ARE BLUE FLOWERS REALLY BLUE?Byline: Joshua Siskin Q: I have heard that blue is the rarest color among flowers. Nevertheless, I am determined to plant a garden of nothing but blue-flowered plants. I have already planted lobelia lobelia (lōbēl`yə), any plant of the genus Lobelia, annual and perennial herbs of tropical and temperate woodlands and moist places. Most lobelias have blue or purple flowers on a long (1–4 ft/30–122 cm), leafy stem. , plumbago plumbago (plŭm'bā`gō): see graphite. and delphinium delphinium: see larkspur. . Can you give me some other suggestions? - Melody Paxson Pasadena A: You are correct to identify blue as an exotic flower color. The quest for the true blue flower is nearly as mythical as the search for the yellow petunia petunia, any plant of the genus Petunia, South American herbs of the family Solanaceae (nightshade family). The common garden petunias, planted also in window boxes, are all considered hybrids of white-flowered and violet-flowered species from Argentina. or the black tulip tulip [Pers.,=turban], any plant of the large genus Tulipa, hardy, bulbous-rooted members of the family Liliaceae (lily family), indigenous to north temperate regions of the Old World from the Mediterranean to Japan and growing most abundantly on the steppes . People have trekked for weeks along botanical expeditions to the Himalayas for the sole purpose of seeing true blue poppies (Meconopsis Noun 1. Meconopsis - herbs almost entirely of mountains of China and Tibet; often monocarpic genus Meconopsis dilleniid dicot genus - genus of more or less advanced dicotyledonous trees and shrubs and herbs species) growing in the wild. Many times, what we identify as blue is actually a shade of lavender, violet or purple. For instance, flowers of the so-called blue potato bush (Lycianthes rantoneii) and of the blue hibiscus (Alyogyne Huegelii) are far more violet than blue in color. The most authentic blue flowers we can lay claim to among ornamentals commonly seen in area gardens are not intensely colored; they are pale blue, sky blue, baby blue or powder blue. You should definitely explore the blue bearded irises. Bearded irises are among the easiest plants to grow in this area. They are native to Mediterranean climates like our own and bloom most heavily in late winter and spring. An excellent collection of irises can be viewed at the Descanso Gardens in La Canada Flintridge. Locate them at the back of the highly educational Descanso Rosarium rosarium a rose garden. See also: Flowers . You should also try Geranium geranium, common name for some members of the Geraniaceae, a family of herbs and small shrubs of temperate and subtropical regions. Their long, beak-shaped fruits give them the popular names crane's-bill (for species of the genus Geranium, ``Johnson's Blue,'' a true geranium with lacy leaves and 2-inch-wide flowers. True geraniums have a more delicate growth habit than common geraniums (which are actually pelargoniums). True geraniums make fine, noninvasive ground covers for close-up viewing near entryways and patios. They will spill gracefully out of flower pots and hanging baskets. They grow best in half-day sun. Forget-me-not (Myosotis sylvatica) is another blue-flowered plant for half-day sun. Forget-me-nots will naturalize nat·u·ral·ize v. nat·u·ral·ized, nat·u·ral·iz·ing, nat·u·ral·iz·es v.tr. 1. To grant full citizenship to (one of foreign birth). 2. To adopt (something foreign) into general use. or take over an area due to their self-sowing capacity. Anchusa azurea is a pure blue relative of forget-me-not that is suited to full sun and thrives in all climates. Anchusa (an-koo-zuh) requires a minimal amount of water and will spread over large, out of the way areas where regular maintenance would be a problem. Speedwells (Veronica species) are heavy-blooming perennial ground covers, often in blue, that grace the garden in spring and summer. They are popular fare in mail-order plant catalogs and hard to resist, but seldom survive in Valley gardens for more than two or three years. Other blue-flowered perennials worth mentioning would include: licorice-scented giant hyssop (Agastache foeniculum), bluebeard Bluebeard, nickname of the chevalier Raoul in a story by Charles Perrault. In the story Bluebeard's seventh wife, Fatima, yielding to curiosity, opens a locked door and discovers the slain bodies of her predecessors. (Caryopteris species), Salvia salvia: see sage. salvia Any of about 700 species of herbaceous and woody plants that make up the genus Salvia, in the mint family. Some members (e.g., sage) are important as sources of flavouring. uglinosa and catmint (Nepeta Nepeta a genus of plants in the family Labiatae. Nepeta hederacea causes pulmonary edema