Re: senecio petasitis

Hot dog and lucky you!  This is one of my favorite
olde-timey plants.  As of last count, it was still
doing its thing in some old (often abandoned) gardens
in coastal southern Cal, from L.A. to S.D..

I tried to follow John's link to the Med site's
reference to this plant and it would take me only to a
"Site not found" message.

So, if you can't get there either, Roldana petasitis
is a large, dry/tropical-looking perennial
(subshrub?), to 3 to 8 feet tall and just as wide with
glorious lobed leaves (like thick giant fuzzy
cineraria leaves;; almost sexy).  The yellow typical
senecio flowers are a bonus to the architectural value
of the plant.  

Under the worst conditions to the plant, I admit it
can get a little "weedy" looking but I don't recall it
ever being weedy in nature.  Even in the abandoned
gardens I remember, it wasn't strewn and pushing
everywhere.  It stayed in its place.  Which is not to
say that in warm moist ground it might find a happier
and carefree life via seed, if you know what I mean.

Common names: VELVET GROUNDSEL and CALIFORNIA
GERANIUM.
Kind of romantic, yes?  Bailey's Cyclopedia says:
"Useful for winter decoration..."

Now, what would it "go with"?  Hmmm?

Joe
--- Nan Sterman <nsterman@plantsoup.com> wrote:
> Hi all -- Someone gave me a small Senecio petasitis
> and I am having 
> trouble finding information on it beyond what is
> posted on the Medit 
> garden website.  Seems it is a pest in NZ but is it
> also a pest in 
> CA?  Any comments on how it grows, how large it
> grows, what it goes 
> wtih, etc?
> 
> Thanks
> 
> Nan
> -- 
> **********
> '''''''''''''''''''''''
> Nan Sterman
> San Diego County California
> Sunset zone 24, USDA hardiness zone 10b or 11
> 


=====
Joe Seals
Santa Maria, California --
where the weather is always perfect
and my garden always has something blooming
and birds galore

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