What's Blooming Now--TOW

Kenneth Hixson khixson@nu-world.com
Tue, 27 Apr 2004 14:10:56 PDT
Hi, Members
>The pest "endymion" Rodger mentioned must be the hybrids of Hyacinthoides 
>campanulata and H. non-scripta, 
	In my garden the "pink" seems to start a few days earlier than the
others, as well as White Triumphator, probably at peak bloom now, and a blue
called Excelsior, which seems inferior. H. non-scriptus still has flowers.
This is not happy, it may need moving to an area where it gets more water--
it is in the "rainshadow" of a large rhododendron on the end of a bed.
 
>They are best restricted to rough grassy areas
	Also good along sidewalks, planter strips, or other areas where you
need a self sufficient plant.  I (tenatively) suggest Brimeura (Hyacinthus) 
amethystina alba, also flowering now, as a smaller and less agressive but 
similiar appearing plant.  It differs in having two small bracts at the base 
of the flower spike, and in supposedly more pointed leaves.
>
>Also best planted in the grass is Ornithogalum umbellatum, the Star of 
>Bethlehem. Many "thogs" (I hear the English fanciers call them that) are in 
>flower now, though the smallest ones started in January. Some are 
>admissible to well-kept plantings, but most increase as fast as cheap 
>Muscari and are best put under big shrubs and so on. I like the common 
>European O. nutans with its nodding, gray-green-striped flowers; it will 
>grow anywhere.
	I planted Ornithogalum balansae, nutans, and umbellatum along the
sidewalk in an area that gets little summer irrigation-kids walking by have
kicked off the (pop-up) sprinkler heads, so I don't water there.  Somewhat
to my surprise, these have diminished, not spread and flourished.

>Many bearded iris species are in flower, and the Pacific Coast irises are 
>starting. Of the latter I have mostly hybrids but also some species, 
>including native I. tenax.
	Here, pacific coast iris are probably at peak bloom.  The named 
varieties include Foreign Exchange, yellow (Gold?), Idylwild and a few more.
Lots of unnamed seedlings.  Not sure if I. tenax is still true, it hybridizes
with I. douglasiana, which is also starting to flower.  (I don't always
pick off
the seed pods, so seeds fall into the clump and germinate.  I. innominata
had one 
golden gift, a few more coming.  I. thompsonii budded.
	Tall bearded Iris just starting-Perfume Counter, Blue Surprise, a white
which should be Space Angel, but the beard doesn't separate from the fall, so
may be something else.  Golden Encore will open within a day or two.
	Anemonee nemorosa-blue is well past.  Single white with pink tinged
exterior, scorched after yesterday's 80F temperature.  Crested white in
masses,
still looking good.  Hybrid anemonees almost past.
Allium karataviense-one bud has split the sheath, so will be in flower
shortly.
Allium cowanii/neapolitanum--I bought both names, and the plants were
different,
but which one still survives?   Allium-unnamed, from mixed species seed,
possibly A. ostroskianum--anyway, a fair pink, is just starting.  This is
not what I bought under this name, but?
Camassia leichtlinii suksdorfii-tall blue, starting.
Narcissus-Polar Ice was fine yesterday morning, the heat melted it.  Same
with Stratosphere, a tall jonquil hybrid.  N. Sun Dial still in bloom but
starting to look a little ratty.  This was unusually tall this year-almost
a foot.  N Misty Glen is white, the green eye not obvious now.
	Ixia hybrids-rose showing color north of the house along the walk to
the front door, while elsewhere some open flowers, cream still tight bud.  
Gladiolus tristis almost open.  G. carinatus has a flower, but it is in a pot
so can't say it is in season.
Lilies-the first here will be L. washingtonianum, usually around June 1.
Right
now it is less than a foot tall.
Dicentra formosa Marjory Fish has been open a couple weeks.  Off white, or 
white with salmony pink midribs.
Geranium tuberosum still has a few bluish flowers.
Lewisia cotyledon hybrids have been open at least a couple weeks.

	For comparison, apple trees still have a few flowers, oak tree leaves
are partly expanded, Mollis azaleas in salmon and lemon are at peak flower
while the named variety Peter Koster is almost done.  Buddleia globosa is
about
to open its' orange yellow balls of flowers, for the first time here.  Dames' 
Rocket, Hesperis matronalis, is starting. I try to keep the white, it keeps
sporting back to lavender and I keep pulling out the lavenders.  Who will win?
Aquilegia flabellata blue, and white, and A. formosa are starting.  Roses--
Graham Thomas, Mary Rose, Fru Dagmar Hastrupp--none of them pruned last
winter,
but still, very early.

Ken, western Oregon  Z7


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