ACACIA
—Acacia angustissima Hawaii. (c,h) ACAC-7H. Packet: $2.00
Germination: 90% Tested: 9/07, 5 grams: $6.00, 10 grams: $10.00
'PRAIRIE ACACIA', 'PALO DE PULQUE', 'XAAX'. White 1/2 - 1" puff-like flowers tinged pink or lavender, with yellow stamens, May to July. Shrub to 5 feet with feathery bipinnate leaves. Missouri to Costa Rica. The bark is used for tanning and is added to fermenting drinks. The most northerly and probably the most hardy of our native Acacias. I'd like to hear from anyone who can collect northerly seed, as tropical seed does not seem to produce very hardy plants. Nick, 1 - 2 weeks.
—Acacia obliquinervia. (e,h) ACAC-99. Packet: $2.00
'MOUNTAIN HICKORY WATTLE'. Yellow flower-balls in spring, followed by flat, blue-brown 2 - 6" pods. Dense-crowned small tree or shrub to about 30 feet. Large blue-green 2 - 7" leaves, with off-center midrib. Good in cool areas, native to the higher elevations of southeastern Australia. First described in 1964. Nick seed to germinate in 1 - 3 weeks.
—Acacia redolens prostrata. (d,h) ACAC-115. Packet: $2.00
'PROSTRATE ACACIA'. Sweet-scented grey-green foliage and yellow flower-balls in spring. Prostrate shrubby ground cover to 1 - 2 feet, and spreading to 15 feet wide. W. Australia. Good cover for banks. Zone 8. Nick seed to germinate.
ACHILLEA
—Achillea macrophylla. (c,h) ACH-18. Packet: $2.00
'BIG-LEAF YARROW'. Large hardy perennial to 3 feet, with broad, deeply divided leaves. White flowers in July. Alps. Excellent unusual species for moist soil, rockery or among shrubs. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks.
AGAVE
—Agave bracteosa. (d,g) AGAV-26. Packet: $2.00
'AMOLE DE CASTILLA'. Rosettes of graceful, curving, narrow, yellow-green 16" leaves. Inch-long white to pale yellow flowers in dense columns to 8" thick and 6 feet tall. NE México. Spectacular in bloom. Germinates in 2 - 4 weeks warm.
—Agave Lechugilla. AGAV-150. Packet: $2.00
'LECHUGILLA', 'TULA IXTLE'. Rosette of sword-shaped green to bluish inch-wide by 2 foot long leaves, often pale-banded on top, and dark-lined below. Flower-spike 3 - 12 feet tall, with 3/4 - 1 1/2" greenish-yellow flowers. Texas & No. México. Used for fiber, food, and fish-poison by Indians.
AGROSTEMMA (a-gro-STEM-a)
CARYOPHYLLACEAE. Two showy annuals.
—Agrostemma Githago. (c,g) AGRS-4. Packet: $2.00
Germination: 64% Tested: 1/08, 10 grams: $8.00
'CORN COCKLE'. Large magenta-red to purple 2" wide flowers with darker veins, carried on graceful, willowy stems. Showy and easily grown hardy annual to 2 - 3 feet, with narrow, greyish 4 - 5" leaves. Europe. The flowers have a striking, downy, 5-pointed calyx. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks.
ALCEA
—Alcea rosea Chater's Chestnut Brown. (c,g) ALCE-21CC. Packet: $2.00
Germination: 70% Tested: 2/08, 5 grams: $8.00
Large double flowers in a luscious chestnut-brown shade. Perennial strain to 6 feet. Nice!
—Alcea rosea Chater's Peaches and Dreams. (c,h) ALCE-21CP. Packet: $2.00
Germination: 90% Tested: 2/08, 5 grams: $8.00
Beautiful large salmon-pink fully double flowers in tall spikes. Perennial strain to 6 feet.
—Alcea rosea Chater's Violet. (c,g) ALCE-21CV. Packet: $2.00
Germination: 65% Tested: 2/08, 5 grams: $8.00
Fully double large violet flowers in tall spikes. Perennial strain to 6 feet. Choice!
ALLIUM
—Allium polyphyllum. (d,g) ALUM-70. Packet: $2.00 Click for photo »
Straw-yellow balls on 15" stems. Ex Iskanderkul, Tajikistan, in high alpine crevices, 4200 meters. "Very ornamental and beautiful." —Halda. "So ugly we find it endearing." —Bertrand. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks.
ALOE
—Aloe striata. (d,h) ALOE-327. Packet: $2.00
'CORAL ALOE'. Large dense rosettes of smooth, pale green spineless leaves with narrow white or pinkish red edges, often distinctly striped. Brilliant coral red to peach 1 1\4" flowers on 2 - 3 foot stems, February to May. S. W. Africa. Easy, long-lived, and blooms young. Stands to 28°F with some damage. Germinates in about 2 weeks. CITES App. II.
