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last update January 2009


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Saruma henryi 1599

photos: ...flower ...plant ...leaf ...and another ...

(few only) Common names: Upright Wild Ginger. A low to mid-height perennial, hardy to zone 4. LOW MAINTENANCE. Of Upright habit, colonizing mainly by slowly creeping rootstocks. Slow-growing and of long lifespan. Height: to 2', and 1' wide. Native to China. A single-species genus, closely related to Asarums; the name is an anagram thereof (asarum <=> saruma). Rarely found in cultivation in NAm as yet. Eventual spread to 3' diameter. A valuable shade plant. Visitors here the past 3 years will have seen some test plants in my woodland beds; they've done very well, are not spreading quickly, were tasted by deer once and left alone. So now I have plants to sell. They haven't really experienced a zone 5 winter since I've had them but a reliable source rates them as zone 4. May self-seed depending on the site; no evidence of it here yet. Recommended site: shade. Soil: fertile, largely organic, reliably moist but well-drained. Very easy in any soil mix that the large-leaf Rhododendrons will be happy in. Tolerates more sun. Foliage light green; coarse. Deciduous. Heavily felted, large heart-shaped leaves to 5" wide. Small flowers are borne in a small cluster for 2 months in late spring with sporadic rebloom through to late fall. Primrose yellow, borne above the leaves. Simple, 3-petalled little lamps glowing in the shade. Some uses: in Shrubbery, Specimens, Foliage, Groundcover, Rock Gardens, Naturalizing Woodlands.


Sedum ternatum 1387 $6.00

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... Common names many for such a little guy: Whorled Stonecrop, Woodland Stonecrop, Woods Stonecrop, Wild Stonecrop, White Stonecrop. A very low perennial, hardy to zone 4. Low Maintenance in a proper site. Of Sprawling habit. Slow-growing. Height: to 6in. Native to NAm: most of the east except the more northerly areas. Very hardy succulent. Creeping thing, forming open cushions; non-invasive. Recommended site: open shade. Soil: rich, peaty, mildly alkaline, reliably moist but well-drained especially in winter. Naturally occurs in rocky areas and rich woods; moist to dry rocks, logs, stream banks. Likes basic soils, moist drained ground, usually on slight slopes. Will take full sun in NS. Open, sparse foliage, of fine texture. Usually evergreen? Small white flowers are borne in a small cluster in early spring, carried in terminal cluster of three branches. Some uses: Borders and Beds, in Shrubbery, Groundcover, Rock Gardens, Naturalizing Woodlands.


Solidago bicolor 1567 $5.00

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... Common names: Silverrod or Silver-rod; White Goldenrod. A low to mid-height perennial, hardy to zone 5 or colder. Of Erect habit, colonizing mainly by forming a very tight clump. Moderately quick-growing and of moderate lifespan. Height: to 1-2', and 6" wide. Native to NS/ Ont/ Arkansas/ Georgia. Fairly common over most of NS except the southern end. Seed wild-collected near here. Self seeds modestly. Very similar to the under-utilized golden Solidago hispida when not in flower. A useful late-summer flowering native; the only native non-yellow goldenrod. Non-invasive. Recommended site: sun to part shade. Soil: infertile, well-drained, moist to dry-ish. Occurs naturally in dry soils of old fields, barrens, roadsides and as a colonizer in burnt-over areas and in dry open woods. Open, sparse foliage. Small creamy white flowers are borne on a long Spike for a month in autumn. Multy-rayed flowers on single or multiply-branched spikes. Some uses: Borders and Beds, in Shrubbery, Rock Gardens, attracting Beneficial Insects, Wildflower, Naturalizing.


Stachys grandiflora 2114 $6.00

also known as Stachys macrantha; Betonica grandiflora.. Common names: Betony; Big Betony. A low to mid-height perennial, hardy to zone 2. Low Maintenance in a proper site. Of upright habit, colonizing mainly by slowly creeping rootstocks. Slow-growing . Height: to 1-2 ft, and 1 ft wide. Native to Eurasia: Caucasus/ NE Turkey/ NW Iran. Attractive plants with leafy stems and showy flowers. Recommended site: sun to part shade. Soil: fertile, sandy, loamy, well-drained, moist to dry-ish. Flowers may last longer in part shade but plant growth may be better in sun. Good-sized flowers are borne in large Whorls in late spring. Bright purple to shades of pink/purple. Some uses: Borders and Beds, Rock Gardens, Cut Flowers.


Streptocarpus hybrids

These are HOUSEPLANTS!! which I've been meaning to propagate for years now, and have finally made the space for them. Several cultivars available at $5.25 in 3 inch pots (probably not yet flowering depending on the time of year, but of flowering size). Shipped potted.

Photo: a planter with 13 of my Streptocarpus cultivars. Unfortunately the bottom 2 rows are young plants and not flowering much yet at the time of the photo. All but one are listed below.

... Common names: Cape Primrose. Low-growing house plants, definitely not frost hardy. LOW MAINTENANCE. Tufts of large basal foliage with wiry arching flower stems. Vigorous, fast-growing and of very long lifespan. Native to South Africa. These names are all unofficial cultivars (named by me, not registered, just for convenience). Streptocarpus are excellent Low Maintenance houseplants, very tolerant of a wide range of light conditions and drought tolerant. As one who regularily neglects the housepets, these have been virtually unkillable. Recommended site: almost any room in a house; they've done well for me in hot south-facing windows, in a rather dim room, and everywhere inbetween. Soil: fertile; near neutral pH, largely organic. Depending on how much room you have, the leaves can be allowed to reach full size or can be pinched off when they are still modest in size, the plant won't mind. I've grown them with equal success in Promix and in half Promix half sand. Dense, compact basal foliage, coarse. Good-sized unscented flowers are borne as a small Cyme for a very long period. Flowering usually starts in early May and continues past Christmas for me if I water and fertilize regularily. Long thin flower stems bear anywhere from one to a dozen flowers at the end of the stem. Flowers are shaped like flared trumpets and usually have some throat markings. Some uses: House Plant. Could be used outdoors as an annual, but what a waste! .

