erican Horticulturist Volume 74, Number 4 April 1995

ARTICLES

Great Native Graminoids by Shelly Stiles ...... 18 Bristly, bearded, fuzzy, seedy, frothy, spiky, spreading, reedy .. . it's the versatile "hair of the earth." Classic Composition by Rob Proctor ...... 24 He knew what he wanted in his new garden: formal lines and a symphony of color. Inspiring Spireas by Terry Schwartz ...... 29 Multicolored flowers and colorful fall foliage are just a few of the possibilities offered by these tough shrubs. The Reintroduction Myth APRIL'S COVER by William H. Allen ...... 33 Photographed by Dorothy Long: PhotolNats Biologists can relocate endangered plants that are in the path of development. True or false? Native to Europe and Asia, Solanum dulcamara is widely A Little Light on Nightshades naturalized in the United States, by Jack Henning ...... 38 where it is found in semi-shady There's nothing deadly about the way these potato relatives perform locations at the edges of woods in the garden. and in vacant lots. Its flowers are a regal combination of deep violet petals and clustered golden DEPARTMENTS stamens, while its green berry fruits ripen to a bright red. The Commentary ...... 4 taste of its fruit earned it the name bittersweet-the translation Members' Forum ...... 5 of dulcamara-among early European herbalists, but in Offshoots ...... 6 America it is more commonly Gardeners' Information Service ...... 8 known as woody nightshade. Its historic reputation for various Natives at Risk ...... 10 medicinal qualities has been replaced by due respect for Natural Connections ...... 12 its toxicity. Book Reviews ...... 13 Planting the Future ...... 15 The Urban Gardener ...... 16 Classifieds ...... 44 Pronunciations ...... 46 American Horticultural Society

The American Horticultural Society seeks to promote and recognize COMMENTARY excellence in horticulture across America.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS he second-floor offices of George OFFICERS 1994-1995 Washington's River Farm are rever­ Mrs. Sarah S. Boasberg berating with the sounds of work­ Chairman T Washington,D.C. boots and the voices of roofers. Outside, Dr. William E. Barrick broken slate is raining down on the lawn First Vice Chairman as a band of agile workers replaces it with Pine Mountain, Georg,ia new tiles. New copper flashing reflects the Ms. Kat'}' Moss Warner sun, and the air is pungent with hot sealant Second Vice Chairman tars. These sounds, sights, and smells are Lake BueFla Vista, Florida immensely rewarding. After occupying this Mr. William A. Pusey Secretary historic property since 1973, the American Washington,D.C. Horticultural Society is putting a new roof Mr. GeFald T. Halpin on the aging main structure-the first step Treasurer in a long-overdue restoration being under­ Alexandria, Virginia taken as a result of our very successful fund-raising gala here last October. Dr. Thomas G. Amason Jr. Such outward signs of improvement are symbols of the prog'ress we are Birmingham, Alabama making in many directions-not only to restore our headquarters, but also Mrs. Nancy H. Callaway to help AHS focus its activities to serve our members and nation better. All Pine Mounfain, Georgia of our programs are now operating on the black side of the ledger, each one Mr. Paul Ecke Jr. Encinitas, California dedicated both to service and financial responsibility. There is nothing like Dr. John Alex Floyd Jr. operating in the Washington, D.C., area to ingrain in anyone what can hap­ Birmingham, Alabama pen when you don't live within a balanced budget. Dr. Richard L. Lower Our progress over the last three months in fund-raising and refocusing Madison, Wisconsin our priorities has brought a new level of enthusiasm for developing the pro­ Mrs. Martyn L. Miller Ashton, Maryland grams that will make ours a nation of gardeners. Watch "Commentary" in Mrs. Walter M. Morgan Jr. upcoming months as more achievements unfold. Nashville, Tennessee This issue of American Horticulturist reflects the scope of issues, ideas, Mr. William G. Pannill and geographic regions that AHS must consider. "The Urban Gardener" Martinsville, Virginia department takes us to a shady city lot in Boston. Terry Schwartz, who Dr. Julia W. Rappaport works at Bailey Nurseries in Minnesota, tells us about spireas beyond the Santa Ana, California old-fashioned bridal-wreath-selections that bloom well into summer and Mr. Geoffrey L. Rausch Pittsburgh, Pennsj'lvania survive the winters of the upper Midwest. Jack Henning writes about the Mrs. Jane N. Scarff neglected Solanum genus-shrubs and vines hardy only in our subtropics. New Carlisle, Ohio We also go to Denver, where author Rob Proctor has designed a new Mrs. Josephine M. Shanks home garden that Panayoti Kelaidis of the Denver Botanic Garden calls Houston, Texas "the Sissinghurst of the Rockies." It is not a shrine to native alpine plants, Mr. Emanuel Shemin Proctor explains, because Denver is Reither in the mountains nor an undis­ Greenwich, Connecticut turbed ecosystem. If you love natives, turn to Shelly Stiles' article on native Mrs. Sellers J. Thomas Jr. Houston, Texas grasses, where you'll find a staggering selection for accents or ground cov­ Mr. Robert D. Volk ers, in beds and meadows, or for erosion-control situations. San Marino, California It's extremely rare for us to reprint an article that has appeared in an­ Mr. Monroe Whitton other magazine, but we thought it would be hard to improve on William Alexandria, Virginia H. Allen's Bioscience article on endangered plant reintroduction. Devel­ opers can build ilil areas where endangered plants are growing if they pay PRESIDENT to establish them elsewhere, but biologists say they know little about how Dr. H. Marc Cathey to do that successfully without creating other environmental problems. Whether you're in boots or well-worn sneakers, we hope exciting things EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT are beginning to happen in your home garden and that AHS is a part of Mrs. Helen Fulcher Walutes that excitement. Join with us in sharing it with gardeners throughout the nation. H. Marc Cathey, AHS President

4 APRIL 1995 American Horticulturist

Editor Kathleen Fisher Assistant Editor MEMBERS' FORUM Terri J. Huck Assistant Editor David J. Ellis Editorial Assistant Nikole Williamson Off With His Coconut! We can't dispute that we seem to have Design Director In my Hoya article ("Proven Performers," grabbed a Bombus instead of an Apis. It's Joseph Yacinski February) I made a serious error when re­ also true that researchers say our native Designer ferring to the death of plant explorer C. B. bumblebee is sometimes the more efficient Pam Johnson Robinson. Although I had read several ac­ pollinator. The article was about beekeep­ Membership Director counts of his attempt to re-collect Rum­ ing and gardening as companion hobbies, Darlene Oliver phius's plants, the only reference I saw but knowing the native pollinators can Editorial Advisory Board regarding how he died referred to "an at­ also be rewarding. We 'll try harder. John Bryan tack." That this meant a heart attack or Sausalito, California stroke seemed to have been borne out Know Thy Abies John Creech when I consulted a person I thought to Was someone asleep at the keyboard when Hendersonville, North Carolina know a lot on the subject, but either she you gave that fantasy scientific name for Keith Crotz Chillicothe, Illinois misunderstood my question or I misun­ Douglas fir, instead of Pseudotsuga men­ derstood her answer. ziesii ("Natural Connections-Fragrance Panayoti Kelaidis Denver, Colorado Through two other sources I learned that of Fir," December)? Every year my family Richard Lighty Robinson's death apparently resulted from of Christmas tree scouts the small number Greenville, Delaware a lack of communication skills. He thought lots in Denver that sell our Colorado na­ Peter Loewer he was asking his helpers in their native tive white fir, Abies con color, to buy our Asheville, North Carolina tongue for "coconuts" but what tree. Most lots will tell you, "Sure, we have (kelapa), Elvin McDonald he demanded of them instead was kepala firs-Douglas fir! Right over here." Then Houston, Texas ("heads"). As Dr. J. F. Veldkamp described smiling sweetly and risking pedantry, I it in his account: "The shocked natives have to preach my little conifer lesson. Advertising AHS Advertising Department thought this bearded, wild-haired, bespec­ "True firs have those lovely upcurving nee­ 2300 South Ninth Street, Suite 501 tacled apparition from the jungle was the dles that grow skyward from the branch, Arlington, VA 22204-2320 devil incarnate coming for their souls!" As as do the cones, and which give the tree (703) 892-0733 a result, they "done him in." that authentic European Christmas tree Color Separations Christine M. Burton appearance. " Heartland Separations, Inc. Porterdale, Georgia Now I am nervous. Next December will my Christmas tree vendors be waiting, Printer William Byrd Press, Inc. We'd say Robinson's error was a lot more smugly waving your article? Diane Ipsen serious than yours. We're extremely grate­ Denver, Colorado Back issues of AMERICAN HORTICULTURIST are ful that our readers don't react that strong­ available at a cOSt of $5 per copy. The opinions express~ ly to our mistakes. ed in the articles that appear in AMERICAN HORTI­ More Fragrant Firs CULTURIST are those of the authors and are not There are other fir species, in my opinion, necessarily those of the Society. Botanical nomenclature Know Thy Bees that far outrank balsam in their fragrance. in AMERICAN HORTICULTURIST is based on HOR­ TUS THIRD. Manuscripts, artwork, and photographs Although I enjoyed the December article Grand fir (Abies grandis), a northwestern sent for possible publication will be returned if they are on honeybees, the fact that it was illustrat- native, is perhaps the leader, with its tan- accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope. We cannot guarantee the safe return of unsolicited material. ed with a picture of a bumblebee is most gerinelike scent and long, flat, dark green curious ... as handsome as that ,------, needles. Concolor or white fir AMERICAN HORTICULTURIST, ISSN 0096-4417, is the official publication of the American Horticultural So­ picture might be. Honeybees, in (Abies concolor) is a close second ciety, 7931 East Boulevard Drive, Alexandria, VA 22308- my view, are highly over-publi- with its long, blue, curving nee- 1300, (703) 768-5700, and is issued 12 times a yea< The cized, and perhaps eventually you dies and citrusy fragrance. Both American Horticultural Society is a nonprofit organiza­ tion dedicated to excellence in horticulture. Membership will give equal time to bumble- are now being grown by select in the Society includes a subscription to AMERICAN bees, carpenter bees, and the Christmas tree farms. HORTICULTURIST. National membership dues are $45; two years are $80. Foreign dues are $60. Copyright myriads of lesser-known but nu- A.P. Fowler © 1995 by the American Horticultural Society. Second­ merically superior solitary bees. I wonder Victor, New York class postage paid at Alexandria. Virginia, and at addi­ tional mailing offices. Postmaster: Please send Form 3579 sometimes if the ever-present honeybee to AMERICAN HORTICULTURIST, 7931 Ea st Boule­ doesn't receive credit that should rightly be Mr. Fowler also corrected our botanical vard Drive, Al exandria, VA 22308-1300. given to its easily overlooked cousins? nomenclature, for which we have no sane Eric Grissell explanation. We must have been having a Produced in U.S.A. Silver Spring, Maryland bad fir day.

AMERICAN HORTICULTURIST 5 AHS Horticultural Partner Horticultural Society of South Florida

AHS President's Council We would like to recognize the following members for their generous contributions. Their annual gifts OFFSHOOTS of $1,000 or more support the Society's many programs. Alexandria Council of Garden Clubs Mr. and Mrs. Richard C. Angino

~"")" Azalea Society of America ; ·.. ·_ .... ·_ .. ·.. ·_·· .. ·..· ·· ..· ···.. r ..· .. · ·· '- Ms. Suzanne Frmig Bales j Dr. Sherran Blair \ Mrs. Mary Katherine Blount Mrs. Sarah S. Boasberg \ Mrs. Elspeth G. Bobbs _~ ...... ~.: ""'~ ,...--.-...... 1 Col. and Mrs. Kimberly B,abson Mrs. Nancy H. Callaway Ms. Susan M. Cargill Dr. and Mrs. H. Marc Ca~hey Mr. and Mrs. Glen Charles Mrs. Lammot du Pont Copeland Ms. Mangery Hale Crane Mrs. James C. Dudley Mrs. W. R. J. Dunn Jr. Paul &ke FamilY Dr. John Alex Floyd Jr. Nhs. Richard W. Freeman Mrs. Samuel M. V. Hamilton Mrs. Richard W. Hamming Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Harris Mrs. Enid A. Haupt Mrs. Julia DeCamp Hobart Mr. Claude Mope Mr. Philip Huey Ms. Evelyn F. Jarrett Mank C. Johnson MEs. Jane Kammerer Mrs. William C. Knox Ms. Melen Kovach Mr. and Mns. Robert E. Kull? Mr. David M. Lilly MOl1ster was introduced to me as the garden's Los Angeles Hower Market haunted attic, a place watched from a safe of rhe American Florists' Exchange distance for signs of monstrous green ten .. MEs. Elizaberh Marshall by Robert Klara Alfred S. Marrin tacles encircling the ankles of unwary Mrs. Frances B. McAllister ast summer I was taking a familiar botanists. In the midst of my collegiate Mr. and Mrs. T. H. McCasland short cut through the New York smugness, I never gave the mystique much Mrs. Paul ~ellon Mr. Roger Milliken LBotanical Garden near my apartment thought. Then one afternoon when I was Mrs. Phyllis L Moerman in the Bronx. Ducking behind a rampart of transporting a droopy collection of Mr. and Mrs. Walter M. MO.l'gan thick hedge and brambles, I passed the Spathiphyllum, Orin, a lanky staffer ever Ms. Carrol Morrison Mr. William G. Pannill Propagation Range, a fenced .. in colony of clad in bib overalls, pointed to the Prop Mrs. Patricia Pierce low greeNhouses set purposefully away Range and told me, "They're growing the Mr. and Mrs. William A. Pusey from the walkways where all variety of largest flower in the world in there." Dr. Julia W. Rappaport horticultural feats are attempted and, Orin had always had a better grasp of Red Hill Garden Club Mr. Henry A. Rissetto when successful, sent to the conservatory his trowel than of horticultural terms, so Mrs. jane N. Scarff to astound the public. he never revealed the flower's name. He MEs. Rex Shanks Jr. The Prop Range (as the garden ['11~ did, however, know two impor­ Mis. Peter, Spalding Miss Jane Steffey people call it ~ is conspicuously ~~ / tant things about it: It was as Mrs. Emily J. Stolz absent from visitor maps, though ~ ~ wide as you can spread your Margaret Dorrance Stpawbridge Foundation what it may lack in public recog.. ./,t~ rYqJ arms, and "it stinks." Mrs. Sue W. Sumne·r Mr. and Mrs. John Th0mas nition it makes up for in its place • ~ In a debate over where to Mrs. Sellers J. Thomas Jr. in employee folklore. I know this , :,,'0 ,' ~ award the title of world's largest Mrs. Harry j. Van de Kaml" because I used to work part.. time fo' .. 'r" flower, a moldy botany text I Ms. Kary Moss Warner in the garden's gift shop some years ago checked was hung up on two tropical odd- Mn. Marillyn B. Wilson when I was a sophomore at Fordham Uni.. ities found only in regions of Malaysia and versity, just across Southern Boulevard. Indonesia. Appa·rently Amorphophallus ti .. AHS Affiliate Through the tales of the ungreenthumbed tanum and Rafflesia arnoldii competed for Master Ga.deners International Corporation (of whom I, as an English major, was peF" the honor. Amorphophallus' flower spike, haps the most ungreen), the Prop Range or spadix, has been known to reach a

6 APRIL 1995 height of over eight feet and would seem In an inch-thick vertical file on Amor­ the sure winner. But more scrupulous phophallus at the New York Botanical UNIQUE botanists point out that nestled deep in its Garden library was a clipping from the HOUSEPLANTS spathe are thousands of tiny stamens and N ew York Herald Tribune of May 31, pistils that make Amorphophallus, to be 1937. "Largest Flower in the World technical, an inflorescence, and, therefore, Blooms Here Next Week," ran the head­ more than one flower. line above a photograph of Amor­ This is apparently why the Guinness phophallus titanum bursting from a crate people give the honor to Rafflesia, else­ of soil under the iron and glass of the gar­ where called the Monster Flower, whose den's conservatory. The rest of Orin's tale blooms can reach a diameter of three feet, unraveled itself in a smaller headline: though the unofficial record is 42 inches. "Smells Bad, Botanical Officials Say." In The arms of most people can spread farther fact, it was worse than that. Another line than that, but Orin's second observation is read: "Members of the staff were warned delivered to your indisputable. Rafflesia arnoldii, a red par­ that if they wished to enter the greenhouse doorstep asitic blossom resembling a flattened to witness the spectacle of the blossoming mushroom with yellow spots the size of sil­ they should not eat dinner." Established in 1892, I.ogee's is ver dollars, does indeed stink. Its funk has The garden had received the plant's five­ one of the country's foremost been compared to the smells of both rot­ year-old 60-pound corm from Sumatra in mailorder sources of rare tropicals. ting buffalo meat and rotting human flesh, 1932 and gave it a home in the conserva­ Our color illustrated catalog lists over 2,000 of the finest fragrant and though which one it resembles more has tory's Banana House. Over the next five flowering plants. not been the subject of much argument. years, the three gigantic leaves that had When I phoned the plant information successively sprouted from the tub had exchange at the garden, I was told by a died, and skeptical head-shaking was com­ Logee's botanist there that, disappointingly, the monplace in the greenhouse. But in April Prop Range had never attempted to grow of 1937, a bud appeared. A ruffled spathe Greenhouses R. arnoldii. With that I tossed away all grew visible as the bud scales drew apart. 141 North Street hope of seeing one, and my esteem for the Now in the Tropical Aquatic House, Dept. AH hitherto dauntless Prop Range staff was staffers toiled with measuring sticks and Danielson, CT 06239 knocked down a notch. Then someone in clipboards in temperatures approaching my office told me she had seen a flower fit­ 100 degrees. On May 31, the plant mea­ Catalog $3.00 refundable ting my description growing at the Bronx sured five feet, seven inches; by June 5, it Zoo, another place just across Southern was approaching eight feet. Fifteen gallons Boulevard. of water per day had yielded what looked There, in an indoor exhibit known as like a corn husk on steroids. A towering Jungle World, just beyond the black pan­ yellow spadix encircled by a spotted green ther and Malayan tapir, I spotted R. and deep maroon spathe split and peeled arnoldii in full bloom under a canopy of away, opening A. titanum to its greatest palm trees and strangler figs. Its propeller­ height (eight and a half feet) and greatest like petals sprouted majestically in the mud stink (like "a ripe dead rat," said one from a gaping nectarium large enough to staffer) at 7:40 p.m. onJune 8, 1937. Four swallow an arm. I wondered how the zoo, hundred onlookers, including camera saddled with so many animal worries, crews from six motion picture companies, managed to beat the garden out of such a witnessed the event. Though the garden's botanical boast. Later, when I called the specimen lived only four days after open­ zoo's exhibits division, I learned two more ing, it didn't go without a proper memo­ THE PERMANENT METAL GARDEN LABEL things about their Rafflesia: It is one of two rial. On July 6,1939, while the remains of they know of in the United States (the oth­ the withered plant sat pickled and sliced A - Hairpin Style Markers 30 For $ 12.60 B - PlanVShrub Labels 100 For $ B.70 er reposes in a California museum), and for microscope slides, Borough President C - Cap Style Markers 30 For $ 13.00 D - Swinging Style Markers 30 For $ 11.40 both of them are made of latex. Rafflesia James J. Lyons designated Amorphophal­ E - Rose Markers 30 For $11.90 buds can take more than a year to mature Ius as the official floral symbol of the F - Tall Display Markers 30 For $15.20 G - Tall Single Staff Markers 30 For $ 12.90 before blooming, during which time near­ Bronx. "Anything can live in the Bronx," H - Flag Style Markers 30 For $ 10.95 ly three-quarters of them die. Fabrication he said. J - Small Plant Labels 100 For $ 8.25 K - Tie-On Labels 100 For $13.30 for exhibits, therefore, is necessary, and not Amorphophallus titanum has, of course, M - Miniature Markers 30 For $11 .00 only for the zoo. At the Tambunan Raffle­ yielded Rafflesia arnoldii its world record Special Quantity Prices Available sia Reserve in Sa bah, Malaysia, the muse­ title by virtue of a frustrating, though sig­ Prices Include Prepaid Postage um keeps two rubber Rafflesia specimens nificant, technicality. The garden's Amor­ INTRODUCTORY OFFER : on permanent display (made by a firm in phophallus has been dead for 57 years, and 1-Each ; A,B ,C,D,E,H ,J and K Japan for $2,000 apiece) to delight the un­ it never saw the floor of the Prop Range. I With Waterproof Crayon , Only $3.50 knowing public. hope Orin doesn't read this. Still curious about the flower Orin PAW PAW EVERLAST claimed was growing at the Prop Range, I Robert Klara is a free-lance writer stililiv­ LABEL COMPANY P.O. Box 93-AH decided to look into Amorphophallus. ing in the Bronx. Paw Paw, Michigan 49079-0093

