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red-flowerd perennials


Hi Nan -

There is a Penstemon selection (gloxinioides type) called 'Firebird'
which is bright rich red and fits your criterion.  Be sure and cut
back hard at least once a year to promote strong basal stems - too
often, in our mild climate, these perenials build up layers of
branching stems which put out poor flowers and look untidy.  Cutting
stems to the ground as flowers fade will encourage new, stronger,
and heavy flowering spikes.

Chasmanthe aethiopica is in flower now, the shorter cousin to C.
floribunda which grows up to 5ft+.  C. aethiopica stay more around
18-24in, with interesting 'hooked' spikes that are dark maroon in
bud, opening to spidery red flowers with green markings.  These last
for some weeks, and later turn into interesting orange seed pods
which contain very fertile seeds!!  It also runs at the roots so
this is not for small or demure gardens, but it can't be beat in
places where little else will grow.  It can naturalize, so keep it
away from wild areas.

Cotyledon macrantha is a succulent with round, flat, green leaves
that are edged in red.  About now, you can see upright stems with a
terminal cluster of red, bell-like flowers.  This one grows well in
sand or loose clay (drained), and cutting may be taken and merely
'stuck in the ground' to extend the planting.  Somewhat unusual but
very easy and handsome in sun or part shade.

I have a bromeliad in my own garden (Aechmea caliculata I believe?)
which forms bright yellow green vase-like rosettes.  The flowers
spikes are rich red opening yellow flowers, and lasting for a month
or more.  If you try and keep the 'cups' (the center of each
rosette) filled when you do water, these are surprizingly tolerant
of periodic drought and poor soil.

Dicliptera (Justicia) suberecta has handsome rounded leaves of a
soft green, felty to the touch.  In late summer these are topped
with upright branched stems holding tubular scarlet red flowers.
The are somewhat reminiscient of Zauschneria species, the California
'fuchsia', and even combine well with these, contrasting their finer
texture and flowering at similar times.

 Sean A. O'Hara                     sean.ohara@ucop.edu
 710 Jean Street                    (510) 987-0577
 Oakland, California 94610-1459     h o r t u l u s   a p t u s
 U.S.A.                             'a garden suited to its purpose'
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