Tag Archives: Showy Plants

Horticulture Report: Polygala fruticosa

Posted on by

Plant Name:  Polygala fruticosa
Common name: Dwarf Sweet-Pea Bush
Plant type: Evergreen Shrub
Height: 3 feet
Spread:   3 feet
Bloom Time:  Spring-Summer
Flower Color: Vibrant, purple-magenta, pea-like flowers
Sun Exposure:Full Sun to Part Sun (4-6 hours)
Soil Requirements: Well-drained, humus-rich soil
Water Needs: Moderate
Attributes:   Green-Gray Foliage, Attracts Pollinators, Nectar-rich flowers
Firewise:  Status unknown
Note:  Only Hardy above 20 o, NOT a perennial in areas where temperatures drops below 20o, but in Zone 8A it will typically recover.
Uses:  Flowers for Cutting, Long Bloom Season, Repeat Flowering, Showy Flowers, Container Plant, Perennial Garden, Cottage Garden,  Wildlife & Pollinator Gardens
Native to: South Africa
Oregon Native:   NO
USDA Hardiness Zones: 9-10

Photo by: Joanie Kintscher, Past President AGC

Report by: Carlotta Lucas, AGC Board Member

Firewise Plant: Lilies

Posted on by

Plant Name: Lilium species
Common name: Lilies
Plant Type: Herbaceous Bulb
Plant Height: 1’ – 4’
Plant Width:12” – 2’
Bloom Time: Late Spring to Early Autumn
Flower Color: Range of Colors: White/Yellow/Orange/Pink/Red/Purple
Exposure: Blooms in the Sun; Bulbs in the Shade.
Soil Requirements: Good Drainage; Moderately Acidic.
Water Needs: Moderate
Fire Resistant:YES; Zone 1 – Plant 10+ feet from Structure
Attributes: Good Cut Flower; Attracts Large Pollinators; Fragrant.
Uses: Herbaceous Border; Container.
Note: Plant Twice as Deep as the Height of the Bulb.
Native to: Old World; New World
Oregon Native: YES
USDA Hardiness Zone: 3 – 8

Report by: Viki Ashford, AGC Member/Master Gardener

Photos by: Carlotta Lucas, AGC Member

Western Wild Ginger

Posted on by

Plant Name:  Asarum caudatum
Common name:  Western Wild Ginger
Plant Type:  Herbaceous Perennial
Plant Height:  .25’ – .5’
Plant Width:  .5’ – 1.5’
Bloom Time: April – June
Flower Color: Purplish Brown
Exposure:  Part Shade to Full Shade
Soil Requirements: Well Drained, Wet Soil.
Water Need:  Medium to Wet
Attributes: Deer Resistant; Tolerates Heavy Shade with Wet Soil; Attracts Butterflies; Larval Host.
Uses: Ground Cover; Rain Garden; Edging.
Note:  Spreads by Rhizomes; Blooms are near the Ground, Hidden by Foliage; May Harbor Slugs & Snails.
Native to:  British Columbia & Western States
Oregon Native:  YES
USDA Hardiness Zone: 7 – 10

Article by: Viki Ashford

Photo Credit: (Wikipedia) Walter Siegmund, CC BY-SA 3.0 <http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/>

Horticulture Report: Spaeralcea ambigua (Apricot Mallow)

Posted on by

Plant Name: Spaeralcea ambigua
Common name:  Apricot Mallow, Desert Globemallow
Plant Type:  Perennial Shrub
Plant Height:  3’ – 5’
Plant Width:  2’ – 4’
Bloom Time:  Spring
Flower Color:  Apricot or Dark Orange
Exposure: Full Sun
Soil Requirements:  Grows well in most well-draining soils.
Water Needs: Extremely Low
Attributes: Attracts Bees and Butterflies. Adored by Hummingbirds!
Note:  Good Pruning after bloom keeps plant from becoming woody; Easily Reseeds.
Uses: Xeriscape “Gardens; Cottage & Mediterranean Gardens; Rock Gardens.
Native to:  Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah
Oregon Native:   NO
USDA Hardiness Zone: 4 – 10

Report: Viki Ashford, AGC member

June 28, 2020 Today in the Garden

Posted on by
Himalayan Cinquefoil, Crocosmia ‘Lucifer’, Daylily, Geranium macrorrhizum

Photos by: Carlotta Lucas, AGC Member

Wildflower: Phacelia campanularia (California Bluebell)

Posted on by

Plant Name: Phacelia campanularia
Common names:  California-bluebell,
Desertbells, Desert bluebells,
Desert Scorpionweed, and Desert
Canterbury Bells
Plant type: Hardy Annual
Family: Member of the borage family
Height: 12 inches
Flower Color:  Blue
Exposure: Full sun
Blooms:  February – June
Soil: Sharply drained (sandy or granitic soil) , can tolerate other soils but needs good drainage
Water: Low – (arid climate plant)
Note: Grows in very arid environments; Adapts easily to gardens; not winter hardy but can reseed.
Attributes: Heart-shaped leaves, Vibrant Blue Color, Showy bell-shaped flowers, blooms in clusters
Uses: Wildflower gardens, Natural Gardens, Containers, Rock Gardens, Water-wise Gardens, Mass Plantings
Native to: Western USA
USDA Zone: 3-10

Report by: Carlotta Lucas, AGC Member