and enteritis in horses. Called also Glechoma hederacea, ground ivy. Nepeta cataria see catnip. faassenii). And don't forget California natives such as the many Ceanothus ce·a·no·thus n. Any of various shrubs or small trees of the genus Ceanothus, native mostly to western North America and having showy clusters of usually blue or whitish flowers. Also called redroot. species and Penstemon Penstemon a North American genus of plants in the family Scrophulariaceae which act as facultative selenium converters; the selenocompounds produced by the plant cause alopecia, lameness, laminitis; called also beard tongue. heterophyllus ``Blue Bedder bed´der n. 1. an ornamental plant suitable for planting in a flowerbed. Noun 1. bedder - an ornamental plant suitable for planting in a flowerbed bedding plant .'' Q: Is this a good time of year to prune eucalyptus trees? - Arthur Weston Canoga Park A: Some experts advise against pruning eucalyptus trees between May and November because of the bark beetles that are active during this time. Tree sap, which is attractive to beetles, accumulates where pruning cuts are made. By the same token, eucalyptus trees - especially when located in irrigated lawns - are highly susceptible to branch breakage during the summer months so you might want to do some light pruning if you start to see branches falling from your tree. In summer, eucalyptus trees take up water without conscience and may become top heavy as a result. TIP OF THE WEEK: There is evidence that certain chemicals, injected into the trunks of eucalyptus trees, can be effective in combating the redgum lerp psyllid that has been a plague on Valley eucalyptus trees over the past two years. More information on this treatment and its results can be found at www.mauget.com. Certified arborists, listed in the yellow pages, are qualified to provide such treatments should you decide to utilize them. Garden Wonders GARDENER: Marshall and Sharon Maydeck RESIDENCE: Arleta PLANT OF INTEREST: Redwood Marshall Maydeck loves his redwood. The tree doesn't rise imposingly into the sky (it's just over 20 feet tall). Nor is Maydeck constantly hailed from the road by motorists wondering where he found the tree, how he grew it, where they can get one of their own. But Maydeck loves his tree all the same. ``The redwood is gorgeous,'' he says. ``My wife and I will generally sit on our front deck in the evening with a glass of wine, and I bet you 50 percent of our conversation goes around the tree. We love its stately beauty - the serenity of it. ``We don't consider ourselves owners of the tree; we consider ourselves caretakers of the tree.'' The Maydecks bought their redwood in 1989, while vacationing at Fort Bragg. The tree was a mere 8 inches tall, skinny. Now it's 30 times that height, with a 2-foot circumference. These figures aren't that unusual - redwoods normally put on 3 to 5 feet of growth a year. Still, what the tree lacks in physical stature is more than made up for in sentimental value. ``I'm native-born, so I've always loved redwoods,'' Maydeck says. ``They're so symmetrical, so perfectly shaped. I wish more people would plant them. Everybody thinks redwoods are slow-growing. Such is not the case.'' MAINTENANCE: During the holidays, Maydeck wraps lights around the tree, but aside from that, it remains untouched. ``When I first planted it, I did have to water it, but I haven't had to do anything since,'' he says. ``I've never had to give it anything but fondness.'' WHAT JOSHUA SISKIN SAYS: ``Redwoods don't do real well in the Valley - it's not a tree for full Valley sun. Redwoods will never grow as tall in L.A. as they would in their natural habitat, where they can grow up to 300 feet tall. The tallest ones I've ever seen here are 80 feet tall, in the canyons. ``A redwood is a conifer conifer (kŏn`ĭfûr) [Lat.,=cone-bearing], tree or shrub of the order Coniferales, e.g., the pine, monkey-puzzle tree, cypress, and sequoia. Most conifers bear cones and most are evergreens, though a few, such as the larch, are deciduous. , and conifers tend to be low-maintenance and drought tolerant. If you have a house that has light coming in on a couple of sides, but is still protected from full sun, you could probably grow a redwood.'' - Mike Chmielecki If you think you might have a ``garden wonder,'' send the information along with your name, address and daytime phone number to: Garden CAPTION(S): photo, box Photo: ``We love its stately beauty - the serenity of it,'' says Marshall Maydeck, with wife Sharon, of their 20-foot redwood, which they planted in 1989, when it was just 8 inches tall. Gene Blevins/Special to the Daily News Box: Garden Wonder (see text) |
|
||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion