Holly and Rics Swap Followup Plant Questions- "what is...?"

Oh Ric and I were looking at a beauty berry bush yesterday it was priced around $25. In the end we didn't bring it home it's on the wish list and I would have bought it but I'm really not ready to plant one yet.
Thanks for the link onewish I will check out the RU.
I have a nice bromeliad from the gift table and have been wondering who brought it. It's been growing nicely all summer in my gazebo. Trying to decide what to do about my coleus. I have so many pretty ones from the swap can't decide weather to take cuttings and try and over winter them.

Stormy, That would be me! (hand waving in air) I have just a few that will go in the bottom of that new bed. I know that the sea holly Critter gave me is still waiting. Oh and a couple of the ornamental grasses but they have all been patiently waitng all summer. I have quite a few Co-op plants that are still waiting , too. Ric and I spent sometime finishing up that big bed on Friday all but bringing over the 10 wheelbarrows or so of compost. Then I can get the last of the plants in the ground. He moved some plants for me, and cut the old dying trees so things are progressing.

Holly,

Talking about Ornamental Grasses.......
I have seedlings all over the place from my Northern Sea Oats. They are like a tall blade of grass that has branched a bit. Want some??? They would be no weight at all to mail. probably a big bubble envelope,,,

These grow about 3' tall and have loosely pendulous seed heads that look just like-DAH-oats.
In the late Fall--they turn a light maroon and later just all dry up and fall down. That is how they all spread.

This Fall (soon) I have promised myself to cut all the seed heads off as they went all in mt beds and everywhere--and have been growing all summer.
I have pulled up many--potted them and given them away. They come up easy--have a nice tap-root already.

Here they are already in the dried state.

Just wanted to pop in and say hello :)

Gita, the cutting of your begonia with the spots is really taking off now and even blooming! HollyA, your little blue lobelia blooms are liking the cooler weather and blooming away too. And I just love the various Coleus from LadyG :))) A favorite is Gay's Delight, which looks really great planted in a pot with Persian Shield.

Happy Gardening,
Diana

Diana, It's nice to see you posting. Here's a photo of your former baby.

Gita, You told me to keep those baby Tiger Lilies in their same pot and I did. I usually sink all of my pots that hold plants too small to put into the beds into large trough planters full of dirt to over winter. Would you advise doing that with the Tiger Lilies? Should I move them up to a slightly larger pot first? Thanks

Very nice Stormy :) Our parent shrub is quite happy and full of berries also. I'll have more Beautyberry babies for the next swap if anyone is interested. Last year the Robins went crazy for the berries and arrived in flocks, similar to how they do with Holly tree berries.

stormy--

I forget how small the pots were....How big are the plants now?
These take several years to grow to bloom size. I would say--keep them where they are and sink them in your trough. They DO need to stay outside....
If you have a very cold winter--you can throw some leaves over the pots.

Vague--I know..but I think it will be perfectly OK.

Gita

I am loaded up with a ton of lilies.... liatris.... purple balloon flowers...heliopsis.. helianthus .. tropical red ti... and of course tons of coleus cuttings

edit -- almost forgot about the large selection of succulents

This message was edited Sep 20, 2009 7:53 PM

Diane, Would you please reserve us a beauty berry for next years swap. I saw Critter's the other day and they were just gorgeous. Ric

Gita, They are in small maybe 3" pots. The plants are barely 6 " tall. I could move them up to a 6" pot. Do you think they would grow better in that?

Allison, I'm so jealous of your new lilies and balloon flowers. Lucky girl!!!

Sally, I'm still hemming and hawing over where to plant the Black Pussy Willow that you gave to me. I'd better make up my ,mind soon. I may be losing a tree over the winter. Maybe I'll sink that pot too and see if that tree comes down.

Thanks for the offer Gita, The Sea Oat plant I got from the swap is doing very well so far. I shouldn't need more yet I think I may want a few more later on for a few spots around the back yard but not yet.

Holly,

I have "Oats" in a slew of 4" pots--several in each--so one would have an instant clump.
Those were from early Summer (BTW--today is the last day of SUMMER) when I was pulling them out of my YUK bed--they are ALL OVER that bed! All have to go! Can you see that whole bed becoming home to these "Oats"???? It is bizarre!
Big job pulling, or uprooting, all those little blades.

Holly, I would not re-pot the Lilies you have, but i would put them in a protected environment, though, of dig them in as you planned.. I know I kept mine one year smack against the house foundation on the S. side of my house and threw a pile of dried leaves over them. They all made it. Still waiting for them to bloom...it has been many years....They are now, maybe, the size of a clump of "Stellas". I have them behind my bird bath.

I put my 2 Brugs on Craigs list a few days ago. NO replies so far. I guess people just don't know what they are. I am reaching desperation on these.....
Will try and call Cylburn today....Lost cause--probably.

