Perennials - Bloomin' Blog

Up, Up And Away With A Balloon Flower

May 6, 2009 by Jamie Jamison Adams Leave a Comment

Every once in a while a question comes in when even with a picture, I have trouble identifying it. Some times it is the perspective in which the photo is taken. Flowers and leaves can often resemble other plants depending on the camera angle or in this case my tired eyes.

Balloon Flower

Ask the Expert: Please can you identify this plant?
I have attached a photograph. Jan

Reply:

My inital thought was that it was some sort of weird kalanchoe because I thought the leaves looked thick. But that identification just didn’t seem right. So I emailed Jan and ask her to take a picture from a little farther distance and to give me an approximate bloom size. Jan was nice enough to send me another picture.

Balloon Flower Platycodon gradiflorus

Instantly, I knew what this plant was and a little mad at myself for thinking it was a kalanchoe. This is a Platycodon grandiflorus commonly known as balloon flower. It is one of my favorite perennials. I have both white and blue in my garden. It is called balloon flower because the bloom buds look like little balloons. The buds open up and become 4 petal flowers. If you live in zone 4-9, I highly recommend planting balloon flowers in your garden.

It is amazing how changing the perspective of the picture can make identification easier or maybe I just need glasses.

What Perennials Can I Use With Lantana To Extend The Blooming Period?

April 29, 2009 by Jamie Jamison Adams Leave a Comment

Ask the Expert: lantana groupings
Last year I created an octagon flower bed with lantanas that looks wonderful when in bloom, but they bloom so late in the season that the bed looks empty now. What can I plant in the bed with them that will come back year after year? I live in Eclectic, AL, close to Montgomery, the bed receives full sun, & the soil is mostly red clay with potting soil in the plant hole. Jennifer

Reply:
If you want something blooming every season, you will need to plant several different kinds of plants.
For winter blooming, I suggest Helleborus orientalis (Lenten Rose) which grows to about 15″.
For early spring blooming, I suggest Phlox subulata (Moss Phlox) which will need to be at the front of your bed since it will only get about 4-6″ in hgt but will spread.
For late spring try Stokesia laevis (Stoke’s Aster) which will grow to about 15″ in height. Kniphofia uvaria (Red Hot poker) with blooms that can be 3′ height.

You can also plant tulips and daffodils in the bed with the lantana for late winter/early spring blooming. Since lantana last well in to the late fall I would bother with a fall blooming perennial unless you want to plant chrysanthemums.

Good luck and keep me posted on your garden’s progress. I would love to see pictures of it as it progresses.

Filed Under: Flower Suggestions Tagged With: Ask The Plant Expert, Flower Suggestions, Lantana, Perennials, Seasonal Flowers, Spring Blooming Flowers, Winter Blooming Flowers

Name The Evergreen Ground Cover With Yellow Flowers

April 17, 2009 by Jamie Jamison Adams 1 Comment

Ask the Expert: I can’t identify this perennial, please help!

It is evergreen and a low ground cover in winter. In the spring it grows
up to 18 inches and has a yellow flower. It spreads like crazy and
transplants well. It’s mostly in the shade where it is very moist. Any
clues?? Besty

Reply:

Euphorbia Poly Chroma Midas - Image From Erv Evans NC State University

It could be a Euphorbia polychroma. I found the picture to the left on a NC State University page about Euphorbia. The photo was taken by Erv Evans, a consumer Horticulturist. This plant is also known as Cushion Spurge. Does it look similar to what you have? This plant can take full sun or part shade. It does have a more mounding shape when it is blooming. The foliage has a reddish tinge in the fall.

Lamium galeobdolon - image from NC State University Erv Evans

Another option is the Lamium galeobdolon sometimes referred to as Yellow Archangel. I found a picture of it on the NC State University page that discusses the Golden Dead Nettle (which is another name for this plant). This is a perennial that creeps on the ground, produces yellow blooms and likes moist areas. We grow a different species of Lamium at our nursery. It lays real flat until it starts to bloom.

Hopefully one of these plants match what you have in your garden. If not send me a picture and I will give it another try.

Hypericum St John's Wort

Here is one of the pictures Betsy sent. After looking at them, I think it is a form of Hypericum also known as St John’s Wort. There are many different types of St John’s Wort so I’m not sure which one it is. When it blooms we might be able to tell from the flower. Since it likes the shade and a moist condition it might be Hypericum calycinum (which is called Aaron’s beard).

Filed Under: Plant Identification Tagged With: Ask The Plant Expert, Euphorbia, Hypericum, Lamium, Perennials, Plant Identification, St John's Wort

Perennial Identification – Who Is This Orange Visitor

October 8, 2007 by Jamie Jamison Adams 2 Comments

Ask the Expert: what is this plant? Hello. This orange plant has come up in my perennial garden. I don’t know what it is. I get plants from friends and stopped at a “free perennials, you dig” site one day this summer, and I’m not sure who gave me tis plant. The foliage looks like an iris but the flower looks like a columbine. It has just started flowering this past week. I live in NH. Thanks.

Filed Under: Plant Identification Tagged With: Ask The Plant Expert, Crocosmia, Montbretia, Perennials, Plant Identification

Red Flowering Perennial With Geranium Type Leaves – What Is It?

October 1, 2007 by Jamie Jamison Adams 2 Comments

Ask the Expert: Can you help me identify my flowering perennial? Hi, I have a perennial with geranium type leaves. The flowers are red, very small and bell shaped. They are on long stems, approximately 12 to 18 inches tall. It usually flowers beginning in June(?) and July. This year it did very well and flowered into August. Your help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you, Miriam

Filed Under: Plant Identification Tagged With: Ask The Plant Expert, Geraniums, Perennials, Plant Identification

Perennial Plant Identification – Foliage like an Iris – Flower Like a Lily

September 10, 2007 by Jamie Jamison Adams 2 Comments

Ask the Expert: Need help identifying a flower. I found this plant at our old hunting club and rescued what look kind of like an iris. The leaves have a iris appearance with flat tall leaves but it is more like a fan because they are on one stalk that gets up to about three feet. I have put some in shade and some in full sun, and it seems to like full sun best. The flowers are like a tiger day lily (orange with specks) but they tiny (when fully open they are a little larger than a quarter and only stay open a day like a day lily) Can you identify this flower? I don’t have a picture.Thanks for you help. Kim

Kim,

I think you have a Blackberry Lily (Belamcanda chinesis) also known as Leopard Lily. I found this picture of a Blackberry Lily on Encyclopedia Britannica Online.

Filed Under: Plant Identification Tagged With: Ask The Plant Expert, Perennials, Plant Identification