Re: Pelargonium sidoides?

Robin Parer of Geraniaceae certainly grows this plant,
and I got some from her booth at the SF Garden Show in
March, 2007.  I would assume you have already tried
the larger wholesale nurseries that broker in
plants?(As an aside Sean, it would be nice if you
responded to answers about plants when you ask, to at
least acknowledge the reply...)  

I didn't lose any P. sidoides in this past January
freeze here in Berkeley, where the coldest it got was
only 28/29F in my garden.  My personal take on this
past freeze is that we got off rather lucky here in
the SF Bay Area, as the real cold was further south...

As to difficult to get plants this year, I can't say
that I have really noticed any problems except that
some more tender subtropicals such as Tibouchina and
Brugmansia are not as big and full this year, but at
least they are still available.


--- Catherine Ratner <tactar@verizon.net> wrote:

> I live in LA so it would not be helpful to you to
> find a place down  
> here.  I wanted to tell you that I have the hybrid
> you describe and  
> it suffered very badly from the freeze we had, so
> perhaps that is why  
> there are none around up there.  It's a great plant,
> beautiful when  
> the sun shines through the very dark flowers.  Cathy
> On May 1, 2007, at 7:44 PM, Sean A. O'Hara wrote:
> 
> > I am primarily addressing this to California and
> Bay Area  
> > gardeners, but I
> > hope there is content enough of interest to all.
> >
> > Our very strange winter just passed, with little
> rain and  
> > significant frost,
> > has payed havoc with our local nursery plant
> supply, to be sure.   
> > One plant I
> > fail to see offered is Pelargonium sidoides, which
> has been a very  
> > popular
> > plant here in the East Bay (Oakland, Berkeley) for
> some time.   
> > Perhaps it has
> > become TOO popular and therefore too crass to
> offer?  Anyway, do  
> > any of you
> > know where I might find a few 4in or gallon pots
> of this for a  
> > project I am
> > trying to complete?  I have swapped out many of
> the original plants  
> > of this
> > design because of problems finding them, but this
> one has nothing to
> > substitute.
> >
> > BTW, what is offered in our California plant
> trade, and perhaps  
> > elsewhere as
> > well, as Pelargonium sidoides I am told by good
> authority is  
> > actually a hybrid
> > of that species with P. reniforme, a closely
> related species.   
> > Telltale of
> > hybridity are the dark red-purple flowers (true P.
> sidoides are  
> > nearly black,
> > P. reniforme are red-violet) and the vigorous,
> ever blooming  
> > nature, as well
> > as a complete failure to set seed (sterile).  I
> have been unable to  
> > find any
> > assigned botanical name for this hybrid, which is
> a shame as it  
> > could likely
> > be handier to write on a label than 'Pelargonium
> sidoides x  
> > reniforme'!
> >
> > Any assistance in helping m find a local source
> for this plant (or  
> > a trade?)
> > can be sent to me personally rather than the
> group.
> >
> > Thanks in advance,
> > Seán A. O'Hara
> > sean(at)gimcw.org
> > www.hortulusaptus.com
> > Berkeley, CA
> >
> 
>
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