AMETHYSTIA (a-me-THIS-tee-a)
LABIATAE. A single species from Siberia. Sow where they are to stand, or early in the greenhouse. Germinates in 2 - 6 weeks, and flowers in about 14 weeks. Does well as a pot plant, thin to 3 per 6" pot.
—Amethystia caerulea Turquoise. (b,h) AMET-6. Packet: $2.00
Showy, tiny sky-blue flowers in dense spikes, valued for cutting. Bushy annual to 2 feet, with sweetly fragrant foliage, trifoliate 3" leaves, and purple stems. Siberia. Very free flowering and valued for the delicate aromatic leaves. "What you don't mention in your catalog is, that after it has gone to seed, the colour remains, and it makes a special, very attractive background to any dried floral arrangement." --Reinhold Lang, B.C., 2/96.
ANETHUM
—Anethum graveolens Dukat. (a,h) ANET-5D. Packet: $2.00
Germination: 88% Tested: 10/07, 10 grams: $5.00
'DUKAT DILL'. An improved strain with blue-green leaves with a mellow, sweet flavor. Stays at the leaf stage far longer than most dills. Vigorous and an abundant producer. Germinates in a week.
ANNONA (a-NO-na)
ANNONACEAE. Tropical American & African fruit trees. Grow like Citrus in California & the South. They can bear in 3 - 4 years from planting out. Some stand light frosts. Best in well-drained soil.
Annonas are easy from seed, but require warmth and may take 4 - 6 weeks or more to sprout. The seed is viable for several years in dry storage, and germination often best when seed is a year old.
—Annona squamosa. (e,g) ANNO-22. Packet: $2.00
Oz: $6.00
'SUGAR APPLE', 'SWEETSOP'. Sweet yellow-green 3 - 4" fruits with lumpy skin and delicious creamy, aromatic, custard-like pulp, July to December. Small tree to 20 feet, with inch-wide flowers and narrow 5" leaves. Tropical America. Moderate to fast growth, one of the best. Powdered seed a good insecticide, and the leaves are medicinal, antibiotic, anti-cancer and contraceptive. Germinates in 3 - 24 weeks.
ANTHOXANTHUM (an-tho-ZAN-thum)
GRAMINEAE. Fragrant annual & perennial grasses related to Hierochlöe and Phalaris. Easily grown.
—Anthoxanthum odoratum. (b,h) ANOX-18. Packet: $2.00
10 grams: $9.00
'SWEET VERNAL GRASS'. Hardy perennial bunch grass to 2 feet, with bronzy yellow 3" spikes. Eurasia. Has a pleasant vanilla-coumarin scent much like Hierochlöe, and is sown in pasture to scent the lay. Soaked in brandy for a medicinal tincture. Germinates in 3 - 4 weeks at warm temperatures.
ANTIRRHINUM
—Antirrhinum Orontium. (a,h) ANTR-34. Packet: $2.00
WEASEL SNOUT', 'SMALL SNAPDRAGON'. Pretty little annual to 1 - 2 feet, with 1/2" rose or purple flowers. Europe. Once used medicinally. Good to naturalize. Seed dormant, give cold or GA-3.
AQUILEGIA
—Aquilegia elegantula. (e,h) AQUI-14. Packet: $2.00
'COMET COLUMBINE'. Nodding cylindrical red flowers with yellow tips, the spurs and sepals held straight, hence the name. Hardy perennial to 16". Rocky Mountains. Prechill or use GA-3.
—Aquilegia vulgaris Black Barlow. (d,h) AQUI-48BB. Packet: $2.00
A wonderful deep purple-black variety of Barlow columbine, fully double & upward facing. Good cut flower. Choice! Germinates in 2 - 5 weeks.
—Aquilegia vulgaris Bordeaux Barlow. (d,h) AQUI-48BD. Packet: $2.00
Deep ruby-red double spurless flowers. Hardy perennial to 32". Prechill seed or use GA-3.
—Aquilegia vulgaris Christa Barlow. (d,h) AQUI-48CB. Packet: $2.00
Large dark blue double spurless flowers, each petal edged white. Hardy perennial to 32" Elegant!
—Aquilegia vulgaris Green Apples (c,h) AQUI-48GA. Packet: $2.00
Fully double spurless creamy white flowers with apple-green tips. Hardy perennial to 32". Sometimes called 'Lemon Sherbet'. Nice among the dark-colored columbines. No prechill needed.
—Aquilegia vulgaris Leprechaun Gold. (b,h) AQUI-48LG. Packet: $2.00
Foliage beautifully marbled gold and green, and large violet nodding flowers. Hardy perennial to 2 feet. Comes 98% true from seed.
