Re: two plants (and then some)
- To: perennials@mallorn.com
- Subject: Re: two plants (and then some)
- From: D* S*
- Date: Sun, 18 Jun 2000 17:46:06 -0400
Claire --
Poppies in general are great for the moisture-challenged garden. Along
with opium poppies, field poppies (Papaver rhoeas) in their myriad forms
-- such as the multi-colored Shirley poppies or the all-red Flanders
poppy -- are unstoppable in all but the most severe drought. The
perennial Iceland poppies (P. nudicaule) are also all-summer performers
though, unfortunately, not very tall so have limited uses (though they
are very pretty filling the cracks in the driveway). Someday I hope
someone will be able to breed that continuous blooming quality into the
oriental poppies. Their show just isn't long enough for me.
As for the Agastaches, I only have experience with the two used for
herbal purposes: anise hyssop (A. foeniculum) and Korean mint (A.
rugosa). These are simliar in appearance, both with purple flowers all
summer, though Korean mint gets taller (4'+). The books say "Zone 6" but
I know several people out in Zone 5 who have no problem with either one.
I wouldn't be surprised if A. foeniculum, in particular, were hardy in
your garden. Considering how many seedlings I have to pull up every
year, less-hardy wouldn't be so bad! ;-) There's also a white-flowered
form of anise hyssop, for those interested.
You might want to get hold of the giant yellow hyssop, A. nepetoides,
which is native to the eastern North America and hardy at least to Zone
4.
Oh, because I have a co-worker who's seriously bee-phobic, it occurs to
me to mention that anyone who has issues with bees should probably avoid
Agastaches -- they are bee magnets!
Dean Sliger
Warren, Michigan, USA
Zone 6B
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