Hi all,
I'm organizing a group order to a wholesale seed house. The seed order can be split among up to five people (per variety) and the shipping ($9.95) will be split equally. This is an excellent way to save money on some varieties that are unusual, tough, xeric, and butterfly/hummer friendly.
The following varieties are on the list:
A6163 Alonsoa (Mask Flower) 'Salmon Spire' 250 seeds $4.05 Perennial grown as annual. Alonsoa meridionalis – 2" salmon flowers, for knee high garden, easily direct sown into 4"" pots. 18"". 12 weeks.
A1040 Alyssoides utriculata (Bladderpod) 'Lost April' 100 seeds $4.95 Perennial. An early bloomer, brilliant yellow followed by spikes of inflated seed pods, everlasting. Height 12". Zone 5. Fragrant flowers.
A7153 Asclepias (Whirled Milkweed / Butterfly Weed) verticillata 100 seeds $4.75 1 $4.75 perennial. Whorled Milkweed, narrow leaf, small greenish white flowers, likes dry soil, sun. Grows 36" tall. A widely adaptable and tough native is a deer-resistant food for larval butterflies. The fine-textured foliage provides a dark green backdrop for the clusters of white flowers that appear in June and July.
B7166 Blephilia ciliata (Downy Wood Mint) 1,000 seeds $4.24 Perennial. Clump-forming, very rugged. Downy Wood Mint, leaves green with white underside, pink Monarda-like fragrant flowers, likes shade. Grows 24" tall. Hardy to zone 3.
C7361 Chamaebatiaria millefolium (Desert Sweet, Fern Bush) 250 seeds $7.50 1 $7.50 Shrubby perennial. Intensely fragrant fernlike foliage, snowy white flowers, shrublike mound, interesting winter seedheads. Grows 36" tall. Zone 4. http://web1.msue.msu.edu/imp/modzz/00001959.html
Attracts butterflies.
C2742 Cistanthe grandiflora (Rock Purslane) 'Brightness' 250 seeds $7.95 $7.95 Perennial (?) Cerise pink flowers silver green leaf blooms first year from seed. Drought tolerant. Height 24". Zone 5. (other sources say zone 8 or 9)
C1316 Crucianella (phuopsis) stylosa (Crosswort) 500 seeds $4.64 Perennial. Spreading groundcover, covered with raspberry pink flower balls. Dry shade ok. Height 8". Zone 5.
G2105 Gailardia (Annual Type) 'Plume Red' 500 seeds $5.95 Annual. This AAS winner has 2" rounded double bloom, uniform, a real eye catcher. 12". 14 wks. Flowers from June through frost.
O6671 Oxytropis lambertii (Purple Locoweed) 250 seeds $4.95 1 $4.95 Perennial. Purple pea-like flowers on basal pinnate leaf, likes sun. Butterfly magnet. Height 12". Zone 4.
P7369 Penstemon Prairie Jewel 250 seeds $6.95 Perennial 24" tall. Zone 3. "Plant Select", developed from Seeba hybrids, giant flowers range from white-pink-rose-violet, silvery rosettes, drought tolerant.
P6981 Phlox pilosus (downy phlox) 250 seeds $7.95 Perennial. Narrow leaf, reddish purple flowers, spring thru midsummer, sun/shade. Grows 16" tall. Hardy to zone 3. Hummers, butterflies. More tolerant of dry soil than most phlox.
S5442 Santolina (Lavender Cotton) rosmarinifolia 250 seeds $4.95 Perennial shrub. Decorative blue green foliage, round clump former, yellow flowers. Height 12". Zone 5. Extremely drought tolerant.
S7488 Satureja Montana Illyrica (Creeping Winter Savory) 250 seeds $8.95 Perennial. 8" tall. Zone 4. Bright violet flowers. For the border, for soup, and for bees.
S7140 Scutellaria ovata versicolor (Heartleaf Skullcap) 100 seeds $7.95 Perennial. Heart Leaf Scullcap, blue-white flowers, scalloped ovate leaf on long stalks, barren soil, sun. Grows 24" tall. Hardy to zone 5.