—Aquilegia vulgaris Woodside Variegata. (d,g) AQUI-48V. Packet: $3.00
Foliage variegated yellow, white, and green. Dark violet flowers, May to July. Hardy perennial to 2 feet. Europe. Prechill or GA-3 to germinate in 2 - 6 weeks.
ARALIA (a-RA-lee-a)
ARALIACEAE. Deciduous herbs, shrubs & trees, grown for ornament, or in the wild garden for medicine and wildlife food. Their bold foliage is attractive. Seeds often have double dormancy, and need scarification and cold treatment, or warm then cold treatment. Best sown in early fall to produce seedlings over the next two years.
—Aralia chinensis. (a,g) ARAL-6. Packet: $2.00
'CHINESE ANGELICA'. Creamy white flowers in large 1 - 2 foot wide panicles in late summer, followed by attractive clusters of berries. Huge bipinnate leaves to 3 feet long and 2 feet wide. Shrub or small tree to 30 feet, with spiny stems. China, NE Asia. Much hardier than the American kinds. The young leaves are eaten as a vegetable.
—Aralia spinosa. (b,g-h) ARAL-42. Packet: $2.00
10 grams: $8.00
'DEVIL'S WALKING STICK', 'HERCULES CLUB'. Varies from a shrub to tree to 35 feet, with large compound 2 - 6 foot long 1eaves clustered at the top, giving a tree-fern like appearance. Enormous panicles of whitish flowers up to 6 feet long, followed by elderberry-like berries. E. U.S. Hardy to Pennsylvania (Zone 5). The bark was an important medicine among the Indians. The young leaves have been used as a potherb. Germinates in 5 - 8 weeks warm with stragglers to 9 months.
ARISTOLOCHIA
—Aristolochia galeata. (c,h) ARST-28. Packet: $2.00
Odd flowers netted cream and red. Tropical climber with heart-shaped leaves. Germinates in 2 - 4 weeks.
ARMATOCEREUS (ar-ma-to-SEER-ee-us)
CACTACEAE. Columnar S. American cacti. Sometimes included in Lemaireocereus. Easily grown.
—Armatocereus arboreus (=ghiesbreghtii) (d,g) ARMA-4. Packet: $2.00
Tall columnar cactus with dense slender spines. Peru. Use GA-3 to germinate in 2 - 4 weeks. Nice!
ARTEMISIA
—Artemisia tridentata v. tridentata. (b,h) ARTE-47T. Packet: $2.00
'BIG SAGEBRUSH', 'GREAT BASIN SAGEBRUSH', 'WI:'KWAPI' (Hopi name). Rounded aromatic evergreen silvery-grey shrub to 6 - 15 feet, with sprays of small flowers in July to November. W. U.S. The powerfully aromatic leaves are an important Indian medicine and burned as incense. Easy and tough, for dry difficult areas. Sow on the surface to germinate in 1 - 7 weeks.
ASCLEPIAS
—Asclepias verticillata. (b,h) ASCL-76. Packet: $2.00
'HORSETAIL MILKWEED'. White flowers are flushed green, in clusters from July to September. Hardy perennial to 2 1/2 feet, with narrow, whorled 3" leaves, so the plant resembles a horsetail. Maine to New Mexico. Good in dry places. Germinates in 1 - 4 weeks.
AZUREOCEREUS (a-zur-e-o-SEER-ee-us)
CACTACEAE. Three species of 'Peruvian cacti.
—Azureocereus Hertlingianus (c,g) AZUR-7. Packet: $2.00
Frosted blue-green columnar cactus to 26 feet, with 6" thick columns with 15 ribs or so. Yellow 4" curved spines and 4" white, night-blooming flowers, followed by 1" black fruits. Endemic to a single valley of the Peruvian Andes, at 5000 to 6700 feet. Germinates in 2 - 4 weeks.
BAHIA (ba-HEE-a)
COMPOSITAE. Annuals and perennials from Southwestern deserts and Chile.
—Bahia dissecta. (b,l) BAHI-7. Packet: $2.00
Yellow inch-wide daisies on a short-lived perennial to 1 - 3 feet, with reddish stems and feathery divided leaves. S. California to Colorado, gravelly washes. Used by the Navajo as a women's medicine, and the seeds for food. Germinates in 1 - 3 weeks.
BALSAMORHIZA (bal-sam-o-RIZ-a)
COMPOSITAE. Spring and summer blooming hardy perennials. Large basal leaves & showy sunflower-like blooms. Sandy soil. Some germinate in as little as 2 - 6 days, others need prolonged cold treatment. Plant out to permanent position early. They are fine plants and worth growing.
