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gyr_falcon

Those Sort-of Biennials

gyr_falcon
10 years ago

I don't have a lot of garden space, so I usually limit my blooming Echium wildpretii (Tower of Jewels) plants to one per year. After last season's plant finished blooming, I noticed that two new shoots had started growing near the base, curling off to the sides.. So I just trimmed the stalk instead of uprooting the whole plant.

The new shoots are blooming now, but they are only about 4' in height each. Cool, a bonus year. And I notice that there is some other new growth forming at the base of the old plant. This biennial refuses to die, and is apparently up for round three. I've had foxgloves return for extended stays, but have never given the jewels the opportunity in years past.

Maybe it realized I was shifting to E. simplex instead, because I am not a pink flower fan and white seemed a better option. My first E. simplex did great, so I have already planted a new one for future stalks. They are in different garden beds, so maybe I can find room for both. Especially since they are working so hard to please me.

Which biennials extend their stay for you?

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