Re: Brunnera Jack Frost was: Miscanthus Silver Feather

> From: Meum71@aol.com
> You will get the best plants in the sun with plenty of water, and
some lite 
> shade to cool the plant down in the afternoon.  I would give it at
least five 
> hours of direct sun in the North. For them to grow, they need to be
in an area 
> that has enough light to grow-thick lush grass.  They will not grow
well in 
> "real" shade.
> Paul
----------

Paul, I'm sure this is true in the north, but where I am and south,
this child needs shade - not deep, dank shade, but dappled will do -
no strong direct sun -  and, you're right,  plenty of water (which Ma
Nature is providing this year).  

The variegated forms of Brunnera really, really hate our hot, humid
climate.  'Jack Frost' seems to be the exception.  I would have very
reluctantly passed on it if Tony Avent had not assured me it would do
well in my climate and it seems to be doing fine for me - well, it
was magnificent until we had our hail storm, but it is hanging in
there despite massive damage to the foliage that caused it to die off
- it put out new foliage, but , of course, not as marvelous as it
was....life is all I ask of this plant this year; sadly true for all
my plants with large foliage.  Due to that hail, I am growing many
plants with a new foliage form this year - ribbons and lace...

B. 'Hadspan Cream', OTOH, is really limping along; not a happy
camper.  Living, but as a smallish sort of weakling thing, gasping
for breath in our thick tropical air.  

Now, the species Brunnera takes what passes for full sun here as long
as the soil remains moist; it will also do well in considerable shade
and even hangs in there when the soil gets dry, but not as lushly as
it does with moist, retentive soil.  It seeds around for me like mad;
is practically a weed in some spots.   Do you know whether 'Jack
Frost' seeds around and seeds true?  I've only had mine for 2 years
now.  I could live a happy life if it did and covered some ground
like its cousin.

Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
mtalt@hort.net
Editor:  Gardening in Shade
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Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
mtalt@hort.net
Editor:  Gardening in Shade
-----------------------------------------------
Current Article: Variegation on the Green Theme - Part One
http://www.suite101.com/welcome.cfm/shade_gardening
------------------------------------------------
Complete Index of Articles by Category and Date
http://mtalt.hort.net/article-index.html
------------------------------------------------
All Suite101.com garden topics :
http://www.suite101.com/topics.cfm/635

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