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Centranthus ruber/Polygonum capitatum

>Date: Fri, 29 May 1998 18:45:50 -0700 (PDT)
>From: Cyndi Norman <cnorman@best.com>
>To: medit-plants@ucdavis.edu
>Subject: Centranthus ruber
>    <snip>
> My real question is about it being invasive.  Sunset starts off it's
> description by saying: "Rank, invasive, and much malgined."  This is not a
> good sign.  I like it but I don't want to add to a regional weed problem
> (where weed is defined as a non-native plant taking over native space).
> Where is it native to?
>
> Should I grow it?

Hi Cyndi -

Personally, I can't decide either about this plant.  I do like the flowers.
They are very useful to grow in areas that will support little else.  It
also has the common name of 'railroad weed' in our area.  The white form is
very classic looking - the clear, creamy white flowers and the cool, 
slightly grey green foliage.  The 'red' is actually an interesting shade of
brick or coral red, and combines well with salmons, corals, and sunset
colors.  The pink is also nice.  They make a nice filler for bouquets.  I
have seen massive specimens in full blooms among other, more refined plants
in some of the most famous English perennial borders!

Left to go to seed, they look very ratty and will soon spring up all over
the garden (and the neighborhood!).  But if you cut each faded flowering
stem off at the base of the clump, you will be rewarded by more, strong
and good flowered stems over a longer period.  The entire plant can be cut
to the ground to renew completely.  Just picking off the individual flower
heads will give you a rangy plant that can't easily support the new
flowers, which as also smaller than the first crop.

I no longer have this plant in my own garden, though I did enjoy it
there for a time.  But I do plant on planting some of these in a border at
my son's school, where the soil and exposure are dead to more refined
plants (it is actually an old railway siding, now that I think of it!) ;-)


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.
 
 Sean A. O'Hara                     sean.ohara@ucop.edu
 710 Jean Street                    (510) 987-0577
 Oakland, California 94610-1459     h o r t u l u s   a p t u s
 U.S.A.                             'a garden suited to its purpose'
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