Description
Very fragrant, recurved white trumpets with gold bands radiating from the center down the middle of each petal, decorated with red spots. Blooms in late summer.
Very fragrant, recurved white trumpets with gold bands radiating from the center down the middle of each petal, decorated with red spots. Blooms in late summer.
Very fragrant, recurved white trumpets with gold bands radiating from the center down the middle of each petal, decorated with red spots. Blooms in late summer.
Soft, majestic purple-magenta thistles on prickly silver foliage and stems.
Can not ship to: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.
Size: 4-6’ x 2”
Care: full sun in moist, well-drained soil
Native: Europe and western Asia
Wildlife Value: Bees, butterflies and birds
Identified by Dioscorides in De Materia Medica for medicinal use around 70 A.D. Chosen as the symbol of Scotland by King James V. According to legend the Scotch thistle helped Scotland fend off a night-time Viking invasion by preventing a sneak attack. It caused the Vikings to scream in pain waking the Scots. Introduced to American gardens in late 1800’s.
June-July mustard yellow platters on erect stems. Good dried flowers.
Size: 3’-4’ x 30”
Care: Full sun in well-drained to moist-well-drained soil. Heat and drought tolerant
Native: Caucasus, Iran, Afganistan.
Achillea named for Achilles, hero of Homer’s Iliad, used Achillea millefolium to stop bleeding of his wounded soldiers at the siege of Troy. Achilles learned about the uses of Achillea from Chiron, the Centaur. Introduced to gardens in 1804 when it was sent from the Caucasus to Europe.
Striking, late summer to fall on the top third of tall stalks, covered with flowers, blue washed purple each topped with a hood, in ancient times like a monks’ hood, today like a sweatshirt’s hoody.
LIMITED QUANTITIES AVAILABLE, LIMIT OF 1 PER CUSTOMER PLEASE.
Size: 2-3’x 12”
Care: part shade, cool, moist soil
Native: Europe
Wildlife Value: Aconitums are unusual. They change sex, which, in turn increases procreation! When first blooming they have a “male phase” of about 5-6 days when pollen is available, and the plant produces more nectar and stronger scent. Then the male parts wither making the pollen available to the female parts. The pollen is toxic to bees so most avoid it leaving more for the female parts, therefore increasing fertilization. However, bees are able to collect nectar without harm. https://botany.one/2019/11/aconitum-offers-bees-more-nectar-to-carry-its-toxic-pollen/ Also deer resistant.
Awards: Elisabeth Carey Miller Botanical Garden Great Plant Picks
The name Aconitum is from the mythical hill Aconitus in Pontica where Hercules fought with Cerberus. The Monkshood reputedly sprang from the jaws of Cerberus, the guard dog of the underworld. Believed to make a potion that helped witches fly. Identified by Dioscorides in De Materica Medica for medicinal use c. 70 A.D. Philip Miller in The Gardener’s Dictionary (1768) wrote that the name Aconitum comes from Greek word for dart “because the Barbarians used to daub their darts therewith.” Used by physicians in 1200’s and to poison wolves: “This Wolf’s bayne of all poisons is the most hastie poison.” Wm. Turner, 1560’s. Called Monkshood due to the shape of each flower like a monk’s hood. Introduced to the new world by John Winthrop in 1631.
Atop a mound of spatula-shaped, crinkled leaves with scalloped edges rises a bounty of 4 to 5 inch tall spikes, each crowned with a hoard of tiny fuchsia-colored trumpets blowing their horns “look at me” in early to mid-summer.
Size: 4-8" x 8-12" spreading slowly by rhizomes
Care: sun to part shade in moist well-drained soil
Native: South Africa
Wildlife Value: Deer resistant. Attracts small bees and butterflies
English adventurer and naturalist William John Burchell (1781-1863) scoured South Africa from 1803 to 1815 collecting more than 50,000 specimens packed in 48 crates. In places unexplored he found insects, animals, fish and unknown plants, this being one. Although he published two volumes of his exploration, he did not finish the last, third volume, leaving another to write the botany. Premier English botanist George Bentham (1800-1884) took up the task authoring Labiatarum Genera et Species, published in 1834. He wrote the first published description and named this tiny plant with outsized charm.