Re: Anisacanthus - Do you know this plant?

In a message dated 9/13/00 1:12:43 AM Central Daylight Time, LONDE@aol.com 
writes:

<<  If your 
 plant dies back to the ground each winter then it is herbaceous.  Does it?  
 
 In any case, I still suspect that pruning your plant through June 1st might 
 have been part of your problem.  You said it grew a lot after you pinched 
it. 
  >>

Janis:  Last winter was the first year that the Anisacanthus was in the 
garden and it was such a mild winter that hardly anything of mine actually 
died down to ground level (not even my gingers). 

The American Horticulture Society Encyc. A-Z says that it is an evergreen or 
deciduous subshrub/shrub.  It is also native in SW US and Southern New Mexico 
which makes me re-think what you wrote about it blooming on new wood - maybe 
in it's native environment this is true.  Mine has probably grown more lush 
in the garden being that I water regular and fertilizer.  I bet it would be 
much woodier if it was given time to fend for itself.  (does that make 
sense?) 

According to what I can find (which is very little) it says they make great 
additions to a "desert garden" which tells me it must be drought 
tolerant....oh, it's related to my beloved Justicia's, no wonder I liked it.

An acquaintance of mine that works with the New Orleans Botanical Gardens is 
my only reference for someone actually growing this plant and he agrees with 
you that pinching the plant in late spring is probably why it is not blooming.

Thanks for all your help...I guess I just sit back and wait and watch.  Next 
year I know to move on to something else if I'm in the mood to pick on my 
plants.

Kemberly McLain
Katy, Texas  Zone 9

---------------------------------------------------------------------
To sign-off this list, send email to majordomo@mallorn.com with the
message text UNSUBSCRIBE PERENNIALS
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index