LEGUMINOSAE. Trees or shrubs closely related to Acacia and Mimosa, with graceful feathery foliage and pink, yellow, or white plume-like flowers. In the greenhouse, repot in March. May be grown as annuals for their foliage in summer flower beds. Easy from seed.
NEW—Albizzia Julibrissin. (c,h) ALBI-1. Packet: $1.50 Click for photo »
Germination: 99% Tested: 12/07, Oz: $5.00
This is hardier, northern-source seed.
'SILK TREE', 'MIMOSA', 'HE-HUAN'. Showy pink puff-like flowers in summer. Round-headed tree to 40 feet, with feathery dark green foliage which folds up at night. Iran to Japan. Fairly hardy, Zone 6 - 7. Likes heat. Considered an auspicious tree, "promoting agreement and affection". The young leaves have been eaten or used for tea, and the flowers dried or candied. Bark used in Chinese medicine as a tonic "promoting joy, assuaging sorrow, brightening the eye, and giving the desires of the heart." Nick and soak to germinate in 1 - 3 weeks.
ALCEA (al-SEE-a)
MALVACEAE. Easily grown biennial and perennial herbs from the Mediterranean and Central Asia, valued for their attractive flowers. Best in a rich heavy soil and full sun, but will make a fine display almost anywhere. Nice in the back of the border, against a wall, or in a sunny corner. Germinates in about 12 days, and best sown from mid-summer to early fall for biennial plants, or early indoors for bloom the same season. The leaves of common hollyhocks are eaten cooked or in salads, especially in Egypt, and the flowers are colorful in salads.
NEW—Alcea pallida, (d,g) ALCE-19. Packet: $2.50
Germination: 80% Tested: 2/08, Gram: $7.00
Lilac-rose single 2 - 3" wide flowers in spikes, May to September. Hardy biennial to 6 feet, with lobed, rounded leaves. Central Eurasia. Possibly one of the parent species of the modern hollyhock. Nick seed to germinate in 1 - 6 weeks.
—Alcea rosea var. nigra. (c,h) ALCE-21N. Packet: $2.00
Germination: TP% Tested: , 4250/Oz, 1/4 Oz: $13.00, 1/2 Oz: $19.00
'BLACK HOLLYHOCK'. Single, deep maroon flowers shading to a glossy purple-black with glowing centers. Hardy biennial to 5 feet. A striking background plant. Germinates in 1 - 6 weeks.
—Alcea rosea Indian Spring. (b,h) ALCE-21IS. Packet: $1.50
Germination: 87% Tested: 10/07, Oz: $5.00
'HOLLYHOCKS'. Beautiful mix of single and semi-double flowers, in a full range of colors- red, yellow, pink and white. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks, up to 6.
—Alcea rugosa. (b,h) ALCE-24. Packet: $2.00
Germination: 60% Tested: 10/07, 1/4 Oz: $6.00 BULK OUT OF STOCK - PACKETS ARE AVAILABLE
Pale yellow 3 - 5" single flowers in tall, 6 - 10 foot spikes. Biennial or short-lived perennial, similar to A. ficifolia. S Russia & the Ukraine. Full sun. Blooms June to September. Rust resistant. Germinates in 1 - 3 weeks. For highest germination, soak seeds, rub off husks, and nick unswollen ones.
ALISMA (a-LIS-ma)
ALISMACEAE. Aquatic perennials with 3-petaled white or rose flowers. Grown in ponds or moist areas for ornament.
NEW—Alisma triviale. (b,g) ALIS-23. Packet: $2.00
'WATER PLANTAIN'. Small, white, 3-petaled 1/2" flowers in sprays to 1 - 2 feet tall. Hardy aquatic or wetland perennial with long-stalked, oval, pointed leaves. N. America. "The intricately branched panicles are attractive in dried arrangements."—Ross. Root used medicinally by the Indians. Try soaking in room-temperature water in light, then give 1 - 3 months cold, to germinate at warm.