AMERICAN HORTICULTURIST 7 ~ GARDENERS' Water Lily Pool for every garden INFORMATION SERVICE

No garden is complete without the colorful beauty, exquisite fragrance and fascinating interest of a complete Water Lily Pool. Every garden has room for a small pool or a simple tub garden of Q: Help! My neighbors just put up a 202." This date could differ as much as Water Lilies. You can enjoy the pleasure of a fence around theirproperty-one of those one to two weeks within 10 miles of your Water Garden this summer if you plan now. charming chain-link types. I need to plant hom~. It is best to check with your county 100 Year Anniversary Catalog a fast-growing screen of trees in front of Extension agent or 10Gai weather bureau. A beautiful Warer Garden Catalog filled with helpful the side that faces my yard. What do you Here is a way to determine a rough date information. Describes and iIIustrares in full color, our suggest? The fence is about eight feet tall, for the last killing frost of spring for any immense conections of Warer Lilies, Aquatic Plants, Ornamental Fishes , Liners, Pumps, etc. Learn how and the area receives full sun. area: If your home is north of Chicago or Tricke~s Customers receive: -L.c., Wilmington, North Carolina Boston, add a week to May 15 for each 100 miles of distaNce. If your home is FREE Aquatic Plants A : Some fences make better neighbors south of those two cities, subtract a week FREE Tricker's Fish' Food than other fences! You will probably want for each 100 miles. Since altitude can af- FREE Water Garden Videos to plant an evergreen screen that will con- fect this, add one day for every 1,000-foot FREE On Tricker's Pond Newsletter tinue to give you foliage cover throughout increase in elevation from sea level. the winter. Keep in mind that this is the average Only $2.00 for this wonderful color Water Widely considered the fastest growing date for the last frost that will kill estab- Garden Catalog. Call or write todayl evergreen is the Leyland cypress, x Cu- lished perennials to ground level. When in- pressacyparis leylandii, which averages stalling tender plants or sowiNg seeds, wait I 00 Year Anniversary three feet a year when young. It can grow a few weeks so the soil can warm to a safe Special to 100 feet in about 60 years, although the temperature. TWO Gorgeous Water Lilies each of a different color, One day bloomer and ONE night bloomer average height is 50 to 60 feet with a Q of our choice to bring color and fragrance to any spread of 20 to 30 feet. If you don't want it : Last fall I noticed squirrels digging Water Lily Pool. that tall, or you want to shape it for a for- in my garden and now none of my spring All for ONLY $29.95 plus S/H. mal look, you can give it a hard pruning in bulbs are blooming. Did those fluffy- late summer with no damage to the tree. tailed rats eat my bulbs? If so, how can I Special Rainbow You can create a more interesting hedge keep them from doing the same thing this Collection FO U R special hybrid Water Lilies, each one a by mixing your planting with some other fall? -D.R., Petersburg, Virginia gem in its class, and all of different colors. conifers, or you can choose some Leyland A Special Price ...... ONLY $59.95 plus S/H. cypress cultivars. 'Castlewellan' has yellow- : Squirrels like to eat and gather seeds, golden foliage, 'Haggerston Grey' has green roots, berries, buds, and bulbs, so it's quite Beginning Water Garden foliage with a hint of gray, and 'Silver Dust' likely that your bulbs were stolen by your Collection has a bluish tint and is wide-spreading. fluffy-tailed friends. There are several A Wonderful economical collection fer any Water Buy container-grown Leyland cypress- ways to deter squirrels from digging in Garden: One Hybrrid Water Lily, Two Shallow Water Plants, One Floating Plant and Two es, which transplant more easily than your garden. One method is to sprinkle Oxygenating Plants. those that have been field grown. As long hot pepper in the hole when planting bulbs All for ONLY $29.75 plus S/H. as your soil is well aerated, this tree grows or mix a little with seeds before sowing. in either acid or alkaline soils. It is hardy Screen can be inserted in the ground to USDA Zone 6 and is border- r------_=_; around the bulbs. Mothballs in line hardy in Zone 5. mesh bags scattered throughout the garden may help keep away Q : Seed packets and planting squirrels as well as deer and guiaes say to plant when danger skunks. Some people use deer re- of frost has passed. How do I pellent to rid the garden of these know when that is? rodents. -S.P., South Bend, Indiana Here at River Farm we have found that Wm. Tricker, Inc the dried blood hlsually used as fertilizer : In your area, April 30 is the project- works temporarily when scattered on top America's Oldest Water Garden est. 1895 A 7125 Tanglewood Dr. ed date for the last killing frost, according of the soil. One staff member lays trim- Independence, Ohio 44131 to a map published in U.S. Department of mings from rose bushes on top of contain- 1-800-524-3492 Agriculture "Home and Garden Bulletin ers and new plantings.

8 APRIL 1995 1£ all other methods fail, before deciding to use live traps check with your local ani­ mal control department. Many jurisdic­ tions prohibit the release of animals into unfamiliar habitats. Use peanut butter, corn, oats, or nuts as bait. Do not use poi­ son because it could be dangerous to other animals and pets who feed on dead ro­ dents. Avoid handling squirrels because they carry parasites that can affect humans.

Q: My water garden has been taken over by algae. Is it true that water hyacinth will kill it? -F.S., Parrisburg, Ohio

A: Eichhornia crassipes can slow the growth of algae by feeding on excess wa­ ter nutrients. Research has also shown that water hyacinths can clear polluted water by filtering out potentially hazardous chemicals. It is illegal to transport water hyacinth across state lines, however, because it is a prolific grower that has clogged waterways in the South. Although this should not be a problem in the North, since the plant is killed by temperatures under 35 degrees, you may find it ultimately more rewarding to use what water garden expert Charles Thomas calls "nature's way of dealing with excess nutrients in water"-a combination of attractive submerged plants and scav­ engers. Or consider buying more benign plants, such as water lilies or floating hearts (Nymphoides spp.), to cover about 60 per­ cent of your pond's surface.

Q: Can a yucca be transplanted to Zone 5 in Michigan, and if so, how and when? -J.c., Bradenton, Florida

A: There are many species of yucca and many are extremely cold hardy as long as they are protected from wind and given From testing new alloys and ergonomic design to user-friendly sandy or gravelly soil that will keep them product features, Ames Lawn and Garden Tools has been a leader from getting wet feet in winter. Also be in product innovation for over 200 years. Recently, a specially­ sure to give yucca plants full sun. modified Ames lopper went into space on the shuttle Discovery. However, there are risks involved in Our tools are built with a strong commitment to American­ transplanting any plant from where you made quality, and all feature a 100% satisfaction guarantee. are in Florida to a new site so many zones Our customers are important to us, and that's why we work farther north. You may want to consider finding a yucca from a source closer to hard to give them the quality and innovation they want, at a price Michigan because it will be better accli­ they can afford. We believe in real value for real people. And when mated to the cold winters. you're a company that thinks that way, the sky's the limit. Yuccas with a fibrous root system can To receive a free copy of Ames' Basic Pruning Guide, send a be easily transplanted in early spring while self-addressed stamped envelope to Ames, BPG, P.O. Box 1485, they are still dormant. If the roots are Mansfield, OH 44901. deep, you may want to detach rooted off­ shoots or suckers in early spring instead of Official Lawn and uprooting the entire plant. Another alter­ Garden Tools of native is to divide the plant immediately '~M"m • ~AMES® after it flowers. -Kim Strader Lawn& Garden Tools- Since 1774 AHS Intern Bac_

AMERICAN HORTICULTURIST 9 Non1ftrwooDs NURSERY

:J{pt your On{inary lJ'..[ursery! NATIVES AT RISK Unusual Edibles: Hardy, disease resistant fruit trees, nuts and berries-hundreds of cultivars. Fragrant Or­ Polystichum aleuticum is a tufted fern namental trees, shrubs about six inches tall. Its fronds are leath­ and vines. Traditional ery and somewhat brittle, with spiny­ Herbs & plants. Organic toothed segments that have distinctive straw-colored scales along the chestnut growing supplies. brown stems, or stipes. The fern rises from a stout dark brown rhizome with browfl ~~f. scales. P. aleuticum doesn't resemble atly Catalog/Growing Guide of the North American species of Poly­ stichum; Christensen determined that it was closely related to P. lachenense, a Northwoods Nursery species from westem China. The Aleutian shield fern is the only 27638 S. Oglesby Rd. Alaskan native on the federal list of en­ Canby OR 97013 dangered plants. In part this is because the 503-266-5432 state hasn't been dtweloped to the extent (Fax 503-266-5431) Aleutian Shield Fern of Hawaii, California, and Florida-states ,.u...... ,--"" with the highest numbers of threatened or by Mary Heth Wiesner endangered species-and very little of the state has been botanized. "It's very excit- he Aleutian shield fern (Poly- ing to be a botanist in Alaska," says Vir- American Horticultural Society's stichum aleuticum) was discovered ginia Moran, endangered species specialist Third Annual National Youth in 1932 on Atka Island in the Aleu- and botanist with the U.S. Fish and Gardening Symposium T tians by W. J. Eyerdam, a botanist, and Wildlife Service in Anchorage. "Every year "Gardens for Youth: Nourishing Eric Hulten, leader of a Swedish expedi- botanists discover a new species." tion to Alaska. Carl Christensen described Of course the Aleutian shield fern isn't Mind, Body, and Heart" and named the plant in 1938. While available from commercial nurseries, but June 27-30 ~ Pasadena, California searching for mosses in 1975, David K. several other Polystichum species are avail- Smith, a bryologist from the University of able for home gardeners. The Christmas KEYNOTE SPEAKERS Tennessee, accidentally found a second fern (P. acrostichoides), also called dagger population of 15 plants on Mt. Reed, fern and canker brake, is pmbably the George Ball Jr., w. Atlee Burpee & Co. Adak Island, about 100 miles west of most readily available from commercial Brian Holley, Cleveland Botanical Garden Atka. Subsequent surveys by Smith and sources. This eastern North American na- Bill Lucas, Learning Through Landscapes other botanists have brought the total tive has sword-shaped, evergreen leaves up Dr. Gary Nabhan, Arizona-Sonora number of plants to 130. to two feet long. The Christmas fern is Desert Museum Scientists speculate that the shield fern, found on rocky hillsides and ravine slopes Catherine Snead, The Garden Project which is one of the rarest plants in North and adapts well to a variety of soil condi- Jane Taylor, Michigan State University America, is a relic of an earlier floristic pe- tions. Anderson's holly fern (P. andersonii), riod, isolated by glaciers. It is ~------native from Alaska to Washing- FOR FULL REGISTRATION INFORMATION, possible that grazing caribou or ton and Montana, has three-foot- CALL (800) 777-7931, reindeer contributed to the rarity long leaves. The giant holly fern FAX (703) 765-6032, of the Alaskan native. Reindeer (P. munitum) has leathery ever- OR WRITE: AHS '95 Symposium were introduced to Atka Island green plumes from three to four 7931 East Boulevard Drive in 1914; caribou were introduced feet tall. Also known as the west- Alexandria, VA 22308-1300 to Adak Island in 1958. AI- ern sword fern, P. munitum is na- though private and commercial plant col- tive from Alaska south to Montana and Planned in conjunction with The California lectors don't seem to pose a threat to the California. The giant holly fern is especial- Arboretum Foundation for THE ARBORETUM shield fern, collecting for scientific and ed- Iy attractive in woodland gardens. of Los Angeles County and co-sponsored by other leading horticultural organizations ucational purposes has taken its toll. Visi­ including Descanso Gardens and The Huntington. tation has also accelerated erosion of the Mary Beth Wiesner is a free-lance writer shield fern's habitat. living in Woodbridge, Virginia.

10 APRIL 1995

NATURAL CONNECTIONS

Radical Associations are firs, pines, spruces, alders, birches, studies the fungi associated with different oaks, and willows. Host trees often form native plants and adds appropriate com­ he debate regarding old growth associations with many different fungi. binations of the organisms to the soil dur­ forests in the Pacific Northwest too Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), for ing restorations. "We basically bet the Toften is characterized as the polar- instance, is known to associate with al- entire nursery on mycorrhizae about four ized interests of spotted owl lovers and the most 2,000 species. Although some fungi years ago. When you get the combination timber industry. This oversimplification associate with a variety of tree species, right, it's incredible-you lose almost no sometimes obscures the message forest re- some are genus- or even species-specific. plants at the site," he says. searchers are trying desperately to pass The Oregon white truffle (Tuber gibbo- Edith Allen, an Extension specialist at along-that the spotted owl is just the tip sum) associates only with Douglas fir. the University of California at Riverside, of the ecological iceberg in the complex The Forest Service, along with universi- is investigating how mycorrhizal fungi web of life forms that call old growth ty researchers and state forest agencies, is could be used to improve the performance forests their home. trying to make up lost ground in the study of native plants competing against invasive Among the least publicized and least of fungal species. The urgency stems in species. Allen believes mycorrhizal associ­ studied of these organisms are members of part from the awareness that, much like ations have the potential to benefit both the fungal community. Fungi have long the situation in tropical rain forests, agriculture and horticulture. "Some cause been divided into three simplified group- species with unmeasured pharmaceutical increases in plant growth, and some can ings: saprobic fungi that aid in decomposi- and ecological value are being lost forever cause reduced growth. Whether the species tion of dead plant tissue; parasitic or as forests are leveled by clear-cutting or de- you choose will give the desired effect is pathogenic fungi that feed on living tissue velopment. The task is daunting, because kind of trial-and-error at the moment." and may damage the host organism; and for every microorganism that has been iso- Wilson and Allen are pioneers in this symbiotic fungi that interact with host lated and studied there are hundreds of area-there are few nurserymen or horti­ species in a mutually beneficial or benign others that have yet to be identified. culturists with the training or experience manner. Among the most common plant- "There are far fewer specialists capable of to factor mycorrhizal associations into the fungus relationships are those between soil identifying these organisms and under- ecological equation-but the potential ap­ fungi and plant roots, called mycorrhizal standing their ecology compared to other plications for both silviculture and horti­ (literally "fungus-root") associations. fields," says Molina. "There's also a much culture are mind-boggling to scientists, not These species form a sheath or mantle of poorer understanding of how to measure to mention the average gardener. fungal tissue around the host plant's feeder fungi because they're often invisible. Their Among the eventual beneficiaries of this roots, extending the plant's access to nutri- reproductive structures often fruit only research are those unlikely bedfellows, the ents and water and even protecting the del- once a year, or not at all." spotted owl and the timber industry. As icate feeder roots from certain pathogens. The research is yielding practical appli- Molina points out, the fate of the organ­ The fungi also serve as a long-term cations to forestry and even horticulture. isms in the old growth forests are bound repository for nutrients. "It's important to Foresters are testing tree-planting sites for up in the intricate cycles that constitute all remember that at anyone time much of the presence of known beneficial fungi. ecosystems. "When we begin to look at the the nutrients in any ecosystem reside in the Where they are lacking, new plantings can other parts of the ecosystem that connect fungal mass, either in living fungi or in dy- be inoculated with spores derived from to the owl, we see much more than trees," ing tissue that will be consumed by other wild species. Inoculations have proven he says. fungi," says Randy Molina, a re- ,.,....,,,,...,...... ,...------, most effective at ecologically dev- Among the owl's favored prey is the search botanist with the U.S. For- astated sites where strip mining northern £lying squirrel. A principal com­ est Service's Pacific Northwest or hazardous waste cleanups ponent of the squirrel's diet is truffle fungi, Research Station. have removed existing topsoil dug from the ground beneath trees. The A 1993 report, Forest Ecosys- and the indigenous fungi. owl consumes the squirrel, and the spores tem Management: An Ecological, The importance of mycor- of the fungi pass through the owl and are Economic, and Social Assess- rhizal associations is not con- spread throughout the forest. The spores ment, lists 527 fungi closely associated fined to tree species. Bert Wilson, owner of germinate to form associations beneficial with old growth forests, 109 of which are Las Pilitas Nursery in Santa Margarita, to other trees, which in turn provide shel­ believed to be endemic to the Pacific California, which specializes in restora- ter for spotted owls. "All the parts are of Northwest and at risk of extinction due to tions of native plants, believes the most im- equal importance in a healthy ecosystem," habitat loss. Among the trees that host my- portant element in successful restorations says Molina. - David J. Ellis corrhizal fungi in the Pacific Northwest is the soil-plant-fungal relationship. He Assistant Editor

12 APRIL 1995 BOOK REVIEWS

The American Gardener's Clearly, a book's title should provide the World of Bulbs reader with its basic content. In the case of Judy Glattstein. Little, Brown and Com­ Best Bulbs for Temperate Climates, the pany, New York, 1994. 176 pages. 9 1/4" x word "temperate" in the title is somewhat 91,14". Color photographs. Publisher's misleading. Most gardeners associate tem­ price: hardcover, $24.95. AHS member perate with crops that either require, or price: $22.45. survive in, climates that routinely receive freezing temperatures. This normally in­ Best Bulbs for Temperate Climates cludes hardy trees and shrubs as well as Jack Hobbs and Terry Hatch. Timber geophytes. The flower bulbs covered in Press, Inc., Oregon, 1994. 196 pages. this book, however, are primarily mild­ 7 3/4" x 101,12". Color photographs. Pub­ winter types that perform best in the warm lisher's price: hardcover, $32.95. AHS microclimates of the North Island of New member price: $29.50. Zealand. For this area, as well as for re­ gions with similar climates-California, Cape Bulbs for instance-this will be an excellent ref­ Richard L. Doutt. Timber Press, Inc., Ore­ erence. The photos that illustrate the gen­ gon, 1994.290 pages. 6 1;2" x 9 lA". Color bulbs, Chionodoxa, Crocus, Cyclamen, era are, in most cases, superior to any I photographs. Publisher's price: hardcover, Galanthus, and Scilla sib erica, which are have observed in other books. $34.95. AHS member price: $31.45. followed by a second wave of slightly lat­ The book has two basic parts-six gen­ er bloomers, Camassia, Muscari, and Or­ eral sections and 142 pages devoted to John E. Bryan on Bulbs nithogalum umbellatum, to name but a specific genera. The latter provides a good John E. Bryan. Macmillan, Inc., New few. The "big three" of daffodils (Narcis­ description of the species, but lacks pre­ York, 1994. 260 pages. Color pho­ sus), hyacinths, and tulips are covered, fol­ cise cultural requirements. More infor­ tographs. 81;2" x 10 3/4". Publisher's price: lowed by offbeat bulbs, which she terms mation in this area would have greatly hardcover, $20. AHS member price: $18. "neglected natives." Among these are improved the book. On the other hand, bulbs like Polygonatum and Trillium. She two other excellent features of the book viewing th€se books on flower divides summer bulbs into three parts: are a section on the use of bulbs with ferns bulbs (geophytes) is a real privilege. hardy species such as Allium and Lilium; and in containers, and a list of specialty RIn the last five years, there has been tender species such as Canna, Dahlia, and bulb suppliers. a significant increase not only in books on Zantedeschia; and lesser-known tender flower bulbs but also in their garden use. bulbs. The latter include genera such as Each of these books has a slightly different Clivia, Crinum, Eucomis, and Watsonia. focus, reflecting not only the authors' per- Autumn bulbs are also divided into hardy sonal interests or specialties, but also the and tender species. general diversity of flower bulbs. All con- Each of these groupings has one or more tain information that will be useful for excellent diagrams providing annual growers of the various flower bulbs. growth and developmental cycles for some .------, of the geophytes. This is an ex­ In The American Gardener's cellent resource, because most World of Bulbs, Judy Glattstein North American gardeners are provides a fresh approach to interested in the perennialization flower bulbs that is a delight to of flower bulbs. In addition, follow. She is one of the first gar­ many of these bulbs are superbly den writers to adopt the term illustrated with color photos. "geophyte" for all flower bulbs, which, I Glattstein ends her book with appen­ feel, is a real step forward. dices on planting, cultivation, and propa­ In contrast to most other bulb books, gation techniques, and sources for hers covers the geophytes that are adapted flowering bulbs. The latter are very im­ to each season, starting with spring. She portant because of the breadth of geo­ first discusses the very early flowering phytes discussed in this excellent book.

