Sequim Rare Plants, Plant List

Summer/Fall 2010 Plant List

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The main differences between the two species listed here are the shape of the leaves and the season of flowering. For hederifolium the leaves are more pointed or v-shaped and bloom in the fall. For coum the leaves are more rounded and their flowers come primarily in early spring although possibly starting in November or December.

Eryngiums are also called sea hollies. They all have spiny, prickly leaves. The native habitat of some is at sea coasts, while others occur much farther inland. They come from both the Old World and from the Americas, with the ones from the Americas having long, sword-like leaves and the ones from the Old World with leaves that are not long and sword-like.

Although they are often treated like Siberian irises, to grow best and be long-lived Japanese irises require more frequent replanting than Siberian irises require. This is because a Japanese iris wants to grow too close to the soil surface, rather than wanting to grow deeper. So every two or three years it is best to replant it covered by a couple of inches of soil. Question: instead of replanting it would giving it a fresh covering of mulch every year be equally good ? As a temporary measure, the answer is "yes." But in the long run, replanting it deeper and feeding it with humus and organic fertilizer would be better. The roots do not want to dry out too much, and being deeper, they are less likely to. Its wanting to grow too close to the surface is an adaptation of it growing in overly wet ground in the wild. In a garden it grows equally well in well drained ground as long as water is offered regularly. Because it needs an acidic soil, be sure never to add lime to its soil.

The photo on the right is shown to give you an idea how to propagate this species of jovibarba. A group of the round, leafy rosettes are usually tightly clustered together, more tightly than you might expect -- and they generally do not produce long runners like hens-and-chicks (Sempervivum) do. So instead of simply pulling them apart as with other succulents you must cut them with a knife, as has been done with the plant in the picture. And it is important to let the freshly cut tissue air-dry for several days so it won't rot when set in the ground or in a pot.

'American Beauty' has flowers of clear red with white eyes, and green leaves. As with most of the auriculas, the height of the flowering stems is typically about half a foot. Cold hardy to −35 to −40°F, with protection such as snow cover. More info, click here. $8.95

As is true for the other group of hardy succulents listed on this website, the jovibarbas, applies equally to the sempervivums, that showing each variety of these with a single photo is not completely accurate, because the colors change throughout the year. And sometimes the color change is dramatic. Not only do their colors change according to the season, but also according to how wet or dry they are grown, and also by how much sun or shade they are getting, and additionally they are affected by how rich or lean their diet might be. There is more to their lives than a casual observer would guess. Here is a link to a group of photos (click here) taken April 8, 2010 for a side-by-side comparison.

We offer both large-flowered ones and small-flowered ones. In hot parts of the country the larger-flowered violas do not last long, and the smaller-flowered violas are the ones to grow because they can survive well with heat. The large-flowered ones are best left to the parts of North America where summer temperatures cool off at night. This one , 'Androse Gem,' along with six others listed here has smaller flowers. Many of the violas here are scented, although this one is unscented. Mature plants are cold hardy to USDA Zone 4. If the top of a plant freezes during a severe winter, the plant can recover from the underground rooted stems. More info, click here. $5.95

To request a shipping date
Although there isn't a place on our shopping cart to request a shipping date, if you have a date in mind, we would like to know what it is. Please send us a separate email (click here) after ordering the plants to tell us what you would like. Orders can be sent anytime you want other than in the middle of summer. Or you can leave it to us and we will choose a date that is appropriate for your climate. In the acknowledgement we send to you after receiving your order, the approximate time we plan to send your plants will be noted.