ALLIUM (AL-ee-um)
LILIACEAE. Some 700 species of North Hemisphere bulbs and rhizomatous plants. Includes chives, garlic, onions, leeks, and many varied ornamental garden and rock garden flowers. Most are easily grown in well-drained to sandy soil and full sun.
—Allium cernuum. (b,h) ALUM-24. Packet: $2.00
'NODDING ONION', 'LADY'S LEEK'. Nodding clusters of rose or white flowers. Hardy perennial to 1 - 2 feet. North America. The elongated bulbs are eaten in soups & stews, and were eaten by the Indians. An absolutely beautiful species. Germinates in 1 - 6 months at warm or cold temperatures.
—Allium Christophii. (e,g) ALUM-27. Packet: $2.50
'STARS OF PERSIA'. Deep lilac 1" starry flowers with a metallic sheen, in immense 8" balls in June. To 3 feet. Persia. To Zone 4. Start seed May to August. "Probably the largest and most imposing garden species." —L.H. Bailey. Germinates in 6 - 8 weeks at cold temperatures.
—Allium fistulosum Red. (b,h) ALUM-32R. Packet: $2.50
5 grams: $9.50, 10 grams: $15.00
'RED WELSH ONION'. Perennial bunching onion to 14", with red stalks. Excellent hardy perennial vegetable. Highly productive, and will give for years once established, spreading by offsets. Also nice in the flower garden, as the red stems contrast with the balls of flowers. Germinates in 1 - 3 weeks.
—Allium Govanianum. (c,h) ALUM-40. Packet: $2.00
White star-shaped flowers in 1 - 3" heads in June. Perennial from clustered bulbs, to 12" tall. Himalayas, 8000 to 12,000 feet. Attractive little species. An excellent landscape Allium, forming nice colonies. Blooms in August in the Midwest. Zone 4. Germinates in 1 - 6 weeks.
NEW—Allium jajlae. (d,h) ALUM-44. Packet: $2.50 Click for photo »
Rose-violet 1/4" flowers in small round 1 - 2" heads in June & July. Hardy bulb to 2 feet, with flat grass-like leaves. Crimea & the Caucasus. Often considered a subspecies of A. scordoprasum, the 'Giant Garlic', so the bulbs are probably tasty. Germinates in 1 - 3 weeks warm.
—Allium tuberosum. (c,h) ALUM-105. Packet: $1.50
Germination: 73% Tested: 1/08, Oz: $6.00
'GARLIC CHIVES'. Flat-leaved aromatic perennial to 20" with a garlic-like flavor. The leaves are used in Asian cookery, chopped finely like chives in various dishes. Good in wet climates where garlic tends to rot. Germinates in 1 - 3 weeks warm.
—Allium ursinum. (e,v) ALUM-115. Packet: $2.00
'RAMSONS', 'BEAR GARLIC'. Starry white 1/2" flowers in umbels, and rather un-onion-like pointed, oval, 2" wide leaves. Hardy perennial to 18". Eurasia. The leaves and bulbs are very strongly garlic flavored, and are diced fine and added to cooking, the flavor mellowing with the heat.
ALOE (AL-o-ee or AL-o)
LILIACEAE. Popular perennial succulents with rosettes of spiny-toothed sword-shaped leaves and showy tubular flowers. Grown in the greenhouse loam in full sun. Some species are valuable medicinal plants, their juice being dried and used as a purgative, or fresh as topical treatment of wounds & burns, including X-ray and radiation burns, promoting cell growth and speeding the healing process. All are CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) endangered species. Germinates easily.
—Aloe broomii. (e,g) ALOE-40. Packet: $2.00 Click for photo »
'BERG ALWYN'. Large rosettes to 3 feet across of broad sword-shaped bright green leaves with thorny edges. Pale lemon-yellow inch-long flowers in dense spikes to 5 feet tall. S. Africa. CITES II endangered species. Germinates in 1 week at warm temperatures.
