RE: larkspur -Reply

At a wonderful public garden in Washington DC, behind a place called the
Old Stone House, tons of larkspur flowers each June.  The head gardener
there told me he just takes the seeds and broadcasts them each year when
the plants go to seed, and they come up with no further work.  But I
can't get a single plant to make it.  I don't know what I am doing
wrong, but I'd love to have some next year.
 ----------
From: SUSAN SAXTON
To: perennials@mallorn.com
Subject: larkspur -Reply
Date: Tuesday, August 11, 1998 4:34PM

I've never had much luck either.  I'll be
interested in the response.

I know its a cool weather lover and should be
started early and I've done that.

>>> "Miller, Devon" <dmiller@kilstock.com>
08/11/98 10:14am >>>
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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