AMERlCAN HORTICULTURIST 13 Unquestionably, Cape Bulbs will be The Power of Trees: The city, suburb, and logged forest. Perlman de­ valuable not only for bulb specialists but Reforesting of the Soul terminedly digs and finds the extraordinary also for California gardeners. It is a pleas­ Michael Perlman. Spring Publications, in the commonplace. For readers who are ant diversion from the Dutch-grown bulb Inc., Dallas, 1994.264 pages. 6 " x 9". willing to have their own relationship with selections that are dominated by spring­ Publisher's price: softcover, $17. AHS trees challenged--either because they have flowering bulbs like tulips and daffodils. member price: $15.25. taken them for granted or regarded them Doutt says there are 1,336 species of with New Age enthusiasms-this book is a geophytes in the Cape region of South he title of Michael Perlman's book provocative guide. -Louise Chawla Africa, the largest center for them in the might lead a reader to anticipate a world. Unfortunately, many of them are T book of New Age enthusiasms. The Louise Chawla, who delivered a keynote threatened, and conservation is critical. cover's evocative painting of a stand of address at the American Horticultural So­ Doutt says that one of the best methods conifers and leafless hardwoods against a ciety's children's gardening symposium in for ll1ultiplying the species is by seed, conflagl'ation of aurora borealis and stars 1994, is a developmental and environ­ which is especially true when they are sent would tend to confirm this expectation. If mental psychologist at Kentucky State to the Northern Hemisphere for growing, one notes, however, that the back cover University, Frankfurt, and author of In the since bulbs and rhizomes do not acclima­ identifies the author as a Jungian psychol­ First Country of Places: Nature, Poetry, tize to different hemispheres easily. ogist, then the text will come as no sur­ and Childhood Memory. The Cape region is characterized by prise. Perlman writes with psychoanalytic cold, moist winters and warm, dry sum­ circumspection rather than New Age opti­ mers. Most of the geophytes discussed are, mism, exploring the hard knots and gnarls, therefore, suitable for outdoor growing as well as the sunlit leaves, of people's re­ only in the Mediterranean climate found lationship with trees. For me, also a psy­ Book Order Form in parts of California, but are well suited chologist, the result is more satisfying. for indoor growing elsewhere, requiring Parallels can be drawn between the o The American Gardener's only good drainage and a rest period in book's structure, the process of psycho­ World of Bulbs ...... $22.45 summer. analysis, and the metaphor of an old Best Bulbs for Temperate In addition to the vast amount of cul­ growth forest. Perlman moves freely o Climates ...... $29.50 tural information, color photographs, and among myth, poetry, literature, and inter­ drawings of 74 genera that the book con­ views with a variety of people: residents of o Cape Bulbs ...... $31.45 tains, it also has an extensive reference list. the most devastated areas of South Car­ o John E. Bryan on Bulbs ... $18.00 This unique book will become an invalu­ olina and Florida in the wake of hurri­ able resource for those interested in grow­ canes Hugo and Andrew; urban dwellers o The Power of Trees: The ing or learning about Cape bulbs. in New York and Boston; and participants Reforesting of the Soul ... $15.25 in a study of the American self. Like a John E. Bryan on Bulbs, in contrast to good analyst, he introduces passages and Postage and handling: $2.50, first book; his two-volume treatise succinctly titled interview excerpts, to later re-explore $1.50 each additional book. Virginia resi­ Bulbs, covers his personal views on how to them in detail, unfolding their tensions dents add 4112% sales tax. Please allow six weeks for delivery. Prices are subject to grow bulbs in the garden. This addition to and promises. Like the litter and snags of change without notice. the Burpee Expert Gardener Series is writ­ old growth, the result is a complex repeti­ ten in a conversational manner starting tive structure, and also a fertile one. with the botany, definition, and origin of The archetype that Perlman elaborates Enclosed is my check for $ flower bulbs. As you might expect, based as a leavening metaphor for people's con­ on his expertise, these are well written. temporary connection to trees and nature o VISA 0 MasterCard This is followed by three chapters that dis­ is "Aphrodite's woods." These are sacred Exp. Date: cuss planning a garden with bulbs, cultur­ remnants of once vast primary forests, un­ al procedures, and pests and diseases. touched by the ax because they have been Acct. #: Subsequent chapters chronicle some of his dedicated to the goddess of "animal hu­ personal "Lessons Learned" and "Experi­ manity." Here the souls of nymphs and Signature: ence Gained." All of us who garden can trees coexist, not immortal but long last­ appreciate these personal touches based on ing, and seedlings and saplings thrive on putting into practice what we think we the rich decay of leaves and branches that Ship to: know and learning to work within the on"ce flourished. These sacred groves Street: framework of our personal microclimates. speak strongly to us, Perlman proposes, The bulk of the book is devoted to a cov­ because all of the world's forests are now City: ______------erage of 82 genera, many of them illustrat­ threatened remnants, and we cannot pre­ ed with color photos. The clear and concise serve them, to be animated by their phys­ State/Zip: cultural information provided will make ical presence and their spirit, unless we this a very useful reference for the average make our peace with the complex mixture gardener. -August A. De Hertogh of love, fear, death, and rebirth that trees MAll.. TO: AHS Books, 7931 East embody. Boulevard Drive, Alexandria, VA A professor of hortic;ulture at North Car­ A few of the people and trees in this 22308-1300. AH4/95 olina State University, August A. De Her­ book are exotic. Most, however, are your togh is an expert on geophytes. ordinary-may we say, garden-variety, in

14 APRIL 1995 PLANTING THE FUTURE

Cultivating Ideals tor. "Most people come to that point on their own. We're using the garden to teach en Rudolf Steiner, an early the most important lesson of science-the 20th century philosopher and ability to observe. It's so much easier to in­ W scientist, founded the first Wal­ still this fundamental part of science into dorfSchool in 1919 in Stuttgart, Germany, the children using the garden than through he espoused the importance of educating a dull classroom lecture. It's fun and gets the whole person in mind, body, and spir- them to think for themselves." it. An originator of biodynamic farming, The garden also offers the children an organic system that is totally self-suffi­ lessons often overlooked in school-how cient, Steiner saw that children growing up to grow and nourish something living, and in the city had lost touch with agrarian an appreciation for agrarian cultures and lifestyles and the lessons learned from the benefits of hard work. growing and nurturing plants. Therefore, According to John Ryan, the school's he established a standard gardening cur­ first gardening instructor, the land used for riculum adopted by all the schools in the ~ the garden had been farmed with chemi­ Waldorf School movement-100 in the ::; cals for years and was hard to convert to 8 United States and 500 worldwide. One ~ organic methods. Its heavy, clay soil had o such school is the Princeton Waldorf Q. to be drastically improved through the ad­ ffl School in Princeton, New Jersey, a kinder- l) dition of organic matter. Several local or­ garten through eighth-grade school estab- ~ ganizations came to the school's aid: lished in 1983 with approximately 180 ~ Espoma Company, a Millville, New Jersey, students. 8 organic plant food manufacturer, donated Located for the past five years on 20 John Ryan, left, and students at the a variety of organic amendments; a near­ acres of an old dairy farm, the school Princeton Waldorf School improved by New Jersey Department of Corrections strongly emphasizes gardening and com­ the worn-out clay soil in their garden farm donated cow manure; and the M. H. munity service as part of the children's ed­ by adding organic matter. Martin Company donated mushroom ucation. Two acres are set aside as pasture compost. for farm animals, and two more acres are maintain the pastures, and to care for the Establishing a new school garden re­ used for a large organic garden and or­ school's livestock. quires key ingredients such as land, tools, chard. Here the students spend from two In the fifth grade, the children focus on and gardening supplies, and, if the garden to four hours a week throughout the school botany as they learn about soil prepara­ is to survive from spring through fall, sum­ year learning about seeds, composting, in­ tion and cultivation and the care of plants. mer maintenance help. But Ryan advises sects, growing methods, and, of course, The sixth graders concentrate on crop ro­ first considering the reason for starting a plants. In addition to providing the stu­ tation, composting, cover crops, raised­ garden. A pretty garden, he says, is not dents with a stimulating learning atmo­ bed gardening, and soil amendments. enough to merit such work without an sphere, the garden also produces herbs and In the seventh and eighth grades, the ideal, such as Princeton's community ser­ vegetables that the school donates to local students' gardening abilities are translated vice program, to support it. food banks-an early lesson in into community service as they "Kids at that age need to know that the value of community service. take charge of the vegetable gar­ they're working for a better purpose," From the children's first day of den, donating the crops to local Ryan says. "They can do so much for com­ school, the garden serves to illus­ food kitchens. In addition to veg­ munities if given the opportunity." trate lessons learned in the class­ etables, the students also main­ Ryan adds that a common cause helps room, but the school's formal tain a cutting-flower bed and an overcome other obstacles such as finding gardening curriculum begins in herb bed. help to maintain the garden in summer the third grade when students follow the The school's administrators and teach­ and getting parent support. And there's no cycle of a field crop, such as wheat, from ers hope that the children are gaining more denying that everyone's the winner when seeding through harvesting. The students than practical gardening experience. the children, the school, and the commu­ even grind the wheat and bake bread in "We're not trying to make great back­ nity all work together. brick ovens. In the fourth grade, children yard gardeners out of the children," says -Nikole Williamson learn to build a compost pile, to seed and Patti Cuyler, Waldorf School administra- Editorial Assistant

AMERICAN HORTICULTURIST 15 THE URBAN GARDENER

Undaunted by a lack of space and sun, China Altman has designed a lilliputian garden at her Boston brownstone that features white double begonias and browallia, left, as well as catmint (Nepeta mussinii) for Misty Blue, far left.

A Back Bay Front Yard Boston Public Library and hit the books. without fear of stepping on something im­ Still, she says, "A lot of what I've done portant-a misstep could be a disaster. by Marty Carlock has been pure dumb luck. People have Some "beds" are no bigger than a footprint. come by and said, 'You can't grown Corsi- The largest are perhaps one foot by two. esigned to resemble a grand can mint there.' I'd say, 'Well, I've already The writer has given whimsical names to French boulevard, Common- put it there, so let's just see what it does.'" more than a dozen small areas. "It helps me D wealth Avenue in Boston is a Eu- Cultivating alongside a busy downtown think about them, about where things are," ropean-Iooking street in what is sometimes sidewalk, Altman finds herself easy game Altman explains. "Vita Sackville-West," called America's most European city. Rows for passing "experts." Her first gardening named for the English poet, novelist and of townhouses, four and five stories high venture, four seasons ago, was to plunk gardener, is a major showplace. "Herb­ and clad in brick, brownstone, and granite, down a row of bicolor marigolds, 'Bonan­ land" and "Fernland" are self-explanatory. stand in proper, regimented rows. Down za Spry', along the sidewalk edge just in­ The oxbow bends of the paths help to the center of the avenue is a leafy mall side the iron fence. People paused and said, separate distinct microclimates. "Leo," punctuated with statuary. "You can't grow marigolds there. It's too named for the midsummer sign of the zodi­ Each house, alongside its stone staircase, shady." The marigolds have flourished, ac, gets the most sun. "Treefeet," up against has a plot of ground measuring possibly 1 0 self-seeding every year. the magnolia'S trunk, is a hard-knocks lo­ by 14 feet, fenced in wrought iron. Most of "That was my first indication that things cale where plants compete with tree roots. these once-patrician houses are divided would happen, sometimes, outside the The Corsican mint is planted there. into apartments whose occupants don't rules," she muses. "There's more scope for happy accidents have much time to garden, so they fill their In this intensely cultivated space, Altman if you don't know too much about what mini-yards with pachysandra and r======~ has crammed hundreds of plants you're doing" is Altman's motto. Take Brun­ think they've done well. But Chi- representing 70 varieties. Many nera macrophylla, for instance. "I bought it na Altman was determined to of them are tiny, but she also bare-root, and it was so strange-looking, I have something more interesting. finds room for single specimens planted it upside down," Altman confesses. Commonwealth Avenue is fa- of lofty goats beard and lobelia. After the better part of a year, a gardening mous for the saucer magnolias Thinking lilliputian, Altman friend looked at it, identified the problem, (Magnolia x soulangiana) that designed her plot like a full-sized and said, "There's a lot of life left in this overpower the streetsca pe with creamy, garden and executed it in miniature. Its two plant. Just replant it rightside up." Its big, raspberry-stained flowers each May. One of paths set the scale: They are eight inches heart-shaped leaves and forget-me-not flow­ them shades Altman's entire plot, eliminat- wide, the length of a common brick. They ers are now a special source of satisfaction. ing all options except a shade garden. She's wind sinuously through the little plot, one Her artemisia, which should grow large, a novice gardener, but as a writer she knows brick wide and 93 bricks long. Though has remained a small, in-scale mound. "If how to do research, so she went to the small, the walkways enable Altman to work I had known it gets big, I wouldn't have

16 APRIL 1995 planted it. But I think the conditions here white, and magenta and white. neously with them, Altman has planted made it 'bonsai' itself." In midsummer "Highlands," where the white and black tulips. "It's really strik­ Altman's goals have been twofold: to plants, not the topography, are higher, ing," she says. "There are often tourists in have a specimen shade garden, discovering flaunts digitalis, a blue Phlox paniculata front of the building, taking pictures." what works and what doesn't in a Back Bay 'Franz Schubert', and the spectacular white In the darkest space against the building front yard, and to have constant flower col­ panicles of goatsbeard (Aruncus dioicus Altman has placed one ostrich fern that or from frost to frost. In the city, some 10 'Kneiffii')-at 40 inches Altman's tallest ris<;s among vinca, white astilbe, and white to 15 degrees milder than the suburbs, the plant. Altman has sited gold marsh marigold creeping phlox. Hypoestes phyllostachya, killing freeze can be late. Last December the (Caltha palustris) and C. biflora, a white va­ the polka-dot plant, an annual with pink­ garden still displayed flowers of plumbago riety, there; these fall under her see-what­ spattered foliage, flourished both here in and cranes bill geranium, as well as the tiny works philosophy, as the spot is not wet. the garden and, this winter, indoors. lilac blossoms of catmint (Nepeta mussinii). Viola 'White Czar' and ajugas-includ­ A success in "Fernland" has been Japan­ Scattered throughout the garden are ing 'Royalty' and 'Silver Beauty'-"are ese toad lily, Tricyrtis hirta 'Alba'. "The anemones, alliums, and astilbes, with em­ good for weaving in," Altman says. In the buds look like little toads perching on this phasis on the earliest and latest blooming "Near Reaches" are Jacob's ladder and arching stem," explains Altman. Another varieties. Small, white Allium neapoli­ primroses, along with Aquilegia 'McKana surprise has been delphinium-a plant not tanum (syn. A. cowanii) flowers before its Hybrids' in yellow, cream, pale purple, and supposed to do well in shade. peers, while an unidentified pink anemone mahogany. "Herbland" is largely occupied Altman has just begun another experi­ struts its stuff in autumn. Astilbe chinensis by a healthy stand of catmint, planted for ment: sea lavender, Limonium latifolium, offers a late pink plume in fall. The shadi­ the pleasure of Misty Blue, Altman's gray a delicate but sun-loving statice. One of est spots are given over to Irish moss, white cat. There's also aromatic black pepper­ her gardener friends says it will fail. Alt­ creeping phlox, vinca, Hosta 'Kross a Re­ mint, pennyroyal, and Lamium maculatum man says she'll just wait and see. gal', and a specimen of Japanese painted 'Pink Pewter'. The Corsican mint? Although about fern (Athyrium nipponicum var. pictum). Weeds aren't much of a problem because half of it died back last summer, it has The dappled-shade "Meadow" hosts the plot is so densely planted. At first Alt­ filled in again and, like everything else sweet woodruff, blue-purple browallia, man had a lot of trouble with chives-she here, should soon silence the critics. and white double begonias. Scattered thinks a previous tenant must have grown throughout the garden are the little faces of them. Besides the magnolia, the only other Free-lancer Marty Carlock writes about torenia, a bicolored annual with blossoms plants she inherited were azaleas "with this nature, art, and education for the Boston that include blue and white, peach and strange orangey color." To bloom simulta- Globe and other publications.

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AMERICAN HORTICULTURIST 17 Great Native Gratninoids There 's a grass or grass relative perfect for almost any situation.

B y s H E L L Y S T L E S

n my years of tramping fields and woods conducting botanical sur­ veys, collecting seeds and cuttings for riverbank renovations, and propagating materials for wetland restoration projects, I have seen the future of the American garden. And I'm not alone. Although it hasn't yet the momentum of an August thunderstorm building over Ithe Dakota prairies, gardeners' interest in native grasses and their grasslike relatives is growing fast. With good reason. Among our native grass, sedge, and rush species-to­ gether known as "graminoids"-are species that serve admirably as accent plants, in meadow settings, and even as turflike ground covers. Some are es­ pecially adapted to wet or dry, acid or alkaline, rocky or poor soils. On the whole, they require little maintenance. And they're in sync with the habits of sparrows, quails, skipper butterflies, and other bird, insect, and mammal species that call our continent horne. Our native graminoids, says John Greenlee, owner of Greenlee Nursery in Pomona, California, and author of The Encyclopedia of Ornamental Grasses, "go across the board in the roles they play in the garden." The grass family, Gramineae or Poaceae, is one of the largest among the flowering plants. Nonetheless, we rarely think of them as having flowers. Like those of other wind-pollinated species with no need to attract insects, their individual flowers are little more than male and female parts, only sub­ tly attractive to the naked eye (though exquisite under a dissecting micro­ scope). En masse, however, whether panicle or raceme or spike, grass flowers can be among the most eye-catching in nature. Striking inflorescences can combine with striking foliage to create some of the most dramatic plants that we can choose for our gardens.

18 APRIL 1995 Salt-meadow cordgrass, left, forms "cowlicks" in a marshy island meadow. Grasses can provide interest with their {lower and seed heads, as with inland sea oats, top; foliage color, as with new growth of 'Albous' little bluestem, center; or shape, as with corkscrew rush, above.

AMERICAN HORTICULTURIST 19 SOWING AND GROWING A MEADOW

auren Brown, author of Grasses, An Identification Guide, says that after see­ six- to 15-inch-long straw-colored panicles ing her small meadow overrun by goldenrod and Norway maple seedlings, mirror the color of its fall foliage, which L"I'm a little disenchanted with the meadow movement. It's not, after all, self­ turns from pale green to amber and then maintaining. You have to work at it." Yet compantd to other herbaceous J?lants, pale gold at season's end. Although sand­ graminoids require little care. reed is strongly rhizomatous, Martin says Most gardeners keep accent grasses in their borders neat by cutting them back it's not invasive, but instead tends to form once a year, just before active growth begins in spring or at the start of the rainy circular clonal clumps. Prairie sandreed is season. Mowing every one to three years will maintain most established mead­ found on sandy soils and dry slopes ows. Where legal and safe (which excludes most of California an.d parts of the throughout much of the central and north­ Northwest), many grassland gardeners use controlled burniNg to maifltain their ern prairie states. meadow landscapes, as I have done (just once-I had to put in an emergency call Other good flowers include the open, to my village's community fire department to put it out), and as does Sara Stein. purple-hued spikes of blue joint, Calama­ author of My Weeds and Noah's Ga1'den. Stein, a resident of southeastern New grostis canadensis, for moist soils across York state, burns her little bluestem meadow around April15! or when the maple the East, the Midwest, and California; the leaves begin to unfurl. . She used to bRfn it annually, bl;i:t is flOW O)1,;a three-yeal; fluffy white cotton heads of satintail, Im­ schedule because, she says, "annual burns favor the grasses over tlie wildflowers." perata brevifolia, and the airy panicles of Cutting back and bHrning is about all Stein does to care for het established Indian rice grass, Oryzopsis hymenoides, plants. She doesn't feed OJ! water because, she says, "all you're doing is encourag­ both suitable for gardens in California and ing European weeds." There are plenty of them around. "When I just let the lawn throughout the arid Southwest; the long­ grow up," says Stein, "about 95 percent of the spec;ies were alien. That's what's bristled florets of purple three-awn, Aristi­ iFl the soil, in the seed b;}nk." da purpurea, for Arkansas and areas Controlling exotic invaders is one of the hardest parts of growing upland southwest; and the pendant, flat flower grarninoid gardens. (Wetland gardeNs are easier, because relatively few alien species heads of inland sea oats, Chasmanthium are adapted to soggy soils.) Before seeding an area, Stein prepa,res it by spraying latifolium, for the Midwest and South. wi~h Roundup, then tilling, aNd thefl spraying with Roundup again to kill the newly Favorites of mine include twisted sedge, germinated seedlings. Hand weeding will still be necessary later. "'Ehe difficulty," Carex torta, for moist soils and stream­ she says, "is knowing'Wllich is what." (She's heard of gardeFlers WflO lay a strip of banks in the northeastern and north cen­ paper down in the seed bed at sowing time and remove it shortly afterward. What­ tral states and along the Appalachians; the ever Gomes up in the formerly covered location serves as a guide to what doesn't tall spikes of Indian grass, Sorghastrum belong elsewhere in the seed bed.) A salt hay or oat straw mulch helps protect the nutans, native to most of the country east seeds from drying Ol1t 01' washing away. But even with all that care, graminoid seed­ of the Rocky Mountains; the lavender ings ca[Ji be a test of patience. "D(;m't give tip too quickly," says The Nature Con­ panicles of tall redtop, Tridens flavus, a servanGY's Brian Martin. "Give a large seeding at least three years, since many native native of much of the Northeast and cen­ seeds are unusually s10w to break dormancy." Some natives, however, are occa­ tral states; and frothy wood reed grass, sionally too successful from seed. Stein says she's had to behead the bluestem in her Cinna arundinacea, for moist, shady sites terrace garden because it was self-seeding "all over the terra.ce." throughout the East and Midwest. Tall Wetland seedings are feasible except iFl standing wate!? or ifl floodplains where redtop and wood reed grass look best moving water wOHld wash away your efforts. Seed beds can be prepared in sea­ planted in groups. sonally wet locations by rototilling during the dry months. Wet spots can be pre­ Many nurseries and seed suppliers de­ pared at any time by sGarifying the surface with a hand cultivator. Mulch the scribe their grass offerings as either "warm seeded areas with salt hay or oat straw, or sow a nurse crop such as Canada wild season" or "cool season" species, denot­ rye, Elymus canadensis, a bluish-foliaged, attractively seeded, widely indigenous ing the time of year in which their foliar flative. FOf areas where seeding isn't practical, YOI1 will have to Qse transplants. growth is most vigorous. But this distinc­ I've grown my own in flats or pots lined with heavy plastic and placed in a light- tion, important when choosing turf grass­ ly shaded area to keep evaporation down. ~Shelly Stiles es, is out of place in the natives context. Several worthy southern and western species can be thought of as both warm Deer grass, Muhlenbergia rigens, native ern tier from North Carolina to Texas, and cool season grasses: They respond to from Texas through New Mexico and Greenlee recommends purple muhly, Muh­ moisture rather than temperature. And Arizona into California, is "extremely lenbergia filipes, for its cloudlike panicles choosing a native based on when it is versatile," says Greenlee, appropriate for of purple blossoms. In southern New Eng­ greenest ignores its potential interest dur­ wet or dry conditions and sun or shade. land, down to the mid-Atlantic states, and ing the dormant season. Attractive autumn An evergreen species growing about three in parts of the Midwest, the closely relat­ or dry-season color is a strong point of feet tall and wide, it produces taller cylin­ ed hairgrass, M. capillaris, sports a similar many natives. And graminoids at maturi­ drical flower spikes that he describes as purple panicle. ty are of real use to designers for the many "see-through and constantly in motion." Brian Martin, director of conservation forms their seeds and seed clusters take. Mass plantings are effective, he says, but programs at The Nature Conservancy's Lauren Brown, author of Grasses, An so is just one. "It's sort of like an excla­ Dakotas Field Office in Bismarck, North Identification Guide, recommends switch­ mation point." Dakota, suggests prairie sandreed, Cala­ grass, Panicum virgatum, as "a great accent For gardeners along the country's south- movilfa longifolia, for a garden accent. Its plant." With its large, airy, golden-glowing

20 APRIL 1995 panicles of ripe seed on stems up to six feet two-thirds of the way up by a fireworks­ tall or more, says Brown, "with a lot of like spray of bronze seeds. Soft rush is space and a lot of sun, it can be absolutely found everywhere east of the Mississippi beautiful." Switchgrass is native to most of River valley. It looks its best in consis­ the country east of the Rockies. tently saturated soils, but I've seen it Smaller but also striking at maturity is growing in intermittently moist ruts in a bottlebrush grass, Hystrix patula, so road. It has a fascinating cultivar, 'Spirilis', nam€d because of the long bristles or called corkscrew rush because of its coil­ "awns" that spread outward from the tip ing foliage. of the flowering spike. Brown says she Other attractive seeds are those of the thinks of bottle brush grass as short-lived, bluestems: the silver-bristled plumes of big but has found that it seeds in readily and bluestem, Andropogon gerardii, a native transplants very easily. "A very forgiving of high-calcium soils east of the Rockies; plant," she calls it, "that seems to thrive Cottongrass, top, is a the reflective plumes of little bluestem, on minimal care." The species is found fascinating addition to Schizachyrium scoparium, which is native throughout most of the cooler East and a wetland, but doesn't to the same large region, and the similar Midwest. (Howev€r interesting and at­ like heat. Indian grass, broomsedge, Andropogon virginicus, na­ tractive, long awns can be a liability. Mar­ above, native to the tive from the eastern plains to the East tin notes that bristles on needl€-and-thread eastern half of the Coast; and the "beards" of silver beard­ grass [Stipa comataJ can stick to clothing United States, produces grass, A. saccharoides, native to Califor­ and pets, and that in the hands of childr€n, feathery spikes. nia and the dry Southwest. those of porcupine grass [So sparteaJ can Enjoy the white woolly tops of cotton­ be dangerous toys.) Among wetland grasses, the seed spikes grass, Eriophorum spp., in wetland plant­ For soggy soils, the sedges offer a wide of rattlesnake grass, Glyceria canadensis, ings in the northern and mountainous variety of seed and seed cluster types. are stand-outs. Each branch of th€ very states; the dangling spikes of fowl mead­ Brown recommends lurid sedge, Carex luri­ open panicle, its seeds arranged like drops ow grass, Glyceria striata, in wetland gar­ da, for its little-pinkie-shaped, closely of water frozen one after the other in mid­ dens in the East and South; the foot-long packed seed spikes-several to the plant. It's drip, dangles from a delicately drooping plumes of Pacific dune grass or giant wild common throughout th€ east€rn half of the st€m. Rattlesnake grass is native to our rye, Elymus condensatus, in California country. Fringed sedge, C. crinita, a species northern states, east of Minnesota, and to coastal ranges; the bright yellow spikes of found in the East and southern Midwest, parts of the Appalachians and the Ohio prairie cordgrass, Spartina pectinata, from carries its pendant, pencil-thin, separate Riv€r valley. Soft rush, funGus effusus, is the central and northeastern parts of the male and female spikes on gracefully arch­ probably the most notable native in its country (beware of its cutting foliage); ing stems above a fountain of foliage. I genus. Its thre€-foot-Iong, needlelike, deep spikerush, Eleocharis spp., whose stems think it's one of our best-looking natives. green clumping leaves are interrupted appear to be capped with toy tops, in wet-

AMERICAN HORTICULTURIST 21 MISCREANT MISCANTHUS, PESTILENT PAMPAS

f beauty and versatility weren't reason enough to try native grasses, there's an­ prairie states and to scattered eastern lo­ other argument: Some of our favorite ornamental imports are escaping into cations. I know it from the droughty, in­ I the wild and taking over natural areas. Rick Darke, curator of plants at Long­ fertile, and occasionally toxic soils of the wood Gardens and author of Royal Horticultural Society Manual of Grasses, J;ais­ serpentine barrens of southeastern Penn­ es the issue in an article on grasses in the fall issue of Arnoldia, published by the sylvania and northern Maryland. Arnold Arboretum. "The popular Miscanthus sinensis," he writes, "is :rapidly nat­ In sunny wet meadows, plant cotton uralizing coastal areas and bottomlands in the mid-Atlantic and southeastern Unit­ grass, Eriophorum spp., which sports un­ ed States." The development of earlier blooming cultivars, able to set seed as far mistakably woolly white terminal seed north as Connecticut and New Yor:k. will accelerate the process, he believes. clusters. The genus is found in peaty and "There's no doubt about it being Utvasive,'" he tells u§. "There are;p1aces along boggy locations across northern and the Tennessee bottomlands that look like parts of Japan." Near Longwood, he mountainous parts of the country. Blue says, where a 20-foot hedge of it was planted on an old estate, the grass now cov­ joint grass, Calamagrostis canadensis, ers what he estimates as 20 acres. Ol} his own property of one-third acre, he is in which, with its varieties, is native to most his third year of trying to get rid of it. of the country except for the Southeast Darke says there are now 110 Miscanthus cultlvars on the maF~et, with some and arid Southwest, and the aptly named species and cuftivars more invasive tha.n otners. WHen he lectures on the topic, tussock sedge, Carex stricta, a northeast­ Darke says he recommends Miscantnf!ls purpurasce11s as one that shows no signs ern and midwestern native, will grow well of invasiveness and, as a substitute for Miscanthus, Panicum virgatum 'Cloud in moist soils in either sun or shade. Nine', a new selection of a native. If you're dealing with brackish water, In his art;icle, Dar:ke says that whilegI'asses tend to be free of pests and diseases, try salt-meadow cordgrass, Spartina a mealybug introauted jmo the Bnited States ill thelate 'I! 980s is beginning to at­ patens, which forms what Brown's book tack Miscanthus. aptly describes as "cowlicks." On the West Coast, naturalists are fighting Cortaderia ;ubata, usually called Other good meadow species include purple pampas grass. (Horticulturists say that another. pampas grass, C. selloana, blue grama, Bouteloua gracilis, and side­ is well-behaved and shouldn't be fafJed with the same brush.) Likewise, some oats grama, B. curtipendula, for the prairie speGies of Pennisetum will natul!al1ze readily fr:om seed in the right situation, ac- states; and California gray rush, Juncus cor,ding to John Greenlee in The Encyclopedia of Ornamental Grasses. Garden­ patens, for California and Oregon. ers can prevent reseeding by removing flower heads, 11e notes, but "you might be Some graminoids can substitute for missing out on beautiful fall and winter effects by doing so." more common turf grasses because their In 1993, the federal Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service asked nursery growth is so low or so slow that they rarely owners to voluntariLy stop selling anotfier popular grass, Imperata CJllindrica 'Red need mowing. And they will conserve Baron' .:rhe spedes, eommonly canee cogon grass, is on the federal list of noxious water and reduce air pollution in the weeds. Darke says that the garden variety is a temperate form of the species while process. For those reasons, among others, cogon grass is a greeh tropical form. But there are questions about under what cir­ says Greenlee, "we're pretty excited about cumstances the red form might revert to the more aggressive form, or the two grasses that will make a natural lawn." might cross. Highest on his list for gardeners from Ore­ In Gr,eenlee's book, .he reports that the red form will undergo a geI).etic muta­ gon to Texas is Carex praegracillis. His tion if, pl'0pagated tlirough tissue culture, losing both its color and restraint. nursery has selected a variety they call 'La­ Doria Gordon, an ecologist with The Nature Conservancy in Florida, compares guna Mountain', which he says is slowly cogon grass to common reed, Phragrnites australis, which chokes out other water creeping, evergreen, needs very little water, plants along the Easrern Seaboar,d. Some naturalists believe it became invasive and can be mowed or left unmowed. when an exotic form ctQssed naturally with a native form. Greenlee also recommends the evergreen "There is evi(lence dlat viable seed is produced by some of the geI).etic materi­ Berkeley sedge, C. tumulicola, for heavily al" of 'Red Baron', she says. "If it's Gapable of crossing with the invasive species, trafficked areas in sun or shade and dry or it could be our next Phragmites. " -Kathleen Fisher, Editor moist conditions in its native northern California. Martin says that in the prairie states, land plantings across the North; and the food for songbirds such as sparrows and "people use blue grama quite a bit for a fluffy bronze spikes of wool grass, Scirpus other finches and some small mammals, low-management turf grass." Its wiry cyperinus, in wetland gardens east and especially in the winter months. (This leaves seldom grow taller than six inches, north of Oklahoma. grass tribe flowers and sets seed late in the but its seed stalks, which look a little like Many species suited as accents in the season.) And, says Martin of The Nature a smoky-purple caterpillar-on-a-stick, may garden also make excellent meadow Conservancy, little bluestem is also a lar­ reach a foot or more. Buffalo grass, plants. The bluestem grasses are quintes­ val food source for the rare Dakota skip­ Buchloe dactyloides, he says, is often sential American prairie grasses. All have per butterfly, a candidate for addition to added to the seed mix for a turf that needs foliage infused at some stage with a bit of the federal endangered species list. mowing only about once a year. Although blue, silver-fluffed seeds, and fall color that The long, narrow leaves of northern or only two species, combined they create an ranges from warm golden to burnished or­ prairie dropseed, Sporobolus heterolepis, unusually varied ground cover, since buf­ ange. As with many other graminoids, form thick, fountainlike clumps that turn falograss takes three forms-a male plant bluestem seeds are an important source of golden in autumn. It's native to most of the with small, inconspicuous seed heads; a fe-

22 APRIL 1995 male plant with large seed clusters; and a state or regional floras to confirm that borious, so consider, too, the possibility of vegetative form with long, purplish stolons your candidate indeed grows in your area, "collecting" hay, as some restorationists interrupted every three or four inches by and in the habitat you're designing. do. Ask your local utility if you can mow short bunches of leaves. The more native the source, too, the bet­ that power line right-of-way grown over Other ground cover graminoids include ter. "If you don't use local sources, the in buffalo grass when its seed has ripened, broad-leaved sedge, Carex platyphylla, a plants might not survive," says Martin. or find out when the highway department blue-tinted evergreen native to eastern and "Or you could contaminate the local gene plans to cut those dry road shoulders full Appalachian forests; California meadow pool "-with consequences that no one of broomsedge. sedge, C. pansa, as its name indicates, a can yet predict. But although more and West Coast native; Pennsylvania sedge, C. more nurseries are growing native plants, Shelly Stiles has been a staff botanist for an pensylvanica, for shady lawns and gardens native graminoids are not at all common­ ecological restoration firm and is current­ east of the Rockies (its botanical variety, ly available. Author Sara Stein says she's ly director of a southwest Vermont con­ pacificum, will substitute on the West had to turn to midwestern suppliers for servation organization.

Highly adaptable side-oats some of the species she wanted for her SOURCES AND RESOURCES grama is drought-tolerant New York meadow. Greenlee reiterates the and a good meadow grass. chicken-and-egg dilemma of the nursery The Encyclopedia of Ornamental Grasses trade: "Nobody grows plants that nobody by John Greenlee. This 186-page hard­ asks for, but nobody asks for plants that cover book decribes 250 grasses, includ­ nobody grows. We've got to keep asking ing many natives, with color photographs for these plants, saying 'I want American of many, landscape uses, propagation, plants in my garden.'" and culture. Contains a full page of Division of a friend's garden plants, or sources. AHS member price: $23.95. from nearby meadows where you have ob­ Grasses, An Identification Guide, by Lau­ tained permission of the property owner, is ren Brown. This 240-page paperback a partial solution. Most graminoids, says contains botanical drawings of 135 Greenlee, are easily propagated from divi­ grasses to help you identify them in the sion, usually in spring or fall, and a nearby wild. AHS member price: $9.85. property owner may let you help yourself. Country Wetlands Nursery, P.O. Box 126, Coast); the evergreen plantain sedge, C. "Never be digging plants out of the Muskego, WI 53150, (414) 679-1268. plantaginea, for shady areas in the Ap­ wild," says Greenlee. "But nipping a little Catalog $l. palachian, northeastern, and north central bit of seed is not a bad idea in my opinion." Environmental Concern, Inc., P.O. Box P, states; and pikerush. The "10 percent rule" offers some guid­ 210 W. Chew Avenue, St. Michaels, MD Whatever graminoid you grow for ance here: Collect no more than 1 0 percent 21633, (410) 745-9629. Catalog free. whatever reason, the more native the of the seed crop in a given year from a Greenlee Nursery, 301 E. Franklin Avenue, species the better. Greenlee points out that, given population, assuming the species or Pomona, CA 91766, (714) 629-9045. for example, many grasses found in north­ population isn't threatened or in some way Catalog $2.50. ern California have no place in the San unusual. Advises Martin: "I would try to High Altitude Gardens, P. O. Box 4238, Diego area. Habitat-chaparral, high collect from areas that are already dis­ Ketchum, ID 83340, (208) 726-322l. meadow, streamside, and so on-is just as turbed, like a railroad bed or an old field." Catalog $2. important as regional distribution. Before Though satisfying, collecting seed for Prairie Nursery, P.O. Box 306, Westfield, choosing species for your garden, check more than a specimen planting can be la- WI 53964, (608) 296-3679. Catalog $3.

AMERlCAN HORTICULTURIST 23 y new neighbors were garden, too. About the size of two city lots, I suppose some people assume all Col­ horrified. Within a week it had been a horticultural adventure, sit­ orado residents live among blue spruce and of moving to my new uated in the urban canyon of apartment columbines on rugged ridges, singing care­ house in May 1993, buildings that had sprung up around my free John Denver songs as we hand-feed the chain saws felled eight little cottage. I felt like a painter who had wildlife. Although the city of Denver is nes­ Mhalf-dead Siberian elms. Vast swaths of worked on the same canvas for 10 years­ tled against the foothills of the Rocky lawn succumbed to a sod cutter, while a with constantly decreasing light. I was Mountains, it is essentially flat. We're re­ truck deposited a mountain of compost. ready for a fresh start. garded as a USDA Zone 5 climate, blessed Twelve four-foot-deep craters appeared in Experts always advise waiting a year be­ with abundant sunshine and low humidity. the middle of the former lawn. One man fore doing much gardening on a new prop­ It's a land of opportunity for a gardener. spent an inordinate amount of time on his erty, the better to study the lay of the land I wanted my new garden to both com­ roof, surreptitiously adjusting his antenna, before making changes. But I knew what plement the house and give me space to no doubt wondering what on earth had I wanted to do-build borders. With near­ grow thousands of species of perennials, happened to the neighborhood. ly an acre of land surrounding a handsome annuals, and bulbs, knowing that a vast I can understand their trepidation. I was turn-of-the-century house, I now had the collection of plants doesn't always trans­ making a new garden, and my plan was space to do it. Just as important, I had real late into a beautiful garden. Because of the only slightly less ambitious than the Nor­ soil, which I'd discovered on my first visit. relatively formal look of the late Victorian mandy invasion. I'd mapped it out in my Although a century ago my northwest Italianate house, I chose a strong, geomet­ head while making endless trips back and Denver neighborhood was known for its ric layout of long borders. Occasional half forth from our old house with boxes of orchards and vegetable farms, today sandy circles soften the straight lin(ls. Within this dishes and clothes, and pots of perennial loam is rare in this city. I didn't see the framework, I indulge in the controlled divisions of rare and sentimental favorites. point in waiting. My partner, David chaos that we associate with traditional I felt sentimental about leaving myoid Macke, was as eager to start work as I. herbaceous borders. Classic Composition At last) he had almost an acre. And he knew exactly what he wanted to do with it.

STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY ROB PROCTOR

24 APRIL 1995 I suppose some might wonder why I'd commodate the varying irrigation needs of that they would never shift or lean; it will choose to make " English" borders. Why each border. I've hauled hoses my entire probably require dynamite if I ever re­ not berms of aspen and columbines, and life, and I decided to concentrate high design. These rows of columns cut the all those other Rocky Mountain natives? water use close to the house, especiall y on beds in half, creating four eight-by-60-foot The climate of the plains is much hotter the east and west sides, where mature borders. and drier than that of the mountains, and maples, crabapples, Englemann and blue The columns and lattice provide struc­ most of our high country plants, including spruce, and apple trees shade the house. ture. The brick matches that of the house, our beloved state flower, Rocky Mountain Most shade perennials are not known for suggesting that they've been here for many columbine, suffer horribly when grown in their drought tolerance. A shady glen with years. More important, they substitute for the city. However well intentioned, the understory trees such as redbud and Al­ a living backdrop such as a hedge, for "natural" garden often looks as out-of­ legheny serviceberry, underplanted with whi ch I wasn't wi lling to wait. Borders of place in an urban environment as clipped pulmonaria, ferns, and cowslips, makes a herbaceous plants-no matter how artful­ boxwood parterres would be in a moun­ dramatic contrast to the sun-drenched ly combined-benefit from a dramatic, tain meadow. Classic borders and the plantings south of the house. unifying background. As the latticework artistic legacy of their creators can be In that large portion of the property­ weathers to si lver gray and clematis scram­ adapted to any place and any personal where the Siberian elms bit the dust-I ble through it, I also get the pleasure of style, assuming that the plants within them carved the lawn into two enormous rec­ their blooms. suit the climate. tangular beds, 16 by 60 feet, with an eight­ An enormous existing beauty bush Another decision was to group plants by foot-wide grass path between them. I (Kolkwitzia amabilis) deserved preserva­ their cultural needs and with a commit­ designed a dividing backdrop of 12 brick tion, so the westernmost border turns at its ment to water conservation. I opted not to columns, six in each bed, connected by lat­ feet in an arc. The border continues to the install a sprinkling system, since it would ticework. The brick mason built them on west and along the boundary, framing a be nearly impossible to program it to ac- three-foot concrete footings, assuring me small lawn. I despise lawn care and the

The author quickly caught the attention of his new neighbors when he had eight ailing Siberian elms cut down, left. The foundation of a long-gone building, above, is now the site of a sunken garden that provides a protective microclimate.

AMERICAN HORTICULTURIST 25 overuse of water-guzzling turf that is tended to plant there. Protected from hot Borders are like paintings. Each one draining our western reservoirs, but I like breezes and burning sun, the brick enclo­ starts as a blank canvas. Working with a this one open space in our garden; I'm con­ sure is planted with perennials that ordi­ palette of plants, rather than paints, the sidering taking up croquet. This turf is not narily would not thrive here, such as possible combinations are limitless. The pampered, however, surviving on an inch candelabra primroses, astilbe, Lobelia twin borders that cut through the middle of moisture each week (which encourages siphilitica, and even voodoo lily (Sauro­ of the gardeN col'ltain the colors that I nat­ the roots to delve deeply into the soil), and matum venosum), which is supposed to urally gravitate towards-the blues, pur­ I set the mulching mower on high. The quit at least two zones farther south. I'll ples, and pinks. taller blades shade the roots and slow be experimenting for years in this unique There's nothing prettier to my eye than evaporation. microclimate. deep blue flowers like anchusa or dwarf There are other features in the garden. If this all sounds ambitious, I must admit delphiniums contrasting with deep pink or A deep, IS-foot border along most of the it surprises even me. We hired help for magenta blossoms of coneflowers, Asiatic southern edge of the property requires the some of the jobs beyond the average gar­ hybrid lilies, or Geranium psilostemon or least water. It's planted with xeric plants dener's skills, SUCR as trtle removal and G. cinereum. I like to add touches of straw that survive and thrive on our scant rain­ pruning, and masonry work, but the rest yellow, such as the blossoms of Digitalis fall, such as penstemons, tulips, bearded we did ourselves with low-tech equipment lutea or Cephalaria alpina, as well as gray­ iris, sunroses (Helianthemum nummulari­ such as rakes, spades, and a wheelbarrow leafed foliage plants. One of my new inter­ urn), sea kale (Crambe maritima), and (although we did borrow a friend's ro­ ests is in using vines as ground covers, Mediterranean soapwort (Saponaria ocy­ totiller). We joked about making "a garden letting them intertwine with perennials. moides). It must also block the view of the a week," tackling one border at a time. Golden hops vine (Humulus lupulus 'Au- alley, so it contains drought-tolerant trees and shrubs, such as fern bush (Chamaeba­ tiaria millefolium), sumac, an upright ju­ niper, and cutleaf sumac. A brick-paved patio along the entire south side of the house holds several hun­ dred potted plants. While plants from the Mediterranean and South Africa are of course not winter-hardy for me, a Col­ orado summer is not unlike one in south­ ern California. (In fact, my enthusiasm for agapanthus and succulents popular there has gotten so out of hand that a friend de­ clared that our patio has begun to resem­ ble a Los Angeles highway median strip.) We constructed a simple, raised goldfish pond to add the soothing sound of splash­ ing water to the patio. On another patio that we laid on the shaded west side of the house, we enjoy outdoor dining and the sound of the irri­ gation ditch that cuts through the north­ west corner of the lot. This patio adjoins our sunken garden, the only area that we didn't plan. One weekend, while digging up self­ sown tree-of-heaven saplings, we kept hit­ ting brick. We determined that it was the foundation to a building, about 15 by 10 feet. Friends joined us for some urban archeology as we excavated it, finding hundreds of patent medicine bottles, bro­ ken china, and a waffle iron designed for the top of a wood stove. The foundation may have supported a summer kitchen or an earlier house, perhaps a farmer's. We stopped digging at about four feet and, exhausted, decided our sunken garden was deep enough. We mixed in extra-rich com­ post to nurture the shade-lovers we in-

26 APRIL 1995 reus') and gold-net honeysuckle (Lonicera tia macedonica, peonies, Oriental lilies, Mine incorporates many herbs that would ;aponica 'Gold Net') quite literally weave Clematis 'Niobe', China pinks, and border normally inhabit a garden of their own, a planting together; they can be easily carnations ignite the purples and blues of and I like contrasting thymes, valerian, gar­ trimmed back if they show kudzu like am­ Geranium platypetalum, Siberian iris, lic, and catmints (Nepeta spp.) with cam­ bition. The golden hops vine needs little en­ monkshood, meadow rue, and veronicas. panulas, iris, and boltonia. Just throwing couragement to thread through five or six Foliage is just as important to pull off together every white flower in the book feet of pink and blue flowers in this border, this unusual scheme, and I play down doesn't guarantee an effective result. Con­ providing fresh, almost springlike foliage green in favor of purple leaves, such as trast and complement are vital. What I even in midsummer. The variegated leaves those of red orach (Atriplex hortensis enjoy, especially at twilight, are luminous of gold-net honeysuckle create a refreshing 'Rubra'), bronze fennel, tender 'Blackie' white blossoms set against the gleam of tapestry in our pastel borders with true­ sweet potato, and Salvia officinalis 'Pur­ finely cut silver leaves. Three artemisias are blue cupid's dart (Catananche caerulea) , purea'. A young smoke bush will make an knockouts here-Artemisia 'Powis Castle', Monarda 'Croftway Pink', the classic old even more dominant presence as it grows, A.ludoviciana 'Valerie Finnis', and A. stel­ yellow 'Hyperion' daylily, and of course, as will the red-leaf rose, Rosa glauca, leriana 'Silver Brocade'. Asiatic lilies. which has burgundy tones on the under­ Grasses such as blue fescue, Miscanthus I've always had trouble integrating red sides of its gray leaves. 'Morning Light', and bulbous oat grass (a flowers into a planting. At the end of one of This area's diametric opposite is our bor­ tiny clump with a very big name, Arrhen­ these borders, I decided to give into tempta­ der of white and si lver. Many gardeners atherum elatius subsp. bulbosum 'Varie­ tion and go with a smoldering color theme. have planted an homage to Sissinghurst, gatum') wave their glistening leaves and Deep red and maroon flowers such as Knau- for good reason. It's a stimulating exercise. seed heads, setting off bold foliage like that of Crambe cordifolia, Salvia argentea, or Scotch thistle (Onopordum acanthium). It's a constant joy to view small white flowers against larger beauties, such as a froth of snow daisy (Tanacetum niveum) enfolding white Asiatic lilies. Important annual additions to the white and silver scheme include white lavatera, sweet alys­ sum, Zinnia angustifolia 'Tropic Snow', dusty miller, milk thistle (Silybum mari­ anum), portulaca, and cleome. Another border is outrageously gaudy, incorporating hot colors and wild combi­ nations. If the others draw their color schemes from a Monet painting, this one is pure LeRoy Neiman. Orange, red, purple, gold, and hot pink flowers run riot. We sometimes call this the" Madonna" border after the often shocking pop star. My wild creative impulses are given free rein, and Brick columns and lattice divide it's cheaper than seeing a mental health huge rectangles into four borders, professional. In spring, pink hyacinths above. Those in the center feature bloom with purple rock cress (Aubrieta the author's favorite pastels, such deltoidea) in front of chartreuse cushion as the penstemon, iris, geranium, spurge (Euphorbia epithymoides). A bit and sunrose combination, far left. later, red and yellow Canadian columbine Another border features white (Aquilegia canadensis) combines with deep flowers and foliage, including sea purple and golden yellow bearded iris, pur­ kale, rose campion, and artemisia, ple-clustered bellflower (Campanula glom­ center. On one end of a border is a erata 'Joan Elliot'), a host of brilliant lilies daring combination of reds and such as the waxy, deep orange Lilium purples, including Knautia, China pumi/um, and orange geum. pinks, veronica, and Mexican As summer heats up, so do the colors. A feather grass, near left. deep purple butterfly bush backs up sea­ side goldenrod (Solidago sempervirens), ' purple ironweed (Vernonia noveboracen­ sis), sweet coneflower (Rudbeckia subto­ mentosa), Monarda 'Violet Queen', magenta ice plant (Delosperma cooperi), and an assortment of annual additions

AMERICAN HORTICULTURIST 27 rod, and asters would be among my fa­ vorites no matter when they bloomed. There's considerable interest at other times of the year from spring bulbs, annuals, and foliage plants, but the main emphasis is on fall flowers. They lose their impact when tucked in here and there, but really pack a wallop when grouped together for a glori­ ous finale. Annuals that bloom well into the au­ tumn, such as cleome, cosmos, heliotrope, Gomphrena haageana 'Strawberry Fields', and gloriosa daisy are even more valuable with their faU companions. I especially like the effect from a variegated hops vine­ another of my "vines-as-ground covers" experiments-planted close to the edge and twining its way through purple asters, Origanum laevigatum, Rudbeckia triloba, and nearly every other plant within reach. The most lavish touch here is a lavender river of Crocus speciosus near the front of the border that runs most of its 60-foot length, and continues as it turns to frame the lawn. The crocus ~ s pop up through low-growing annuals and perennials such as plumbago and creeping zinnia (Sanvi­ talia procumbens). The most recent in our string of projects On the south side of the house, a patio holds several hundred has been what friends call my "folly." It's pots of Mediterranean and South African plants. a simple gazebo with a flat deck on top. Built on the foundation of the old carriage such as chartreNse euphorbialike Bupleu­ scheme of the surrounding plantings as the house, it sits at the far end of the double rum rotundifolium, purple-top clary border turns to the west. Flowers with that pastel bord~rs on the south boundary line. (Salvia viridis), and even hot-colored can­ unusual coral hue, I've decided, make for The long grass path between the borders nas. Like a comedian who'll do anything fascinating c0mbililations. Asiatic lilies, red leads to the folly. Not only does it anchor for a laugh, I stop at nothing to make my valerian (Centranthus ruber), red sunros­ that end of the garden, but it provides a "tasteful" friends gasp. es, the new hybrid Nicotiana 'Salmon destination point and a shady spot to sit. A liberal dose of bronze toliage from Pink', coral bells, Geranium 'Biokovo', Climbing the folly'S spiral staircase, it's red-leaf barberry, castor bean, red orach, and new forms of sea pinks are vibrant possible to view much of the garden from and Ligularia dentata 'Othello' adds a and lively with complements of white and above. That's a thrill for me, seeing my deep, somber tone. I definitely have a cream, as well as the lime green of Nico­ plan come to life. The lush look of the gar­ thing about plants with bronze or purple tiana langsdorffii and the hybrid 'Nikki den-just entering its third season-belies leaves, or for that matter any leaves-gray, Lime', and chartreuse foliage such as the its age. Good soil preparation was the key gold, or variegated-that break the mo­ variegated sage Salvia officinalis 'lcterina' to getting the divisions and young per~n­ notony of green. They are as important as or golden elder (Sambucus racemosa nials (most were transplanted from what flowers, although I try to keep a balance. 'Plumosa Aurea'). Unifying these sunset nurserymen call a "two 'f1' a quarter" pot) I once visited a garden whose owner had colors is more bronze foliage, including off to a quick start. The neighbors are en­ a passion for variegation and golden Lysimachia ciliata, Penstemon digitalis chanted by the new garden and make ex­ leaves, which she used to ~ xcess. The 'Husker Red', and the uncommonly ad­ cuses to drop by. They'll see it chaflge as whole garden appeared sickly and chlorot­ mirable red stalks of common rhubarb. we experimelilt and refine. We have still ic-I had the urge to return at night and I've always thought rhubarb an attractive more projects up our sleeves. spray it with high-nitrogen fertilizer. That plant; its broad leaves and tall spikes of was an important lesson for me, and I al­ pink-tinted cream flowers add weight to Rob Proctor teaches at Denver Botanic ways try to temper my enthusiasm for an otherwise frothy grouping. Garden, where he serves as co-director of beautiful leaves with an understanding of I have no idea what possessed me to de­ DBG School of Botanical Illustration. His how many are necessary to make my vote an entire border to autumn-blooming books include the antique flowers trilo­ point. plants, but I'm glad I did. Japanese gy-Annuals, Perennials, Country Flow­ The beauty bush, its pale pink blossoms anemones, colchicum, autumn crocus, ers-as well as The Indoor Potted Bulb tinged with coral, inspired the color northern sea oats, Salvia patens, golden- and The Outdoor Potted Bulb.

28 APRIL 1995 Inspiring Spireas Disease resistance and colorful foliage are just two reasons to look again at these old standbys.

BY TERRY SCHWARTZ

he word "spirea" may bring to mind the sprawling form of the old-fashioned bridal­ wreath variety, used as a back­ drop while you posed in Easter Tfinery for a famil y photograph. Or mayb~ you envision the graceful arch of Spiraea x vanhouttei, faintly perfuming the air at graduation time, its lime green foliage swaying in the early morning breeze. At countless old homesteads scattered around the countryside, you can still find them, guarding the memories of more relaxed and innocent times. There are more than 70 species of spirea, a member of the rose family, primarily from Asia, although there are a handful of species and natural hybrids occurring in North America. S. salicifolia was brought to Europe from Asia more than 300 years ago, and throughout the 19th century ex­ plorers continued to introduce new species to the trade. It would be a bit of a stretch to say that there has been a spirea "revolution" or that breeders are working around the clock on new hybrids. But there has been a great deal of fine-tuning as the result of natural mutations or sports that originate in a nursery or arboretum. There is enough nat­ ural variation within members of this genus to allow growers to select new shapes and colors for use in the garden. Gardeners who think spireas begin and end with plants they knew from their child­ hood need to revisit these reliable shrubs. The graceful but rust-prone Vanhoutte spirea has been improved in a new No longer are all spireas huge gangly selection, 'Renaissance'.

AMERICAN HORTICULTURI ST 29 plants with white flowers and nondescript green leaves. The best known of all spireas is doubt­ less S. prunifolia 'Plena', or bridal-wreath spirea. Today it produces a "ho-hum" re­ action in all but the most doggedly senti­ mental. The popular double-flowered form, introduced by Phillip von Siebold in 1845, can grow up to nine feet tall. Vase­ shaped in habit, its deep blue-green foliage is very susceptible to rust, and by midsum­ mer the lower half of the plant is generally bare. It has been and still is used too fre­ quently. It's time to give this plant a rest. The source for many of our exciting hy­ brids and selections has been the pink-flow­ ered S. japonica, a particularly variable species. Its genetic flexibility is evident from its range of natural habitats, from the mountains of Japan and Korea west into China and the Himalayas. In cultivation it readily produces sports from which new cultivars can be selected. Its offspring in­ clude the extremely popular S. x vanhout­ tei, introduced in the 1860s. Like the bridal wreath, it can develop rust to the point that it almost defoliates, but its otherwise rugged constitution, fountainlike habit, and pro­ fuse blooms make it deserving of its long popularity. One of the most interesting plants to come along in a while is S. japonica 'Shi­ bori'. Sometimes listed as S. japonica 'Shi­ robana', it produces blossoms of both a little darker. The mint green foliage is free it seems less confusing to do the same here. white and deep pink, sometimes on the from disease and turns a nice red in fall. The lesser known of these two parents, same flower but often separately. It's a 'Little Princess' is excellent as either a spec­ S. albi{lora, which can also be listed as S. good idea to buy one while it's in bloom be­ imen plant or en masse. It prefers to grow japonica 'Alba' or 'Albiflora' (did I say we cause this trait can be unstable, even in full sun but is rare among spireas in tol­ were trying to avoid confusion?), has been though the shrub is always propagated erating light shade. cultivated since the mid-19th century. It is from cuttings. The gardening public may Even experts may still scratch their heads still worth growing for the exceptionally despair of its fickle ways, although recur­ if asked about the Norman spirea, S. rich, forest green foliage that sets off its rent blooming makes it additionally re­ japonica 'Norman' . It's a relative newcom­ thick clusters of white (appearing here in warding when it behaves as expected. er, and those books that do list it call it a Minnesota in early June). And at only two You may never have thought of a spirea dwarf. In the fields of Bailey Nurseries here feet high, it can easily be used in a mixed as a rock garden plant, but in fact the in Minnesota, however, it has reached three border with other perennials or at the base daphne spirea, S. japonica 'Alpina', is a fre­ feet in only three years. 'Norman' has a of taller shrubs. quent choice for that purpose. Covered deeper red flower than most spireas, but its The many cuhivars of S. x bumalda at­ with light pink flowers in early summer, most noteworthy feature is probably its test to its genetic instability. Selected in one this dainty selection will grow only eight to burgundy red fall leaves-a knock-out part of the country, they may behave dif­ 12 inches tall and two to three feet wide, so color that makes size almost irrelevant. Be­ ferently when planted in another. Although that it can also be used as a ground cover tween flowering and fall, its slightly tex­ some have unique characteristics that make shrub. It retains its shape without spread­ tured foliage gives it additional interest. them worth growing, others are so similar ing or suckering, which makes it a low­ You won't find a creature called S. x I would be surprised if their own introduc­ maintenance plant. bumalda in most European catalogs and ers could distinguish them. A cultivar often confused with the references. The original was a hybrid of S. One of those that seems to show a great daphne spirea is S. japonica 'Little japonica and S. albiflora, the Japanese deal of variation is the century-old S. x Princess', which originated in Holland. It white spirea, but many authorities are now bumalda 'Anthony Waterer'. It can grow gets a bit bigger, however, forming a shape­ calling all of the cuhivars formerly in that four feet tall, although here in the Midwest ly mound about 30 inches high and three category S. japonica. Since most American the most common height is two to three feet wide, and its early summer flowers are books and nurseries still use the old name, feet. An upright plant, its new growth is