—Balsamorhiza sagittata. (b,h) BALS-22. Packet: $2.00
'OREGON SUNFLOWER', 'ARROW-LEAF BALSAM-ROOT'. Showy yellow 2" blooms. Perennial to 2 feet, with 9" leaves. N. W. U.S. The roots were eaten by the Nez Pierce and other Indians after peeling and cooking on hot stones. The result was called 'pash' or 'kayoum'. They are said to have a sweet flavor. The seeds were made into meal. Give GA-3 or cold to germinate in 2 - 4 weeks.
BEAUCARNEA
—Beaucarnea gracilis. (d,l) BEAU-10. Packet: $2.00
Round heads of slender 10 - 20" narrow grass-like leaves, and panicles of tiny flowers. Multi-headed small tree to 18 - 40 feet, with a hugely swollen base to 8 feet thick. México. Germinates in 2 - 6 weeks.
—Beaucarnea guatemalensis. (d,f) BEAU-12. Packet: $2.00
Tall, slender, Yucca-like tree to 40 feet, with multiple heads of narrow 25 - 40" leaves, and panicles of small flowers in summer. Guatemalan woodlands, standing more moisture than the desert types. Germinates in 2 - 4 weeks.
—Beaucarnea stricta. (e,h) BEAU-24. Packet: $2.00
'DESERT PONYTAIL', 'IZOTE'. Branching, multi-headed species with swollen trunk-base, and large heads of rigid, 2 - 3 foot leaves. To 20 feet or more, with panicles of tiny flowers. Oaxaca and Puebla México. Germinates in 2 - 6 weeks.
BERKHEYA (berk-HEY-a)
COMPOSITAE. Interesting showy African daisies.
—Berkheya purpurea. (d,h) BERK-24. Packet: $3.00
'ZULU WARRIOR'. Large silvery-blue to lavender 3" wide daisies with dark centers, in late summer. Tender thistle-like perennial to 15 - 28". S. Africa. Good cut flowers. Germinates readily.
BERLANDIERA (ber-LAN-dee-ER-a)
COMPOSITAE. Southwestern perennials valued for bloom & fragrance. Easy from seed which germinates in 1 - 3 weeks.
—Berlandiera lyrata. (e,h) BERL-12. Packet: $3.00
Germination: 98% Tested 11/07, Gram: $12.00, 10 grams: $80.00 (about 130 seeds per gram)
'CHOCOLATE DAISY'. Yellow 2" dark-centered daisies with a wonderful chocolate scent from 8AM to noon. Perennial to 1 1/2 feet, with silvery pinnate foliage. Kansas to NM. Flowers used as seasoning. This is a high-quality lot that has given us 98% germination - if you have ever failed with this in the past, try it again now! This is the best seed of this species I've ever obtained, and it is sure to go fast.
BRACHYCHITON
—Brachychiton acerifolius. (10,g) BRAC-4. Packet: $2.00
'AUSTRALIAN FLAME-TREE', 'KURRAJONG'. Spectacular tree with bright red 3/4" bells in great clusters before the leaves, May and June. Tree to 100 feet, with glossy, bright green, deeply-lobed foot-wide leaves. Australia. Hardy to 25°F. Soak seed in hot water, rub off covering, to germinate in 1 - 5 months.
—Brachychiton populneus. (e,g) BRAC-19. Packet: $2.00
'BOTTLE-TREE', 'KURRAJONG'. Bell-shaped white flowers in clusters in May and June. Evergreen tree to 60 feet, with swollen, bottle-shaped trunk and dense, pale green 3" leaves. Australia. Good shade tree in the low desert.
BULBINELLA (bul-bi-NEL-a)
LILIACEAE. Tuberous-rooted South African and New Zealand plants with flowers in dense spikes. Good in mild climates and nice in pots.
—Bulbinella angustifolia. (d,v) BULB-4. Packet: $2.50
Pale yellow flowers in dense spikes to 2 feet, in June to August. Narrow, grass-like leaves. Fairly hardy perennial, zone 6. Germination irregular, hold pots.
CALANDRINIA (ka-lan-DREE-nee-a)
PORTULACACEAE. Attractive, often trailing, somewhat succulent plants grown for their profusion of brilliant 3 - 7 petaled flowers. Easily grown from seed. Germinates in about 5-15 days. Best in sunny, dry, well-drained soil, and blooms best in hot sun. Blooms in about 15 weeks from seed.
—Calandrinia umbellata. (a,h) CALD-84. Packet: $2.00
Large, glowing, crimson-violet cup-shaped flowers in clusters from June to November. Mat-forming tender perennial forming tufts of grey-green narrow leaves to 3" tall, and flower stems to 6" tall. Peru & Chile. "Full exposure to sun, and light sandy soil, are needed to bring out the rare beauty of these plants." —L. H. Bailey. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks.
