Re: Help please/mirabilis

They're hardy here and the tubers get huge. Second year they get like a
big carrot and just bigger and bigger each succeeding year. My older
ones get 5 1/2 to 6 feet tall and Andrea told me she saw one in SC about
10 or 12 feet tall at some nursery I think. (Andrea, please correct me
if I'm fuzzy on details) My friend Carol down at Cedar Creek Lake had
ones that get 7 feet tall or better. I bet she'd let me dig up tubers if
anyone is interested.

They're a deep, almost magenta pink, some more a salmon pink. On the
older plants, the stalks get big around as my arm. And oh how the
hummers love the four o'clocks!!


Pam

---------- Original Message ----------------------------------
From: "Kitty Morrissy" <kmrsy@earthlink.net>
Reply-To: gardenchat@hort.net
Date:  Fri, 7 Mar 2003 00:34:19 -0500

>Ceres,
>There are about 50 species of Mirabilis so I checked to see if 'Baywatch'
>was a jalapa and found that it was introduced by Plant Delights a few years
>ago:
>Mirabilis jalapa 'Baywatch' (L. Calhoun 1999) (N) 
>The (N) indicates they named it and with their sense of humor, I can
>believe it!
>
>Yes, it would develop tubers that can be stored as you would Dahlias (tho
>I've not personally done this).  I read somewhere that some Mirabilis
>tubers in their native region can grow in the ground over a period of years
>to weighing as much as 20 pounds.  I don't know how many stems you'd get
>from a tuber that size.  I think most people are happy with the 4oclocks
>they get from seed and don't want to go to the effort of digging them up
>(or know that they can and that they'd get larger plants the second year). 
>But with a special one like Baywatch - which I would guess might not come
>true from seed, it might be worth storing for the winter - and dividing to
>give to friends.  I just bet that David would love to have a piece of
>Baywatch!
>
>Kitty
>(couldn't resist!)
>
>> [Original Message]
>> From: <Cersgarden@aol.com>
>> To: <gardenchat@hort.net>
>> Date: 3/6/2003 5:38:51 PM
>> Subject: Re: [CHAT] Help please
>>
>> In a message dated 3/6/03 9:08:53 PM, kmrsy@earthlink.net writes:
>>
>> >Plant the seed one year and you can dig up the tubers that develop and
>> >store them over winter. 
>> Kitty, I purchased this as a plant one year and wintered it over as a
>living 
>> plant inside but let it go the following fall.  I did not know it
>developed 
>> tubers.  You also mentioned Mirabilis jalapa may be treated the same
>which I 
>> didn't know either.  I ordered Mirabilis 'Baywatch' from Singing Springs.
>
>> This is a fragrant champagne yellow that grows to 9' (in sandy sites 6').
>
>> Would this also develope a tuber?  Kitty,  you are a wonder.  Thanks for
>the 
>> infor!!
>>     Ceres
>
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--
Pam Evans
Kemp TX/zone 8A



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