Tag Archives: List 5

Nigella damascena (Ranunculaceae)

Posted on by under Ranunculaceae

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Common name: love-in-a-mist

Size, form, texture: height 1.5-2 ft, spread 1-1.5 ft, bed of lacy foliage, ethereal wispy appearance, annual.

Hardiness, origin, native ecology: From damascus, easy to grow but difficult to then remove if necessary, native to Southern Europe and Northern Africa, prefers full sun, moderate moisture requirements.

Bud, foliage, flower and fruit characteristics: produces lots of seed, edible in other species, solitary blue flowers blooming in June to August, amid wispy textured foliage, giving way to unusual horned egg shaped seed capsules, all of plant is fairly hairy giving it a unique texture.

Cultural and maintenance requirements and appropriate uses in the landscape: low maintenance, dead heading spent flowers will lengthen bloom period, attractive and interesting plant, would look good in a border, looks good in containers, could be interesting with ferns or rosemary when in bloom.

Delosperma cooperi (Aizoaceae)

Posted on by under Aizoaceae

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Common name: hardy ice-plant

Size, form, texture: succulent plants, low growing, matt forming 3-6 in tall, spreading 2 or more ft wide.

Hardiness, origin, native ecology: many species in this family have crystalline papillae on leaves, refract light giving frosted appearance. Succulents leaves are filled with moisture making them able to tolerate long periods of drought. Spread by seed and stoliniferously (one clump spreading to larger patches). Need to be in very well drained soil, can’t tolerate any shade, but can hold its own with other succulents. Won’t compete with grasses, best in full sun.

Bud, foliage, flower and fruit characteristics: flowers in june, will flower sporadically through the summer, single flower radiating from centre, in bright pink, receptacles become fleshy producing the fruit.

Cultural and maintenance requirements and appropriate uses in the landscape: Good as ground cover, in rock gardens or aerospace gardens as once established requires very little water, can be used for erosion control and tolerates coastal exposure. Hardy attractive succulent.

 

Astrantia major subsp. involucrata (Apiaceae)

Posted on by under Apiaceae

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Common name: masterwort

Size, form, texture: height and spread 1-3 ft, clumping, soft ethereal flowers with interesting foliage.

Hardiness, origin, native ecology: prefers part shade and medium to wet soil, best in soil that doesn’t dry out and where there are cooler summer nights.

Bud, foliage, flower and fruit characteristics: many fragrant showy flowers blooming continuously throughout summer and fall, white with touch of pink (ranging through pink and purple), sweet smelling. Foliage classic of carrot family, large involucer with many tiny flowers in centre. Still has attractive presence when flowering is done.

Cultural and maintenance requirements and appropriate uses in the landscape: Good planted with astilbes, ferns and hostas. Low maintenance, planted in beds and borders, and by waters edge. Looks nice in masses, gets large in masses.

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