Re: Foxgloves, poppies, growing wild
- To: perennials@mallorn.com
- Subject: Re: Foxgloves, poppies, growing wild
- From: L*@aol.com
- Date: Wed, 14 Jun 2000 03:56:39 EDT
> Date: Tue, 13 Jun 2000 07:38:32 +0100
> From: "Louise" <louise@the-english-family.freeserve.co.uk>
> The things we take for granted over here. But then, I
> suppose if we were to visit the US we would see other plants
> that we only have in cultivation (columbine, ecchinacaea
> spring to mind) growing in the wild. Would that be the
> case?
Louise, you make a wise observation. Yes, Columbine and Echinacea both grow
wild where I live. We grow them in our gardens, too.
Here in Missouri, our wild columbine, Aquilegia canadensis, is quite
wonderful. The flowers are red and yellow and it blooms for a long time. I
have some in my garden that are just finishing and they have been blooming
since April. Hummingbirds love it, too.
There are several species of Echinacea that are native here, including the
popular garden plant, Echinacea purpurea, called purple coneflower. It is
commonly found in glades but in recent years it is disappearing because
profiteers are collecting it from the wild due to its medicinal value.
Common roadside flowers here that one might find in cultivation in other
parts of the world include: Phlox (wild sweet william), Verbena, Penstemon,
many species of Coreopsis, Tradescantia (spiderwort), Asclepias (butterfly
weed), Rudbeckia species (black-eyed susans), Helianthus (sunflower), Liatris
(blazing star or gayfeather), Hesperis (dame's rocket) and many Aster
species. One of my favorites is a wild dwarf iris, Iris cristata, which is a
lovely shade of true blue.
Of course, other regions of the United States have different wild flowers.
We have quite a variety of climates in this country.
We also have a number of native prairie grasses that make great garden
plants. I noticed that ornamental grasses are beginning to be popular in
England, too. On my first day in England I almost vowed to give up gardening
at home because everything there looked so lush and wonderful. It was a
small consolation when I later observed that ornamental grasses definitely
look better growing in the US.
Actually, it is a good thing that different plants grow and thrive in
different parts of the world. Otherwise, what fun would it be for gardeners
to travel?
--Janis
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