ROSACEAE. A single species.
—Fallugia paradoxa. (b,g) FALL-4. Packet: $2.00
'APACHE PLUME'. Abundant inch-wide five-petaled white flowers on the ends of slender stems in April and May, followed by dense, feathery, pink-tinged seedheads. Handsome shrub to 1 - 8 feet, with deep green lobed leaves and flaking bark. SW desert mountains. Hardy to Zone 3 if kept dry. Best in well-drained soil. Valuable forage, and the Hopi use a tea of the leaves as a wash to promote hair growth. Fast growing and good arid-region landscaping. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks.
FEIJOA (fay-SHOW-a)
MYRTACEAE. 'PINEAPPLE GUAVA' Small trees of dry subtropical S. America, with showy flowers and edible fruits. Easily grown, pest-free and drought-resistant, they stand a few degrees of frost (down to 10 - 12 degrees F) and are favorites in California. Sow seed in a mixture of sand and sawdust compost to prevent damping off. Germinates in in 2 - 5 weeks. Plant out when at least 4" tall. Seed viable a year or more.
—Feijoa Sellowiana. (c,h) FEIJ-4. Packet: $2.50
'PINEAPPLE GUAVA'. Dull green 1 - 4" long fruits have delicious pineapple- flavored pulp. Eaten fresh or cooked, crystallized, or made into jam or jelly. A handsome little tree to 18 feet, with a broad crown and showy 1 1/2" flowers with thick petals, purple inside, and having long crimson stamens. Olive-like foliage. Brazil, Argentina. The thick, fleshy petals are also edible, having a rich, aromatic flavor. The fruits are much valued by various S. American tribes. They are best picked from the ground after they fall, as these have the most delicate and fully developed flavor. Germinates in 2 - 5 weeks.
FESTUCA (fes-TOO-ka)
GRAMINEAE. 'FESCUE'. Over 100 species of annual and perennial grasses of world-wide distribution. Many are important forage grasses and the perennials include some of the finest ornamental bunch grasses in cultivation. They are quite attractive planted among other perennials or grown in meadows. They germinate in 1 - 4 weeks, and may be helped by 5 days cold treatment. Many have naturally low germination. Seed half-life 3 - 9 years.
—Festuca ovina var. glauca. (b,h) FEST-8G. Packet: $2.00
Germination: 98% Tested: 12/07, 5 grams $9.00
'BLUE FESCUE'. Silvery blue leaves, an attractive ornamental grass growing in tufts to 16" tall, topped by handsome 6" panicles. Eurasia, naturalized in N. America. Excellent for edging in the border. The seeds were eaten by the Indians of the Great Basin. Seed half-life is about 5 years. Germinates in 1 - 4 weeks warm.
FILIPENDULA (fi-li-PEN-du-la)
ROSACEAE. Handsome hardy perennials related to Spiraea, with clusters of tiny flowers and pinnate leaves. Easy from seed. Best in moist soil.
—Filipendula Ulmaria. (b,f) FILI-24. Packet: $2.00 Click for photo »
'QUEEN OF THE MEADOW'. Tiny white flowers in terminal racemes. Hardy perennial to 2 - 6 feet. Eurasia, naturalized in N. America. Prefers wet fields and the water side. The leaves are fragrant and are used for strewing and flavoring wine and beer. A tea of the leaves is said to be a pleasant drink, and was taken for fevers and aches as an herbal aspirin substitute. Germinates in 2 - 10 weeks.
FRAGARIA (fra-GAR-ee-a)
ROSACEAE. 'STRAWBERRY'. Well-known perennials grown for their delicious fruit, attractive trifoliate leaves and charming five-petaled flowers. Easily grown in any ordinary, moist, well drained garden soil. Mulch beds with straw in winter. Many species make excellent ground covers.
Fragaria vesca Varieties:
'ALPINE STRAWBERRY', 'FRAISES DES BOIS', 'PERPETUAL or WOODLAND STRAWBERRY'. Bushy, compact, upright runnerless plants bear small but very flavorful and fragrant strawberries. As we who gather wild strawberries know, the modern types have sacrificed flavor for size. These small-fruited alpine types have excellent flavor, and if started early can bear some fruit the first season. Excellent for edgings & pots, and may be mowed as ground cover. Part shade or full sun. Nearly everbearing, giving all summer.
Sow early, barely cover, to sprout in 1 - 4 weeks at cool to warm temperatures. Plant out 6 - 12" apart.
