larkspur

I suppose this is off-topic -- forgive me.

But has anyone had any luck with larkspur.  I have been told that as
long as I have fresh seed, I should be able to broadcast the seed in the
fall or early spring, but I have been trying this for 5 years with
packaged seed and never have had a single flower.  Do I need to find
someone growing it locally and use absolutely fresh seed?  Or do you
have other advice for me?

Devon Miller
Chevy Chase Maryland
zone 7
 ----------
From: Bosco, Mimi
To: 'perennials@mallorn.com'
Subject: RE: Ipomeoea alba   Moonflowers
Date: Monday, August 10, 1998 6:18PM

Well, Susan, as you might expect from a newbie, I'm not sure of the
botanical name--I looked up moonflowers in the Sunset National Garden
book and it said Ipomea alba.  My "latin" extends to oon-may owers-flay.
I looked up datura in the same reference book and I'm pretty sure that's
not it--I'm still leaning towards it being I. alba (quite honestly, I
wouldn't know what else to lean towards!), but I sure never saw
tendrils--lots of viney branching, huge leaves, huge flowers, but no
tendrils.

Imi-May in One-Zay 5

> ----------
> From: 	SUSAN SAXTON[SMTP:SS@Schwabe.com]
> Sent: 	Monday, August 10, 1998 1:08 PM
> To: 	perennials@mallorn.com
> Subject: 	Ipomeoea alba   Moonflowers -Reply
>
> Well, "newbie" you'll have to make sure on the
> botanical name, Ipomea alba.  I've grown them
> for 7 years and they definitely climb, twine and
> have tendrils.  Once slightly trained (simply tie
> the long runners to whatever you want it to
> grow on), it grows "on itself" after that.  You
> sure she's not talking about datura?  Also white
> night fragrant flowers, rather shrubby, big white
> trumpets.
>
> If you do start impomea alba, I'm in zone 6a/7b
> and I have to start them inside in like
> March/April, plant out after frost, but for me, in
> the PNW, I did not get it to flower until I
> planted it in a HOT, DRY, bed.  Positively
> intoxicating fragrance!
>
> It may be perennial in zone 9, 10 or something,
> but not in your zone or mine.  It blackens and
> dies at frost.  Hope you have either a long or
> hot growing season.  If I didn't have a long
> season, I'd probably not get it to flower, since
> are summers are typically 85-90 max.
>
> Have fun.  It can be challenging, but worth it.
> It took me 7 years of trying each year with a
> new plant in different locations to get it to
> flower.  This year I don't expect flowers or
> coverage because we had the wettest May on
> record and the plant in mid-August is about 1'
> tall.  This is the third plant I've tried this year,
> the others gave up in the wet or the 90+ days
> we had in MID-APRIL.  Weird year, to say the
> least.  I'll try again next year!
>
>
>

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