J. L. HUDSON, SEEDSMAN, BOX 337, LA HONDA, CALIFORNIA 94020-0337 USA
2010 SEEDLIST - Cn - CzCNICUS (NIK-us)
COMPOSITAE. A single species. Easily grown.
—Cnicus benedictus. (c,h) CNIC-1. Packet: $2.00 OTC
ORGANIC SEED
Oz: $9.00 (about 750 seed), 1/4 lb: $25.00
'BLESSED THISTLE'. Bright yellow inch-wide flowers on a hardy, thistle-like
annual to 2 feet, with attractively marbled leaves. Blooms summer & fall.
Mediterranean. Once highly valued medicinally as a panacea for everything from
"the bitings of mad dogs" to migraine and gout. Contains anti-HIV
compounds. An excellent tonic, said to improve the memory. "...lay it to
your heart; it is the only thing for qualm... plain Holy Thistle."—Shakespeare.
Used in Benedictine, and the seeds yield an oil. Germinates in 1 - 3 weeks warm.
COBAEA (ko-BEE-a or ko-BAY-a)
POLEMONIACEAE. Rampant vining shrubs grown for their large, bell-shaped
violet or white flowers. Easily grown outdoors as annuals, or in the greenhouse.
Rich, moist, well-drained soil in full sun or light shade. Plant seed edgewise
indoors in 4" pots, or outdoors when soil is warm. Germinates in 1 - 3
weeks & flowers in 12 weeks. Viable 4 years or more.
—Cobaea scandens. (e,h) COBA-2. Packet: $2.50
OUT OF STOCK
Germination: 84% Tested: 10/09, 10 grams: $9.00, 25 grams: $16.00
OUT OF STOCK
'CATHEDRAL BELLS', 'CUP AND SAUCER VINE'. Large, bell-shaped purple 2"
long flowers open green, then darken, from June to October. Fast growing vine to
25 feet, with dark green leaves. México. An old-fashioned garden favorite.
"The state calls its own violence law; but that of the individual
crime."—Max Stirner.
COIX (KO-ix or KOY)
GRAMINEAE. Tall ornamental tropical grasses grown for their bead-like seeds.
Easily grown in rich sandy, well-drained soil, in full sun or light shade. Start
very early in pots, as it needs a long season. Germinates in 2 - 4 weeks. Seed
viable 5 years or more.
—Coix Lacryma-Jobi. (e,h) COIX-1. Packet: $2.50
Oz: $7.50, 1/4 lb: $20.00 - This unit out of stock.
Packets and ounces still available.
'JOB'S TEARS'. To 3 - 6 feet, with reed-like 1 1/2" wide leaves,
bearing unusual, teardrop-shaped, bead-like seeds ranging from pearly white to
shiny grey. Tropical Asia. Tender perennial grown as an annual. Plant out May
1st in Zone 5. Cut stems for dried arrangements before seeds fall. The seeds are
widely used as beads in rosaries, etc., to which marvelous properties are
attributed. They are edible and are ground for bread and made into beer.
COLCHICUM autumnale: See Reserved Access
page.
COLLINSIA (ko-LIN-see-a)
SCROPHULARIACEAE. Showy and free-flowering hardy annuals, mostly from
California and western North America. Easily grown and much used in borders,
bedding and for edging. Will bloom mid-summer till frost with succession
sowings. Best in well-drained soil and they stand part shade. Sow seed in spring
or fall, 1/4" deep, to germinate in about 14 days. They make long-lasting
cut flowers.
—Collinsia heterophylla (=bicolor). (a!,h) COLL-3. Packet: $1.50
Germination: 99% Tested: 10/09, Oz: $6.00, 1/4 lb: $14.00
'CHINESE HOUSES', 'INNOCENCE'. Large, inch-long flowers in stacked whorls,
resembling a pagoda in form, with a white upper lip, and a rosy purple lower
lip. Hardy annual to 1 - 2 feet, with slender stems. California. Sow thinly in
groups. Best in part shade Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks at cool temperatures.
"The means are the end."—U. K. LeGuin.