NEW—Aloe dichotoma. (d,h) ALOE-86. Packet: $2.00
A giant species, forming a stout tree to 30 feet tall, with a trunk 3 - 4 feet thick, with many forking branches tipped with rosettes of sword-shaped 6 - 14" leaves edged with tiny teeth. Bright canary yellow 1 1/2" flowers in branched, foot-long panicles. Namibia, South Africa. Lives many hundreds of years. CITES II endangered species. Awesome. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks at warm temperatures.
ALONSOA (a-lon-SO-a)
SCROPHULARIACEAE. Showy tropical American plants grown as annuals or in pots for winter bloom. Full sun, most soils. For early bloom start indoors & plant out in May. Produces a profusion of bloom in 12 weeks from seed. Sow on the surface, germinates in 10 - 30 days.
—Alonsoa meridionalis. (b,h) ALON-16. Packet: $2.00
Cinnabar-red flowers abundantly produced on a tender perennial to 2 feet. S. America. Good in masses in the border or in pots. Germinates in 2 - 4 weeks.
ALSTROEMERIA (al-stre-MEER-ee-a)
LILIACEAE. Showy South American perennials from tuberous roots. Attractive flowers, often spotted or streaked, are long-lasting when cut. Best in full sun or part shade in deep rich soil, or as pot plants in the North. Naturalizes well in California. The leaves twist during development, so their undersides face up. Germination may be irregular.
—Alstroemeria aurantiaca. (e,h) ALST-2. Packet: $3.00
Showy bright orange and yellow 2" clustered flowers with purple or red stripes and spots in the throat, May to August. Perennial to 3 feet, with 4" leaves. Chile. The hardiest species, to Zone 6 or 7.
—Alstroemeria Ligtu O. P. Hybrids. (d,h) ALST-15 Packet: $3.00
Beautiful shades of pink, orange and flame, spotted and streaked. Perennial to 2 feet, narrow leaves. Chile, An excellent, fairly hardy strain. Give seed 4 weeks warm then cold to germinate in 3 - 10 weeks at cold temperatures.
ALTHAEA (al-THAY-a)
MALVACEAE. Tall, showy, free-flowering annuals biennials and perennials grown for their attractive bloom. Easily grown in any garden soil in full sun or part shade. Many of the biennials and perennials will bloom the first year if started indoors in January or February. Sow thinly, 1/4" deep, to germinate in 9 - 12 days or more.
—Althaea officinalis. (b,h) ALTH-9. Packet: $2.00
Germination: 72% Tested: 1/08, Pure Seed - Gram: $6.00, 5 grams: $11.00
'MARSHMALLOW'. Soft pink, inch-wide flowers in clusters up the stems. Hardy perennial to 3 to 4 feet, with velvety, grey-green lobed leaves. E. Europe. The true Marshmallow has long been cultivated for the roots used medicinally and as food. Boiled, then fried with onions and butter, they are said to be a palatable dish, and the boiled leaves have also been eaten. Mostly they are used medicinally for coughs, inflammations, etc., 'marshmallows' originally being a medicinal candy. It is said to be an immune system stimulant. Germinates in 1 - 4 weeks.
ALYOGYNE (al-ee-O-ji-nee)
MALVACEAE. Showy-flowered Australian shrubs and small trees with palmately divided leaves. Excellent ornamentals for warm areas and in the greenhouse, becoming increasingly appreciated in California. Easily grown from seed.
—Alyogyne Huegelii. (c,g) ALYO-11. Packet: $2.00 OUT OF STOCK
'BLUE HIBISCUS'. Beautiful lilac-blue flowers up to 4 - 5" across, the petals with a glossy sheen. Blooms off and on throughout the year. Deeply lobed dark green leaves. Evergreen shrub to 5 - 8 feet. Australia. Likes a warm, dry position. Hardy to about 27°F. One of the prettiest little shrubs. Lightly nick seed. Germinates in 2 - 12 weeks.
