Reineckia

This beautiful plant has turned into one of my new favourites. It is just getting ready to send up it's thick spikes of gorgeous reddish ...Read Morepink flowers now as I write this on August 7. I can see the spikes down in between the basal leaves and they are surprisingly thick and huge looking already. I can see this is going to be a spectacular thing as it arises and eventually blooms. I have seen this in bloom only once before at a botanical garden so that's how I know what it looks like in bloom. Of course, mine may be slightly or quite a bit different although it's the same species. I mean, you just never know, eh? I'm very excited to see what it's going to look like! I have mine growing outside now in a big clay pot as it is obviously not hardy here in Montana. Then again, you never know. I will be removing some of the stolons it is sending out and I will try them outside here anyway since they are a Himalayan plant anyhow. I have found that many plants, trees and shrubs that are not supposed to be hardy here are perfectly hardy anyway and it's quite fun and surprising when you succeed with an experiment like that. I'm a risk taker anyway! I by all means recommend Reineckia carnea to anyone who wants a beautiful plant that has gorgeous foliage all year and then the flowers which come in Mid Summer to Fall as far as I can tell. I believe this plant makes berries or fruit of some kind too. I'll get back to you once my baby has bloomed and let everyone know. If you have chance to get one, do it!