CALLICARPA
—Callicarpa americana. (b,h) CALI-4. Packet: $2.00
10 grams: $9.00
'FRENCH MULBERRY', 'BEAUTY BERRY'. Bluish white four-petaled flowers in dense clusters, with prominent stamens, May to July, followed by violet-blue berries. Attractive shrub to 6 feet, with 6" leaves. Virginia to Texas. Good ornamental for the South. Moist soil. Good deer browse. Use GA-3 to germinate in 1 - 8 months.
—Callicarpa americana var. lactea. (b,h) CALI-4A. Packet: $2.00
10 grams: $9.00
'WHITE BEAUTY BERRY'. Very attractive form with abundant white berries loved by birds. To 6 - 8 feet, with slightly cascading branches. Blooms mid-spring. Choice and rarely seen.
CARAGANA
—Caragana microphylla. (d,h) CARA-28. Packet: $2.00
Covered with 1" yellow flowers in clusters in spring. Very hardy shrub to 8 feet or so, with beautiful grey-green foliage of tiny leaflets. Siberia. "It is the only one that seems to resist spider mites out here in the Midwest." —Bertrand. Soak, nick hard ones, to germinate in 1 - 2 weeks warm.
CARICA
—Carica Papaya Aussie Red. (c,g) CARI-3AR. Packet: $2.50
10 grams: $14.00
Australian variety with small fruits with fine-flavored pink flesh. Germinates in 2 weeks and up.
—Carica Papaya Hawaiian Red. (c,g) CARI-3HR. Packet: $2.00
10 grams: $10.00
A nice red-fleshed papaya from Hawaii.
CAPSICUM
—Capsicum Black Pearl. (10,h) CAPS-1BP. Packet: $4.00
Small shiny round black peppers that ripen to a dark red, contrasting with the glossy, deep purple-black foliage. Compact plants to 14". Green foliage when young, darkening with sun and heat. Nice!
CASSIA
—Cassia Sturtii. (e,l) CASS-420. Packet: $2.00
1/2 Oz: $8.00
'DENSE CASSIA'. Beautiful yellow flowers on an upright bushy shrub to 3 - 6 feet, South Australia. One of the most promising forage shrubs for desert areas, it is being widely planted in the Negev and elsewhere. Highly palatable to stock, the leaves contain 12% protein, and gives yields of 1000 kilos of dry matter per hectare per year in 8" annual rainfall.
CATALPA (ka-TAL-pa)
BIGNONIACEAE. Ornamental trees grown for their magnificent pyramidal clusters of showy, foxglove-like flowers. Easily grown deciduous trees, valued for shade and avenue, and for the durable wood, used for fenceposts. Name comes from the Cherokee name for the tree. Easy from seed.
—Catalpa Bungei. (b,g) CATL-4. Packet: $2.00
Germination: 56% Tested: 2/08, Ounce: $6.00
Large white to rosy-pink 1 1/2" flowers in clusters in summer, followed by bean-like pods to 20" long. Small hardy tree to 30 feet, with 6" leaves. Northern China, Zone 5 or 6. Germinates in 1 - 4 weeks. Nice!
CELOSIA
—Celosia plumosa Fashion Look Mix. (d,h) CELO-6FL.
Dense feathery plumes in a formula mix of gold, orange, red, and yellow, with green leaves, and a carmine-red with bronze foliage. Vigorous annual to 14", making a long-lasting display.
CELTIS (SEL-tis or KEL-tis)
ULMACEAE. Elegant, fast-growing, elm-like mostly deciduous trees & shrubs good as shade trees, lawn specimens and for wildlife habitat. Stands wind, drought, heat, alkaline soil, and almost pest free. Some germinate readily, others may take up to 2 years of outdoor treatment.
—Celtis australis. (d,v) CELT-7. Packet: $2.00
Ounce: $6.00
'HONEYBERRY', 'LOTE TREE', 'EUROPEAN HACKBERRY'. Large tree to 60 - 80 feet, with greyish green 3 - 6" leaves. Mediterranean to Central Asia. The cherry-sized dark purple fruits are sweet and edible, much eaten in Spain, Greece and Iran. A fine shade tree, good in California and the South.
CENTAURIUM (sen-TAR-ee-um)
GENTIANACEAE. Attractive small hardy annuals and perennials with red or pink flowers. Charming plants for edging, and good in tire rock garden. Light sandy soil and part shade. Sow the minute seed on the soil surface.
—Centaurium Erythraea. (=umbellatum, =Erythraea centaurium) (c,h) CENU-12. Packet: $2.50
'TRUE CENTAURY'. Numerous pink flowers borne on a small annual to 6 - 20" tall. Europe. The herb is an old bitter remedy and formerly held a wide reputation in folk medicine. A valuable plant. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks.
CERCIDIUM (ser-SID-ee-um)
LEGUMINOSAE. 'PALO VERDE'. Small trees or shrubs with green bark, bipinnate leaves and showy 5-petaled yellow flowers. Deserts of the Southwest & México. Good ornamentals in desert areas, they are leafless most of the year, the distinctive green bark presenting a striking appearance. Nick & soak seed.