ANY TAKERS AMONG YOU ALL??????? I would hate to let this one go to the frost!

Gita

Need to find a home for this one too. It has also outgrown my space in the basement.
This one is not quite as large. it is the "Rose Souvelons" --also has lots of buds on it.
This one has been above ground by my shed.

Gita, You are breaking my heart. How I would love to have that gorgeous plant. I just don't have anywhere to put it. I have so many plants this year to bring in and over winter. I am going to store some of my plants in Josh's basement but he doesn't have an outside basement entrance yet and the very narrow steep inside stairs are hard to navigate with large bulky items. Try freecycle you might get some interest. Do you have a Hobby Greenhouse Assoc in your area?

Are brugs toxic like Daturas are? Gita, my friend Theresa & her folks have several big brugs that they've been overwintering, and her dad really loves them. I'm not sure but could check with her to see if we could get out that way before the weather turns to pick it up... If you find homes for them before we can arrange something, would you consider taking a cutting or two for me if it can be done without messing up the shape of the plant?

I figure there will probably be some plants trading hands at the crocus planting party, especially as we didn't organize a MAG fall swap this year! :-)

Jill,

Yes! Brugs are toxic like Daturas....and like MG.'s and Moon Vines, and 4 O'clocks, and any plant in the Nightshade family. Of course--it also always says---IF INGESTED.
I play it safe. If I have been shelling seeds or plucking leaves or any other "messing with" any of these plants--I always wash my hands afterward. No biggie!

As my "desperation" continues to find homes--I have posted these on Craig's List--(selling them for $$) but got 3 Spam e-mails referring to my add today. No other real responses.

Today, I also sent a detailed e-mail to Cylburn Arboretum to the head horticulturist there (Bill Vondrasek) and attached several pictures from both. Awaiting to hear back--hopefully today or tomorrow. That would be my preference #1 how to dispose of these.

My next plan of action is to call some local Florists/Greenhouses and see if they would want them--maybe as a novelty in their Greenhouses?
I already called Valley View farms--but they have RULES as to where their plants come from.
Watsons would be the same--I am sure. Retail stores have rules........

I have also thought of D-mailing Lastelf (DG)------none of us have seen her post for ages--but she may "live" on other Threads and Forums. She started the MAF's "getting to know you" Thread.

I am sure I can sneak a cutting or two of the "Maya" for you--as it is really very branched. I would just remove one whole branch. IF I have no takers at all--it would be a repeat of last Fall's carnage--which produced many a cutting. I am sure you have seen the picture!

As it is--I have a very healthy cutting of the "Maya" growing that will replace this "monster".....It is one of the cuttings left from last Fall. Have given/traded all the rest away. It just "Y"'ed--and there are 2 buds on it. It is in an 8" pot.

Then I have the "Charles Grimaldi" that Chantelle gave me That was so pathetic looking when I got it at your Seed Swap. It is going gang-busters now. Is now about 3' tall--growing huge leaves.
It is planted pot-in-a-pot. Inner 2gal pot is what goes in the basement. It has to "Y" before anything else can happen--like blooming.

Then I have the other "Rose Souvelons" (that Chantelle gave me--BUT--it was supposed to be a Dr. Seuss). It has grown into a nice umbrella canopy plant about 4' tall. Has bloomed at least twice already. Has buds on it again--ready to pop. I will keep this one--IF I can give away the older one.
By now in my "Gardening Life" re all this has become pretty Ho-Hum. Too much to attend to! Time to simplify!!!!
The main problem with all this is that every cutting and divided plantling requires space in my house in the Winter. I sure could use a huge Sun Room.....

It is NOT your average MD resident that knows what a Datura, a Brug, a Clivia, a Pregnant Onion, a Climbing Onion, a Ric Rac cactus, and 3 types of Epis I have are. How can you give/sell any of them???? There are NO takers.....

Jill--did you see my pictures of dividing my old, old (35yrs--that I was given 2 yrs. ago) Clivia I posted? That produced 12 more pots to Winter over......Hope they root in well. Would like to sell them next Spring. I may go insane! I am sure you can identify with all this.
You have bigger things than I do to Winter over....--like your Bananas!

Here is a pic of the "Maya" cutting that I plan on keeping. This will replace the "monster".....
This shows where it just has "Y"'ed--and, immediately, there are 2 flower buds. It is just the season for this.....

Wish me luck--you all. And--as you know--if I cananot find new homes for these any of you in the Baltimore/DC area are welcome to come and get these FREEEEEEE!!!! Just drive a truck!

Gita

I forgot to mention that Brugs can be overwintered in an unheated garage--as long as it does not freeze.
A small space heater would keep them from suffering.....

As far as i can tell--light is not necessary. My basement is unheated--but under the house--so it stays cool, but nowhere near freezing. The only light is at the far end from a small, small window.
They have always made it through the winter in good shape.
Last Winter--the "Maya" even put out 5 blooms in the Shop......NO leaves--No light to speak of--almost NO watering (have to do a dribble once and then).