CONVOLVULUS (kon-VOLV-you-lus)
CONVOLVULACEAE. 'GLORY BIND'. Showy twining vines or upright herbs grown for
their funnel-shaped morning-glory-like flowers. Easily grown in most soils and
full sun with little care. Free flowering and good for covering fences or
allowed to clamber among shrubs, the bushy types in the flower and rock garden.
Some are excellent in hanging baskets. Vigorous growers, only a few are invasive
or weedy. Soak seed till swollen, nick if needed. Sow in early spring 1/4"
deep, to germinate in about 5 - 14 days at 60 - 65°F. The hardy perennials may
be sown in September for early flowers. Many are medicinal. Seed has grown well
up to 26 years old.
Convolvulus tricolor Varieties:
'DWARF MORNING GLORY'. Beautiful and floriferous hardy annual in various
colors. Upright and bushy, forming a mound about a foot tall and 2 feet wide,
with the showy 1 1/2" wide flowers borne in profusion above the narrow
leaves. Good in hanging baskets. Blooms continuously all summer. S. Europe.
Cultivated since 1629. "A splendid plant for the border."—Booth.
Soak seed, nick unswollen ones. Germinates in 1 - 4 weeks at warm temperatures.
—Convolvulus tricolor Royal Ensign. (c,h) CONV-22R. Packet: $2.50
Germination: 88% Tested: 10/09, 25 grams: $11.00
Click for photo »

Deep ultramarine blue with a golden center. To 16". Deepest blue of all
and closest to the wild type.
COREOPSIS (ko-ree-OP-sis)
COMPOSITAE. Hardy North American annuals and perennials grown for their
showy flowers. The annuals were formerly classed as Calliopsis. Beautiful
in the border, rock garden and for bedding. They make a fine display in any
garden soil in sun. Tolerates smog and poor soil. Makes good cut flowers. Sow
outdoors from early spring to fall, on the surface to 1/4" deep, to
germinate in 1 - 4 weeks, depending on temperature. Succession sowings from
March to June will provide continuous bloom. Often self-sows. Seed viable 3 - 8
years or more.
—Coreopsis grandiflora Baby Sun. (b,h) CORE-11B. Packet: $2.50
Large golden flowers with brown eyes, borne profusely, covering low compact
plants to 16". Hardy perennial, blooming June to August. Germinates in 1 -
2 weeks.
—Coreopsis lanceolata. (b,h) CORE-12. Packet: $2.50
Germination: 72% Tested: 8/09, 5 grams: $7.50
'LANCE-LEAVED COREOPSIS'. Bright yellow 2 1/2" flowers on long stems
(up to 12"), May to July. Hardy perennial to 2 - 4 feet, with narrow,
sometimes pinnate leaves. E. US. Germinates in 1 - 4 weeks.
"A freely blooming plant here, and will repeat several times a season if
kept deadheaded. Does fine in full sun and average soil."—J. Adkins.
—Coreopsis tinctoria Dwarf Red. (a!,h) CORE-6DR. Packet: $2.00
Germination: 92% Tested: 8/09, Oz: $6.00, 1/4 lb: $18.00
'DWARF RED PLAINS COREPSIS'. Bright red flowers on dwarf plants. Hardy
annual. Good in meadows and for naturalizing. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks.
—Coreopsis tinctoria Tall. (a!,h) CORE-6T. Packet: $1.50
Oz: $6.00, 1/4 lb: $15.00
'TALL PLAINS COREOPSIS'. Vivid single yellow flowers with wine-red centers.
Hardy annual to 3 feet. SW U.S. Excellent for naturalizing along roadsides, in
meadows, etc. Stands poor dry soil & part shade, blooming abundantly in
summer and fall, reseeding readily. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks warm.
CORIANDRUM (ko-ree-AN-drum)
UMBELLIFERAE. Easily grown aromatic annuals grown in the herb garden for
their flavorful leaves and seeds. Sow where they are to grow, 1/4" deep, to
germinate in 1 - 2 weeks. Sow in fall in the South, early spring in the North.
Seed viable 6 - 8 years.
