I posted this in the Tropicals forum, and it hasn't even been 24 hours, but it is getting further and further bumped down and no responses.... so, since it's also kinda a climate related question I decided to post it here to. Any of you Texans (especially North Texans) experienced with any of this stuff I bought yesterday?! I want to plant them today but would like some feedback first. It's just 3 plants and if you can help with any of them that would be great! Here is the link:
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/527662/
Texans and Tropicals!
I'm further south than you, but Persian Shield is a tender perennial even down here. I've tried twice to keep some over the winter (in the ground) and haven't succeeded yet.
I have Kaempferia gilbertii, and it is in fine in my zone over the winter, with mulch. It doesn't come back until it's pretty warm (after coleous even), so be patient. I do love it.
Thanks Maggie! So have you tried rooting Persian Shield to overwinter it? Or tried bringing a whole potted plant in for the winter?
Surely you aren't saying your coleous comes back?!
TG, I answered on the tropicals forum. Persian Shield died when we had the snow at Christmas(26* for a few hours). The coleus survived with mulch, but not the Persian Shield.
The Kaempferias are supposed to be hardy in zone 8.
The other plant, the caricature plant, is not hardy, it doesn't like to get chilled or it will lose all of it's leaves. Bring it in when the temps start getting below 50.
No, my coleus doesn't come back, I just root it if I feel like it.
I haven't tried rooting Persian Shields. I am terrible at propagation!
I can do cuttings ok but I am horrible with seeds! :)
I used to be able to do cuttings, but I can't get used to the growing season in this zone although this seems to be the time to take coleus cuttings, I am having good luck with them now but killed a bunch back in the spring.
I ruined a bunch of seeds, learned that TX is too brutal to plant seeds directly in the ground! My bathroom window is perfect for starting seeds, it has a big sill and there is a garden tub right under it so I don't have to worry about spilling water. I did line the sill with foil to keep DH happy(he said I would ruin the paint)
Maggiemoo, the persian shield is easy, take cuttings just like coleus and strip off the lowest leaves.
Does anybody know how to root basil? I have a plant, it is not supposed to flower or set seed and it hasn't so far. The man at the nursery said it only grows from cuttings. I had to cut it back, it was getting too big. For now I have the cuttings in water.
Which Persian sheild are you talking about? They also call that Magilla Perilla (sp?) persian shield too. It's not what comes to my mind when I hear Persian shield but...just wanted to know since I've had my hand slapped for not knowing the difference before (of course that was not on Dave's forum!).
I always think of Persian shield as strobilanthes dyeriannthus. It does survive the winter for me but it looks as though it may not make it thru this summer for me. It has good afternoon shade but I guess this summer even the morning sun is frying stuff. It roots very easy for me in the fall. I figure if I can do it it's not that hard. LOL :)
Debbie
This message was edited Jul 10, 2005 3:20 PM
Many people on the Brugmansia forum aerate the water the cuttings are in and swear that it improves the rooting rate. They use an aquarium pump, tubing and an air stone. I haven't tried it yet.
My tag says Strobilanthes dyerianus "Persian Shield. It's a Proven Winners plant. No hand slapping here! :)
Jamie
Ya know that's what I've thought of as persian shield for years now--who knew there was another? LOL
I've never heard Magilla Perilla called "Persian Shield".
It was on another garden forum site Calalily.
Calalily,
On the Basil question, I root my basil cuttings in water. I had some cuttings left over after cooking one night and so I put them in a glass of water and left them on the kitchen window ledge. About a week or so later I noticed that they had roots.
This message was edited Jul 13, 2005 10:32 PM
OK, these are still in the glass of water in the windowsill. I'll see how they do. Thanks!
Cala, I would be interested to know what kind of basil you have that doesn't set seeds, they are prolific. I have probaly 15 different varieties, and all bloom and set seed. Any idea what it was called?
MerryMary
Persian shield lived thru 3 winters here and the HEAT this summer killed if off.....go figure