13,520 Garden Web Discussions | Perennials

Tiki Torch is a hybrid of E. purpurea and E. paradoxa - since E. paradoxa is more drought tolerant, growing in a drier native habitat, I would also add extra perlite, or use more of a cactus mix or gritty mix in the pot. The Container Gardening forum has lots of threads on Tapla's (aka Al) gritty mix. He also explains concepts like the "perched water table" that exists in pots.

The gritty mix killed some Echinaceas I was growing. It dries out too quickly. I'd mix it at least half and half wirh potting soil.

From the bloom color it looks like it could be Mystic merlin M.sylvestris. Depending on if you have a warm or cold winter in zone 7, it can be a short lived perennial or a freely reseeding annual.

Thanks for all the help. It is Mystic Merlin. It seems some people have trouble with it reseeding too much and others really like it. I think I will just see what happens naturally. Thanks again for all the help.

I live in southwest Ks and have delph Bellamosa in my yard that is over 20 years old. It seeds down, and if I can save them from the rabbits, I scatter them all about several gardens on this block. Back in the 30's and 40's, my Dad grew them for a greenhouse, for funeral displays. He was Swiss and could grow anything as I remember so well, even tho I wasen't that old then. I miss him so much, especially when I have a gardening question.

Apparently I forgot to hit the second button to post, so I'll say it again...
Thanks for the link, Flora. I enjoyed the little video.

This is planted east side of house. Maybe if you transplant it to the same location, it might help.

I shot this at Blue Harbor Sheboygan, at our rented villa.

Is that 2 different lavenders?

Updating on my newly created (still in progress) I fondly named *Shenandoah Country* sunny bed. I have just added a couple more pix to the album I posted above.

I'm so much more pleased now w/ my choices of Shenandoah Swichgrass & Oso Easy (Mango Salsa) roses for the outer periphery of the bed. I have decided in mid-Mar to plant 3 Hydrangeas I've successfully grown in pots (1rooted from a Kyushu branch & 2 seedling-volunteers of Tardiva). They will eventually work well as screens along the fence! I'm adding 3 *Yellow Submarine* roses behind Shenandoahs (at safe distance) around the dead stump. I'm sure it'll be crowded there oneday (sigh) but will be pretty for a few years!!!

Wonder if you might check out the added pix in the orig link I posted above ~ appreciate your thoughts!!! TIA

ditas,
The turtle head (Chelone) prefer full sun. So I would leave them where they are because trying to move them will not be easy.

Here's my bonfire pic!

okay, that last post made me giggle. Very funny

I'm almost 100% certain #3 is Horseweed (Conyza canadensis). It's one of those weeds that changes shape and form as it ages. In other words it starts out looking very different than it ultimately will look like when it blooms.

I was just Googling images for this one and found tons of 'em at all stages of development. I have it my garden. It's easy to pull, but it seems to be around every year no matter what I do.

Kevin

Dahlias overwinter easily for me in the Detroit area under mulch. And, given that last winter was one of the mildest ever recorded in E. North America, it's not surprising that one came back.

I love this plant,mine has not been invasive. I am in process in trying to fine Pink Manners

I bought 'Vivid' from Bluestone Perennials about 4 years ago. Even though it was in a dry spot, it went crazy after 2 years. I put it in pots, and just this spring finally got it back in the ground in back in a kind of "wild" bed where it can spread to its heart's content.

I also started Physostegia 'Crystal Peak' from seed last Spring, and that does not seem aggressive at all. If anything, it's the opposite - only about half the plants have survived, and they're still fairly small for a 2nd year perennial.

Good suggestions mistacscott....another might be "Early Sunrise". So many possibilities :(.

Looks like the double I got at Lowes last year. I will see if I can find the tag.

In an effort to make them look better with water, be sure not to over water them. Lavender does NOT like "wet feet".

leaves turning yellow from the bottom is a sign of too much water.

aaargh, making me wince, just looking at it. Sow thistle season is fully established on my allotment - weeks and weeks of grovelling about with a daisy grubber await me.

did it ever occur to you all.. to cut them down and put a drop or two of roundup on them.. BEFORE THEY GO TO SEED.. LOL ..

ken

Weekendweeder, if they are absolutely identical and you cannot see any seedlings(small plantlets) then you may just have divisions of the same original plants(= you have actually only one). In such a case you are on 'safe ground' as far as selfseeding is concerned, unless people in your vicinity have different plants.

Thanks very much! That was very clear.

I expect that Russell type perennial lupines could probably be grown as a biennial in zone 8 or 9 by the method I described above, since they will flower from seed the first year with good growing conditions. Then let them go.

Another lupine that would work well if Hartweg's Lupine, L. hartwegii. I bought a packet of these for 25 cents last year at Ace Hardware, off the discount seed rack. They were just beautiful about 2 weeks ago, and I wasn't sure they would even survive our winter here (but, it was the mildest winter ever here!).

They will die over the summer though.