************************************************************* TALL PERENNIALS BY A few weeks ago I wrote an article about tall annuals (a plant that comes up, blooms, seeds, and dies in a single season) along with a list of my favorites. Now, in case you prefer a plant that returns from its roots every year, I would like to mention my favorite tall perennials. One that I have had the longest is MULLEIN (Verbascum species). The wild one is a biennial so you need to let it go to seed to get a crop the next year. They will produce a flat rosette from seed the first summer. They have 3-5 feet yellow spikes in full sun and well drained soil, so they do not like wet feet. In the last few years the plant hybridizers have developed a number of colors that are short lived perennials. One interesting part is their wooly leaves. Their flower clusters are a little daintier than the wild ones. For shady areas GOATS BEARD (Aruncus dioicus) can reach 4 to 6 feet if they have plenty of water and rich soil. They have tiny white flowers that are in long clusters above the leaves. They do resemble a white beard as they open and then later are darker. They do well in bouquets and can be dried for winter use. A hot spring session will shorten their life unless there is plenty of water. Originally they came from areas along water ways or woodland areas. The male blooms are whiter than the females and may be up to 20 inches long.
RED HOLLYHOCKS (Alcea rosea) are not all perennials. Some are perennials, some are annuals, and some are biennials but they are all favorite plants from long ago. They grow from 5 to 8 feet tall. Our grandmothers probably carried the seed in their pockets across the prairie. The flowers come in singles or doubles, ruffled or plain, and kids use the blooms to construct a family of dolls. The one trouble I have had with them is rust so I have eliminated them for a year or so to diminish the rust. If you start them inside they transplant easily. I like them in front of a fence to give them some support. Bees and butterflies also enjoy them. Many colors, even black are available.
DELPHINIUMS (Delatum) are a challenge in
FOXGLOVES have been a challenge for me as they very seldom get as
spectacular as some I have seen in other yards. They can get 4 to 5 feet
tall with 3 inch bells (gloves in rose, pink, purple, white or yellow
colors. The Digitalis species are about 20 inch, short lived perennials or
biennials from OBEDIENT PLANTS (Physostegia virginiana) may grow 2-4 feet tall but their spikes of blooms of 4 rows of blooms around the stem, come in white or lavender. The two colors don’t bloom at exactly the same time. There maybe 2 weeks difference with my whites ahead. The Obedience part comes from the blooms staying in place around the stem which makes the flower arrangers happy. I have also heard them called “false dragon head”. In partial shade or full sun the plants will spread quite well with blooms late summer when other plants are starting to fail. They require damp soil, especially after the first season as the roots spread making a thick clump. They are very easy to divide as the roots are very close to the top of the soil. I take a spadeful from the edge to have a new colony. Too much fertilizer and they will flop. Copyright 2010 ************************************************************* DO YOU WANT TO
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