Plant of the Month for April, 2020

Iris histrioides x winogradowii

 (EYE-ris  hiss-TREE-ohy-deez)

General Information:

Iris ‘Katharine Hodgkin’, the orchid iris, is one of the best reticulata-type early spring flowering iris. It makes a great show every year and multiplies quickly to form a good sized clump. The flowers are short, but wider than other similar types. To be honest, I don’t like pale colors in the garden but I’ve fallen in love with this one.

Iris ‘Katharine Hodgkin’:photo by Robert Pavlis

The naming of reticulata iris are a bit confusing. There is an iris group called reticulata which contains numerous species such as I. danfordiae, I. histrioides and I. winogradowii and there is a species, Iris reticulata, which is also part of this group.

Iris ‘Katharine Hodgkin’, sometimes spelled Katherine, is a cross between I. histrioides (pale blue flowers) and I. winogradowii (pale yellow flowers) but is usually called Iris reticulata ‘Katharine Hodgkin’. Some sources call it Iris x histroides ‘Katharine Hodgkin’, which is a more correct name.

Iris ‘Katharine Hodgkin’:photo by Robert Pavlis

One of the great things about this group of iris is that snow, cold or even a cloudy day do not force the flowers to close. They are always open and even snow will do little danmage.

As the flowers open, the grass-like leaves start to grow and a few weeks after the flowers have faded, they will be about 30 cm tall. They are thin, but quite stiff. You hardly notice them unless they are planted right at the front of the border. By mid-summer the plant is back underground hoping for a dry spell.

Clumps can be divided after flowering but it might be best to leave them alone, unless flowering declines. Moved bulbs may sulk for a year or two.

If you would like to see more varieites of Iris reticulata, have a look at this video: https://youtu.be/QWI1NSZxzLY

Life Cycle: bulb

Height: 30 cm (12 in), flowers at 10 cm (4 in)

Bloom Time: early spring

Natural Range: Turkey, Caucasus, Lebanon, northern Iraq and Iran

Habitat: sunny dry slopes

Synonyms:  n/a

Cultivation:

Light: part shade to full sun

Soil: well drained

Water: average to dry

USDA Hardiness Zone: 3 - 8 (9?)

Propagation: division of bulb offsets

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

Plant of the Month for January, 2020

Rudbeckia 'Herbstsonne'

 

 (rud-BEK-ee-a  la-sin-ee-AY-tuh)

General Information:

Rudbeckia laciniata ‘Herbstsonne' ’is a huge plant that is perfect for the back of a perennial bed. It flowers in late summer providing a great splash of yellow for a long time. Unlike your typical yellow daisy it is quite unique with its large flared-back petals.

Rudbeckia laciniata ‘Herbstsonne':photo by Robert Pavlis

The plant is usually listed as R. laciniata, but also as R. nitida, and some experts think it is a hybrid between the two. The Royal Horticultural Society names it R. laciniata and has given it the Award of Garden Merit.

Herbstsonne is German and means autumn sun, explaining why some people incorrectly call this Rudbeckia ‘Autumn Sun’. It also has the common name of cutleaf coneflower which is also used for other forms of R. laciniata.

Rudbeckia laciniata ‘Herbstsonne:photo by Robert Pavlis

Except for cutting old stems back in spring, this plant requires no maintenance and the clump spreads slowly.

Life Cycle: perennial

Height: 200cm (7 ft)

Bloom Time: early fall

Natural Range: North America (R. laciniata)

Habitat: wet sites along stream banks (R. laciniata)

Synonyms:  none

Cultivation:

Light: full sun

Soil: average

Water: average to moist

USDA Hardiness Zone: 3 - 9

Propagation: seed, division

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

 

Germination Tips:

 

Sow @ 20°C. Seed germinates within 3 months.

Contributions to this page were made by: Robert Pavlis

Plant of the Month for March, 2020

Berberis thunbergii 'Concorde'

 

 (BUR-bur-is  thun-BERG-ee-eye)

Read more …

Plant of the Month for February, 2020

 

Anemone Blanda

 (Uh-NEM-oh-nee  BLAN-duh)

General Information:

Anemone blanda is a fairly common spring bulb that produces a big display of flowers. It is low growing and can be tucked under trees for a nice display, or grown with other small spring bulbs like Muscari. It is best purchased and planted in fall but you can find pots of it in spring at some nurseries.

Anemone blanda:photo by Robert Pavlis

This plant is called a bulb, a corm and a tuber. It is black, irregularly shaped and does not look much like anything. I suspect that it is properly called a tuber. They are usually sold very dry and it is a good idea to soak them overnight before planting. You really can’t tell which way is up, so just drop them in a planting hole. Bulbs, corms and tubers don’t really care if they are planted upside down.

Anemone blanda:photo by Robert Pavlis

They grow well in full sun but prefer part shade in hot climates. The common colors are blue, pink and white. I especially like the clear white color.

Anemone blanda:photo by Robert Pavlis

Their common names include windflower and Grecian windflower, although they don’t do as well in a windy location. They will naturalize over time. At the end of their growing season, which is around mid-summer, the leaves die back and they go underground.

Life Cycle: tuberous perennial

Height: 12cm (5in)

Bloom Time: spring

Natural Range: Southeast Europe, Cyprus, Turkey, Caucasus

Habitat: sunny dry slopes

Synonyms:  n/a

 

Cultivation:

Light: sun to part shade

Soil: well drained

Water: average, moist during the growing season.

USDA Hardiness Zone: 5 - 10

Propagation: seed, division

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

 

Germination Tips:

 

Sow @ 20°C. Seed germinates within 3 months.

 

Contributions to this page were made by: Robert Pavlis

1. Yucca glauca
2. Viola 'Dancing Geisha'
3. Veronica gentianoides
4. Trifolium rubens 'Red Feather'

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