—Fragaria vesca Alexandria. (b,h) FRAG-2A. Packet: $2.00
Germination: 84% Tested: 12/07, Gram: $6.00
Sweet and very aromatic red fruits on bushy, runnerless plants. An excellent selection. Germinates in 1 - 4 weeks.
—Fragaria vesca Alpine Yellow. (b,l) FRAG-2Y. Packet: $3.00
Small yellow sweet strawberries, fragrant and flavorful. May and June. Zone 5.
—Fragaria vesca Ruegen. (b,h) FRAG-2G. Packet: $2.50
Germination: 80% Tested: 10/07, Gram: $6.00, 5 grams: $20.00 BULK OUT OF STOCK - PACKETS ARE AVAILABLE
'ALPINE STRAWBERRY'. Large red aromatic fruits. Very productive and long bearing.
—Fragaria vesca var. vesca. (b,h) FRAG-2V. Packet: $2.50
Germination: 58% Tested: 1/08, Gram: $8.00
'WILD or WOODLAND STRAWBERRY'. Tiny red strawberries are much more fragrant & flavorful than commercial strawberries. White flowers & trifoliate leaves, like a dainty miniature garden strawberry. Has runners, unlike Ruegen. N. Temperate regions, this form from Europe. Germinates in 2 - 8 weeks, best at cool temperatures.
NEW—Fragaria vesca Wildform. (b,h) FRAG-2W. Packet: $2.50
Gram: $6.00
'WILD WOODLAND STRAWBERRY'. Tiny red strawberries and white flowers. Forms neat 8 - 10" mounds, but has few runners. Europe. Fragrant, flavorful strawberries. Zone 4. Germinates in 2 - 8 weeks.
FREMONTODENDRON (free-MONT-o-DEN-dron)
STERCULIACEAE. Two species of evergreen shrubs from the Californias. Needs good drainage, full sun. Not too hardy. Does well in pots in the greenhouse, and is grown in England against walls. Give hot water treatment then 4 - 8 weeks cold, to germinate in 4 - 12 weeks. Spectacular plants.
—Fremontodendron californicum. (e,g) FREM-4. Packet: $2.50 Click for photo »
'FLANNEL-BUSH'. Lemon yellow hibiscus-like 1 - 2" five-petaled flowers cover the bush in May & June. Fast growing shrub or small tree to 6 - 20 feet, with leathery, felty, three-lobed fig-like 1 - 2" leaves. California. As all the flowers tend to bloom at once, it becomes an eye-catching mass of color.
GAILLARDIA (gay-LAR-dee-a)
COMPOSITAE. Showy summer-flowering annuals & perennials from the Americas. Easily grown in well-drained soil and full sun. Long period of bloom, & they last well in water & are favorite cut-flowers.
Gaillardia aristata Varieties:
'BLANKET FLOWER'. Large showy daisies up to 5" across, in rich shades of red, orange and yellow, often bordered with darker maroon zones. Blooms from June to frost, and makes excellent long lasting cut flowers. Hardy perennial to 1 - 3 feet, with deeply cut leaves. Great Plains. One of our finest natives, it is easily grown as an annual or perennial. Good in heat, full sun and dry areas. Germinates in 1 - 3 weeks at cool to warm temperatures.
—Gaillardia aristata Bremen. (b,h) GAIL-1BR. Packet: $2.00
Germination: 99% Tested: 9/07, 10 grams: $9.00
Nice coppery-scarlet with yellow edge. To 30".
—Gaillardia aristata Burgundy. (d,h) GAIL-1N. Packet: $2.00
Glowing rich wine red. Showy. To 30" tall.
—Gaillardia aristata Goblin. (c,h) GAIL-1G. Packet: $2.00
Germination: 96% Tested: 9/07, 10 grams: $7.50 BULK OUT OF STOCK - PACKETS ARE AVAILABLE
Deep crimson 3" flowers with a yellow edge. The first dwarf, only 12 - 14" tall.
GALIUM odoratum: See Asperula odorata.
"We know that ants and certain Lamellicorn beetles are capable of feeling an attachment for each other, and that ants recognise their fellows after an interval of several months." —Charles Darwin.
GERANIUM (je-RAY-nee-um)
GERANIACEAE. Wide-ranging herbs with attractive often palmately divided leaves and charming, often showy 5-petaled flowers. Easy in most soils, good in the border, rockery and under trees. These are not greenhouse 'geraniums', which are Pelargonium.
