My Scarlet Mallow is finally blooming. I bought it from Plant Delights this spring during an open house, and placed it in my fish pond. I LOVE the flowers on it, but wonder if if might do better (it only has two tall stalks on it right now) if it were in the ground by the pond. Anyone have luck/experience growing this variety -- in or out of the water?
Hello there, I grow this variety in an area that stays wet in the spring and dries out in the summer and its came back for 3 years now. I guess low areas that hold water are just fine since thats where mine is.
I have seen it growing in botanical gardens in dryer situations and i have seen it in North Carolina growing in a watery ditch outside an aquarium so i guess it sort of depends what situation you have in your yard.
Hope this helps!
that's so unique looking with that star in the middle! beautiful! I'll be looking for that one, do you know how hardy (zone?) it is?
This message was edited Jul 30, 2009 9:47 AM
Plant Delights says Zones 6-9. This is my first year with it, so I can't comment yet on it's survivability for winter. I plan to email them for recommendations to ensure a happy return next year.
PD also has a one with white flowers ... very pretty; unfortunately, it's sold out now. :( I love the scarlet color though.
I live in zone 5b and its came back here for 3 years now. I suppose with protection or in a sheltered site it could be overwintered in colder areas, not sure though.
I would like to get the 'Alba' from PD, i may be making a purchase from then next spring!
I went to NC last year and went through Raleigh and all I kept thinking was "Isn't Plant Delights Nursery here somewhere?"
Mine die down every year then grow back from the roots to form a nice bush with blooms in the summer. They grow wild here along the riverbanks. Just gorgeous!
This message was edited Aug 6, 2009 12:52 PM
Fburg -- PD is just south of Raleigh, down off Hwy 70 a couple miles. You wouldn't "happen upon it" driving around. It's a bit off the beaten path, to end up there means you were definitely doing so intentionally. But it is worth the trip just to walk around and see the grounds, greenhouses, and all that they do there. I make it a ritual to go to at least one open house each year.
Back to the subject hib, I collected 3 pods that were about to fall off mine two days ago, and probably got about 70 seeds so far, which doesn't take into account the other 8-10 pods that remain on the bush. As beautiful as this one is, I plan to add several more to my yard for next year. Though this will be my first time collecting seeds from my own plants and starting them out the following year for planting, so I'm excited!
On that note (starting new plants from seeds) ... does anyone have any idea when I should sow them to get them established for next year? I can do so indoors, or in the greenhouse -- whichever might be best based on recommendations.
I sow them in March (in The Netherlands) inside. Thats springtime here. It already are nice plants. But I don't put them in the garden before the winter. I keep them this winter in my greenhouse and plant them out next spring.
I already have 2 of these in my garden and they come back nice every year.
So you sow them and keep them indoors/GH for one year, then plant? If that's the case, I might try sowing them now to get what I want for next year.
They have been outside this whole summer and I keep them outside until it is going to freeze. But I am afraid they are still to fragile to survive the winter so they go inside for the winter. And next spring I plant them in the garden.
It already are plants with a height of 60-70 cm. I don't know if sowing them now is good. Maybe if you give them some additional light. It gets here a lot darker during the day and the days are also a lot shorter.
