Re: Lobostemon fruiticosus

Hi Annie,

You may already have access to Pita Joffe's book, The
Gardener's Guide to South African Plants, where she
has a photo and cultural info for Lobostemon
fruticosus on page 139.  She recomends well drained
fertile soil and year round irrigation/moisture,
although she says it is fairly drought tolerant near
the coast, and seedlings/young plants are frost
sensitive.  I haven't grown this one myself, so can't
comment.  The common name is on odd
one-Agtdaegeneesbos!  The photo shows a smallish
mounding/sprawling plant to 3' x 3', with small blue
or pink fowers, blooming in spring to summer.

As to the Podalyria sericea, I might assume that it is
similar in cultural preferences to P. calyptrata or P.
cordata, which both are native to streamside or peaty
sois in the mountains of the South African Cape.  (My
reference here is page 238, voume 1 in the Philips and
Rix book by Random House Books, called Indoor and
Greenhouse Plants).  I don't have a reference to this
species, although P. calyptrata is grown at Strybing,
and is abit leggy growing, similar to Psoralea
pinnata, and is showy in late spring bloom with pink
and white pea shaped flowers, growing as a tall open
shrub to 8' or so. 

Hope this helps!




--- Annie Hayes <annies@sirius.com> wrote:
> Hi, has anyone grown Lobostemon fruticosus? I'm in
> Zone 9 , Sunset zone 17  right next to the San
> Franciso Bay.
>   I have some plants doing nicely (so far) in 4"
> pots, but read somewhere that they are difficult.
> Are they pretty?
>   Also,  any cultural info on Tephrosia grandiflora
> and Podalyria sericea ? They're from Silverhill
> Seeds.
>                    Annie Hayes  
> 


__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Make international calls for as low as $.04/minute with Yahoo! Messenger
http://phonecard.yahoo.com/
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index