—Coriandrum sativum. (b,h) CORI-5. Packet: $2.00
Oz: $5.00, 1/4 lb: $10.00 BULK
OUT OF STOCK - PACKETS ARE AVAILABLE
'CORIANDER', 'CILANTRO'. Annual herb to 1 - 3 feet, with divided leaves and
small white or pinkish flowers in umbels, followed by clusters of round aromatic
seed. S. Europe. Cultivated since ancient times, the seeds have been found in
Egyptian tombs, and they are mentioned by Pliny, Cato, Palladius and Hippocrates.
The young leaves are picked at any time for use in salads, soups, etc. They are
very popular in Latin America and China. The ripe seed are used for flavoring
breads & cakes, liqueurs, curries, etc. Little clusters coated with sugar
were a favorite treat of children. In China they were believed to confer
immortality. Harvest the seed clusters when they begin to turn brown. Their
flavor improves with age. The roots are powdered for seasoning by Southwest
Indians.
—Coriandrum sativum Long Standing. (b,h) CORI-5LS. Packet: $2.00
Germination: 85% Tested: 11/09, Oz: $5.00, 1/4 lb: $12.00
'CILANTRO CORIANDER'. This variety is slow to bolt, making it the best for
leaf production. Gives a longer season of harvest of the spicy leaves, which are
used in Latin American & Asian dishes.
COSMOS (KOZ-mos)
COMPOSITAE. 'MEXICAN ASTER'. Showy, easily grown annuals and perennials
planted for their graceful, feathery foliage and abundant mid-summer to fall
bloom. Best in poor dry soil, as rich soil will give abundant growth, but little
bloom. Sow outdoors after danger of frost or for early bloom, sow indoors 6
weeks earlier. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks. Good cut flowers if picked when first
opened. Seed viable 6 years or more. Old garden favorites.
Cosmos bipinnatus Varieties:
Showy annual to 2 - 10 feet, with feathery foliage and large daisy-like 2 -
6" wide flowers in shades of red, rose, white and pink. Cultivated since
1799. México. The 'Sensation' strain are about 4 feet tall, early blooming,
with large, single 4 - 6" flowers.
—Cosmos Candy Stripe. (c,h) COS-1CS. Packet: $2.50
Germination: 92% Tested: 8/09, 25 grams: $12.00
White, rose and red flowers with petals edged and striped darker. Germinates
in 1 - 2 weeks.
NEW—Cosmos bipinnatus Daydream. (250) COS-IDY. Packet: $2.50
Germination: 84% Tested: 5/09,
Oz: $9.00
Pale pink flowers shading to deeper rose at the center. Good for cutting.
Hardy annual to 3 - 5 feet.
—Cosmos Domino Mix. (b,h) COS-1DX. Packet:
$2.00
Germination: 92% Tested: 8/09, Ounce: $6.00, 1/4 lb: $15.00
A nice rich blend of colors.
NEW—Cosmos bipinnatus Gloria. (500) COS-1GL. Packet: $2.00
Oz: $6.00, 1/4 lb: $15.00
Rosy pink flowers with deep red center. Hardy annual to 3 - 5 feet. Good for
cutting.
NEW—Cosmos bipinnatus Picotee. (500) COS-1PC. Packet: $2.00
Germination: 99% Tested: 10/09,
Oz: $7.50, 1/4 lb: $22.00
White flowers with petals edged red, ranging to pure red. Nice. Germinates
in 1 - 2 weeks.
—Cosmos Sensation Dazzler. (b,h) COS-1D. Packet: $2.00
Germination: 93% Tested: 3/09,
Ounce: $6.00, 1/4 lb: $15.00
Fiery crimson red flowers. Very pretty. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks.
—Cosmos Sensation Pinky. (b,h) COS-1P. Packet: $2.00
Germination: 88% Tested: 7/09, Ounce: $6.00, 1/4 lb: $15.00
Bright rose-pink, large blooms. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks.
—Cosmos Sensation Purity. (b,h) COS-1W. Packet: $2.00
Germination: 99% Tested: 7/09, Ounce: $6.00, 1/4 lb: $15.00
A wonderful, large-flowered snowy white.
