librarian2003 (librarian2003) wrote in weagardening, @ 2008-10-11 12:21:00 |
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Current mood: | crazy |
Entry tags: | digitalis, eryngium, plant, week |
Week 4 - Digitalis and Eryngium
Our plants of the week this week are Digitalis ferruginea 'Gigantea' and Eryngium agavifolium
Here's the handout:
GARDENING FOR PLEASURE
Plant of the Week
Digitalis ferruginea 'Gigantea' : Rusty Foxglove - Family: Scrophulariaceae
Eryngium agavifolium : Agave-leaved sea holly – Family: Apiaceae
1 Digitalis ferruginea 'Gigantea'
This is a robust-growing hardy biennial or short lived perennial from South Eastern Europe to Turkey and Lebanon and the Caucasus. It grows in open woods and in grassy clearings or on rocky slopes and road sides. Dark green leaves growing in rosettes are lance-shaped.
The rusty foxglove has softly coloured, tan-yellow flowers with rusty-brown veins on the insides. It is a tall, narrow plant, making an exclamation point in the garden. ‘Gigantea’ grows to 6' tall on completely straight, strong, densely flowered spikes. The blooms are long-lasting in summer, more so than other Foxgloves, and it makes an excellent cut flower. It grows in full sun or bright shade and it is drought tolerant.
Deadhead after flowering to prevent self-seeding.
Propagate from seed, sown in containers as soon as ripe, or in a cold frame in late spring
2 Eryngium agavifolium
This is a rosette-forming evergreen perennial with glossy deep green basal leaves and stems bearing cylindrical umbels of greenish white flowers. The foliage is impressive, being fleshy, sharply toothed and strap-shaped. Height 3ft, Spread 2ft
It needs a dry, sunny position, and like all sea hollies, is salt tolerant. Soil should be poor or only moderately fertile. Without adequate drainage, it can suffer from foot and root rots.
Seed ripens in early August, and the flower head can either be cut back, or left over winter. Eryngium agavifolium comes from Argentina.
Propagate by seed, sowing as soon as ripe. Plants can be divided, but are slow to re-establish. Root cuttings can be taken in late winter.
Jo Hanslip
October 2008
How are your seeds going?
Jo