13,520 Garden Web Discussions | Perennials

I found the linked study informative. Their 'Sentimental Blue' got 12 inches tall. Mine are about 10 inches but they tend to lay down a bit, making them appear shorter. Their 'Mariesii' cultivar was disqualified because it was mislabeled. Seems to be a common theme with these.

Here is a link that might be useful: Platycodon Cultivar Comparison

I planted both Sentimental Blue (short) & (tall) Shell Pink 11 years ago ~ I have them every where now as they do seed (if not dead headed).

SB seem to behave differently in the different sites I eventually planted them from seeds. I have one that is enormous (2ft) both in hgt & clump & others stay as low as 8" others even showed up pink balloons along w/ the blues!

Shell Pink, I call Vanessa in honor of an Angel, stayed true to her tall, elegant lady that she is! Has also sprouted seedlings I have shared & planted in other beds.

I'm retired & have the time to dead head, nearly daily (whew) even thru this past wks of ~heat~wave~ they look better w/o the wilted spent blooms!

FWIW!

I would be very suspect about the hardiness of any hebe in zone 6 but more specifically, the two mentioned. These are speciosa hybrids and IME, speciosa is one of the least hardy of any hebe species. You could winter them over in a sunroom or greenhouse but as an evergreen shrub, they will need light regardless of temperature.

FWIW, Strawberries and Cream is assigned a zone 9 rating by at least one North American supplier. Based on my experience with these types of hybrids in my rather mild, maritime zone 8b climate, I'd say that was a very reasonable rating.

Thanks everyone for the great info!!!! I will be potting and overwintering in the house.

You could cut your plant pretty much to the ground as it becomes too tall. Is this plant in the full sun? Have you been over fertilizing? Lantana does best if kept on the lean side.

It receives 6 or 7 hours of sun. The only fertilizer I've used on it is a quick spray to wet the foliage when I'm using MG. Before I read that it prefers to be on the dry side, I watered it often. Could it be too much nitrogen from the MG?

I do not have asters yellow in my plants(at least not that I know of. I have never heard of it before I found this forum). The plant was growing indoors in a pot until recently, so any infection must had happened before I received it.

Again... i would just keep an eye on it for the standard signs just in case. Has it bloomed out any normal flowers yet?

Talking with a few nurseries here that have big aster yellows infected coneflowers, have noted that plugs coming from their growers must be infected when they receive them. It seems to be a horrible issue this year.

I planted Raspberry Wine for the first time in late spring. It has done very well and bloomed. I was just starting to enjoy it and half of it seemed to get knocked over by the sprinkler. Not positive that was the reason, but I noticed it after it had the sprinkler on the bed. Some of the stems were bent in half and would not come up again, so I cut back all those that bent over. Too bad it was just filling in the spot I wanted it for. But, I do like the flower color and size and the plant had healthy looking foliage. There is such a lot of summer and fall still to come, that I am expecting to see new growth at some point. Wednesday, rain is forecast and that is much needed for everything. I expect that next year will be even better.

I've been growing 'Raspberry Wine' since 2005. The only significant problem I've ever encountered was one year my entire stand was decimated by the horsemint moth. (Apparently, everyone in the state had the same problem). Other than that, I've had no real issues. I have found that the bloom period is significantly longer if the plants are kept moist, but they will tolerate drought. I've never had a mildew problem and it's a pretty thick stand at this point.

Here it is, last July:

Yes, and it started growing and flowering very quickly after planting. I don't find it as upright as I would like, but the flowers are pretty and some are even double. We have barely had rain and I try to water the base of the plants in the bed, and it was only twice I used a sprinkler when I didn't have time and they flopped some. I have to wonder how they would look if it rained a lot this year. More flopping? It is it's first year, and I wait to decide whether I love them or not until after a plant is established. So the jury is still out.

prairiemoon2, I know that you intend to give it another year at least but depending on the characteristics you want for a Heliopsis right now I highly recommend 'Tuscan Sun'. Earlier this spring I was looking for a recommendation for a sunflower which is floriferous through the summer but (much) less tall than many other sunflower plants. Someone on GW mentioned this particular Heliopsis. And as I have already written in other threads and will likely write again when the summer is over TS is a bloom machine which even in its first year in a very full sun location has not needed much supplemental water. So *thus far* it is my favourite new plant in my garden (I have planted *5* of them as part of a border).

Mine look the same and cutting them back next week is on my list. I think it has something to do with 90-107 degrees temps for 2 weeks..They were so beautiful last year and before the storm on 6/29, they were looking nice and healthy.
I didn't think the storm hit that bed, it did flatten larkspurs and other coneflowers in another bed. I can't tell if there is mildew or not.

Those plants need water. They are shallow rooted.

If the photo you posted is representative of your problem - you don't have one.

Yes, you started this garden during the worst possible time of the year. Combine that with the drought and heat and yes, you're going to have problems. But I'm sure you realize that.

I would say from what I see, this plants reaction is simply do to stress. Get it through this year, allow it to establish a good root system and you'll probably be in better shape next year.

Kevin

I would bet it's the rabbit spray.

Double Gem Tangerine appears to be Papaver rupifragum (Spanish poppy) which may not go dormant --several listings say it doesn't even in high heat/humidity, though it might if we get triple-digit hear for an extended period.

I would wait and see if it does in fact go dormant. If it does, a nice tropical plant like a sun coleus should fill the gap until fall when the poppy comes back.

I wintersowed "Mrs. Bradshaw" geum which bloomed this Spring and were beautiful. It seemd mine lasted a few weeks, because it was planted beside of "Brilliant" oriental poppy which was almost the same color and what a beautiful sight. I will have to pay more attention to how long a new plant blooms, etc.
I would say it's stems appeared to grow outward, like whimsical and I don't know if that is right word to use. When they finished blooming, I cut it back to its basal plant but it is putting out new leaves in that area. Since it was my first experience with this plant, I really did not know what to expect. Everything in gardening is trial and error and that was one of my experiments I guess. Can you tell I'm an impatient gardener? Come the Fall, I may dig that plant up and move it to a different location.

Stunning photos. Your plants are gorgeous!

Stunning photos. Your plants are gorgeous!

But they don't like vibration and a lawn mower is likely to get them very angry. Also, they get much more agressive as the fall comes on.

Meat tenderizer has an enzyme from papaya in it that helps break down the protein that causes the pain in stings. A paste made meat tenderized with a few drops of water applied right away will help reduce the severity of a sting.

We had several nests last year, but have not discovered any so far this year. One was in the bed next to the main house door, but no one was stung. DH did find several with the mower. Hopefully this year there won't be the same problem.

I have a low-growing chartreuse (sp) type that I let spread everywhere because of the chartreuse ground-cover look. I throw the deadheads everywhere so they spread and do they ever. I'm also thinking that might be the feverfew that Ken pulled out as I am quite sure I gifted him with a bunch of mine about 200 years ago. Oh well. Sure makes a nice backdrop for almost any hosta, especially the blues.
Pat

Ooh, I like that Virgo! I got a regular (I think) feverfew in a swap last year. I have been quite charmed by it. I deadheaded it already, though. It's growing where I have trouble with lot of things though: a place that is too hot and dry and too far from the hose to get over and water very often. If it spreads there, I'll be happy. I'll have to hope it blooms again, though, so I can get some seeds.