—Cercidium Torreyanum (=floridanum) (e,h) CERD-10. Packet: $2.00
Seed has been treated with Sevin, then washed.
'PALO VERDE'. Showy bright yellow 3/4" flowers, and grey green foliage for a short time in spring. Distinctive smooth bright green bark. Intricately branched tree to 25 feet. When in bloom it is the most beautiful feature of the Colorado desert of Southern California. The abundant pods furnish stock food and were ground into palatable meal by Indians. Excellent fuelwood. Nick seed to germinate in 2 weeks. The Shoe-Trees of the Mojave and Colorado Deserts.
CERCIS
—Cercis chinensis. (d,h) CERC-2. Packet: $2.00
'CHINESE REDBUD'. Rose to rosy-purple 1/2" flowers in clusters in early spring before the leaves. Shrub or small tree to 12 - 30 feet, with heart-shaped, shiny 5" leaves. Central China. Hardy to zone 6, and does well in western high deserts.
CERCOCARPUS (ser-ko-KAR-pus)
ROSACEAE. Small tough shrubs and trees for dry rocky soil. Attractive foliage and plume-like seeds.
—Cercocarpus montanus. (c,g) CERO-6. Packet: $2.00
'MOUNTAIN MAHOGANY'. Dusky pink 1/4" flowers in clusters in spring and summer, followed by attractive, twisted, plume-tailed seeds. Deciduous shrub to 4 - 6 feet, with dark green 1 - 2" leaves. Rocky Mountains. Very hardy and stands dry rocky places. Germinates in 2 - 4 weeks.
CHAEROPHYLLUM (kee-ro-FIL-um)
UMBELLIFERAE. Scented annuals, biennials and perennials with divided leaves and small white flowers. Several species are grown for food & flavoring. The seed can be tricky to germinate. Best sown in fall or stratified over winter to germinate in spring. If sown in spring, they will germinate the next spring. Try 4 - 8 weeks cold treatment, and let me know your results.
—Chaerophyllum bulbosum. (c,v) CHAER-6. Packet: $2.00
'TURNIP ROOTED CHERVIL'. Biennial or short-lived perennial to 3 - 5 feet, with deeply cut foliage. Europe. Grown for the sweet, aromatic, edible roots, which are like short, fat carrots, about 4 - 5" long, grey or black skinned, with yellow or white flesh. Seldom seen in this country, the boiled roots are highly esteemed in Europe. They have a distinctive aromatic flavor, and are sweet and floury. Needs deep rich soil and frequent waterings. Harvest roots when foliage dies back in summer, though they are said to improve in quality if left in the ground for a month. "The great value of this vegetable... is not only its deliciousness to the epicure but the earliness of its maturity, fully supplying the place of potatoes." —F. Webster.
—Chaerophyllum temulum. (b,v) CHAER-42. Packet: $2.00
'DRUNKEN CHERVIL'. White flowers in small 2 - 3" umbels from nodding buds. Hardy biennial to 1 - 3 feet, with attractive downy divided foliage and purple-spotted stems. Eurasia. Poisonous, said to cause colic and stupor if eaten. Weird!
CHEIRIDOPSIS (kee-ri-DOP-sis)
AIZOACEAE. South African clump-forming succulents with large brilliant flowers. New growth in early summer, slowly dry off and rest dry in winter.
—Cheiridopsis peculiaris. (d,v) CHEI-64. Packet: $2.00
Bright yellow 1 1/2" flowers in summer. Forms pairs of flat grey-green succulent 2" long leaves, with a fat 'pointed egg' leaf pair in the center. S. Africa. GA-3 helps germination.
—Cheiridopsis vanzijlii. (d,v) CHEI-86.
Huge 2 1/2" wide bright yellow flowers. Forms cushions of fat, inch-long succulent leaves resembling pebbles. S. Africa. GA-3 helps germination.
CHELIDONIUM (ke-li-DOE-nee-um)
PAPAVERACEAE. A single variable species.
—Chelidonium majus. (b,f) CHEL-1.
'GREATER CELANDINE', 'SWALLOW-WORT.' Bright yellow four-petaled flowers to 1" wide, May to July. Hardy perennial to 2 - 4 feet, with attractive, deeply-lobed foliage. Eurasia. The orange sap was used medicinally. "It is a plant of quiet charm and elegance and I would not be without it somewhere in my own garden." —Grey-Wilson. Good in woodlands, naturalizes well, but never a nusiance. Germinates in 3 - 10 weeks warm.
CHILOPSIS (ki-LOP-sis)
BIGNONIACEAE. A single species.