—Geranium bohemicum. (5,h) GERN-8. Packet: $3.50
'ORCHID BLUE'. Brilliant blue flowers with dark veins, May to August. Annual or short-lived perennial to 18". Central Europe. Zone 6 or 7. Soak, nick hard, to germinate in 1 - 2 weeks.
—Geranium psilostemon. (5,h) GERN-186. Packet: $4.00
Large bright magenta 1 1/2" wide flowers with black centers, June & July. Hardy perennial to 28", with 6" deeply lobed leaves which turn red in fall. Armenia. Zone 6. Brilliant flowers. Nick seed to germinate in 2 - 3 weeks.
—Geranium Robertianum. (d,g) GERN-204. Packet: $2.00
Germination: 8% Tested: 12/07, Gram: $9.00
'HERB ROBERT', 'RED ROBIN'. Dark pink to red 3/4" flowers from May to October. Annual or biennial to 4 - 20", with finely divided ferny aromatic foliage. N. Hemisphere. Good to carpet part shade. Formerly used medicinally. Germinates in 1 - 3 weeks.
—Geranium sylvaticum. (d,h) GERN-228. Packet: $3.00
Gram: $10.00
Reddish-violet inch-wide flowers, early to midsummer. Hardy perennial to 2 feet, with deeply lobed and toothed 4 - 8" leaves. Europe to Siberia. Hardy to Zone 4 or more. Good to naturalize in woods. Soak, nick hard, to germinate in 1 - 6 weeks.
—Geranium viscossisimum. (e,g) GERN-252. Packet: $2.00
Pinkish-purple 1 1/2" five-petaled flowers in clusters to 2 1/2 feet tall. Hardy perennial with 4" leaves, rising from a small caudex. South Dakota to California. Stands drought and poor soil. The flowers are edible, and the plant is used as an insect repellant. Germinates in 1 - 4 weeks.
GEUM (JEE-um or GAY-um)
ROSACEAE. Easily grown hardy perennials with bright red to yellow flowers. Good for cutting. Best in sun and well-drained soil.
—Geum chiloense Mrs. Bradshaw. (c,h) GEUM-10B. Packet: $2.00
'FIREBALL'. Large, double, rich glowing scarlet flowers, good for cutting. Hardy perennial (to zone 6) forming a 15" mound of foliage with the flowers held well above it at 2 feet. Chile. Blooms May to July. An old favorite variety. Germinates in 2 - 3 weeks.
NEW—Geum macrophyllum. (a,h) GEUM-27. Packet: $2.00
'YELLOW AVENS' Bright yellow five-petaled 1/2" flowers on a hardy perennial to 3 feet, with round basal leaves and 3-lobed stem leaves. From E. Asia to Alaska, California & New York. Many medicinal uses, especially for aiding childbirth and as a contraceptive. The Chehalis Indian name 't'sit'sialk'um' means 'a prairie that sings'. Kinda nice... Germinates readily in 2 - 3 weeks warm.
—Geum urbanum. (c,v) GEUM-44. Packet: $2.00
'CLOVE ROOT', 'HERB BENNET'. Pale yellow 1/2" flowers in May to October. Hardy perennial to 1 - 2 feet, with large divided leaves. West Eurasia and N. Africa. Zone 6. The root is clove-scented, and used as spice and for flavoring wine and ale.
GILIA (JIL-ee-a or GIL-ee-a)
POLEMONIACEAE. Colorful western N. American annuals, biennials, and perennials, thriving in dry, sunny, well-drained spots. Easily grown.
—Gilia tricolor. (a!,h) GIL-42. Packet: $1.25
Germination: 75% Tested: 12/07, Oz: $5.00
'BIRD'S EYES'. Clustered violet to lavender bell-shaped 3/4" chocolate-scented flowers with yellow throats spotted purple and with blue pollen, from June to September. Hardy annual to 1 - 2 1/2 feet, with feathery foliage. California. Space 6 - 12". Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks.
GINKGO (GINK-go)
GINKGOACEAE. A single species. Germinates in 2 - 4 months.
—Ginkgo biloba. (e,h) GINK-1. Packet: 1.50
PERISHABLE. AVAILABLE DECEMBER to MAY ONLY!
1/4 lb: $5.00, lb: $12.00. About 400 seed per pound this year.
'MAIDENHAIR TREE'. Hardy tree to 120 feet with handsome 2 - 3" fan-shaped leaves. Beautiful golden fall color. E. China. A relict species with identical fossils dating to 200 million years ago. Probably extinct in the wild (may occur wild in Zhejiang) and surviving only in cultivation. As this is the sole remaining member of a formerly widespread family, it is the prime example of preservation through dissemination, and a model species for biological enrichment. The seeds are eaten and both seeds & leaves are valued in Chinese medicine, and have been proven useful for a variety of conditions associated with aging. Hardy to Zone 5 or more, easily grown, pest free. Plant it everywhere!