—Cosmos Sensation Radiance. (b,h) COS-1R.
Packet: $2.00
Germination: 88% Tested: 8/09, Ounce: $6.00, 1/4 lb: $15.00
Deep rose with a crimson zone.
—Cosmos parviflorus. (c,h) COS-19. Packet:
$2.50
'SMALL COSMOS'. Dainty orchid pink inch-wide flowers. Annual to 2 - 3 feet, with
thread-like leaves. Gravelly soil, SW U.S. A lovely species. The young plants
have been used in salads. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks.
Cosmos sulphureus Varieties:
Showy annual to 1 - 7 feet, resembling C. bipinnatus, but in yellow,
orange and red shades. Large, 2 - 3" wide, long-stemmed flowers on bushy
plants. México. The 'Klondyke' strain has large, early, semi-double blooms, and
is about 1 - 3 feet tall.
—Cosmos sulphureus Bright Lights. (c,h) COS-3B. Packet: $2.00
Germination: 87% Tested: 1/10,
10 grams: $5.00, 25 grams: $9.00
Bright mixture of yellow and orange shades, developed for cut-flowers. Hardy
annual to 2 feet.
—Cosmos sulphureus Klondyke Sunny Red. (b,h) COS-3R. Packet: $2.50
Germination: 96% Tested: 8/09, 25 grams: $11.00, 100 grams: $30.00
Glowing orange-red shades on a dwarf compact annual to 14" tall.
Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks.
"Either we are alone in the universe, or we are not. Either way, it's a
mighty sobering thought."—Walt Kelley.
COWANIA (KO-wan-EE-a)
ROSACEAE. Showy desert shrubs of the Southwest. Good in rock gardens and for
xeriscaping.
NEW—Cowania mexicana. (c,h) COWA-7. Packet: $2.50
'CLIFFROSE.' Fragrant 1/2" cream to yellow flowers like single roses in
May and June, followed by long plumed seedheads. Aromatic 1/2" toothed
leaves. Very hardy shrub to 1 - 6 feet. Desert canyon slopes, SW U.S. The inner
bark was used for cloth by the Hopi. About half germinate in 2 - 6 weeks warm,
but 2 - 8 weeks cold improves germination.
CRAMBE (KRAM-be)
CRUCIFERAE. Herbs or sub-shrubs with large succulent leaves, grown for
ornament or as vegetables. Small white fragrant flowers. Easily grown,
preferring heavy soil and thriving in exposed situations.
—Crambe cordifolia. (e,h) CRAM-6. Packet: $3.00
'GIANT SEA KALE', 'COLEWORT'. Striking foliage plant with large
wavy-margined leaves to 3 feet long. Tiny creamy white, sweet-scented flowers in
large clusters up to 5 - 7 feet tall, and as wide. Blooms in July and August.
Caucasus. A magnificent hardy perennial. The root and foliage are said to be
edible. Well worth growing. Germinates in 1 - 10 months.
—Crambe maritima. (10,h) CRAM-18. Packet: $3.00
5 grams: $9.00, 25 grams: $32.00
'SEA KALE'. Large, chalky blue-green, wavy, fleshy, long-stalked 6 -
12" leaves, and large panicles of tiny white flowers in May to July. Hardy
perennial to 3 feet, from the sea-coasts of Europe. The flowers are
honey-scented, and the young stems are blanched and eaten as a delicacy. Give
seed 1 - 3 months cold or crack out of shell to germinate in 1 - 4 weeks.
"You've got to read between the lies."—J.L.H.
CUMINUM (KOO-min-um)
UMBELLIFERAE. A single species. Sow seed where they are to grow in April or
May, after danger of frost, to germinate in about 1 - 2 weeks. They grow quickly
and ripen seed in July and August. Space 1 - 2 feet apart. Easy. Seed viable 3
years.
—Cuminum Cyminum. (a,h) CUMI-5. Packet:
$2.50
'CUMIN', 'COMINO'. Half hardy annual to 6 - 12", with finely divided
dark green leaves and tiny white or reddish flowers followed by aromatic seeds.
