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Blue Flowers Speckled Foliage Must Be Pulmonaria

May 4, 2009 by
Pulmonaria

Pulmonaria

Ask the Expert: What is this plant – it is a perennial flowers on the same plant are pink and then blue, leaves have whitish spots and are about 1″ long. It’s a very small, compact plant. Nadya

Reply:
What you have is Pulmonaria sometimes called Lungwort. Depending on the exact species within this genus, the plants can be perennial in zones 2-8. Most species are perennial in zones 5-8. Just a guess – but I think you have Pulmonaria saccharata which is hardy in zone 4-8. This plant likes shade or partial shade conditions with humus rich, moist but well-drained soil. It is often the first perennial to bloom in late winter or in the spring.

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Cup Plant Cup Flower What Is This Plant?

April 24, 2009 by Leave a Comment

Ask the Expert: need the name of plant/patio type nurseryman in southeast Texas called this plant a cup plant but I don’t believe this is correct. Plant height is around 16″ mature, has a woody, branching habit, and bears white or yellow flowers resembling a small 1 1/2 inch primrose or potentilla flower. the leaves are dark green and are very similar to a penta. I was told it will propagate via harvested seed. Donna

Reply:

Cup Plant Silphium perfoliatum

Cup Plant Silphium perfoliatum

I think you are probably right it doesn’t sound like cup plant (Silphium perfoliatum) which is shown to the right. I found a picture of cup plant on the Connecticut Botanical Society website. and its minimum height is 4ft.

It could be a form of Nierembergia which is sometimes called cup flower.  However, the white flowering ones don’t grow that tall.  Do you have a picture of the plant? I could probably make an identification from the picture.

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Blackberry Lilies Have Round Black Seeds

April 17, 2009 by 5 Comments
Round Black Seeds From A Blackberry lily

Round Black Seeds From A Blackberry lily

Ask the Expert: dont know what this flower is called a long time ago my neighbor had this really nice flower in the front yard. i liked it so i got some seed pods from it. well..forgetful me, i forgot to write it down. do you by chance know? the seeds are black, round and very hard..like bb’s, but bigger. 3-4 seeds per pod. i hope you can help. thanks

Reply:

Belamcanda chinesis Blackberry Lily From Cal' Plant Of The Week

Belamcanda chinesis Blackberry Lily From Cal' Plant Of The Week

Lily seed was the first thought that popped into my head when I saw the black round seeds in your picture.  Of course,  there are hundreds of lilies and lily like plants to choose from. I had to think about it for a while.  And, have to say my first choice is a Blackberry lily or Leopard Lily (Belamcanda chinesis).  This a a great naturalizing perennial in rock gardens and as a border plant.  However, this is a short lived perennial.  When I had these in my garden, I would let the seeds come up every other year to keep my area heathly and full.  This is what I would call an old fashion plant.  Because it propagated easily, old homesteads used this plant in abundance.  Unfortunately, you don’t see it as much any more.

Give credit where credit is due —
The blackberry lily picture shown comes from Cal’s Plant of the Week –  October 13-19, 2000.  This photo was taken by Cal Lemke.  He is the University of Oklahoma‘s botany greenhouse grower and an avid gardener.

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Name The Evergreen Ground Cover With Yellow Flowers

April 17, 2009 by 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

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

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

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).

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Mystery Plant May Be The Bearer Of Fruit

April 15, 2009 by 1 Comment

Possible Fortunella marginata

Possible Fortunella marginata

Ask the Expert: what is this plant
Store labeled it a marginata braid which seems to be wrong. Preston

Reply

I believe what you have is a Fortunella marginata or commonly known as a kumquat.  This attractive shrub will have slightly fragrant blossoms which will become a small orange fruit.  It will need full sun during the summer and if possible kept outside.  During the winter it will need bright light but must be kept inside except in zones 11-12.  Water it sparingly in the winter.

Other possible options are plants in the Citrus genus: Citrus aurantiifolia (lime), Citrus limon (lemon), Citrus reticulata (tangerine).  But the leaves are little more glossy in these plants.

Since the tag mentions marginata, I lean toward kumquat as the identity. The fruit will be the distinguishing factor.  Fortunately, the care is basically the same for all of these plants.

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Propagating Draceana Marginata

April 6, 2009 by 2 Comments
Red Margin Draceana

Red Margin Draceana

Ask the Expert: What type of Plant is this
I have had this plant for some time now and I would like to know what it is.  I am looking to see if I can possibly re-plant it shortening the trunks.  I don’t like how deadish it looks and so empty on the stalks. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Please let me know if you were able to view the pictures.  The top leaves seems to be healthy but the bottoms don’t seem as colorful.  Most are falling off dead.

Lisa

Reply:

What you have is a Draceana marginata also known as Madagascar Dragon tree or Red-edge Draceana.  You can shorten the plant and create new ones at the same time.  First cut the stems to the height that you want the plant to be and leave alone for a couple of days.  Then mist the air around the plant every few day. Make sure to water your plant as you always have.  In a few weeks the stems will put out new foliage.  In the meantime, you can take the tops that you cut off and dip them in rooting hormone and place them in a pot with moist soil.   Keep the soil moist but not soggy in a few weeks the plants will start to form new roots.