GLADIOLUS (gla-dee-O-lus)
IRIDACEAE. Well-known African & European tender and half-hardy cormous plants grown for their showy spikes of funnel-shaped flowers. Some are hardy in the North if mulched. Blooms best if crowded. Most germinate at cold temperatures.
—Gladiolus illyricus. (d,v) GLAD-36. Packet: $2.00
Purple- red 1 - 2" flowers in spikes of 3 - 10 blooms in April to August. Hardy perennial to 16 - 20", with foot-long sword-shaped leaves. Europe. Zone 6. Good in meadows. Germinates at cold temperatures. GA-3 helps. Will germinate in 1 - 5 months.
GLEDITSIA (gle-DIT-shee-a)
LEGUMINOSAE. 'HONEY LOCUST'. Handsome ornamental trees grown throughout the world. Vigorous, hardy, fast growing, drought resistant, standing almost any soil except heavy clay. They are excellent for shade, impenetrable hedges, timber & fuelwood production, erosion control, human, livestock and wildlife food, shelterbelts, etc. Tolerates alkalinity and salinity. Easy from seed, but has a hard seed coat. Either nick and soak, or cover with 3 - 4 times their volume with almost boiling water and soak till swollen. Sow shallowly to germinate in 1 - 4 weeks warm.
—Gleditsia caspica. (d,h) GLED-5. Packet: $2.50
Germination: 99% Tested: 9/07, Oz: $7.00
'CASPIAN HONEYLOCUST'. Small tree to 40 feet, with pinnate or bipinnate leaves and 8 - 12" pods. Trunk with 6" spines. Caspian region. Nick and soak to germinate in 2 - 3 weeks warm.
—Gleditsia triacanthos inermis. (d,h) GLED-10N. Packet: $2.00
Oz: $5.00
'THORNLESS HONEYLOCUST'. Thornlessness is a genetically dominant trait and comes true from seed. Other than lack of thorns, this tree has all of the fine properties of the thorny kind. "Over half of my thornless honey locusts wintered over! Many days we dropped below -40°F." —D.J., Saskatchewan. 1/97.
GLYCYRRHIZA (gli-sir-RI-za)
LEGUMINOSAE. Wide ranging perennials with pinnate leaves and spikes of flowers in summer. Good in the flower garden or grown for the sweet roots.
—Glycyrrhiza lepidota. (b,g) GLYC-15. Packet: $2.00
Germination: 56% Tested:10/07, 1/4 Oz: $8.00, 1/2 Oz: $14.00 (about 2500 seed)
'AMERICAN LICORICE'. White to pale yellow 1/2" flowers in 1 - 2" clusters from May to August. Hardy perennial to 1 - 3 feet, with pinnate foliage. N. America. The sweet roots contain up to 6% glycyrrhizin, and were eaten and used as flavoring by the Indians. Young tender shoots eaten raw. Good soil improver, likes damp sandy soil. Nick and soak to germinate in 1 - 2 weeks warm.
GOMPHRENA (gom-FREE-na)
AMARANTHACEAE. 'GLOBE AMARANTH'. Popular annuals and perennials grown for their brilliantly colored clover-like flowerheads, which are among the best everlastings. Good for borders & edging. Prefers rich, well-drained soil in full sun, and they tolerate drought and hot weather. Good pot plants for a sunny window. Best started indoors in February & March, or outdoors after danger of frost. Germinates in 1 - 3 weeks at warm temperatures. Space 12" apart or grow in 5" pots. Cut flowers when almost fully open for drying in an airy place.
Gomphrena globosa Varieties:
'GLOBE AMARANTH'. Bushy half hardy annual to 12" or taller, with narrow leaves and round 1 - 1/2" brilliant flowerheads. Easy. Old World tropics. Cultivated since 1714. One of the best everlastings.
We supply rubbed seed when possible, but not all varieties are available rubbed.
—Gomphrena Aurea-superba. (c,h) GOMP-2A. Packet: $2.00
Nice orange-yellow flowers, reddish bracts.
—Gomphrena globosa Purple. (c,h) GOMP-2P. Packet: $2.00
—Gomphrena globosa Strawberry Fields. (c,h) GOMP-2S. Packet: $2.00
Germination: 99% Tested: 9/07, 182/g, 10 grams: $8.00
True scarlet-red 2" flower-heads in great profusion. Good for cutting, they keep their color dried. To 1 - 2 feet.
