RE: Actea?

I know that's a shrub, but I was hoping a quick inquiry on the list would be
informative.  I saw the actea (?) they refer to as "doll's eyes" (for some
reason that description repulses me -- like dead, staring-straight-head
eyes...)  in the recent issue of Fine Gardening.  What intrigued me was it's
red stems and white berries.  Can anyone comment on its growing
habit/size/culture?  Do the berries hang on so you can use this at Christmas
in arrangements?

Susan Saxton, zone 6b

For mine is a little old-fashioned garden where the flowers come
together to praise the Lord and teach all who look upon them to do
likewise.
Celia Thaxter

I AM in shape.  ROUND is a shape!


> -----Original Message-----
> From: GeneBush [g*@otherside.com]
> Sent: Thursday, August 12, 1999 2:13 PM
> To: perennials@mallorn.com
> Subject: Re: Hepatica was: drought tolerant
> 
> 
> Hello Marge,
>     I keep an eye on Barry and what he is up to. It would be 
> very difficult,
> indeed, to not be aware of him if one is in the shade 
> specialty business.
> Most of his goodies are just beginning to come on to the 
> market in the last
> few years. Think the development of tissue culture has a lot to do his
> coming to market more quickly today.
>     I did pick up one tissue culture plant this summer, but 
> it will be two
> years at best before it can be sold. Was tempted to go with 
> some of the
> Asarums, but they are so tiny and the growing period would be 
> so long for me
> since I sell in "gallons" only. One of the few instances 
> where I could use a
> green house... extend the growing season on items like this.
>     You may want to be careful with the generalizations about 
> Hepatica and
> their soil pH requirements. Here on the East Coast we have 
> two species, H.
> acutiloba which definitely prefers the acidic side. H. 
> americana leans more
> toward the neutral to sweet side (according to the 
> literature). I have both
> in my garden and I am acidic over limestone strata. There is 
> a lot of debate
> among gardeners about this issue. Have yet to see it 
> resolved. Anyone else
> care to jump in here?
>     Gene Bush     Southern Indiana    Zone 6a     Munchkin Nursery
>           around the woods - around the world
> genebush@otherside.com     http://www.munchkinnursery.com
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Marge Talt <mtalt@clark.net>
> Sent: Thursday, August 12, 1999 1:15 AM
> Subject: Re: Hepatica was: drought tolerant
> 
> 
> > Thanks, Gene, your info. pretty much coincides with that in 
> the article in
> > one of Duncan's links, tho' the ID is not absolute in the 
> article.  I
> > actually got it at Asiatica, but did not have an 
> opportunity to ask Barry
> > about it - there were too many of us and he was giving a 
> tour and had to
> > leave to catch a plane.  I will tell ya', that man is 
> growing plants to
> die
> > for that are not on the open market ....he has Epimediums 
> I've never seen
> > or heard of - mini leaf ones and ones with huge 
> leaves...most are not his
> > to sell, I understand, as he finds and grows them on for that huge
> > wholesale nursery...is it Heins or Heims?  They don't 
> market them until
> > they have a min. of 10,000 plants!  But, one of these days, 
> we should all
> > be able to get our hands on them.
> >
> > He also has, in his gardens, the first and only variegated leaf
> > Rhododendron I've ever seen...talk about lust!  And, you 
> should see his
> > Arisaemas.....sigh...
> >
> > At least, I now have a good idea of where to plant it and 
> look forward to
> > its blooming in spring so I can see what the flowers are 
> like, as it seems
> > they could be any color.  Also appears that mine will be 
> evergreen and the
> > other interesting note in that article is that it seems the 
> species from
> > Japan and Korea prefer acid soil, while the European and 
> American species
> > prefer a more alkaline soil...
> >
> > Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
> > mtalt@clark.net
> > Editor:  Gardening in Shade
> 
> 
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