 

Streptocarpus x hybridus cv 'Huntress White' 2108D $5.25

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Height: to 10in, and to 18in wide. A friend provided me with a cutting of this plant. Leaves slightly pale. Flowers pure white with slight yellow throat markings.

Streptocarpus x hybridus cv 'Moms Pink' 2108B $5.25

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Height: to 8in, and to 15in wide. I lifted this plant from my mom; don't know where she got it. The darker of my two small-flowered pink Streptos. Nice two-toned pattern.

Streptocarpus x hybridus cv 'Pink Sister' 2108C $5.25

photos: ...flower ...plant ... another ...

Height: to 8in, and to 15in wide. I lifted this plant from my sister; don't know where she got it. Softly coloured pink flowers.

Streptocarpus x hybridus cv 'Purcell Blue' 2108 $5.25

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Height: to 1ft, and to 2ft wide. This is the first one I grew and is still with me over a decade later. Mid-blue flowers, with attractive darker veining and small yellow markings at the throat.

Streptocarpus x hybridus cv 'Summit Sky' 2108E $5.25

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A chance seedling from 'Purcell Blue', this is a vigorous plant with large pale blue flowers, soft yellow throat

Streptocarpus x hybridus cv 'Tanager' 2108N $5.25

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Lush bright velvety red, with bright yellow throat markings; large flowers if not huge. Vigorous, large-leafed. Came with this name from a plant society sale in Edmonton, and I haven't been able to find it anywhere on the internet

Streptocarpus x hybridus cv 'Sutton Hybrid' 0242 $5.25

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Divisions of a plant I raised from seed years ago (about '92 or '93) this has huge ruffled flowers of pink with purple throat markings. It is, however, not as large or as vigorous or as free-flowering as the rest, and more prone to check out if overwatered. Leaves are more glossy and take on weird shapes as they get large. Height to 6in, width to 15in.

Streptocarpus x hybridus cv 'Specklazy' 2108H $5.25

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Some general comments on the nest three: 2108H, G and J: Helen, a nursery friend of many years standing, came across a stand of neglected Streptos at her supermarket and picked out these 3 for me. The price was a bottle of wine to accompany a dinner; the wine was a Gewurztraminer (grape type) Spatlese (a classification of German wines), and the meal featured an excellent spaghetti sauce incorporating asparagus and other such unexpected flavours. The Streptos survived and thrived and have proven worthy of propagation with a name so I have had a bit of fun with the naming of them.

A smaller plant, less vigorous than some but quite floriferous. Height: to 6in, and to 10in wide or more. Large ruffled flowers, a mist of blue-purple speckles on a white background, with a white throat. Hence 'Specklazy', after Spatlese... (groan)

Streptocarpus x hybridus cv 'Gewurztramaroon' 2108G $5.25

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If you didn't read the story in 2108H, do so now...

A smaller plant, less vigorous than some but quite floriferous. Height: to 6in, and to 10in wide or more. Large ruffled picotee flowers, heavily marked in maroon to pink. Spice for the eyes. Hence 'Gewurztramaroon', after Gewurztraminer; Gewurz being German for spicey or some such... (ok, more groans)

Streptocarpus x hybridus cv 'Spaghetti Eastern' 2108J $5.25

photos: ...flower ...

If you still didn't read the story in 2108H, do so now...! I won't ask you again.

A smaller plant, less vigorous than some but quite floriferous. Very similar to 2108G 'Gewurztramaroon' but a few shades darker. Height: to 6in, and to 10in wide or more. Large ruffled picotee flowers, heavily marked in dark red to pink. I had used up all the wine malaprops I could think of so went after the main course for inspiration. There was no cowboy movie involved and Nova Scotia is after all quite east in Canada, so it had to be a Spaghetti Eastern... (yes, something seriously wrong with my mind)


Syringa amurensis var. japonica 1326 $17.00

photos: ... none taken yet ...

(5 gallon pots, too large to ship) synonyms Syringa japonica; Syringa reticulata... Common names: Japanese Tree Lilac; Japanese Dwarf Lilac Tree. A tree, hardy to zone 3 or colder. Of Tree habit, colonizing mainly with help. Slow-growing and of very long lifespan. Height: to 25', and 25' wide (50 year old specimens in a warmer climate.). Native to Japan. Tree or large shrub; open, upright pyramidal habit when young, becoming more broad and round-topped with age; var japonica is more tree-like, taller and later flowering than S. amurensis itself. Considered spectacular in bloom and of attractive foliage. Attractive form; branches upright to horizontal. Recommended site: sun or light shade. Soil: Quite tolerant of soil type. Easily grown. Said to be drought-tolerant. Also highly salt-tolerant. Foliage coarse. Deciduous. Fragrant flowers are borne as a large Panicle in summer. Yellowish- or creamy-white flowers in large, loose pyramidal clusters to 1' long, after most other lilacs are finished (early July?). Pungent fragrance. Some uses: in Shrubbery, Specimens, Screen or Hedge or Windbreak, Cut Flowers, Butterflies and/or caterpillars. A good street-tree where slower growth and smaller size are not an issue.


Syringa josikaea 1946 $7.00

photos: ... none taken yet ...

... Common name: Hungarian lilac. A Shrub, hardy to Zone 5 or colder, height approx 10ft at 10 years. Exceptionally deep violet blooms in early summer compared to other lilacs, 8 inch flower clusters with nice fragrance.


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