AMARANTHUS (a-ma-RAN-thus)
AMARANTHACEAE. Easily grown annuals. Many are showy inhabitants of the flower garden, others are valuable edible grains and greens. Easy from seed sown where they are to grow, or early indoors and planted out after frost. Good in hot, dry areas and poor soil, but at their best in rich soil with plenty of moisture. Many make good cut flowers & they dry well. Wonderful old-fashioned favorites. All germinate in 1 - 2 weeks unless noted otherwise.
See Amaranth in Vegetable List for other varieties.
—Amaranthus caudatus. (a!,h) AMAR-1. Packet: $1.50
Germination: 94% Tested: 9/07, 49,200/Oz, Oz: $5.00, 1/4 pound: $10.00
'LOVE-LIES-BLEEDING'. Long, drooping spikes of tiny, deep red flowers, July to September. Robust, easily grown hardy annual to 2 1/2 - 3 feet, with pointed leaves. Tropics. An old favorite garden flower, cultivated for grain since ancient times in the tropics, and in Europe since 1596. Yields up to a metric ton of nutritious seeds per acre (1/2 lb per square yard). The leaves are eaten like spinach.
—Amaranthus caudatus Viridus. (a!,h) AMAR-1V. Packet: $2.00
'GREEN LOVE-LIES-BLEEDING'. An interesting green form of this old garden favorite. Valued in flower-arranging. Unusual.
—Amaranthus hypochondriacus Pygmy Torch. (a,h) AMAR-20P. Packet: $2.00
Germination: 94% Tested: 10/07, 42,000/Oz, Oz: $6.00
'PRINCE'S FEATHER'. Red, upright spikes. To 1 foot. This species is cultivated in México for its high protein (15%) seeds, borne in large heads. The young leaves can be eaten as a potherb. Development of this plant as a food source was hindered by the attempts by the Catholic church to eradicate the plant as it figured in many important Aztec rites.
—Amaranthus tricolor Early Splendor. (b,h) AMAR-42ES. Packet: $2.00
Germination: 99% Tested: 10/07, 1695/g, 5 grams: $8.00, 10 grams: $12.00
Bright glowing crimson foliage. Hardy annual to 2 feet or so. Early maturity. Excellent cut-foliage for florist work, and the leaves are edible like spinach. The tender young leaves and sliced stems make a colorful addition to salads. Germinates in 1 - 4 weeks.
—Amaranthus tricolor Joseph's Coat. (b,g) AMAR-42J. Packet: $2.00
'SUMMER POINSETTIA', 'CHINESE SPINACH'. Vigorous bushy annual to 3 feet or so, with 2 - 8" leaves with brilliant red, yellow and green markings. Tropics. The showy leaves are eaten raw or cooked. "An excellent hot weather substitute for spinach." —Facciola. Germinates in 1 - 6 weeks.
—Amaranthus tricolor Red Sea. (a,h) AMAR-42RS. Packet: $2.00
Germination: 96% Tested: 9/07, 5 grams: $6.00
Showy plant with edible red and pink round leaves. Annual to 16". Ready to eat in 35 - 60 days depending on temperature. Productive and tasty.
AMMI (AM-ee)
UMBELLIFERAE. Perennial carrot-like herbs with feathery leaves and small white flowers in umbels. An interesting genus producing several pharmacological agents. Excellent wildflowers for naturalizing. Seed germinates in 1 - 2 weeks or so at warm temperatures.
—Ammi majus. (a!,g) AMMI-16. Packet: $1.50
Germination: 64% Tested: 10/07, Oz: $6.00
'BISHOP'S FLOWER', 'FALSE QUEEN ANNE'S LACE'. White flowers in 6" wide umbels, good for cutting. To 1 1/2 - 3 feet. Feathery compound foliage. NE Africa. A nice little wildflower, easy, but resents transplanting. The root was chewed by North African caravaneers to protect themselves from the sun; it contains 8-methoxypsoralen which stimulates pigment production in skin exposed to ultraviolet light. May cause side effects.
