When many folks get together for the holidays, their families are so large, finding a place to house and feed them becomes problematic. Such is not the case for Sarcandra glabra, or for that matter, any of the plants in the Chloranthaceae family. Not only is the family itself quite small and quite old…prehistoric, in
Sarcandra – Part of a Small Family Gathering Read More »
In 2012 we received a small shipment of plants labeled Rohdea japonica, from the former Chen Yi Nursery in China. Although we grew many cultivated forms of the species from Japan, we were curious what it looked like in the wilds of China, since we’d never been able to study it there. We also ordered
Traveling down Rohdea Road Read More »
We just snapped this photo of one of our more amazing fern introductions, Microsorum buergerianum ‘Datun’. This six year-old clump is from our 2008 spore collection of this fabulous mat forming, epiphytic fern from north of Taipei, Taiwan. Although the foliage burnt back at 11 degrees F, it re-flushed quickly the following spring. Hardiness Zone
Evergreen Fern Mat Read More »
Salvia glabrescens is a little-known (in gardening circles) woodland perennial sage from the mountains of Japan’s Honshu Island. We have been thrilled with their garden performance since 2005, but equally disappointed at their sales. Customers continually ask for fall-flowering plants for the woodland garden, yet fail to buy them when they are made available. Salvia
The Bald Sages of Fall Read More »
Flowering now in a shaded part of the crevice garden is the lovely Cunila origanoides (American Dittany). Of the 20 species in the genus of shrub mints, all from the Americas, this is the only one with a US distribution, being found from in a wide band from New York west to Texas. These are
Imagine our surprise, when the odd evergreen vine, Kadsura longipedunculata began flowering for the first time last month. This woodland vine hails from Southern and Western China, where it’s prized for it’s medicinal uses. Reportedly, it is used to treat arthritis, cankers, digestive issues, infections, and as a perfume. This member of the Schisandraceae family
Perhaps you will read this post and decide you have not learned anything, so forgive me in advance. But some occurrences in the garden are just so charming they require nothing more of us than to just enjoy. This photo of a happy family of five voodoo lily flowers caught my attention. They appear to
Eavesdropping on Amorphophallus Read More »
Calanthe is a genus of 235 species of terrestrial orchids. For us, the foliage remains evergreen through the winter, unless the winter temperatures are severe. We are still testing to find how many species are winter hardy here in Zone 7b. We have so enjoyed their amazing show over the last few weeks. Here are
Craving Calanthes Read More »
Trillium oostingii by Doug Ruhren Trillium season does truly start at the turn of the calendar year, in a small way one might argue, but indeed the earliest do start in late December and early January, just foliage at first but it is the mottled foliage of the sessile trilliums that is so beautiful. One
The earliest of the Jack-in-the-pulpit species have begun to flower, starting with the consistently early Arisaema ringens. All of the arisaema shown below are woodland plants that thrive in rich, but well-drained, average to slightly moist (mesic) soils. Explore our full arisaema collection. Next in line this spring was the alluring Japanese, Arisaema mayebarae. A
