Re: crambe cordifolia in medit climate?
Irene wrote:
> I was thrilled when I recently found a crambe cordifolia at a local
>nursery, since I've been craving it ever since I saw it in several English
>gardens some years ago.
>
> However, it's been looking a little unhappy since it went in
>the ground in my garden. I don't know its preferences and can't find it
>in the Sunset book of western plants, which led me to wonder if this in a
>plant that is unsuited to the Mediterranean climate? It hasn't really heated
>up here yet, the temperature has been in the pleasant 70's but the crambe
>leaves have been turning yellow. (I planted it in a full sun, moderate-water
>bed 3-4 weeks ago.)
I used to grow this in a large herbaceous border when I lived further
north. From the point of view of cold tolerance, the 'Flowering Sea
kale' - Crambe cordifolia is exceptionally hardy and a genuine cold
climate plant being a native of the Caucasus. Although here it revels
in full sun, it also seems to thrive in moisture retentive or even
heavy, rich soils and was an ideal candidate for the cold, sticky,
Kuyper Marl clay that made gardening there a bit of a nightmare.
I would be very surprised if it did do well in a warm climate as is
found throughout much of California - it really needs a long, very
cool or cold winter dormancy followed by cool springs where daytime
temperatures average around 10 - 14C. In the Midlands where I lived at
the time, my 'clump' took over a fair sized area, covering some 150
square feet eventually and crowding out many other plants. I had a
piece of it when I came down here to the south, but it never thrived.
There used to be an entire border given over to it at the Duke of
Buccleugh's family home - Boughton House in Northamptonshire. Friends
of mine, Valerie Finnis - a noted photographer of hardy plants and her
husband Sir David Scott held a 'grace & favour' home in the grounds at
Boughton and it was an especial pleasure to be invited over when it
was in full flower. Those immense, billowing clouds of white took
some beating.
David Poole
TORQUAY UK
