Re: some native Cretan endemics

To the group,

I am travelling through Crete and Santorini at the moment, and was very taken with a couple of native endemic plants from Crete, and was wondering if anyone in the group had any experience growing them in their own gardens, or knows whether seed is available from commercial sources?

1.  Petromarula pinnata- acliff growing spring blooming herbaceous perennial with long spikes of blue flowers on stems up to 3 feet tall, blooming in April and May, and unfortunately without any ripe seed at this time...

2. Ebenus creticus- a lovely herbaceous shrub which is also native to Crete and Asia minor, and has the appearance of our California Bush Lupine, (lupinus arboreus), when not in bloom, and soft rose flowers which appear clover like, and growing in abundance near the sea on the south side of Crete, and also not having set any seed yet..

3.  Ferula communis- which has much the appearance of Fennel in foliage, but a much more brilliant flower spike up to 8 feet tall, and a bright butter yellow inflorescence, and also growing in Santorini, but with much less size...

4.  Mathiola tricuspidata- growing abundantly just back of the high tide line in sandy areas on Crete, and a roadside plant along rock walls on Santorini, with two toned mauve/pink flowers and forming soft carpets of color at present

5.  Glaucian flavum- (Yellow Horned Poppy)- with lush glaucus foliage on a plant to 3 foot tall and brillinatly satiny yellow poppy flowers growing at the beach, on rocky cliffs and as a roadside plant on both Crete and Santorini,  I suspect that this plant is commonly grown in England and Europe, but had never seen it in California.

If anyonein the group is growing any of these, can supply info on growing conditions outside Crete and/or seed, I would be most gratefull. These are just a few of the wildflowers that struck my fancy here in the Greek Isles in May.  If you've never been here before, I highly recommend it, and after visiting with Janet and Richard Blinkenship at there home in Crete, surrounded by orange groves and blessed with beautiful surroundings and great weather, I'm surprised more of us mediterranean types don't end up living in Crete!!  Thanks in advance for any info to these questions.


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