Upper Nile. Cut stems when seeds begin to dry. An ancient spice, it was grown by
the Egyptians and mentioned by Pliny, Hippocrates, and Dioscorides. The hot,
spicy, aromatic seeds were used medicinally and are popular for flavoring
breads, cheeses, soups, chutneys, curries, liqueurs and Spanish and Méxican
dishes. Ground in wine, Pliny claimed them the best appetizer. Common in
Normandy in 716 CE, & in England in 1264. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks.
CUPHEA (ku-FEE-a)
LYTHRACEAE. Vivid-flowered plants from the Americas. Easy from seed. Plant
out in sheltered spots in April or May. Good pot plants in the greenhouse.
—Cuphea ignea (=platycentra) (b,h) CUP-20. Packet: $2.50 OUT
OF STOCK
'FIRECRACKER PLANT'. Bright red violet white-tipped inch-long tubular
flowers produced in profusion in summer. Tender perennial, often grown as an
annual, to 1 foot. Attractive shining pointed leaves. México. Nice pot plant.
Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks.
CUPRESSUS (koo-PRESS-us)
CUPRESSACEAE. Handsome evergreen trees and shrubs with scale-like leaves and
round woody cones. Native to warm-temperate N. Hemisphere. For mild climates.
The durable wood was used for Egyptian mummy caskets, and the doors of St.
Peter's in Rome, made of cypress wood, have lasted 1200 years. Varies in
percentage of filled seed, but is viable 20 years. Germinates in 2 - 8 weeks or
so.
—Cupressus arizonica. (b,l) CUPR-1. Packet:
$2.50
'ARIZONA CYPRESS'. Fast-growing tree to 40 feet with dense blue-green to
silvery-grey foliage—color very variable from seed. Round inch-wide cones and
grey-brown shredding bark. Arizona. Zone 7. Good windbreak in hot desert
climates.
—Cupressus cashmeriana (=darjeelingensis) (b,g)
CUPR-4. Packet: $2.50
Ounce: $8.00, 1/4 lb: $24.00
'KASHMIR CYPRESS'. Striking tree with weeping branchlets of a conspicuous
vivid blue-grey color. Fast growing small tree with 1/2" cones. Kashmir,
Tibet. Good in California and mild climates. "One of the most graceful
and beautiful of all conifers."—Hilliers. Germinates in 1 - 2 months
warm, no prechill needed.
CYCLAMEN (SIK-la-men)
PRIMULACEAE. Tuberous-rooted herbs with heart-shaped leaves and beautiful
flowers. Popular florist subjects. Most are grown in the greenhouse; some of the
species are hardy in the North. They do best in a rich moist soil with plenty of
leaf-mold and sand. Seed is variable in germination, so space them widely in
flats so that the seedlings can be pricked out singly. Cover seed well. Seed
sown in fall & carried over in a protected place will flower in 6 - 18
months. An important point is to keep them growing when young. Hardy species are
good in shady, woodsy spots. Cyclamens may live 100 years.
NEW—Cyclamen hederifolium. (20) CYCL-11. Packet: $4.00
'IVY-LEAF CYCLAMEN'. Soft rose-pink inch-long flowers on 3 - 4" stems.
Large, ivy-like, heart-shaped, silver-mottled 5" leaves. S. Europe to
Turkey. One of the most reliably hardy species, to Zone 5 at least. Blooms late
summer and fall, after the leaves die back. Germinates irregularly, the roots
forming in 3 - 16 weeks, the leaves show 1 - 2 months later.
CYMBALARIA (sim-ba-LAR-ee-a)
SCROPHULARIACEAE. Trailing European perennials with spurred Linaria-like
flowers, grown as groundcover in moist part shade, or cascading down rock walls.
Good in hanging baskets. Easy from seed.