—Ammi Visnaga. (c,f) AMMI-25. Packet: $2.00
'KHELLA', 'TOOTHPICK PLANT'. Large umbels of white flowers, good for cutting. Perennial to 2 - 3 feet, with feathery divided 3 - 8" leaves. Mediterranean region. The seeds are valued for treating asthma, angina pectoris, and the pain of kidney stones. The dried seed stalks are used as toothpicks in Egypt. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks warm.
AMMOBIUM (a-MOW-bee-um)
COMPOSITAE. 'WINGED EVERLASTING'. Easily grown Australian perennials, usually grown as an annual or biennial. The yellow flowers, surrounded by silvery white bracts, make excellent everlastings. Sow early for bloom the first year, or any time up to September as a biennial. Flowers continuously from June to September. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks. Prefers a rich, sandy soil. Good cut flowers.
—Ammobium alatum. (a!,h) AMOB-1. Packet: $2.00
Germination: 84% 9/07, 63,000/Oz, Oz: $8.00
'WINGED EVERLASTING'. Large pearly white flowers with yellow centers, up to 2" across. Branched woolly perennial to 2 - 3 feet. The stems have striking broad flat wings. Australia. For drying, cut before the flowers fully open, and dry in a shady place. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks at warm temperatures.
AMORPHA (a-MOR-fa)
LEGUMINOSAE. Hardy, graceful North American shrubs with dense spikes of flowers and feathery pinnate leaves. Easily grown in borders & shrubbery.
—Amorpha fruticosa. (b,f-h) AMOR-7. Packet: $1.50
Germination: 68% Tested: 10/07, Oz: $4.00 (about 3250 seed)
'FALSE INDIGO'. Dark purple flowers in dense 3 - 6" spikes in summer. Hardy shrub to 5 - 20 feet, with feathery pinnate 6 - 12" leaves. Saskatchewan to México. "Remarkable for the unusual color of its dark violet-purplish flowers." —Bailey. Beautiful and easily grown. Sow the whole tiny pods to germinate in 3 - 5 weeks, or rub out of pods and nick or use hot water for higher germination.
AMORPHOPHALLUS: See Perishable Items page.
AMSONIA (am-SO-nee-a)
APOCYNACEAE. Hardy perennials valued in the border or among shrubbery, for their blue starry flowers. Easy in most soils in sun or part shade. Native to E. North America and E. Asia.
NEW—Amsonia hubrichtii. (e,h) AMSO-10. Packet: $2.50
Starry blue flowers in clusters on a hardy perennial to 3 - 5 feet, with narrow needle-like leaves that turn bright yellow-orange in fall. Ozarks. Zone 5. Prechill 4 - 8 weeks to germinate in 3 - 5 weeks.
—Amsonia illustris. (c,h) AMSO-12. Packet: $2.00
Germination: 92% Tested: 5/07, 1/2 Oz: $10.00 (about 1000 seed)
Rich light blue flowers in early spring on a hardy perennial to 4 feet, with broad, glossy leaves. Missouri to Texas. Hardy to Zone 4 and stands gravelly to garden soil. Give 4 - 8 weeks cold, to germinate in 2 - 3 weeks.
—Amsonia Tabernaemontana var. salicifolia. (e,h) AMSO-23S. Packet: $2.50
'WILLOW-LEAVED BLUE STARS'. Starry light blue 3/4" flowers in clusters in spring and early summer. Hardy perennial to 3 feet, with narrow leaves. SE U.S. Forms nice clumps with age. An outstanding feature is the beautiful yellow foliage in fall. Give 2 - 4 weeks cold to germinate in 1 - 3 weeks.
ANAGALLIS (a-na-GAL-is)
PRIMULACEAE. 'PIMPERNEL'. Low growing annual, biennial and perennial herbs cultivated for their pretty little star- or wheel-shaped flowers in shades of red, blue and white. Free-flowering and easily grown in warm places. Good for edging borders and as pot-plants on a sunny windowsill. Sow indoors in March or outdoors in April. Germinates in 1 - 6 weeks at cool to warm temperatures.
