gravelly soil

Synonyms: none

Cultivation:

Light: full sun to part shade

Soil: humus rich gravelly soil

Water: drought tolerant once established

USDA Hardiness Zone:  range not known – overwinters in zone 5

Propagation: seed and cuttings in late summer

Seedex availability (ORG&HPS annual Seed Exchange): available frequently

 (hy-LOH-mee-kon   juh-PON-ih-kuh)

General Information:

Hylomecon japonica is a special, collectors plant for the shady garden. It is rarely offered for sale, and seed from most seed exchanges will provide the wrong seed. This is a plant that is certainly worth hunting down.

Hylomecon japonica; photo by Robert Pavlis

The plant forms quite large tubers that start to grow in early spring. In zone 5, the flowers appear early May and continue for about 2 weeks. When flowering is finished the plant has made a nice tight clump of leaves that persist until early summer. At that time the leaves die back, and the plant rests underground until next spring.

Common names for Hylomecon japonica include; forest poppy, Japanese woodland poppy, and Japanese poppy. These common names, and the yellow flowers have led to confusion in the industry. This plant is routinely confused with the other woodland poppies; Stylophorum diphyllum, Stylophorum lasiocarpum and Chelidonium majus.All four plants have similar looking leaves, and similar yellow flowers.

A detailed analysis of each of these species can be found at http://www.gardenmyths.com/hylomecon-japonica-which-is-the-real-plant/

Hylomecon japonica; photo by Robert Pavlis

S. lasiocarpum has leaves that are distinctly different and can easily be distinguished from the other 3. C. majus is a biennial and the flowers are half the size of the others. Hylomecon japonica and Stylophorum diphyllum can be easily distinguished by their seed pods. H. japonica seed pods are very thin and point straight up in the air. The seed pods of S. diphyllum hang down, and are plump fruits almost as wide as they are long. Once you understand that the 4 plants are similar, they are fairly easy to tell apart.

Hylomecon vernalis may be a different species, but some authorities consider it to be a synonym of H. japonica.

Life Cycle: perennial

Height: 30 cm (1 ft)

Bloom Time: spring

Natural Range: Japan, Korea, China and Russia

Habitat: forest understories, ditch sides, shaded habitats to 2400m

Synonyms:  Chelidonium japonicum, Stylophorum japonicum,

Cultivation:

Light: part shade to shade

Soil: well drained to moist

Water: regular moisture in spring, dry after flowering

USDA Hardiness Zone: 5 – 9

Propagation: seed, division

Seedex availability (ORG&HPS annual Seed Exchange): occasionally

 (hy-uh-sin-THOY-deez his-PAN-ih-kuh)

General Information:

Hyacinthoides hispanica, or Spanish bluebells are one of the best spring bulbs. Any type of bluebell is a great addition to the garden, but Spanish bluebells put on a better show than most of the others. They flower later than other bluebells and are much taller, allowing them to make a big splash in the garden.

Hyacinthoides hispanica; photo by Robert Pavlis

Hyacinthoides hispanica are also called wood hyacinth, and scilla. They are native to Spain and Portugal but have become a relatively common plant in many countries. They like part shade, but I grow them in full sun which they seem to like in zone 5. They are deer and rodent resistant and will grow in just about any soil. Plant them and forget them.

Hyacinthoides hispanica; photo by Robert Pavlis

The other common blue bell is the English bluebell, Hyacinthoides non-scripta. The Spanish bluebell is much taller, has flower bells on all sides of the stem and the flower stem is more upright. The Spanish bluebell has blue anthers while the English or common bluebell has creamy-white ones. The two species cross breed easily and garden plants may be hybrids.

Available in white, pink and various shades of blue.

Life Cycle: perennial bulb

Height: 40 cm (1.5 ft)

Bloom Time: late spring

Natural Range: Spain and Portugal

Habitat: woodland edges

Synonyms:  Endymion campanulatus, Endymion hispanicus, Scilla campanulata, Scilla hispanica

Cultivation:

Light: full sun to shade

Soil: not fussy

Water: regular moisture in spring, drought tolerant in summer

USDA Hardiness Zone: 3 - 8

Propagation: seed, offsets

Seedex availability (ORG&HPS annual Seed Exchange): occasionally