—Chilopsis linearis. (c,h) CHIL-1. Packet: $2.00
Germination: 92% Tested: 2/08, 5 grams: $9.00
'DESERT or FLOWERING WILLOW'. Trumpet-shaped 2" lilac flowers with 2 yellow stripes, in clusters from April to August, followed by narrow, foot-long pods. Willow-like tree to 25 feet, with narrow, foot long leaves. Southwestern U.S. deserts. Good arid-region ornamental. Germinates in 1 - 4 weeks.
CLEMATIS
—Clematis integrifolia. (d,v) CLEM-58. Packet: $3.00
Nodding, violet-blue, bell-shaped 1 1/2" flowers borne abundantly in June to August, on stems above the foliage. Hardy perennial to 1 1/2 - 3 feet, with 2 - 4" entire leaves. Eurasia.
—Clematis terniflora. (d,h) CLEM-108. Packet: $2.00
'SWEET AUTUMN CLEMATIS'. White, very sweetly fragrant flowers in late summer, on a vigorous hardy climber. Japan. Hardy to Zone 5 at least. Germinates in 2 - 5 months warm.
—Clematis verticillaris. CLEM-119. Packet: $2.00
Nodding purple-blue 2 - 4" wide flowers in May and June. Very hardy perennial to 3 - 10 feet, with trifoliate leaves. E North America. Good ground cover. Germinates in 2 - 3 months.
CLITORIA
—Clitoria Ternatea White. (e,f) CLI-23W. Packet: $3.00
'WHITE BUTTERFLY PEA'. The lovely white-flowered form. Twiner to 10 - 15 feet, with 2 - 6" leaves. Tropical Asia.
COCCINIA (kok-SIN-ee-a)
CUCURBITACEAE. Tropical African & Asian vines grown for ornament or food. Attractive and easy.
—Coccinia sessilifolia. (e,g) COCI-22. Packet: $2.00
Germination: 32% GA-3 plus dormant Tested: 12/07, 5 grams: $7.50
'BOROBOHLOLO' (Sotho name). Showy oblong white-striped, maroon-spotted fruits turn bright red when ripe. Robust vine with attractive glaucous foliage. South Africa. Has a huge tuberous root which was eaten by the Kalahari Bushmen, roasted or boiled. The ripe fruit is eaten raw and is somewhat sweet, the unripe fruit is cooked and said to taste like asparagus. Give seed GA-3 to germinate in 3 - 4 weeks.
CONIUM (KO-nee-um)
UMBELLIFERAE. Two Eurasian species.
—Conium maculatum. (b,h) CONI-1. Packet: $2.00
10 grams: $6.00
'POISON HEMLOCK', WINTER FERN', 'SOCRATES BANE'. Finely cut ferny leaves & umbels of tiny white flowers on a biennial to 10 feet. Eurasia, widespread in N. America. Formerly used to execute criminals & philosophers in ancient Greece, including Socrates. Occasionally grown for the ornamental foliage or medicinal purposes, including modern cancer research, or in botanical collections. Germinates in 1 - 3 weeks warm. Good beneficial insect habitat, & attracts insect & seed eating birds.
CONVALLARIA (kon-va-LAR-ee-a)
LILIACEAE. Well known hardy perennials prized for their delicately scented flowers. Good in part shade as under trees, but fine in full sun. Easy once established. Seed slow to germinate; best after 2 periods of cold treatment. See Double Dormancy. Try leaving outdoors a year or two.
—Convallaria majalis. CONL-8. Packet: $3.00
'LILY OF THE VALLEY'. Delicately sweet-scented nodding white bell-shaped half inch flowers in racemes to 5 - 10" high. Scarlet berries. Attractive foliage. Good carpeting under trees. Europe. The leaves yield a green dye. The plant was formerly valued for its cardioactive properties. Seed needs darkness to germinate in 4 - 8 weeks warm. Root germinates the first season, then it needs 2 - 3 months cold to break the leaf dormancy.
CORDYLINE (kor-dee-LEE-nay)
AGAVACEAE. Evergreen shrubs and trees much like Yucca, with heads of sword-like leaves and sprays of small flowers. Easy in warm climates.
—Cordyline terminalis variegata. (e,g) CORD-23V.
'TI PLANT', 'GOOD-LUCK PLANT'. Clustered 1 - 2 foot long shining 4" wide leaves at the branch-tips, attractively variegated. Shrub to 12 feet, with foot-long sprays of small lilac flowers followed by berries. Tropical Asia to Hawaii, where the plant is important in mythology and for food. It was an emblem of divine power. The thick sweet white roots reach 300 pounds, are high in sugar, and were baked and eaten, and also fermented for a brandy. Makes a nice houseplant, standing low light.