30 APRIL 1995 flowers that gradually fade to rosy pink. is the way the branches of some wave in the A more literal twist is provided by S. x slightest breeze. One of the best for bring­ bumalda ' Crispa', which has curling, ing this appealing movement to the sum­ deeply incised leaves that are unique mer garden is S. x arguta 'Compacta'. This among these cultivars. The new growth is is not to overlook the profuse, pure white an attractive burgundy red, absolutely blooms that cluster along the branches, stunning when accentuated with dew on a giving these plants the appearance of spring morning. The pink flowers are sim­ clouds drifting by on a spring day. Some­ ilar to those of 'Anthony Waterer'. times called the dwarf garland spirea, it The big advance of S. x bumalda 'Froe­ grows to three feet tall and, as its cultivar belii' is that it is definitely hardier than 'An­ name implies, is very compact. thony Waterer' here in the upper Midwest. If you have room for only one of this It is also coarser and somewhat larger, at type of spirea, especially if you live in the three to four feet tall, with a more upright North, you will want to look for S. x The author thinks that 'Goldflame', growth habit. It has attractive deep pink cinerea 'Grefsheim', a Norwegian intro­ top left, is overused, but praises flowers and dark green foliage. duction that has considerably less winter 'Little Princess', left, for fall color There is a dwarf form of this plant, S. x dieback. It brightens the landscape before and shade tolerance. 'Proebelii', bumalda 'Gumball', which grows to only many other shrubs begin their spring resur­ above, is an especially cold-hardy, two to three feet, although I have noticed gence, about two weeks earlier than S. x pink-flowering spirea. in our fields that it seems to grow faster arguta here in Minnesota. It is also larger, than many dwarf shrubs. Its eventual size with an ultimate height of four to five feet. may depend somewhat on the region in Its long, delicate, arching branches and which it is grown. very fine-textured, soft green foliage give it If I could use one word to describe S. x an especially graceful appearance. S. x bumalda 'Goldflame', it would be cinerea is a cross of S. cana and S. hyperi- "overused," at least here in the Midwest. It seems that every house built within the last 10 years has at least one in its foundation plantings. With rather nondescript pale GROWING SPIREAS pink flowers, its real claim to fame is its spring and early summer foliage color. For pireas may not be the perfect anyone who likes yellow, gold, and bronze garden plant, but they come foliage, this three-foot-tall plant has it all. Sclose. Most of them aren't par­ reddish turning to blue-green. 'Anthony But even author Pamela Harper, who has ticularly thirsty, which is one reason Waterer' is most noted for its rose-pink written about creatively combining these they have outlived their. oWlilers flowers that in cooler climates bloom most colors with many other plants, has written around so many old farm h0uses. of the summer. of being "appalled" and "challenged" The old bridal-wreath and Van­ The presence of a virus will often give when the flowers and new foliage occur si­ houtte types are pI'one to rust! which this cultivar leaves that are variegated with multaneously. defoliates but doesn't kill them. yellow or cream. Some listings report this There are two spireas with unusual fo­ With the possible exception ei matter-of-factly, as though this variegation liage that haven't yet suffered from over­ 'Little Princess', they neeti fuN SUD. is a plus. But the pattern is highly irregular exposure. 'Goldmound', a hybrid of The best soil will be ne\!ltra.\ tlr with some multicolored leaves and some 'Goldflame' and S. ;aponica 'Alpina', was slightly acidic and well-aerated pure yellow branches, and those seeing it introduced by Tony Huber of W. H. Perron enough ttl keep their feet dry, al­ in a garden center often assume that it's dis­ & Company Ltd. of Quebec. Its flowers thtlugh they will tolerate seils that eased. A French firm, Sapho, has recently are also pale pink, but the foliage is a Gontain considerabl€ amounts of developed one that is virus free . lemon or golden yellow. A sister plant is sand or clay. S. x bumalda 'Coccinea' was selected in 'Limemound', introduced by Monrovia A g00d hard pruning will rejuve­ Holland around 1950 for its darker crim­ Nursery in California, which has leaves nate spireas that get l€ggy. The son flowers . All its other features are so that open yellow in spring and turn lime Japanese spifea ,and its hybrids similar to 'Anthony Waterer' that, in our green as they mature. At only two feet tall bloom on the current season's growing fields, they are almost impossible and three feet wide it's a useful plant, al­ gl'owth and wHl benefit by being to tell apart. I suspect that in warmer cli­ though its leaves tend to sunburn badly pJ;un€d haek, by two-thirds or even mates the flower color of 'Anthony Water­ here in the Midwest. to tlie ground, in early spring. (One er' will wash out faster than that of In 1988 W. H. Perron & Company pub­ advantage of our Minnesota cold is 'Coccinea'. lished descriptions of 10 other new spirea that it will sometimes do this prun­ Another twist on 'Anthony Waterer' is a cultivars chosen primarily for unusual leaf ing for us!) Early spring bloomers sport of that plant, S. x bumalda 'Dart's colors, but they are still unavailable in the should be pruned immediately after Red', which was introduced by Darthuizer American market. flowering. -Terry Schwartz Nursery in Holland. It has carmine red A feature of spireas too rarely mentioned

AMERICAN HORTICULTURIST 31 NATIVE SPIREAS

f you have been trying to grow more natives in your garden, we have good ter, can be killed outright. If you want to try news and bad news regarding spireas. The good news is that t:here are a num­ it in Zone 3, plant it where it will receive I ber of species and natural hybrids native t<:> much of the East and the North­ warmth from a wall or other protection. west. The bad news is that they're extremely difficult to find [OF sale. Another spirea from Canada, and one of Larry Mellichamp, an associate professor of biology at the University <:>f North the few new introductions from a con­ Carolina at Charl<:>tte, is working with native speeies of another "okHashionecl" trolled cross, is S. trilobata 'Fairy Queen'. shrub, the mock orange (Philadelphus spp.). But spirea is one native plantthat ne> It is a hybrid between S. trilabata and S. tri­ one seems interested in, he says. "I don'~ know if there's any reason that fhey chacarpa developed by Frank Leith Skin­ haven't caught on, other than raFidorn flelow) . CountJ;Y ural selection introduced by us here at Bai­ Wetlands Nursery and Consulting, Ltd., if,J Mu;skego, Wisconsin, e{l1a;ies seeds of ley Nurseries in the early 1980s. S. x some eastern species. ()Wl'le-r JoAnn GiH~spie ackn@wledgesthaLev:en the most vanhauttei 'Renaissance' is an excellent re­ avid gaFd~nyrs aren't;, tenrihily familiar with them. "They're bog plants," she ,sars, placement for the old rust-prone Vanhoutte "aJild m0st .pe0pl~ eon 't s Jil en~ta.Jot of time wa.Lking arouad ill bogs"';' spirea. It has heavier, chocolate-brown Forest£;j,I1I11 in WiliIiams, Oregon, which carries a large seleetioFl of the Asian canes, thicker leaves, blooms as heavily, spirea species and cuhivars, als'o calirj~s natives from Doth coasts. "The eastern and retains its foliage all summer. ones tend ~o be taU and very. cliffelient iteID bumalda and japoniGa, " says eo-owner There are many more species and culti­ Ray l?rag. "The western ones are a little lower and more useful." The western vars not mentioned here, but these are plants aFe from the mOl1ntains, fatner Fhan bogs~ !:JUt all like acid soil and «an even among the most widely available. Whether amount or wa~eJr througm rhe season," he adds. "They'lie easily rev.ived, but their you want a plant that's large or small, leaves w'ill tUlin dry llnd crispy" in a drought. blooms early or late in pink or white, pro­ Ri¢hard Lighty, Whd wO,rks with many natives as direct0f of the Mount Cuba vides movement or fall color, you can find Cenner for the Sttldy of Piedmont Flora in Greenville, Delaware, says native spireas it in the world of spireas. Work one into a in tne wild are o£teB "scruffy, with little ornamental v:alue. If you suggesttld that perennial border or plant some dwarf vari­ breeclelis w0rk with them, t~ey would probably say, 'Why?'" Yet there is enough eties as ground covers. You can choose variability in f,h.e natives, like their Asian cousins, that selections might be made from an array of spireas Grandma never for heavie-r bloom 0F J'!il0r commit ways as well! yet," Lighty says. "AI1lhol:lgh the)re is a lot ofuaH< a;g(!j ut native plaFlts for the landscape," says Terry Terry Schwartz has been an the staff af Bai­ Schwa'rtz of Bailey Nu tr seri<~ s, "there is still the lack of demand, which of course ley Nurseries far mare than 20 years. limits production in nllr~erjes." -Kathleen Fi5her, Editor

SOURCES cifolia that originated in the late 1800s. and three feet wide, it has very fine-tex­ Also reliably hardy through USDA Zone tured, mint green foliage and is covered Aubin Nurseries, Ltd., Box 1089, Carman, 3 is S. fritschiana, introduced from China in with white flowers in spring. Manitoba ROG OJO, Canada, (204) 745- 1919 but only recently found in garden cen­ Less cold hardy than 'Halward's Silver' is 6703. Catalog free. ters. In spring it produces yellow or S. nippanica 'Snowmound'. Native to the Country Wetlands Nursery, P. O. Box 126, orangish new shoots before opening its island of Shikoku, Japan, it was introduced Muskego, WI 53150, (414) 679-1268. clusters of flat white blooms, and the color by the Royal Botanic Garden, Hamilton, Catalog $1. continues in fall with a pleasing burgundy Ontario, and named for the masses of white Forestfarm, 990 Tetherow Road, Wil­ red. Its summer foliage is dark green and flowers that cover its dark green foliage in liams, OR 97544, (503) 846-6963. Cat­ the habit is a wide mound, up to five feet the spring. Noteworthy for its profuse alog $3. across but only two to three feet tall. blooming as well as nicely arching branch­ McKay Nursery Company, P.O. Box 185, S. nippanica 'Halward's Silver' was in­ es, it makes a beautiful specimen plant. Al­ Waterloo, WI 53594, (414) 478-2121. troduced by the Canadian Ornamental though some books say it is hardy to Zone Catalog $3.50. Plant Foundation, ensuring its cold hardi­ 3, here in St. Paul it seems to be at its north­ Arthur Weiler, Inc., 12247 Russell Road, ness in most areas of the United States. ernmost reaches. In any year it seems to Zion, IL 60099, (708) 746-2393. Cata­ Small and compact at two to three feet tall have a lot of die back and, in a severe win- log free.

32 APRIL 1995 The Reintroduction

Trying to save Myth endangered plants by transplanting them fails as often as it succeeds.

BY WILLIAM H. ALLEN

hen he was coordina­ tor of the Endangered Plant Program for the California Department of Fish and Game, bi­ ologist Ken Berg would repeatedly get fran­ tic phone calls from developers who needed his approval to continue with a subdivision project. It was and still is a common sce­ nario in the mitigation wars, the struggle to reduce damage to endangered plants: a de­ veloper would learn from state biologists that the land on which he was building was the habitat of an endangered plant. Berg would meet with the developer, who would spread out project blueprints five years in the making and ask to know quickly what he had to do to comply with endangered species laws. The clock was ticking on loans and investments that the developer already had sunk into the pro­ ject. As the negotiations began, the pres­ sure was on Berg to reconcile the long-term Terry Henkel of The Nature Conservancy plants Apalachicola rosemary, a rare realities of ecology with the short-term im­ shrub in the mint family, in a conservancy preserve in the Florida panhandle. peratives of the economic bottom line. "Anything I would try in terms of mitiga­ plant viable, the developer cannot build on Species?" The St. Louis meeting was spon­ tion to reduce the ecological impact was all the lots. Or it may mean he has to pay sored by the Center for Plant Conservation seen as taking profits out of his pockets," to transplant the plant population to an (CPC), which is headquartered at the Mis­ says Berg, who is now program manager area beyond the boundaries of the subdivi­ souri Botanical Garden. for special-status plants with the Bureau of sion. After all, conservation biologists have Biologists at the conference agreed that Land Management in Washington, D.C. learned how to reintroduce plants into old reintroduction can only be considered When negotiating a mitigation, the par­ habitats or new areas. Or have they? complete when a species is safely reestab- \ ticipants may trade off an existing popula­ Reintroduction is an uncertain tool in lished in its ecological and evolutionary tion of plants or habitat for creation or need of a scientific underpinning, re­ context. But they need a sound method to protection of a population elsewhere. As searchers concluded in April 1993 at a con­ measure success of reintroduction efforts. law, politics, economics, and science play ference entitled "Restoring Diversity: Is Today, reintroduction techniques still out, mitigation may mean that to keep the Reintroduction an Option for Endangered cannot be considered much more than ex-

AMERICAN HORTICULTURIST 33 perimental, biologists warn. They admit ing naturally occurring mature plants from that they know relatively little about en­ one spot and reestablishing them else­ dangered plants and how to restore them where. The other methods can be done in their natural areas, much less move them with seeds or with propagated material. successfully to new areas. But as biologists Most mitigations currently do not involve increasingly apply reintroduction tech­ translocation of species. However, if biol­ niques, they wonder whether they have ogists can learn enough about how and opened a Pandora's box that could speed when to use these techniques, conserva­ the demise of endangered plant species. tionists may no longer be limited mainly to Reintroduction, sometimes loosely used protecting shrinking pockets of natural to describe any movement of plants in a land from development. conservation context, more specifically "The overwhelming apprehension about refers to planting plants where they oc­ mitigation among people committed to curred historically. The field also now in­ conserving diversity has been that it's been cludes three more specific types of treated as something we know how to do plantings. First, in enhancement, a popula­ California Department of Fish and with a high degree of confidence, when in tion of plants on the brink of disappearing Game ecologists succeeded in fact it's surrounded by uncertainty and par­ is boosted by the addition of plants of the reintroducing more than 4,000 plants tial success at best and failure more fre ­ same species but from different areas. En­ of the Santa Cruz tarplant, above, to quently," says Don Falk, former executive hancement increases population numbers Wildcat Canyon Regional Park in the director of the epe and now executive di­ and diversifies the gene pool. San Francisco Bay area, top, but rector of the Society for Ecological Second, in introduction, a more drastic failed in their efforts to establish the Restoration, which is based in Madison, step, a species is planted in areas where it plant elsewhere. Wisconsin. "At its worst, mitigation can be is not known to have occurred, although a charade, a fairy tale." the plants still remain within their normal Yet, mitigation is also one of the few ways range, or ecological envelope. These sites biologists have to address the loss of diver­ sometimes are protected as part of a strat­ sity. "At its best, it is a healing art of ecolo­ egy to prevent the species' extinction. gy," Falk says. "It is the art of the possible." Third, translocation, or relocation, is the Reintroduction is already under way in most dramatic of the reintroduction tech­ many parts of the country. Approximately niques and the one where success is the one-fourth of all the recovery plans aimed most uncertain, especially for species that at bringing back plants under the Endan­ are rare or restricted to rare habitats. gered Species Act include some form of Translocation requires completely remov- reintroduction, say Falk and Peggy Olwell,

34 APRIL 1995 manager of CPC's conservation programs. in Yountville, California. They scattered The exact number of reintroductions is not the plant widely and without a plan. Hav­ known, but they reach into the thousands lik is now with the Solano County Farm­ and involve hundreds of plant species. lands and Open Space Foundation in Despite their popularity, reintroductions Fairfield, California. are not 100 percent successful. Of 45 rein­ Annual monitoring data had indicated troduction projects in California in the past that the plant could survive without much decade, four were completely successful, problem if transplanted. But something 15 partly successful, and 10 failed, where went wrong. "In 1990, the populations success is defined as the ability of the pop­ crashed," Howald says. "We don't know ulation to survive and reproduce. It is too exactly why, possibly because of drought soon to tell for the rest. In a 1991 British On Craggy Pinnacle along the Blue or grazing." One population in Wildcat Nature Conservancy Council study of 144 Ridge Parkway, many rare high­ Canyon Regional Park in the San Francis­ plant reintroduction attempts, only 22 per­ elevation species, such as Geum co Bay area survived to grow more than cent were deemed successful. More than radiatum, below, were damaged by 4,000 plants in 1993, but only a few of the half appeared to have failed. hikers. Using soil-filled bags, other introduced populations hang on in Among mitigation successes so far is the conservationists from the North groups of a few dozen or a few hundred. A reintroduction of running buffalo clover, Carolina Arboretum, the University survey by Howald in August 1993 found Trifolium stoloniferum, to some of its na­ of Georgia, and the National Park no remaining natural populations of the tive habitat in Missouri. The white-flower­ Service succeeded in replanting tarplant in the area. (A small, remnant na­ ing clover with creeping stems once several pockets of these plants on tive population in the Bay area, which is flourished from West Virginia to Kansas in rock outcrops, bottom. the tarplant's northern range, appeared to the moist, shaded habitats along streams be unaffected by whatever killed the trans­ and animals trails. The clover has disap­ plants. However, this native remnant was peared from many states and in 1983 made destroyed in 1993 to make way for a shop­ the federal list of threatened plants. ping development.) Running buffalo clover once occurred A separate reintroduction project failed across two-thirds of Missouri, but it could in the plant's southern range, in the Santa not be found in the state as recently as the Cruz region, but there are at least two re­ 1980s. Biologists with the Missouri De­ maining natural populations: one in north­ partment of Conservation and the Mark ern Monterey County on land protected by Twain National Forest discovered seed­ The Nature Conservancy, and the other, lings along a stream near St. Louis in 1990 discovered in 1993, along runways at Wat­ and, with the help of the Missouri Botani­ sonville Airport in Santa Cruz County. cal Garden, propagated specimens and transplanted them to selected sites in the national forest. They have survived in some sites but died in others. As the case of the Santa Cruz tarplant il­ lustrates, only time can tell whether any ef­ fort is successful. The tarplant, Holocarpha macradenia, is representative of many mit­ igation failures. The tarplant is a summer­ blooming annual native to flat, coastal grasslands in part of the San Francisco Bay area, as well as the central coast region around Santa Cruz. Unfortunately for the plant, those grasslands are popular sites for development. Not listed as an endangered species at the time, the plant was all but eliminated by the early 1980s. Neil Havlik, a biologist with the East Bay Regional Park District, realized the situation and mounted a last­ ditch effort to save it. Havlik, along with family and friends, conducted a series of 22 translocations, "which admittedly were quite Johnny Appleseed in nature," says Ann Howald, a plant ecologist with the California Department of Fish and Game

AMERICAN HORTICULTURIST 35 off with them. Botanists, who declined to be identified, suspect that the unknown culprit may have been a scientist or envi­ ronmentalist who believed that bringing in Mead's milkweeds from another area was not what nature had intended. Among some biologists, the uncertainty of this new art has gained mitigation a rep­ utation as an "unsavory practice," Berg says. "Society accepts the concept of doc­ tors practicing medicine and of lawyers practicing law," he says. "I hope it can ac­ cept the concept of conservation biologists practicing mitigation." Some conservationists are leery of miti­ gation partly because it may give a false sense of security and because it violates a central doctrine of conservation: do no harm. "Theoretically, mitigation can be a loaded gun pointed at any natural area, even ones we think are securely protected. In esseRce, if mitigation tradeoffs begin to be used in very many sitl!lations, then hy­ pothetically nothing would be off limits," says Falk. That skepticism is compounded by the "What we've learned here is that the Tim Smith, left, and Michael perception that people who most strongly time needed to evaluate these projects is a Woodring of the Missouri Department advocate mitigation often have a different lot longer than what many of us had of Conservation prepare to replant agenda: the economic bottom line. If thought in the beginning," Howald says. running buffalo clover at the Drury­ botanists become proficient in restoring en­ "It may not be known for a decade or even Mincy Wildlife Area in Taney County, dangered plant populations in old and new more whether a particular translocation is Missouri. With the help of the habitats, it may encourage developers to going to work." Missouri Botanical Garden, Smith has push for moving rare plants out of the way Even if they have good prospects for suc­ led efforts to reintroduce the plant to of subdivisions, shopping centers, and cess, some mitigation projects may have en­ several sites around the state. After other development. The result may be a emies even within the conservation five years, the results are mixed. kind of domino effect of natural habitat de­ community. Consider the strange case of struction in which conservationists are the missing Mead's milkweed, Asclepias forced to tamper with nature on many meadii, a federally listed threatened species. more fronts than they find acceptable. The plant, a relative of the common butter­ "Is this a Faustian bargain?" asks Ed­ fly weed, is a native of the tall-grass prairie ward Guerrant, conservation director of the of the Midwest. Berry Botanic Garden in Portland, Oregon. Mead's milkweed is now extinct over a "If we develop the technology to do this, large part of its range. Most of its larger will it be used to destroy habitat later?" remnant populations grow in Kansas and Implicit in biologists' concerns is appre­ Missouri, and a few small populations hension about the dearth of data on the or­ hang on in Illinois and Iowa. However, ganisms and ecosystems at issue. "With Barbara Schaal of Washington University many endangered plants, there's more un­ in St. Louis has found that even large pop­ known than there is known about them," ulations of the milkweed can have low ge­ says Howald. "For example, maRY times netic diversity. we know nothing about their pollination When biologists with the Morton Ar­ systems or germination requirements." boretum, in Lisle, Illinois, transplanted a Moving plants around to novel habitats, few Mead's milkweeds in 1991 into the including areas outside their historic ranges, Shawnee National Forest in southern Illi­ also may interfere with natural variation nois, they thought they were rescuing a and evolution. Some biologists are con­ rare plant on the verge of extinction in the cerned that gene pools that were previous­ region. But someone who disagreed vio­ ly separated by natural boundaries will mix. lently ripped the plants out of the remote "The weight of opinion tends to be that spot where they had taken root and made this is not a good thing," says Howald. "But

