|
| 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? |
Follow-Up Postings:
|
| My philosophy about volunteer plants is that, until I have enough of them or give them out to all my friends and family, I will keep taking new growths and pot them up, if I don't have space for them. Then give those pots away to friends and family...sometimes even strangers! |
|
| Wallflowers, (erysmium cheirii) are traditionally grown as biennials (often as part of a 'bedding out' system) but mine have been robustly perennial for over a decade. Nicotiana sylvestris is often good for another go-round, but both of these probably point up the shadings of classification and expectations between true biennials (Campanula medium), short-lived perennials or tender perennials grown as annuals. Have just been on a seed buying digitalis rampage after being hugely heartened by last years robust growth of fat rosettes, just beginning to extend skywards (D.purpurea, grandiflora, lutea) in our bedraggled and wild woods - expecting a froth of various umbellifers and many white foxglove spikes. |
|
- Posted by TexasRanger10 7 (My Page) on Thu, Apr 10, 14 at 21:19
| Interesting, I grew Erysmium 'Bowle's Mauve' sometime back which is supposed to be perennial but it acted like a biennial for me. I loved the plant, it bloomed in late winter & was evergreen with very attractive blue foliage which I would have liked even without the blooms. The plant got very big with a woody base so I trimmed it back after blooming the second year, it slowly died so I figured it was a biennial. Just looked it up, its perennial. |
Please Note: Only registered members are able to post messages to this forum. If you are a member, please log in. If you aren't yet a member, join now!
Return to the Perennials Forum
Information about Posting
- You must be logged in to post a message. Once you are logged in, a posting window will appear at the bottom of the messages. If you are not a member, please register for an account.
- Please review our Rules of Play before posting.
- Posting is a two-step process. Once you have composed your message, you will be taken to the preview page. You will then have a chance to review your post, make changes and upload photos.
- After posting your message, you may need to refresh the forum page in order to see it.
- Before posting copyrighted material, please read about Copyright and Fair Use.
- We have a strict no-advertising policy!
- If you would like to practice posting or uploading photos, please visit our Test forum.
- If you need assistance, please Contact Us and we will be happy to help.
Learn more about in-text links on this page here