—Gomphrena globosa White. (c,h) GOMP-2W. Packet: $2.00
GUNNERA (GUN-er-a or gu-NER-a)
GUNNERACEAE. Perennial herbs ranging from gigantic plants grown for their bold foliage, down to tiny mat-forming dwarfs. Best in cool, moist, mild climates—excellent on the Pacific coast.
I've had the best results by rubbing the seed out of its husk, then soaking in rubbing alcohol for 15 minutes to remove germination inhibitors. Then it will give good germination over 1 - 10 months.
—Gunnera manicata. (b,g) GUNN-16. Packet: $3.00
'GIANT GUNNERA'. Gigantic leaves can reach 5 - 10 feet across, rising in a cluster from the crown. Flower cluster 1 foot thick and 3 - 4 feet tall. S. Brazil. Occasionally forms a magnificent clump 25 - 35 feet across. Best grown near a pond to insure a steady supply of moisture.
GYMNOCLADUS (JIM-no-KLAD-us)
LEGUMINOSAE. Two species of deciduous trees grown for ornament and timber. Stands heat, cold, drought and poor soil. Seed has a very hard coat and must have a notch filed in them or they will take 2 - 8 years to germinate. Or soak in water 24 hours, then in concentrated sulfuric acid for 2 hours. Filed seed germinates in about 2 - 6 weeks or so.
—Gymnocladus dioica. (e,h) GYMC-1. Packet: $2.00
Germination: 99% Tested: 9/07, 1/2 lb: $10.00
'KENTUCKY COFFEE TREE'. Large tree to 50 - 110 feet, with large 1 1/2 - 3 foot long bipinnate leaves, which are pinkish in spring, deep green in summer, and clear yellow in fall. Greenish 1/2" flowers in foot-long racemes on female trees, 4" clusters on males. Females produce persistent thick red-brown 6 - 10" pods filled with large seed and pulp. E. U.S. The seeds are said to have been roasted as a coffee substitute in the 1700's, and were roasted and eaten like nuts by the Indians. The bruised leaves or pod pulp sprinkled with sweetened water are said to attract and kill flies. "One of the most handsome of all hardy trees." —Hilliers. The seeds were used as counters in an Indian game, and make excellent beads, taking on a high polish.
GYPSOPHILA (JIP-so-FIL-a)
CARYOPHYLLACEAE. 'BABY'S BREATH', 'CLOUD PLANT'. Popular hardy annuals & perennials widely grown for their myriads of tiny starry flowers in large, spreading, mist-like clusters. Among the most valuable of florist and dried everlasting material. Easily grown in garden or greenhouse for their airy grace. Prefers full sun and stands dry rocky soils. Best in alkaline soil, use lime. Sow annuals in early spring where they are to grow. Perennials may be sown any time up to 8 weeks before frost. Sprouts in 1- 3 weeks. Seed half-life 5 years.
Gypsophila elegans Varieties:
Hardy annual to 12 - 18", bearing a profusion of white, rosy or red flowers 1/4 - 1/2" wide or more, from June to frost. Popular florist material. Best sown every week during spring for succession cuttings. Sow in fall in hot climates. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks.
—Gypsophila elegans. (a!,h) GYP-5. Packet: $2.00
Germination: 90% Tested: 9/07, 25 grams: $8.00
Profuse starry white flowers on a hardy annual to 1 - 1 1/2 feet, with narrow leaves. Turkey. Germinates in a week.
—Gypsophila elegans Covent Garden. (a!,h) GYP-5CG. Packet: $2.00
Highly selected large flowering pure white. One of the finest varieties for cut flowers. To 28".
Other Gypsophila Species:
—Gypsophila briquetiana. (c,h) GYP-3. Packet: $2.50
White 1/2" flowers in clusters of 2 - 3, on 6 - 8" stems held above tiny, extremely compact buns of needle-like leaves, forming clusters of small mounds 1/2" high and 1 1/2" across. Very hardy and self-seeds. Germinates in 1 - 3 weeks.
—Gypsophila repens rosea. (b,h) GYP-21R. Packet: $2.00
Germination: 84% Tested: 12/07, 5 grams: $6.00, 10 grams: $9.00
'TRAILING BABY'S BREATH'. Starry rose flowers from deep rose buds, on a hardy perennial trailing plant to 6". Alps. Good for rockery and cascading down walls. A fine plant. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks.