This is a public-interest archive. Personal data is pseudonymized and retained under GDPR Article 89.

Re: Centranthus ruber/Polygonum capitatum

Sean wrote in reply to Cindy:

>The other plant on your web page is Polygonum capitatum.  I do have
>this in my garden currently - it is spreading more than 1/2 way over a
>walkway.  I will cut it back when I get some time and it'll grow back
>again.  It can take a lot of sun and heat, but can also burn easily if
>the weather suddenly turns very hot (hasn't been a problem yet this
>spring, unfortunately!).  I also routinely find new little seedlings
>comming up in other places, but they are easily pulled.  The pinkish-
>bronze cast of the foliage is interesting and a nice contrast.  The
>little pale pink ball-like clusters of flowers can also be attractive.
>Some people I know dispise it due to it's 'commonness'.  It has is use,
>but should not be pared with more demure species as it can be a thug.

This plant is often used as a hanging basket filler over here and is
classified as being half-hardy in most areas of the UK.  Personally, I
rather like it - the sugar-icing pink 'bobble' flowers are produced
with great freedom from March to December in my garden and it seeds
itself about in a fairly gentle way.  It can become a bit invasive
even  in our comparatively cool climate and needs to be watched in
case it swamps lesser neighbours by mid-summer.  I have it as a space
filler in various parts of the garden where it accompanies the almost
excessively vigorous Tradescantia albiflora 'Maiden's Blush'.  This
latter is a bit of a thug but the green tipped, magenta and white
leaves take some beating for colour.  It is supposed to be 'tender'
here in the UK - nothing of the sort - it runs about via underground
rhizomes all over the place and has to be ripped out periodically.
Even the smallest piece of root will quickly colonise a 2 square metre
patch in a matter of weeks.

David Poole
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index