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Re: Knautia macedonica

I operate a seedhouse in Ontario, Canada, Z4. Knautia macedonica has 
been a stock plant of ours for many, many years in both the garden and 
our catalogue. It grows happily in our nursery-seed-production area 
(cut out of a 4 acre open meadow)  in full, baking sun. Soil is hard 
packed grey clay (unimproved). The kind you make pots out of. 

It is being grown by many of my customers in Zone 3.

I have grown it in many other locations over the years, including part 
shade in very rich, loamy, moist, well-drained soil. Quite frankly I 
have not noticed a difference in longevity or performance. The foliage 
(which is this plants' main drawback) is unfortunately lusher in part 
shade. Ideally, plant it with something in foreground to disguise the 
unattractive foliage and unruly habit of this beauty.

I was originally drawn to this plant because of its unique deep rich 
maroon colour- a colour in perennials I have sought out actively over 
the years- so far it appears to be rarer than true blues. I have only 
found a few others: Sanguisorba menziesii (an Alaskan native & a 
beauty), Potentilla thurberi (very dusky wine red), some forms of 
Pulsatilla vulgaris rubra, a few Clematis cultivars, Melica altissima 
'atropurpurea' (a grass with showy panicles of maroon), gorgeous when 
underplanted with Heuchera 'Palace Purple'....but this gets on to the 
subject of maroon/purple foliage--of which there are many. What other 
perennials are folks growing with maroon (not purple) flowers? 

Kristl Walek
Gardens North
Z4, Ontario, Canada
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