For more information, please e-mail or D-mail me. Thanks.
- Bev
wholesale seed co-op
Bev,
Am pretty sure that locoweed is poisonous. Maybe only to cows not humans. Think that is why it is called locoweed. We had cows but I wouldnt' have anything poisonous growing in the garden with kids. Small or large kids.
inanda
Yes, Locoweed is poisonous to livestock, but only when eaten in quantity. Grazing animals will eat it only when nothing else is available. When they do eat it, they develop a taste or "addiction" to it, and eventually die. So if you have horses, cattle or sheep, do not feed them Locoweed, and keep them in good pasture so they aren't forced to eat it.
It is not poisonous to humans. In fact, the Navajo and Kayenta Native American tribes used it for food and, according to some sources, as a laxative herb. I'm taking this from Native American Ethnobotany by Daniel E. Moerman.
Oxytropis lambertii has many excellent qualities as a garden plant. As a legume, it fixes nitrogen and can thrive in very poor soils. With its deep taproot it can survive long periods of drought. It is not invasive or aggressive in gardens. On the prairies it is an important nectar source for butterflies.
There are many plants that are poisonous that we still value for reasons other than their usefulness to our own species. The notion that we should devalue (or eradicate) other species because they make us sick if we eat them is part of why we humans are such a parasite on Mother Earth. Why do we value things only in relation to ourselves? Plants, even the deadly ones, play crucial roles in ecosystems, roles that we may never fully understand.
If we are serious about avoiding toxic plants, then we should banish the following species from our gardens:
* Azalea (azalea indica)
* Bleeding Heart (dicentra formosa)
* Calla Lily (zantedeschia aethiopica)
* Carnation (dianthus caryophyllus)
* Castor Bean plant (ricinus communis)
* Chinese or Japanese Lantern (physalis)
* Chrysanthemum
* Clematis
* Crocus (colchicum autumnale)
* Daffodil (narcissus)
* Delphineum
* Foxglove (digitalis purpurea)
* Gladiola (bulb)
* Hyacinthe (hyacinthus orientalis)
* Iris
* Jonquil (narcissus)
* Lily of the Valley (convallaria)
* Morning Glory (ipomaea tricolour)
* Narcissus
* Pansy (seeds) (viola tricolour)
* Peony (root) (paeonia officinalis)
* Primrose (primula)
* Sweet Pea (lathyrus odoratus)
* Sweet William (dianthus barbatus)
(list source: http://www.uoguelph.ca/news/2006/08/ovc_toxic_garde.html) If protecting children from toxic plants is the issue, then we should teach them to not eat anything in the garden. Period. Everything is toxic if enough is ingested.
I guess I just don't like paternalism, even horticultural paternalism. People will make gardens beautiful and useful in their own unique ways, and they must take responsibility for them. Of course this means we should make informed decisions, not based on guesses or fear.
Just my two (okay three) cents worth.
In the summers I work with kids in our local guerrilla garden, 3 vacant lots on our street. The kids range from 6 months old (looked after by slightly older siblings) to teens. Many of the kids do not speak english so I have to be very careful with plants in the garden. They do taste them. That is why I mentioned locoweed.
inanda
Looks like I hijacked my own thread. Can't resist a good rant, can I?
Onward.
Is anyone interested in this group purchase? You can choose which seeds you want, and there is no minimum "order". The only requirement is that you live in Canada-- and you pay for your portion of the seeds and shipping.
Hi Bev,
Where are these seeds coming from?
Thanks
I buy seeds from jl hudson seedsman he really has a great selection at reasonable prices and the shipping is fairly cheap.
www.jkhudsonseeds.net is the website if anyone wants to take a look.
I'm a big fan of J Hudson and I've done three orders in the past. For this group purchase, however, we went to Hazzards Greenhouse, mainly because the combination of variety and prices was so good.
The order has been placed, so I guess this thread is closed.