SO! If any of you have a garage--that will work!

SEE!!!!

Wow, your brug collection is impressive! I did see your nicely divided Clivia. I think I'd probably better not take in any toxic plants, as we'll have a curious toddler before we know it... but I can check with Theresa's dad... you may have met Al at last winter's seed party. :-)

Well, Jill

Toddlers can be educated NOT to touch certain things. Besides--Brugs are very tall--so eating anything from them by a toddler is not likely.
You are also a good 2 years away from that issue.

At this point--I understand your concerns--but most of them are unfounded.

Relax!

I'm actually about as relaxed a new parent as you'll find, but there's no sense in deliberately adding a potential problem... she'll be past the "everything I see must go into my mouth" stage soon enough! I'm not worrying about the mildly toxic stuff, but I'll definitely skip things like castor beans next year. Those beans are just too pretty, and eating just a couple can be big trouble. :-)

Criiter, I had never seen any of those growing in person before Saturday. I was out riding in the countryside and saw a large planting of them. They were spectacularly beautiful. They are on the state's do not plant list here.

Gita, if I was closer, I'd drive out today and grab those brugs! I overwinter a few plants in my dad's stable every year, never gets below 40ish degrees. If no one has claimed them by the time I drive out that way next month, I'll gladly take them off your hands! :-)

Saw your post Ric...I'll save you a Beautyberry, no problem. I can always dig up a few babies near the base of the mother plant at any time.

Gita, the brugs are gorgeous!

Sally, your variegated, sort of fuzzy leaves, plants from the swap are quite happy. Should I bring them in for the winter?

kubileya--

You are not that far! Delaware is--maybe an hour or so....

Next month would be OK--depending on the weather. Last Fall--when I dug up and cut up the "Maya" was end of October.
Still waiting to hear back from Cylburn Arboretum......

Gita

OK, I guess I'd better check under my beautyberry bushes for volunteers... Ric, if you find any when you come down for the Crocus Shower party next month, they are yours!

Gita, I think it would be great if that huge brug went to be an arboretum specimen!

Wind, if that plant with the variegated fuzzy leaves has a strong herbal scent, it's "Cuban Oregano" and is tender... bring it in (or take cuttings -- root in water).

YEAH! So do I, Jill.....
According to the Farmers Almanac---we are all going to have snow for Thanksgiving. YUK!

I have now sent 3 e-mails to the head Horticulturist at Cylburn and I always have gotten a notice that it was undeliverable--because the name is NOT recognized.
Well--I got his e-mail address from his secretary/receptionist who looked it up on her "C"-------so! What gives? I worked today so I could not call--but will tomorrow to see whats up.

It was a long, friendly, informative e-mail with 7 photos attached from both Brugs in bloom at different times this Summer--and my plea for them to accept this DONATION. I am not ashamed to beg!
Of course--my e-mail seems not to have gone there yet. So! How would they know????

I went through this a couple of years ago---trying to unload one of my large Brugs....they really did not want another Brug--as they had one already. DAH! ONLY ONE??????
Finally, Rawlings took it....I have no idea what they did with it--as I have not been there in 2 years.....

I am trying to impress on them how many cuttings they could root of the Brugs I want to donate and how much $$$ they could gain from selling these at next year's Plant Sale. I bought the original, tiny, rooted cutting of my "Maya" at a street Festival. Cost me $5 or $6 for it.
Someone at another table had larger Brugs in 2gal. pots for $15. YEAH! They are not cheap!!!

Meanwhile--I am open to anyone on DG to come and get these.....truck/large, covered van required.

Gita

Gita, Did you post it in the Brug Forum? There are lots of people in the area who do not come to this forum.

AHHHH---an excellent idea, stormy!

I just wonder how many of them live in THIS area--or they would have already seen my posts and pleas.....
NEVER know, though!

Thanks, Gita

Gita, I have found from reading in the Iris, Bulb, Lily, Daylily and Perennial Forums that there are all kinds of Pennsylvania members who don't visit MA.

wind" variegated, sort of fuzzy leaves, plants from the swap are quite happy. Should I bring them in for the winter? " yes as critter said, that is Cuban oregano aka plectranthus and it roots very easily, glad you are enjoying it.

Don't know how different Cuban Oregano is from Greek Oregano (I bought it at HD)---but mine has been growing and spreading amazingly. I have it in an 8"pot.
I have pruned it back twice---stripped the leaves and dried them--and it just re-grows in a blink of the eye.
BUT--I still do not know what GREEK Oregano has different that any other Oregano. Anyone care to explain?????

Gita

cuban oregano is a totally different plant from culinary oregano

greek varieties in my experience are much more strongly flavored, often peppery... love them!