—Cymbalaria muralis. (a,h) CYMB-3. Packet: $2.50
5 grams: $15.00
'KENILWORTH IVY', 'WANDERING SAILOR'. Lilac-blue 1/2" flowers with
yellowish centers, held above the dainty, round, 5 - 7-lobed leaves. Slender
trailing perennial. S. Europe, widely naturalized. Once pollinated, the flowers
turn away from the light to ripen their seed in crevices. Eaten as salad greens
in Europe, & is slightly pungent, like cress. Seed needs light, surface sow.
Germinates in 1 - 3 weeks.
CYMBOPOGON (sim-bo-POE-gon)
GRAMINEAE. Large, tufted, tropical Old World grasses, many of which are
fragrant, producing various essential oils including citronella. Most are
lemon-scented, and are used as tea or in perfumery and flavoring. Interesting.
—Cymbopogon flexuosus. (c,h) CYMP-10.
Packet: $2.50
'EAST INDIAN LEMON GRASS'. Large tropical perennial grass. Strongly
aromatic, used dried as a tea, source of flavoring oil, and as a substitute for
Thai lemongrass. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks.
CYNOGLOSSUM (si-no-GLOSS-um)
BORAGINACEAE, Hardy herbaceous plants grown for their forget-me-not-like
flowers. Sun or part shade. Easily grown & attractive, sow direct.
—Cynoglossum amabile. (a,h) CYNO-4. Packet: $2.00
Oz: $5.00, 1/4 lb: $10.00
'CHINESE FORGET-ME-NOT'. Sky blue 1/4" flowers ranging into pink and
white, in sprays to about 2 feet tall. Hardy biennial with downy 8" leaves
in rosettes. E. Asia. Germinates in 1 - 3 weeks warm.
CYPELLA (SEE-pel-a or KEE-pel-a)
IRIDACEAE. Long-blooming Iris-like plants from Mexico and South
America. Best in light sandy soil. Grow like Gladiolus, lift bulbs in
fall.
NEW—Cypella coelestis. (20) CYPL-8. Packet: $2.50
OUT OF STOCK
Blue 3" wide flowers with yellow spots, in late summer to frost. Narrow
pleated leaves. Tender perennial to 2 - 3 feet. Brazil to Argentina. Seed
germinates in 1 - 6 months warm.
"Roads betook themselves into the forest, like great serpents devouring as
they went. And one day behold! the forest was gone."—L. H. Bailey.
CYPERUS (SI-per-us)
CYPERACEAE. 'GALINGALE', 'FLAT-SEDGE'. A huge genus of sedges, 600 or more
species, ranging from the tropics to temperate regions. Many are highly
ornamental, as pot plants grown indoors for their tropical effect, or outdoors
in ponds, bog gardens, and moist places. Some species produce tubers, many are
nut-like and edible, others are fragrant and used in perfumery, and in the
Amazon Basin exist many species with highly valued medicinal tubers. One species
produced the first paper, papyrus in ancient Egypt. Most are easy from
seed, giving high germination within a month.
—Cyperus esculentus var. sativus. (c,h) CYPE-14. Packet of tubers: $2.00
OUT OF STOCK
Tubers: 1/4 lb: $7.50, lb: $15.00 BULK
OUT OF STOCK
'CHUFA', 'EARTH ALMOND', 'TIGER-NUTS'. Ornamental perennial to 8" - 3
feet. Worldwide. Sow tubers in spring in moist places, harvest in October or
November. Cultivated for thousands of years for the sweet, nutritious, nutty
tubers. They are eaten raw, ground with water for a drink, in porridge, toasted,
dried, or roasted and ground as a coffee or chocolate substitute. They become
sweeter and more agreeable when dried, They contain 12 - 20% sucrose, 25 - 30%
starch, and 27 - 29% of a sweet oil which can be pressed and used in fine
cooking. They are greatly esteemed in Europe, China and Africa, and have been
found in Egyptian tombs dating to 2400 BCE. The Zulu chew them to relieve
indigestion and bad breath. Excellent in swampy waste areas for pig forage. This
is a distinct cultivar, and does not become weedy at all, and as such is NOT
regulated by weed laws. It is sterile, and does not produce seed, and also
does not produce runners—the tubers are held right below the plant.