Phooey Phygelius

Phooey or not, I'm still working on a lesson on Phygelius or Cape
Fuchsia!  While not completely drought tolerant, I think it will prove
to be a good dry garden plant. Perhaps less of a thug in dryer
conditions, and some of you mentioned it adapts well to dry shade,
behaving itself when competing with established roots! This sounds like
a good plant for those of us with these conditions.
I've been reading all that could be found in the Arboretum Library about
phygelius. One reference stated the name comes from the Greek "phyge"
meaning flight or avoidance, refering to the fact it has escaped
botanical study for so long. Another poo-pooed this, saying "phyge"
means flight from the sun refering to the fact that the plant likes to
grow in the shade. Still a third reference de-bunked both of these
explanations, but offered none of its own.
I'm hoping some of you on the list may have knowledge or a reference
concerning this intriguing name. Who named it and why? There is also
much contradictorary cultural information. One reference claims it needs
shade and moist soil, while another claims is is always found growing in
the sun in the wild. I think I know the answer to the moist soil
business!
I guess I'm still longing for another scaevola story!
Jan
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Jan Smithen,               gardening teacher
                           California Arboretum Foundation
jansmithen@earthlink.net
Sunset zone : 19
USDA zone : 10

Visit the California Arboretum homepage at :
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