—Anagallis arvensis. (a!,h) ANAG-2. Packet: $2.00 Click for photo »
'POOR MAN'S WEATHERGLASS' 'SCARLET PIMPERNEL'. Salmon-red 5-petaled flowers produced abundantly on a low, trailing plant to 8". The petals have a purple spot at the base, and the stamens are covered with delicate violet hairs - a beautiful sight under a hand lens. The flowers close up if rain threatens. Worldwide. Formerly highly regarded medicinally, with a reputation going back to Pliny and Dioscorides. The leaves were added sparingly to salads and greens. Germinates in 1 - 6 weeks.
"No heart can think, no tongue can tell,
The virtues of the pimpernel." —Old Folk Rhyme.
—Anagallis linifolia (=coerulea). (a!,h) ANAG-5. Packet: $1.50
Germination: 48% Tested: 12/07, Oz: $4.00
Large deep gentian-blue 3/4" wide flowers in masses. Half hardy annual to 8", forming a soft compact mound of foliage. Mediterranean region. Good for borders and edging. For a nice flowering pot plant for a sunny window, sow in July or August. Germinates in 1 - 3 weeks warm.
ANAPHALIS (a-NA-fa-lis)
COMPOSITAE. Woolly perennials often grown for everlastings. Easily grown and nice in the border.
—Anaphalis margaritacea New Snow. (a!,h) ANAP-1N. Packet: $2.50
'PEARLY EVERLASTING'. Clustered small white, shiny round flowers with yellow tips, in July to September. Hardy perennial with white-woolly foliage. North Hemisphere. Cut flowers dry well, and they can be dyed various colors. Good for harsh areas. Leaves used as a tobacco substitute. Germinates in 2 - 4 weeks warm.
ANCHUSA (an-KOO-sa)
BORAGINACEAE. Easily grown summer blooming annuals, biennials and perennials with five-parted flowers. Good in ordinary soil and sun.
—Anchusa officinalis. (c,v) ANCH-18. Packet: $2.00
'BUGLOSS'. Dark blue-violet flowers that open reddish, in summer and fall. Hardy biennial or perennial to 2 - 3 feet, with narrow 4" leaves. Europe. The young leaves have been eaten cooked, and the flowers added to salads. Germination irregular.
ANDROPOGON (an-dro-PO-gon)
GRAMINEAE. Many species of widely distributed grasses. Some were major components of the great American prairie. Important grasses for forage, erosion control, ornament & prairie restoration. Robust & easily grown. Seed viable 3 - 4 years.
—Andropogon Gerardi. (a,h) ANDP-18. Packet: $1.25
Germination: 76% 10/07, Oz: $5.00, 1/4 lb: $10.00
'BIG BLUESTEM'. Native bunchgrass to 3 - 8 feet, with half-inch wide leaves and large, three-parted purplish spikes. Great Plains, from Canada to México. An excellent bunchgrass for ornament, prairie restoration, & erosion control. Provides forage and a rapid increase in the organic content of the soil. Strong & deep rooted, thriving in wet or dry places. Used medicinally by the Indians. The ashes are used in Navaho Evilway blackening. Seed germinates in about 2 weeks warm.
ANGELICA (an-JELL-i-ka)
UMBELLIFERAE. 'ANGELICA'. Stout aromatic perennials with stately umbels of white or pale yellow flowers. Planted in the border for ornament, food and medicine. Sow in late fall to germinate in spring, or give 4 - 6 weeks cold treatment and sow in spring.
Bertrand reports the best success germinating the seed by sowing on the soil surface, then covering with 1/4" of chick grit, to germinate at 60 - 70°F.
—Angelica atropurpurea. (b,v) ANGE-4. Packet: $2.00 Click for photo »
'ALEXANDERS'. Dark wine-purple stems and white flowers in 10" wide umbels. Hardy perennial to 6 feet, with divided leaves. Wet areas, eastern N. America. Hardy to Zone 4. Medicinal.
"Any close and worthwhile contact with the earth tends to make one original or at least detached in one's judgments and independent of group control." —L.H. Bailey.