36 APRIL 1995 whether it has a positive or negative effect on the species is still a subject of debate." Reintroductions need to establish eco­ system functions, not just a few individu­ als of a target species, say Joy Zedler of San Diego State University and Donald Waller of the University of Wisconsin at Madison. This would require working out a self-sus­ taining population size, pollinators, my­ corrhizal symbionts, seed dispersal agents, nutrient cycles, and hydrology. Thus, conservation biologists need to go "beyond gardening" to restore plants in their ecological matrix, Waller says. Biolo­ gists in relevant fields should be consulted when reintroducing, for instance, a plant that is dispersed by a particular ant species or a plant that gains protection from her­ bivores by supporting a particular kind of repellent fungi . In many cases, going beyond gardening will take decades, and therein lies a time­ scale problem. The scale of mitigation (months) is dramatically different from that of ecology (years to centuries). "Developers may not want to wait 25 years until we know if a reintroduction re­ framework that recognizes biological com­ ally works," says Falk. "But what we as plexity in areas threatened with or recov­ ecologists are saying is, it may take that long ering from development. to have a reasonable idea if we've estab­ "Mitigation is great for learning-I've lished anything of lasting biological value." learned a lot," says Gann-Matzen. "But as Lest the conservation biology communi­ for no net loss? Forget it. We 're losing ty push the panic button, some biologists everything. We might as well recognize it remind their colleagues that there is still for what it is. " time for thought, research, and deliberate Responding to cautions like this, some planning based on scientific knowledge. biologists have called for colleagues to get "Reintroduction is appropriate in certain more involved in policy-making. These bi­ circumstances, but it must be carried out The alpine zone of the White ologists say that even if research eventual­ carefully," says Peter White, director of the Mountain National Forest in New ly answers the biological questions about North Carolina Botanical Garden and pro­ Hampshire is the only known home reintroduction, that will not be nearly fessor of biology at the University of North of Potentilla robbinsiana, above. The enough to overcome the hurdles ahead. Carolina. "If the world was really going to tiny population was further reduced Advances in reintroduction science and hell in a hand basket, we'd be out there like by private and scientific collecting technology may change the landscape of Johnny Appleseed throwing caution to the and, later, by back-country hikers. the battleground over endangered species, wind," doing something desperately, even The habitat was closed to the public, but the greater need is for a political and if it were not based on science. and, after more than a decade of legal framework to guide the wnflict be­ Among those who are skeptical that mit­ work by the Appalachian Mountain tween conservationists and developers. igation will succeed over the long run is Club and federal conservationists, the "We're up against the second-oldest pro­ George Gann-Matzen, an ecological con­ plant's status may be down listed from fession in the world: land speculation," sultant with Ecohorizons, Inc., in Miami, endangered to threatened. Top, Berg says. The land-use planning that sur­ Florida. Gann-Matzen has worked on sev­ Melissa Iszard Crowley of the rounds development and endangered eral plant restoration projects for private Appalachian Mountain Club and species is a complex, multidisciplinary contractors in Florida, particularly projects Bill Brumback of the New England issue. Such planning is "90 percent politics involving wetlands. Wildflower Society, who helped and 10 percent biology," he says. "And bi­ "Mitigation has serious functional prob­ enhance the population by ology is usually the easy part." Lems in the political and economic context propagating the potentilla from that will cause it not to achieve success," collected seeds. William H. Allen is a science writer for the Gann-Matzen says. Among those problems St. Louis Post-Dispatch. This article is are the traditional American belief in pri­ reprinted with permission from the Febru­ vate property rights and the lack of a legal ary 1994 issue of Bioscience.

AMERICAN HORTICULTURIST 37 A Little Light on Nightshades As ornamentals) the solanums are anything but sleep inducing.

B y J A ( K H E N N N G

ong the nUmtHOUS mem­ der mystery" genre of plants containing bers of Solanaceae, or the powerful alkaloid-based chemicals that, if Flightshade family, are a ingested, can cause symptoms ranging number of our best loved or­ from hallucinations to convulsions, deliri­ amentals. The familiar bro­ um, and death. Nwallia, nicotiana, and petunia play an It's not altogether surprising then, that important role in many a bedding scheme. the entire genus Solanum, which accounts Nightshades are major players in the veg­ for about half of the nightshade family, is etable garden, too, with tomatoes, peppers, sometimes regarded with disdain or even potatoes, and eggplants being but the best malevolence. A "weedy" reputation based known examples. But the nightshade fam­ on prodigious seed output has also caused ily also has a dark side. Some of its mem­ some gardeners to shy away from the genus bers, such as mandrake (Mandragora as a whole (see sidebar, page 42). But with officinarum), are steeped in mythology and anywhere from 1,000 to 3,700 species to superstition. Others, such as deadly night­ choose from, depending on which author­ shade (Atropa belladonna), thorn apple ity you consult, even the most skeptical can (Datura spp.), and henbane (Hyoscyamus find a solanum to brighten their borders. niger), are notorious members of the "mur- The majority of solan urns are endemic to

Among the solanums you can find the delicate white flowers of the potato vine, opposite, and the two-inch purple blossoms of Solanum wendlandii, above.

38 APRIL 1995 the tropics of Central and South America, scandens "bittersweet" based on-a tenuous but some representative of the genus can be resemblance to S. dulcamara.) found on every continent except Antarcti­ Used medicinally at least since the time of ca. Solanums can be found in all shapes and Theophrastus-a third-century B.C. Greek sizes, occurring as herbs, shrubs, vines, and, botanist whose Enquiry into Plants is the occasionally, trees. Their alternate leaves first known attempt at a systematic classifi­ are often covered with soft hairs, particu­ cation of all plants-So dulcamara was said larly on the newer growth. In many species, to alleviate skin disorders and to disperse however, that downy look masks wicked congealed blood. Gerard's Herball (1597) spines that coat the stems and the under­ notes "the juyce is good for those that have sides of the leaves. Many solanums give off fallen from high places, and have been a rank, sour smell, particularly when their thereby bruised." Linnaeus described it as a leaves are bruised, a characteristic shared febrifuge and a rheumatism treatment. with other members of the nightshade fam­ Naturalized now throughout much of ily. One of the keys to identifying the genus North America, S. dulcamara is of no more is the flower structure. The flowers range than passing appeal in the garden. Besides from white or yellow to blue or purple, and being considered invasive-its pea-size red generally have a flat, star- or wheel-shaped fruits, which appear throughout the grow­ corolla with yellow stamens clustered cone­ ing season, are popular with birds and other like around the style. Packed with tiny wildlife-the plant's leaves and fruit are seeds and often maturing throughout the toxic. Hardy to USDA Zone 4, bittersweet growing season, the round to slightly ob­ climbs 1'0 15 feet with grayish-tinged yellow long berry fruits come in a beautiful array stems. Its four-inch-long arrowhead-shaped of colors that range from green or yellow leaves usually have two basal lobes and are to red, purple, or black. dark green with a pale reverse. The droop­ Solanums also share the nightshade fam­ ing clusters of violet flowers with yellow ily reputation for having medicinal, nar­ stamens are small and strongly fragrant, im­ cotic, or toxic qualities. The genus name, parting what garden writer Louise Beebe Solanum, is believed to be a derivative of Wilder calls a "heavy uninviting redo­ the Latin word solamen, which translates lence." A handsome variegated form is the as "a consolation" or "quieting," possibly preferred choice, the leaves puckering with grant flowers-lilac-blue and topped with in reference to the sedative effects associat­ a liberal splash of creamy yellow on the the typical cone of yellow stamens-appear ed with some species. The origin of the edge. Green reversions and the occasional at the ends of the new growth late in the common name, Flightshade, shared by the all-yellow shoot need to be pruned out to summer. Semi-evergreen into Zone 9, S. genus and family, also appears to refer to maintain the clone. crispum also has a slightly hardier (Zone 8) the ability of some plants to "draw the A counterpoint to bittersweet is the more cuitivar, 'Glasnevin', noted for its larger shades of night" temporarily or perma­ refined, but no less toxic, S. jasminoides, clusters of rich purple flowers. The is-foot nently over those who ingest them. Mod­ commonly called the potato vine. Clamber­ vine needs support and becomes semi­ ern chemistry has borne out what th.e ing to 21 feet courtesy of twining leafstalks, woody with age. ancients suspected; many nightshades con­ S. jasminoides has willow-shaped leaves of Other nightshade vines, widely cultivat­ tain various combinations of powerful al­ a sh.iny forest green, one to three inches ed in the tropics and hardy in Zone 10 or kaloid chemicals, including steroidal long. The older leaves usually develop com­ the greenhouse, are S. seaforthianum and alkaloids, commonly known as steroids. pound lobes. Th.e vine becomes frosted with S. wendlandii, both with lacy pinnate Synthesized steroids are used to produce branched clusters of one-inch flowers in late leaves. A winter bloomer, S. seaforthianum anti-inflammatory drugs and contracep­ summer. The species' flowers are white makes the more slender plant of the two, tives, among other things, but overdoses of tinged with lilac or blue, but a chalk white growing to 20 feet with clusters of up to raw steroidal alkaloids can slow the heart, cultivar, 'Album', is more commonly seen one-inch flowers that vary from blue to reduce body temperature, and cause delir­ for sale. A handsome variegated form is also white in color. S. wendlandii is broad ium, convulsions, and even death. Some available, the leaf edges gilded with lime growing, almost shrubby in appearance, its members of the genus are still being ana­ green and gold patterns. All bloom contin­ flowers lilac to purple and nearly two and lyzed for additional medicinal or pharma­ uously until cold weather sets in. Native to a half iFlches across. In contrast to S. ceutical qualities. Harvard ethnobotanist Brazil, S. jasminoides is understandably ten­ crispum, which benefits from a couple of Richard E. Schultes says the "genus is rich der above Zone 8 to 9, but warrants annu­ years' growth to show its true worth, both in potentially biodynamic principles." al inclusion in any garden because th.e plants species will bloom in one season. One solanum that has made a switch grow so easily from cuttings. One of the best of the shrubby solan urns from medical treatises to garden catalogs is Another solanum vine easy to grow from is the sweetly scented S. rantonnetii 'Royal an import to the U.S. from Europe and cuttings is S. crispum. Hailing from the Robe' (reclassified as Lycianthes rantonnei Asia, Solanum dulcamara, the original bit­ mild climate of Chile, S. crispum has slen­ but commonly sold by its former name), tersweet. (European immigrants to Ameri­ der leaves up to four and a half inches long an improved color selection from the paler ca apparently named our native Celastrus with slightly wavy edges. Clusters of fra- cultivar 'Grandiflorum'. The semi-woody

40 APRIL 1995 stems of this sprawling Paraguayan native can arch up to six feet while along their length, clusters of satiny, dark purple, one­ inch flowers open throughout the season. The four-inch-long oval leaves have a wavy surface. 'Royal Robe' is trainable into a large standard form. Imagine it as a riveting accent in the center of a yellow border. It's only hardy to Zone 9, but the softer new growth is readily rooted for sea­ sonal use. The shrubby kangaroo apple, S. lacinia­ tum, is also suitable as an annual. Flaunt­ ing two-inch indigo flowers, S. laciniatum is equally noted for its handsome over-sized Known to everyone for their tubers, potato plants have fragrant pale pink foliage. The stout purple-flushed stems bear flowers, above right, that create quite a spectacle in a farm field, top. shiny, deep green leaves that range from You might want to grow Solanum atropurpureum, above left, for its deeply lance-shaped and smooth-edged to broad­ lobed foliage, but be wary of the yellow-tipped purple barbs that coat its ly oval with many deeply lobed divisions. stems and the undersides of its leaves. These leaves can be up to a foot long and six inches wide. From a seedling, S. lacinia­ tum will shoot up six to eight feet in one season, making a formidable backdrop for the lesser denizens of the garden. Its egg­ shaped green fruits, once used by settlers of New Zealand to make preserves, mature to a yellow-orange. Other solanums that impress are the prickly Mexican S. lanceolatum, a shrub that grows to eight feet in Zone 10 and

AMERICAN HORTICULTURIST 41 SOLANUMS TO SIDESTEP

lthough most solanums are unlikdy to become invasive in temperate cli­ namental fruits, but care must be taken be­ mates, the genus has a few attributes that should mah horticulturists and cause some are highly toxic. Among these Agardeners wary, notably the ability to produce large quantities of seeds are S. capsicastrum, known as the false packaged in attractive fleshy fruits that are popular with birds and small mammals. Jerusalem cherry, a shrubby plant that A draft list of invasive exotic plants being compiled by the EX0tic Pest Plant grows to two feet and bears white flowers Council (EPPC) contains seven solanums, including bittersweet, Solanum dulca­ and orange to scarlet egg-shaped fruit. The mara, which has shown invasive tendencies in natural a,Feas and gardctns in Mary­ Jerusalem cherry, S. pseudo capsicum, land and Massachusetts. Other solaaums considered iavasiv\? in, temperate regions grows to four fe(H with white flowers and are S. carolinense, the horse nettle, native to the southeasteFm United States but globular yellow to scarlet fruit. A number listed as invasive in Iowa a;ad Tennessee, amd S. rostratum, buffalo-bur, native to of cultivars are available, and both plants Mexico and the southern United Sta!es but now listed as.invasive in Idaho. are popular for winter color in the home. Although many solanums have poiso­ nous fmits, others, such as S. quitoense and S. melongena, the eggplant, have edible fruits that have been cultivated by many cultures. Some fFUits are toxic when im­ mature but become edible as they ripen­ S. melanocerasum, the garden huckleberry, for example-but it is not advisable to test out this possibility unless you are certain which species you are dealing with. The solanum that has achieved greatest commercial success is, of course, S. tubero­ .~ sum, the potato. It is not prized for its fruits, which are poisonous, as are any green parts bears profuse lilac-blue flowers, and the three feet by September. of the plant, but rather for its underground mammoth s. wrightii (syn. s. macranthum) Good foliage is also an attribute of S. tubers. One of the most widely grown food from Brazil. This bold treelike presence pyracanthum. Its thistlelike wavy-edged crops in the world today, the potato sup­ produces large purple flowers and grows leaves are narrow and abowt five inches ports a multimillion dollar industry in the up to 30 feet in the tropics, although it sel­ long, a powdery blue on top and fuzzy United States alone. Its edibility is the result dom reaches more than eight feet in the white beneath. With conspicuous orange­ of human intervention-careful selection greenhouse. For western gardeners, the yellow stems, rust-colored spines, and pale begun thousands of years ago by the natives more diminutive two-foot S. xantii from violet flowers, the plants lend themselves of Peru and Bolivia. Some of the ancient va­ California is a drought-tolerant shrubby to an imaginative purple and orange bor­ rieties still cultivated by the Quechua and perennial with purple to lavender flowers der at Stonecrop Gardens in Cold Spring, Aymara in the high Andes are bitter and scented of wild roses. Another western na­ New York, paired with statice, ornamental slightly toxic and would be considered un­ tive suitable for desert and semi-desert en­ kale, and lace-foliaged marigolds. Native palatable by our standards. Older varieties vironments from California to New to tropical Africa, the five-foot S. pyracan­ have larger, more numerous flowers, once Mexico is S. umbelliferum var. incanum, a thum acts as a biennial or short-lived considered ornamental enough that Marie perennial that forms a mound of softly pu­ perennial in Zone 10. Those growing it as Antoinette wsed them as hair decorations, bescent gray foliage with blue or occasion­ an annual from a rooted cutting can expect according to Milton Meltzer's 1992 book, ally white flowers . two to three feet of growth in a summer. The Amazing Potato. The subshrub S. quitoense is native to Solanum atropurpureum also has distin­ Selection has also changed the eggplant mountain valleys of Colombia and guished foliage, its six-to-eight-inch leaves considerably over the years. Believed to Ecuador, where it is known familiarly as deeply lobed and glossy green. Its heavy ar­ have originated in Sri Lanka or India, a "naranjilla" (little orange). The four-to-six­ mature, however, might only appeal to wild form still found in Central Asia and foot plants bear small orange fruits with lovers of the perverse. Fierce-looking half­ Africa is a rather small affair with yellow­ leathery, hair-covered skin and lime green inch purple barbs with yellow tips bristle ish one-inch fruits, compared to taller flesh that yields a tart, refreshing juice. The from the zigzag stems and run down the modern forms. The bitter, toxic qualities of plant has small white flowers but is more undersides of the leaf midribs. Be careful the wild-fruited eggplants, like those of the remarkable for its oversized leaves, which what you plant close at hand because the potato, have also been suppressed over can reach 16 inches in diameter. Broad lethal spines will shred any neighbor that time, and breeding has produced a diversi­ ovals that are lightly scalloped around the dares become intimate. A shower of tiny, ty of fruit shapes, sizes, and colors. S. mel­ edges and covered with short velvety hairs, pale yellow flowers dangle from the un­ ongena var. serpentinum produces a they are infused with a bluish lilac color dersides of the branches, reveling in the peculiar long, slender fruit to 15 inches in and bright purple veins. Unfortunately, S. heat of summer, then yielding to full clus­ length with a curled end, a form often seen quitoense rarely fruits outside Zone 10 and ters of gray-green marbles. The showy in Asian markets. Pretty enough to use in a is vulnerable to nematodes. It can be en­ berries ripen to golden orange by October, blue border, the cultivar 'Asian Bride' fea­ joyed from seed for one season as a foliage making for an unusual autumn ornament. tures violet flowers with white fruits accent, the plants topping out at about Many solan urns are grown for their or- flushed with lavender. A summer annual,

42 APRIL 1995 the eggplant needs an especially warm sea­ son in order to fruit well. One is hard pressed to generalize the growing conditions for solan urns as a whole, since the species come from such di­ verse backgrounds. Most of the more orna­ mental types, however, will benefit from being planted in a sunny spot in moist but well-aerated loam. A bit of afternoon shade may be welcome in southern states, as many of the climbing types tend to scorch in hot sun. Conversely, those planted in cooler northern climates will benefit from the use of southern walls to trap and store heat, ripening the plant stems for better bloom. Attention to watering is necessary in more arid areas or when growing solanums as pot plants. Overly dry conditions will be sig­ naled by a profusion of yellowed leaves fol­ lowed by dramatic leaf drop. Whether grown for fruit, foliage, flower, or fragrance, the myriad solan urns offer an enticing entree for most any garden. Cast aside your doubts about this "shady" fam­ ily and welcome the solanums into the light.

Jack Henning works for a landscape design company in New York City.

SOURCES Forestfarm, 990 Tetherow Road, Williams, OR 97544, (503) 846-6%3. Catalog $3. Solanum crispum 'Glasnevin' and S. jas­ minoides 'Variegatum' plants. Glasshouse Works, Church Street, P.O. Box 97, Stewart, OH 45778-0097, (614) 662-2142. Catalog $2. S. capsicastrum 'Variegatum', variegated S. dulcamara, S. jasminoides, S. jasminoides 'Variega­ tum', and S. quitoense plants. J. L. Hudson, Seedsman, P.O. Box 1058, The ornamental red fruits of the Redwood City, CA 94064. Catalog $l. Jerusalem cherry, above, make It a S. atropurpureum, S. integrifolium, S. popular holiday house plant, but the mammosum, S. melanocerasum, S. pseu­ tomatolike fruits are highly toxic. docapsicum 'Joker' and 'New Patterson', Commonly sold as Solanum S. seaforthianum, and S. xantii seeds. rantonnetii but reclassified Lycianthes Las Pilitas Nursery, Star Route BX 23X, rantonnei, the blue potato bush, left, Santa Margarita, CA 93453. Catalog is a tender perennial grown as an $6. S. umbelliferum var. incanum and S. annual north of Zone 9. xantii plants. Logee's Greenhouses, 141 North Street, Danielson, CT 06239. Catalog $3. S. jas­ minoides 'Album' and S. jasminoides' 'Album Variegatum' plants. Thompson & Morgan, Inc., P.O. Box 1308, Jackson, NJ 08257-0308, (908) 363- 2225. Catalog free. S. capsicastrum and S. seaforthianum seeds.