CORYDALIS
—Corydalis nobilis. (e,v) CORY-19. Packet: $2.50 Click for photo »
Dense 1 1/2" balls of yellow 3/4" flowers with brown tips, on 18" stems in spring. Hardy perennial with ferny, much-divided medium-green 18" leaves. Siberia. Goes dormant midsummer. "Singular and outstanding. It's everything the name implies. Germination is long-term. Sow it in a pot outdoors and it will germinate the first or second spring. But it is worth every effort to possess one." —Bertrand.
COSMOS
—Cosmos Sensation Radiance. (b,h) COS-1R. Packet: $2.00
Ounce: $5.00
Deep rose with a crimson zone.
—Cosmos Domino Mix. (b,h) COS-1DX. Packet: $2.00
Germination: 98% Tested: 2/08, Ounce: $6.00
A nice rich blend of colors.
—Cosmos parviflorus. (c,h) COS-19. Packet: $2.00
'SMALL COSMOS'. Dainty orchid pink inch-wide flowers. Annual to 2 - 3 feet, with thread-like leaves. Gravelly soil, SW U.S. A lovely species. The young plants have been used in salads. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks.
CRINUM (KRIN-um)
LILIACEAE. Large warm-region amaryllis-like bulbs grown for their spectacular flowers. Some hardy to New York. Good by the sea. Rich moist soil best.
—Crinum asiaticum var. japonicum. (2,h) CRIN-12J. 2 large seeds: $5.00
'POISON BULB'. Spectacular spidery white fragrant 4 - 6" flowers with narrow petals, in clusters of 20 - 30. Red stamens. Tender bulb with huge, strap-shaped 3 foot bluish-green leaves. S. Japan. Zone 9. Plant the large seed at the surface.
CUCUMIS
—Cucumis species Sudan. (c,h) CUCU-SS. Packet: $2.00 Click for photo »
Germination: 84% Tested: 3/08, 5 grams: $12.50
Odd monoecious vine from Sudan, with large tuberous roots, and showy, prickly fruits. Give seed GA-3 to germinate in 1 - 3 months.
CUMINUM (KOO-min-um)
UMBELLIFERAE. A single species. Sow seed where they are to grow in April or May, after danger of frost, to germinate in about 1 - 2 weeks. They grow quickly and ripen seed in July and August. Space 1 - 2 feet apart. Easy. Seed viable 3 years.
—Cuminum Cyminum. (a,h) CUMI-5. Packet: $1.50
Germination: 72% Tested: 9/07, Oz: $4.00
'CUMIN', 'COMINO'. Half hardy annual to 6 - 12", with finely divided dark green leaves and tiny white or reddish flowers followed by aromatic seeds. Upper Nile. Cut stems when seeds begin to dry. An ancient spice, it was grown by the Egyptians and mentioned by Pliny, Hippocrates, and Dioscorides. The hot, spicy, aromatic seeds were used medicinally and are popular for flavoring breads, cheeses, soups, chutneys, curries, liqueurs and Spanish and Méxican dishes. Ground in wine, Pliny claimed them the best appetizer. Common in Normandy in 716 AD, & in England in 1264. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks.
CUPRESSUS (koo-PRESS-us)
CUPRESSACEAE. Handsome evergreen trees and shrubs with scale-like leaves and round woody cones. Native to warm-temperate N. Hemisphere. For mild climates. The durable wood was used for Egyptian mummy caskets, and the doors of St. Peter's in Rome, made of cypress wood, have lasted 1200 years. Varies in percentage of filled seed, but is viable 20 years. Germinates in 2 - 8 weeks or so.
—Cupressus arizonica. (b,l) CUPR-1.
'ARIZONA CYPRESS'. Fast-growing tree to 40 feet with dense blue-green to silvery-grey foliage—color very variable from seed. Round inch-wide cones and grey-brown shredding bark. Arizona. Zone 7. Good windbreak in hot desert climates.
—Cupressus cashmeriana (=darjeelingensis) (b,g) CUPR-4. Packet: $2.00
Germination: 58% Tested: 3/08, Ounce: $8.00
'KASHMIR CYPRESS'. Striking tree with weeping branchlets of a conspicuous vivid blue-grey color. Fast growing small tree with 1/2" cones. Kashmir, Tibet. Good in California and mild climates. "One of the most graceful and beautiful of all conifers." —Hilliers. Germinates in 1 - 2 months warm, no prechill needed.
CYMBOPOGON (sim-bo-POE-gon)
GRAMINEAE. Large, tufted, tropical Old World grasses, many of which are fragrant, producing various essential oils including citronella. Most are lemon-scented, and are used as tea or in perfumery and flavoring. Interesting.
—Cymbopogon flexuosus. (c,h) CYMP-10.
'EAST INDIAN LEMON GRASS'. Large tropical perennial grass. Strongly aromatic, used dried as a tea, source of flavoring oil, and as a substitute for Thai lemongrass. Germinates readily.