ANGOPHORA (an-GO-for-a)
MYRTACEAE. Australian evergreen trees related to Eucalyptus, but with five-petaled flowers. Easy, fast-growing, blooms profusely, and stands some frost.
NEW—Angophora costata. (d,h) ANGO-6. Packet: $2.00 OUT OF STOCK
'SYDNEY REDGUM'. Profuse clusters of white, inch-wide, five-petaled flowers in spring and early summer, which attract nectar-seeking birds and insects. Deep wine-red new foliage, narrow 5" leaves. Pinkish bark peels to show bright orange-brown new bark, and often has curiously twisted branches. Open-crowned tree to 80 feet. E. Australia. Produces abundant honey and pollen. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks.
NEW—Angophora hispida. (10,g) ANGO-11. Packet: $2.00
'DWARF APPLE'. Abundant white 1 1/2" five-petaled flowers from pink and red buds, in spring and summer. Shrub or small tree to 10 - 30 feet, with red-tipped 4" leaves, and orange to pink flaking bark. NSW Australia. Buds, flowers and foliage all good floral material. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks.
ANIGOZANTHOS: See Reserved Access Page.
ANTHEMIS (AN-the-mis)
COMPOSITAE. 'CHAMOMILE'. Very free-flowering hardy aromatic annuals, biennials and perennials, with yellow or white daisy-like flowers and finely divided foliage. Grown in the border, rock or herb garden for their abundant flowers. Needs full sun, and thrives in almost any soil, a dry sandy soil being best. Sow the annuals from March to May, on the soil surface, or up to 1/4" deep for some kinds. Flowers in about 13 weeks. Biennials and perennials may be sown any time up to August. Many will self sow. Some are very good for cut flowers.
—Anthemis nobilis. (c,g) ANTH-10. Packet: $2.00 OUT OF STOCK
Germination: 86% Tested: 9/07, 5 grams: $6.00, 10 grams: $10.00 OUT OF STOCK
Click for photo »
'ROMAN CHAMOMILE', 'MANZANILLA'. A hardy, low growing, compact trailing perennial to 12", with abundant white 3/4" daisies with yellow centers in July to September, held above the aromatic, finely divided, feathery foliage. Europe. An excellent aromatic lawn substitute; do not mow till the second year. Grown since ancient times for flavoring and medicine, the Egyptians revered its virtues and dedicated it to their gods. Chamomile tea, made from the flowers, is an old favorite, being soothing, sedative, beneficial to digestion, tonic to the nerves, and tasty, too. The whole herb was used for making herb beer. Cut flowers when fully opened for tea. Germinates in 1 - 4 weeks warm.
—Anthemis Sancti-Johannis. (b,h) ANTH-13. Packet: $2.00
Germination: 70% Tested: 10/07, 5 grams: 5.00, 10 grams: $8.00
'ST. JOHN'S CHAMOMILE'. Deep orange-yellow 2" wide daisies. Hardy perennial to 2 feet, with divided leaves. Bulgaria. Showy and free flowering in well drained soil and full sun. Germinates in 1 - 5 weeks.
—Anthemis tinctoria Kelwayi. (a,h) ANTH-14K. Packet: $2.00 Click for photo »
Germination: 62% Tested: 12/07, 5 grams: $6.00
'GOLDEN MARGUERITE', 'DYER'S CHAMOMILE'. Lemon-yellow 1 1/2" daisies in summer to tall, held above finely cut feathery foliage. Hardy perennial to 16" or so. Europe. The flowers are used to dye wool and as a tea. "An excellent hardy perennial border plant, and useful at the same time for cut-flowers." —L. H. Bailey. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks.
"In wine there is truth." —Pliny.
ANTHYLLIS (an-THIL-is)
LEGUMINOSAE. Easily grown mostly hardy herbs & shrubs prized for their showy flowers. Good in rockwork and full sun. Likes lime. Soak, nick hard ones.
