13,520 Garden Web Discussions | Perennials
D'oh! Of course you're both right. I thought sure I had taken a photo of Serastro before I yoinked it out, and when I saw the big plant with the purple blooms in that photo this morning, I re-posted without really looking at it. Rummaging through my pix post-coffee, it seems I don't have a copy handy of the photo I'm thinking of.
But I *did* grow it, and it *did* overstep its bounds quickly. THAT much is accurate. :)
I've grown Kent Belle for years and it's never spread. In fact, it's now being squeezed out between a salvia and a catmint.
However, my original plant seeded way across my yard into a different garden 5 years ago. That plant has held up very nicely during the many torrential rain storms we've had this summer. A few of the outside braches flopped, but the main part of the plant held up.
Hmmmmm..... I always knew I liked grilled cheese with tomato soup! I actually like the color of this one, and I'm not that huge a fan of the new coneflowers. But I do like this and 'Tomato Soup'. They might make quite a stunning combo on the menu in the garden.
The moonflower vines I planted are using circumnutation to climb up the fishing line I wound around the porch post. I knew there was a more technical term for that kind of vine, TY! (Assuming I've used it correctly.)
Speaking of spores...
pro÷thal÷lus n., pl. = pro÷thal÷li:
A small, flat, delicate structure produced by a germinating spore and bearing sex organs. It is the gametophyte of ferns and some other plants. (If someone can explain gametophyte in a way that makes sense to me, TIA!)
Photoperiodism = the physiological reaction of organisms to the length of day or night. IE, plants that bloom when the days get longer/shorter.
I had a coneflower with buds looking similar to yours. I finally took a bud, sliced it in half and looked at it under a microscope. I definitely found mites. I could not see the mites just by eye or with a magnifying glass. Of course, this does not rule out aster yellows, but it did make me feel a bit better. I decided to keep that plant.
If you do not happen to have a microscope handy, you might be able to take the sample bud to a local group or agency that does have one. If you live near your county extension office (run through your state's land grant university), they might have a plant diagnostic lab. A local university or community college might have a plant sciences/ag department that could look at it. Sometimes even state parks with education centers have microscopes available for community use. A local Master Gardener group might be able to look at it as well.
gl whatever you decide to do!
I LOVE this plant. But as rouge21 said 'give it lots of room.' My plant is 6 1/2 ft tall x 6 ft wide and has to be staked to keep it upright and prevent spawl. It flowers for me from June-August and the white blooms are spectacular. It is the anchor plant for a large garden bed meant to be viewed primarily from our deck so large size and highly visible flowers were a requirement.
I can't speak for anyone else on the forum, but personally, I would never even make an order online and try to take shipment of plants at this time of year. We are having an extended heat wave this year too, which makes it worse. I wouldn't risk newly dug plants traveling the country in boxes in this heat. And there is a forum for Plant Trades where you would find more responses, I would guess.
It's actually warmer up north than down here lately. Unfortunately our plants don't mesh into a decent trade, I have the things you mention that I want and have very few shade plants in abundance or I'd be into it. Good luck, that's a good list.
In the top section "seeds I have to trade" I put the date there, so people can know how current the list is. That might help you out.
Do you mind if I ask about your Talinum? How long have you had it? I find that I'm cutting the whole thing back about once a month. After a flush of stalks starts making the seed balls, it stops, and those long things are flopping all over the place. As soon as I cut them, new ones start coming up fast. Needs some elbow room, this plant. I love seeing the little flowers "floating in mid-air" when I look out the window though. Have to be careful where I throw the cuttings too, they can root easily. It's really unusual and fun.
The answer to such questions is generally: if you HAVE to move it RIGHT NOW, then move it. Otherwise wait to the proper time. Before you dig it up, water it thourougly so the soil stick together, and move with a big clump. Some plants barely notice being moved. Unless your soil is utter rubbish and everything just falls off, then do not do it.
There's no need to move it now. I'll be waiting til fall to move most things. But since asters are fall bloomers, I was thinking maybe that is not advisable. If I wait til after it blooms it will probably be too late in the year for it to root in.
I SHOULD have moved it in spring :) but spring is the season of never ending gardening tasks. Likewise, I can say "I'll do it next spring," and like all the other things I should have moved then, it won't get done.
Jenny, I have 'Orania' lily in full sun and Monarda Raspberry Wine right near it. This is only my second season of having the Monarda, and I think it may not like this amount of sunshine. I am thinking of moving it to a more shady location. It also likes moisture and when we had a lot of rain this season I thought for sure it would do great, but the bloom is not as good as last year and it has not increased which I would have expected from Monarda. This bed is full sun and meant to take some dryness, so it was a mistake on my part.
I have Raspberry wine in full NC sun and it is doing awesome, spreading like crazy. This area gets extra water from A/C runoff, so I imagine that attributes to it's success. I can't image not putting Monarda in full sun, though. I put one little sprig from my original plant into a new area and the next year it came up almost as big as the original plant. Couldn't believe how big it got so fast. Also in the runoff area. Water seems to be the key for me.
The levee or dike as we call has done a great job! Actually before we had the dike, between 1996 and 2000 there were 4 times that we had to put up sandbags to keep the water away from the house. Before we purchased this house in 1993, there had only been 1 time in the prior 30 years that there was water in the yard here. But there has been a lot of ditching and water diversion, and now it is more likely to come our way!
As for the penguin, he is still around somewhere, a bit banged up for some reason. I want to think that he was hit by a vehicle, but I really don't remember.
Very entertaining story. To start with, so interesting that you had a hatchery. I love the thought of baby ducks and chicks going out around the country through the mails every spring I assume. It gives me a very cute and sweet image in my mind. (g) And what a solution for your flooding problem. I love that man made pond. And the penguin...well, I just think it's refreshing that you and your husband still had a sense of humor after the flooding, the sand bags, having to dig a football size hole and build a levee. lol
North Chicago suburbs. I've seen a few. They are late: they normally arrive with the flowering of my persicaria polymorpha, which becomes a plant full of bugs normally. I've had lots of dragonflies, some butterflies, and a good assortment of bees ( several kinds).
Me too. I saw another one today which I was happy about. Maybe they will increase as the summer continues. I see a lot more bees this year, which I am very happy about.
I spend most of my time on the butterfly forum, and most areas have had a significant lack of butterflies this year. But, things are really picking up just this week in many regions. Last summer was a terrible drought, and this spring was cool and wet. So, things were off to a slow start. But, it's getting better. Just keep growing the native plants and heavy nectar annuals, etc., and you'll be rewarded with visits eventually. Thanks for taking the time to respond to the post and spread the word to gardening folk and others.
Martha