AMERICAN HORTICULTUR1ST 43 CLASSIFIEDS

Classified Ad Rates: All classified adver­ CACTI AND SUCCULENTS tising must be prepaid. $1.25 per word; RARE AND EXOTIC PLANTS from at0und minimum $100 per insertion. Copy and the world. Catalog $2, refundable. ABBEY prepayment must be received on the 20th GARDEN CACTUS, P.O. Box 2249, La Habra, LET'S GROW TOGETHER CA 90632-2249. (805) 684-5112. day of the month three months prior to publication date. Send orders to: AHS Share the joy of gardening with Advertising Department, 2300 South CARNIVOROUS PLANTS others by giving memberships in Ninth Street, Suite 501, Arlingtcm, VA CARNIVOROUS (Insectivorous) PLANTS, the American Horticultural Society. 22204-2320, or call (703) 892-0733. seeds, supplies, and books. Color brochure free. PETER PAULS NURSERIES, Canandaigua, NY 14424. Your family and friends will enjoy the same unique benefits of AHS ALUMINUM EDGING Tired of plastic edging? Try ProLine heavy­ DEER REPELLENT membership that you do: gauge aluminum landscape edging. Flexible, "DEER AWAY" STOPS DEER DAMAGE! permanent and easy to install. FREE CATA­ Safe, proven protection, developed at Weyer­ • American Horticulturist magazine LOG. ProLine, 13505 Barry Street, Holland, haeuser. Now for homeowners. Makes 1jz gal­ MI49424. 1-800-356-9660. lon of spray, enough for 36 4' shrubs. Not for and News Edition food crops. Useful on dormant fruit and ever­ • Free admission to flower shows greens. Harmless to deer. $16.75 prepaid. THE AVANT GARDENER HORl'US, P.O . Box 4040, Rydal, PA 19046. and other horticultural events FOR THE GARDENER WHO WANTS (215) 491-9974. VISA, AmEx, MasterCard. nationwide MORE FROM GARDENING! Subscribe to THE AVANT GARDENER, the liveliest, most • Toll-free information service for useful of all gardening publications. Every EMPLOYMENT gardening questions month this unique news service brings you the Professional Caretaker Available. Expert prop­ newest, most practical information on new erty care. Horticultural expertise. Upkeep and • Seed Exchange Program plants, products, techniques, with sources, fea­ improvement skills. Estate, farm or ranch posi­ • Educational programs that bring ture articles, special issues. 27th year. Awarded tion sought in Rural West or Rocky Mountain Garden Club of America and Massachusetts States. L.S., P.O. Box 761, Ojai, CA 93024. gardeners together with leaders in Horticultural Society medals. Curious? Sample the field copy $1. Serious? $12 full year (reg. $18). THE AVANT GARDENER, Box 489M, New York, GARDEN SUPPLIES • Horticultural employment service NY 10028. FREE GARDEN CATALOG-4,OOO Items! • Discounts on gardening books Seeds, Plants, Trees, Fertilizers, Insecticides, AZALEAS AND RHODODENDRONS Beneficial Insects, Books, Greenhouses, More! • Workshops and other programs MELLINGER'S, Dept. 320K, North Lima, OH SELECT! DON'T SETTLE! Growing over 44452-9731. devoted to environmental and 1,800 varieties of northern-acclimated Azaleas conservation topics and Rhododendrons. Catalog and Color Cue Card subscription: $3. CARLSON'S GAR­ EXTEND YOUR GROWING SEASON in­ • Free admission to participating DENS, Box 305-AHC495, South Salem, NY doors and out with products gtlared toward bet­ botanical gardens and arboreta 10590. (914) 763-5958. ter growing and season extension. Over 400 gardening and greenhouse supplies! FREE CAT­ throughout the u.s. ALOG. Season Extenders, Dept AH4-5, 971 • And much more! BULBS Nichols Avenue, P.O. Box 312, Stratford, CT DUTCH BULBS for fall planting, 12cm Tulips, 06497. DNI Daffodils, Hyacinths ami miscellaneous. Plus, gift memberships are only $39! Catalog Free. Paula Parker DBA, Mary Matti­ son Van Schaik, IMPORTED DUTCH BULBS, ur catalog tells you how to grow plants, not just P.O. Box 32AH, Cavendish, VT 05142. (802) Ohow to buy them. Complete descriptions and It's easy to give an AHS membership­ 226-7653. advice on over 1000 varieties of perennials, simply call our Membership Department ornamental grasses, prairie wildflowers and vines. Send $1.00. toll-free at (800) 777-7931 . TULIP COLORBLENDS-First-quality bulbs at the best prices. Free catalog. SCHIPPER AND 4838 Douglas Ave. COMPANY, Box 7584a, Greenwich, CT Racine, WI 53402-2498 06836. (800) 877-8637. "Our Roots are Bulbs."

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HYDROPONICS COMPLETE HYDROPONICS SYSTEMS Please check here ifyou are a member ofAPLD 0 starting at $69.95, high intensity grow lights AHS/ Online, 7931 East Boulevard Drive, Alexandria, VA 22308-1300 from $129.95. FREE Catalog. Send post card to: GREENTREES, 2464 S. Santa Fe Ave., Unit 1-800-777-7931 • FAX (703) 765-6032 B, Vista, CA 92084, or call (800) 772-1997.

AMERICAN HORTICULTURIST 45 PRONUNCIATIONS

Abies concolor AY-beez KON-kuh-Ier C. lurida C. LEW-rih-duh Galanthus guh -LAN-th us A. grandis A. GRAN-diss C. pansa C. PAN-suh Geranium cinereum juh-RAY-nee-um Allium cowanii AL-ee-um koh-WAN-ee-eye C. pensylvanica var. pacificum C. pen-sil- sih-NEE-ree-um A. neapolitanum A. nee-uh-pol-ih-TAN-um VAN-ih-kuh var. puh-SIH-fih-kum G. platypetalum G. plat-ih-PEH-tal-um Amorphophallus titanum uh-mor-foh-PHAL- C. plantaginea C. plan-tuh-JIN-ee-uh G. psilostemon G. sigh-LOS-teh-mon Ius ty-TAN-um C. platyphylla C. plat-ih-FIL-Iuh Geum radiatum JEE-um ray-dee-AY-tum Andropogon gerardii an-dro-POH-gon C. praegracillis C. pre-GRASS-ih-lis Glyceria canadensis gly-SEER-ee-uh jeh-RAR-dee-eye C. stricta C. STRICK-tuh kan-uh-DEN-siss A. saccharoides A. sah-kuh-ROY-deez C. torta C. TOR-tuh G. striata G. stry-AY-tuh A. virginicus A. vir-JIN-ih-kus C. tumulicola C. toom-yew-lih-KOH-Iuh Gomphrena haageana gom-FREE-nuh Aquilegia canadensis ah-kwi-LEE-juh Catananche caerulea kat-uh-NAN-she hah-jee-AY-nuh kan-uh-DEN-siss seh-ROO-Iee-uh Helianthemum nummularium hee-Iee-AN­ Aristida purpurea ah-riss-TEE-duh Celastrus scandens see-LAS-trus SKAN-denz the-mum noom-yew-LAIR-ee-um per-PER-ee-uh Centranthus rubersen-TRAN-thus ROO-ber Holocarpha macradenia hah-Io-KAR-phuh Arrhenatherum elatius subsp. bulbosum Cephalaria alpina sef-uh-LAIR-ee-uh mak-ruh-DEEN-yuh ah-ren-AH-ther-um ee-Iay-TEE-us al-PY-nuh Hosta HAHS-tuh subsp. bull-BOH-sum Chamaebatiaria millefolium Humulus lupulus HEW-mew-Ius Artemisia ludoviciana ar-teh-MEEZ-yuh kam-eh-bah-tee-AIR-ee-uh LEW-pew-Ius loo-doh-vik-ee-AN-uh mih-lih-FOE-Iee-um Hyoscyamus niger high-oh-SIGH-ah-mus A. stelleriana A. steh-Ieh-ree-AN-uh Chasmanthium latifolium chas-MAN­ NY-jur Aruncus dioicus uh-RUN-kus die-oh-EE-kus thee-urn lat-ih-FOE-Iee-um Hypoestes phyllostachya high-poh-ES-teez Asclepias meadii as-KLEE-pee-us Chionodoxa ky-on-oh-DOK-suh fil-Ioh-STAY-kee-uh mee-DEE-eye Cinna arundinacea SIN-nuh Hystrix patula HIS-triks PAT-yew-Iuh Astilbe chinensis uh-STIL-bee chy-NEN-sis uh-run-dih-NAY-see-uh lmperata brevifolia im-peh-RAH-tuh Athyrium nipponicum var. pictum Clematis KLEM-uh-tiss breh-vih-FOE-Iee-uh uh-THIH-ree-um nih-PON-ih-kum Clivia KLY-vee-uh 1. cylindrica I. sih-LIN-drih-kuh var. PIK-tum Cortaderia jubata kor-tuh-DEER-ee-uh Juncus effusus JUNG-kus eh-FEW-sus Atriplex hortensis AT-rih-pleks hor-TEN-siss joo-BAH-tuh ]. patens J. PAY-tenz Atropa belladonna AT-roh-puh C. selloana C. sel-oh-AN-uh Knautia macedonica NAW-tee-uh bel-Iuh-DON-uh Crambe cordifolia KRAM-bee mass-uh-DON-ih-kuh Aubrieta deltoidea aw-bree-AY-tuh kor-dih-FOE-Iee-uh Kolkwitzia amabilis kol-KWIT-zee-uh del-TOY-dee-uh C. maritima C. muh-WRIT-ih-muh uh-MAB-uh-liss Bouteloua curtipendula boo-teh-LOO-uh Crinum KRY-num Lamium maculatum LAY-mee-um kur-tih-PEN-dyew-Iuh Crocus speciosus CROW-kus mak-yew-LAY-tum B. gracilis B. GRASS-ih-liss spee-see-O H -sus Ligularia dentata lig-yew-LAIR-ee-uh Brunnera macrophylla bruh-NEH-ruh X Cupressocyparis leylandii koo-press-oh- den-TAY-tuh mak-roh-FIL-Iuh SIP-ar-iss lay-LAND-ee-eye Lilium pumilum LIL-ee-um Buchloe dactyloides boo-KLOH-ee Cyclamen SIGH-kluh-men PYEW-mih-Ium dak-tih-LOY-deez Dahlia DAHL-yuh Limonium latifolium lih-MO-nee-um Bupleurum rotundifolium Datura duh-TOO-ruh lat-ih-FOE-Iee-um boo-PLUR-um roh-tund-ih­ Delosperma cooperi del-oh-SPER- Lobelia siphilitica low-BEEL-yuh FOE-lee-urn muh koo-PER-eye sih-phi-LIH-tih-kuh Calamagrostis canadensis kah-Iuh­ Digitalis lutea dih-jih-TAL-iss Lonicera japonica lah-NISS-er-uh mah-GROS-tiss kan-uh-DEN-siss LEW-tee-uh jah-PON-ih-kuh Calamovilfa longifolia kah-Iuh­ Eichhornia crassipes eyk-HOR­ Lycianthes rantonnei Iy-see-AN-theez moh-VIL-fuh lon-jih-FOE-Iee-uh nee-uh KRAS-si-peez ran-TOW-nee-eye Caltha bif/ora KAL-thuh Eleocharis ee-Iee-oh-KAH-riss Lysimachia ciliata liss-ih-MAHK-ee-uh by-FLOR-uh Elymus canadensis EL-ee-mus sil-ee-AH-tah C. palustris C. pah-LUS-triss kan-uh-DEN-siss Magnolia x soulangiana mag-NOLE-yuh x Camassia kuh-MAS-see-uh E. condensatus E. con-den-SAY-tus soo-Ian-jee-AN-uh Campanula glomerata kam-PAN-yew-Iuh Eriophorum spp. air-ee-OFF-uh-rum Mandragora officinarum man-DRAH-gor-uh glom-uh-RAY-tuh Eucomis YOO-kuh-miss oh-fiss-ih-NAR-um Canna KAN-nuh Euphorbia epithymoides yew-FOR-bee-uh Miscanthus purpurascens miz-KAN-thus Carex crinita KAY-reks kry-NYE-tuh eh-pih -thee-M 0 Y-deez per-per-ASS-senz

46 APRIL 1995 M. sinensis M. sigh-NEN-siss S. carolinense S. kair-oh-lih-NEN-see Monarda moh-NAR-duh S. crispum S. KRIS-pum Muhlenbergia capillaris mew-len-BUR-jee-uh S. diphyllum S. die-FIL-lum AITENTlON, kap-ih-LAIR-iss S. dulcamara S. dul-kuh-MAH-ruh M. filipes M. FIL-ih-peez S. jasminoides S. jaz-mih-NOY-deez CALIFORNIA MEMBERS! M. rigens M . RIH-jenz S. laciniatum S. lah-syn-ee-AY-tum Muscari mus-KAR-eye S. lanceolatum lan-see-oh-LAY-tum FREE tickets for the San Francisco Narcissus nahr-SIS-sus S. macranthum S. muh-KRAN-thum Landscape Garden Show are avail­ Nepeta mussinii NEP-eh-tuh S. melanocerasum S. meh-luh-no-SAIR­ able to members of the American mus-SIN -ee-eye uh-sum Horticultural Society by calling AHS Nicotiana langsdorffii nih-ko-shee-AN-uh S. melongena var. serpentinum S. meh-LON- headquarters at (800) 777-7931. langs-DORF-ee-eye gee-nuh var. sur-pen-TEEN-um Nymphoides spp. nim-FOY-deez S. pseudocapsicum S. soo-doh-KAP-sih-kum The show is April 26-30 at the Fes­ Onopordum acanthium oh-noh-POR-dum S. pyracanthum S. pie-ruh-KAN-thum tival Pavilion at Fort Mason Center. uh-KAN-thee-um S. quitoense S. key-toh-EN-see Origanum laevigatum oh-RYG-uh-num S. rantonnetii S. ran-toh-NEH-tee-eye AHS members may not be admitted lee-vih-GAY-tum S. rostratum S. ros-TRAY-tum free to the show by presenting their Ornithogalum umbellatum or-nih-THO­ S. seaforthianum S. see-forrh-ee-AN-um AHS membership cards, as was re­ guh-lum um-bel-LAY-tum S. tampicense S. tam-pih-KEN-see ported in the March American Hor­ Oryzopsis hymenoides oh-ree-ZOP-sis S. torvum S. TOR-vum ticulturist. We regret the error. hy-meh-NOY-deez S. tuberosum too-bur-OH-sum Panicum virgatum PAN-ih-kum S. umbelliferum var. incanum S. um-bel- vur-GAY-tum LIF-er-um var. in-KAN-um Pennisetum pen-ih-SEE-tum S. viarum S. vy-AH-rum Penstemon digitalis PEN-steh-mon dih-jih­ S. wendlandii S. wend-LAND-ee-eye TAL-iss S. wrightii S. RIGHT-ee-eye Philadelphus fil-uh-DEL-fus S. xantii S. ZAN-tee-eye Phlox paniculata FLOKS pan-ik­ Solidago sempervirens sol-ih-DAY-go yew-LAY-tuh sem-per-VY-renz Phragmites australis frag-MY-teez Sorghastrum nutans sorg-ASS-trum aw-STRAY-liss NOO-tanz Polygonatum pah-lih-go-NAY -tum Spartina patens spar-TEE-nuh PAY-tenz SAN...... fRANCISCO...... Polystichum acrostichoides pah-LISS-tih-kum S. pectinata S. pek-tih-NAY-tuh uh-kro-stih-CHOY-deez Spathiphyllum spath-ih-FIL-lum LANDSCAPE P. aleuticum P. uh-LOO-tih-kum Spiraea alba spy-REE-uh AL-buh GARDEN P. andersonii P. an-der-SOWN-ee-eye S. albiflora S. al-bih-FLOR-uh S H 0 VV P. lachenense P. lak-ee-NEN-see S. x arguta S. x ar-JOO-tuh P. munitum P. mew-NEE-tum S. x bumalda S. x boo-MAL-duh Potentilla robbinsiana poh-ten-TIL-uh S. cana S. KAY-nuh raw-bihn-see-AN-uh S. x cinerea S. x sih-NEE-ree-uh Pseudotsuga menziesii soo-doh-SOO-guh S. corymbosa S. koh-rim-BOH-suh men -ZEE-see-eye S. douglasii S. dug-LASS-ee-eye raf-FLEES-yuh S. S. frich-ee-AN-uh MOVING? Rafflesia arnoldii fritschiana ar-NOL-dee-eye S. hypericifolia S. high-per-ih-sih-FOH-lee-uh Rosa glauca ROH-zuh GLAW-kuh S. japonica S. jah-PON-ih-kuh Rudbeckia subtomentosa rood-BEK-ee-uh S. nipponica S. nih-PON-ih-kuh DON'T FORGET YOUR sub-toh-men-TOH-suh S. prunifolia S. prew-nih-FOE-lee-uh R. triloba R. try-LOW-buh S. salicifolia S. sal-iss-ih-FOE-lee-uh AMERICAN HORTICULTURISTI Salvia argentea SAL-vee-uh S. tomentosa S. toh-men-TOH-suh ar-JEN-tee-uh S. trichocarpa S. try-koh-KAR-puh Send us an old address label and your S. officinalis S. oh-fiss-ih-NAL-iss S. trilobata S. try-loh-BAY-tuh new add ress, and we'll make sure you S. patens S. PAY-tenz S. x vanhouttei S. x van-HOO-tee-eye S. viridis S. VEER-ih-diss Sporobolus heterolepis spor-OB-oh-lus don't missa si ngle issue. Sambucus racemosa sam-BOO-kus heh-ter-oh-LEP-iss ras-eh-MOH-suh Stipa comata STY-puh koh-MAH-tuh Send address and name changesto : Sanvitalia procumbens san-vih-TAY-lee-uh S. spartea S. spar-TEE-uh pro-KUM-benz Tanacetum niveum tan-uh-SEE-tum American Horticultural Society Saponaria ocymoides sap-oh-NAIR-ee-uh NIV-ee-um ah -see-M 0 Y-deez Tricyrtis hirta try-SUR-tiss HUR-tuh Add ress Change Deportment Sauromatum venosum saw-roh-MAY-tum Tridens flavus TRY-denz FLAY-vus 7931 East Boulevard Drive veh-NO-sum Trifolium stoloniferum try-FOE-lee-um Alexandria, VA 22308-1300 Schizachyrium scoparium skits-uh-KEER- stoh-lon-NIF-er-um ee-um skoh-PAR-ee-um Trillium TRIL-ee-um Fax: (703) 765-6032 Scilla siberica SIL-luh sigh-BEER-ih-kuh Vernonia noveboracensis vur-NO-nee-uh Scirpus cyperinus SKEER-pus sy-PUR-in-us no-vay-bor-uh-CHEN-sis Silybum marianum sih-LEE-bum Viola VY-oh-Iuh mahr-ee-AN-um Watsonia wot-SOW-nee-uh Solanum atropurpureum so-LAN-um Zantedest;hia zan-tuh-DES-chee-uh at-row-per-PER-ee-um Zinnia angustifolia ZIN-ee-uh S. capsicastrum S. kap-sih-KAS-trum ang-gus-tih -FO E-lee-uh

AMERICAN HORTICULTURIST 47 DOROTHY HAMILL Gardener, Olympic Gold Medalist

I remember helping my mother in her garden when I was little. I was so proud.

Now, when my daughter, Alexandra, helps me in our garden, I get that same wonderful feeling, like remembering a dream.

My mother let me feed her plants with Miracle-Cro, a cupful at a time.

Today, I wouldn't use anything else. Like mother used to say, "There's nothing like Miracle-Cro." , ,C):5Jid

MIRACLE-CRO