—Anthyllis vulneraria. (c,h) ANTY-10. Packet: $2.50
'LADY'S FINGERS', 'WOUNDWORT'. Bright yellow-orange flowers in dense heads on a sprawling hardy perennial to 6 - 8", with silky pinnate foliage. Eurasia. Good bee & butterfly plant and soil improver. Good in dry, sunny places. Medicinal. Seed half-life 9 years. Nick seed to germinate in 2 weeks.
ANTHRISCUS (an-THRIS-kus)
UMBELLIFERAE. 'CHERVIL'. Parsley-like plants with pinnately compound leaves and umbels of small white flowers. Grown for the delicious aromatic leaves which are eaten in salads and in sauces. Easily grown from seed in any soil. Likes shade.
—Anthriscus Cerefolium: see Chervil in Vegetable List.
—Anthriscus sylvestris. (c,h) ANTS-22. Packet: $2.00
'WOODLAND CHERVIL', 'COW PARSLEY'. Hardy perennial to 6 feet, with umbels of small white flowers. Eurasia. Similar to cultivated chervil. Excellent in salads and for cooking. Easily grown. Sow in fall or give 1 - 4 months cold treatment.
ANTIGONON (an-TIG-o-non)
POLYGONACEAE. Showy tendril climbers from México & Central America, easily grown in warm regions and in the greenhouse. Blooms best in not-too-rich soil. Vines killed by frost, but resprouts from the tubers. Loves heat. In the greenhouse, rest dry in winter. Germinates in 2 - 4 weeks at 70°F.
—Antigonon leptopus. (e,h) ANTI-1. Packet: $3.00
'CORAL VINE', 'CORALLITA'. Bright rose-pink flowers in clusters from spring to fall. Climber to 40 feet with heart-shaped to triangular leaves. México. "One of the handsomest summer-blooming greenhouse climbers..." —L. H. Bailey. The tubers reach 15 pounds, are edible when cooked, and are said to have a nut-like flavor. Germinates in 2 - 4 weeks. Rub papery husk off seed.
ANTIRRHINUM (an-ti-RYE-num)
SCROPHULARIACEAE. Very popular annuals and perennials grown for their showy flowers which are good for cutting. Excellent in the border, and the dwarf kinds for edging and in the rock garden. The modern types are very over hybridized, but the wild kinds and old-fashioned types still retain their natural beauty. Sow seed as early as February and as late as September for winter bloom. Avoid sowing during mid-summer heat. Do not cover the seed as light is beneficial to germination, which takes 10 to 20 days, and up to 72 days for some species at cool temperatures. Seed viable for 3 - 7 years or more.
—Antirrhinum majus maximum Varieties:
'SNAPDRAGONS'. These are the old-fashioned open pollinated tall snapdragons, cottage-garden favorites. Easily grown, excellent for cut flowers.
—Antirrhinum Choice O.P. Mix. (a,h) ANTR-30CX. Packet: $1.50
Germination: 86% Tested: 9/07, Oz: $7.50 (about 227,000 seed), 1/4 lb: $20.00
Old fashioned open-pollinated snapdragons, in a mix of colors. To 1 - 2 feet. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks.
—Antirrhinum Magic Carpet Mix. (a!,h) ANTR-30MC. Packet: $1.50
Germination: 90% Tested: 9/07, 235,000/Oz, Oz: 6.00, 1/4 lb: $15.00
Miniature plants to 8" tall, with a trailing habit. Good mix of colors. Excellent in the rockery or as edging. Germinates in 1 - 3 weeks warm.
—Antirrhinum majus Sawyer's Mixed. (a,h) ANTR-30SX. Packet: $2.00
A very hardy strain of old-fashioned snap dragons, said to have been developed from plants found "growing on old walls on a farm in Suffolk:" —Chiltern. About a foot tall, and a colorful mix.
NEW—Antirrhinum sempervirens. (b,g) ANTR-40. Packet: $2.00
Creamy white inch-long snapdragons with violet stripes and yellow throats, in June and July. Fairly hardy trailing perennial to 4 - 6". Pyrenees. Zone 7. Good in dry rocky areas. Prechill seed, but some germinate in 2 - 3 weeks warm.