Good luck and keep me posted.

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Bluish-Purple Flower Is A Spring Surprise

April 6, 2009 by 2 Comments
Grape Hyacinth on Left

Grape Hyacinth on Left

Ask the Expert: What is this flower?
Hello. I took this piece of flower (pictured on left of photo) from a friend’s house and have no idea what it is or how to care for it. It has slender leaves about 6″ long and bluish-purple flowers about 2″ long. Please help! Thanks.  Brianne

Reply:

The lovely blue/purple flower is a Muscari also known as Grape Hyacinth.  This lovely bulb is planted the season before it blooms usually in the fall.  I usually plant these in September or October in full sun where my soil is moist and fertile.  They can tolerate partial shade and are great for natualizing an area.  Grape hyacinth bloom in the spring.  However, in some areas they will bloom in the fall.  I add bulb food the the soil when I plant them.  Every year in February, I add a little bone meal and blood meal to the area.  After they bloom, I remove the dead bloom stalks but leave the foliage.   When the foliage dries and turns brown I cut it off.  Basically that is all the care they need.

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What Is Cineraria

April 6, 2009 by

Ask the Expert: What is a Cineraria
I was given one. It is beautiful. I want to know how to care for it.  Mrs. Culbreath

Reply:

I need to know does your Cineraria have green leaves and brightly colored aster looking flowers?

Pericallis x Hybrida "Cineraria"

Pericallis x Hybrida

If so, you have Cineraria (Percallis x hybrida). Growers often force these plants to bloom so that florists can sell them Christmas through Easter. They prefer climates that don’t have extreme temperature changes. However, they prefer cooler temperatures. In the United States, this type of cineraria is treated as a summer annual or winter blooming indoor plant. Outside, in the summer, they need shady conditions and inside they need bright filtered light. They need humus-rich and well-drained soil. Indoors, watering is crucial. These plants are susceptible to fluctuations in watering, overwatering rots roots and underwatering decreases flowering. They need high humidity, but do not wet the leaves.

Dusty Miller

Dusty Miller

If your cineraria has dusty gray leaves it probably is dusty miller (Senecio cineraria). This garden plant loves sunny areas and will tolerate drought like conditions once established. It does not like to be soggy and will need a very well-drained soil mixture that contains a little sand.

Although this plant can be biennial and even perennial, it is grown as an annual in the in the garden.  It makes a good accent plant in outdoor containers as well.  It can produce mustard colored flowers  the second year if plants are overwintered.

Hopefully one of these plants is you cineraria.

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What Is this Plant That Looks Like An Elephant Foot?

April 2, 2009 by 12 Comments

Ask the Expert: elephants foot plant

I have an elephants foot plant. That was the name given when I purchased the plant. The base does look more like foot, like a medium brown and rough. The “leaves” are long and thin and look similar to a spider but totally green. I love the plant and the leaves or fronds just continue to grow. At the top of the the little trunk is where the leaves crop out from small clusters of smaller versions of the foot or trunk like base.
Can you please help me identify this plant and tell me if I can remove the small ones to start another plant? If so, how would I do that? Rose

Reply:

Pony Tail Palm

Pony Tail Palm

Does you plant look like the one in the picture to the right? If so the plant is a Beaucarnea recurvata, also know as a Ponytail Palm.

This plant is propagated from suckers that appear at the base of the plant not from the top.  It can be started from seeds.  However, it take quite a while to get a plant of any size from seeds.

This plant is very easy to care for. Keep in mind over-watering can be a problem for this plant. Water it deeply but allow it to dry out before you water it. Give it plenty of light. When I have grown these in the past, I basically ignore them and they thrive.  I think that is why I loe this plant.

Good Luck and keep me posted.

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What Is A Chocolate Soldier Plant

April 1, 2009 by 16 Comments

Ask the Expert: have you ever heard of a chocolate soldier  it has bright blooms and is similar to African violet but larger  Janice Goode

Reply:

The problem with common names is they are often used for many different plants. However by your description, I think the plant belongs to the genus Episcia and are in the same family (Gesneriacea) as African Violets. You might look for it under the common name Flame Violet or the botanical name Episcia cupreata.

Chocolate Soldier Plant From Logees Greeenhouse

Chocolate Soldier Plant From Logees Greeenhouse

I found a picture of Chocolate Soldier at Logee’s Greenhouse in Danielson Connecticut which is a go-to source for these plants.  In fact, I spoke with Margaret at Logee’s to find out more about these wonderful plants.  Although, Chocolate Solider is a little difficult to propagate, they are fairly easy to take care of and make wonderful indoor plants.  Margaret said, all of the Episcia plant are wonderful and a delight to have in your home.  They carry another Episica called Fire ‘n Ice that has a lighter leaf than the Chocolate Soldier.  Episcia are in the same family (Gesneriacea) as African Violets  If you need care instruction for the Chocolate Solider, Logee’s has a great Episcia care page.

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