LEGUMINOSAE. Trees or shrubs closely related to Acacia and Mimosa, with graceful feathery foliage and pink, yellow, or white plume-like flowers. In the greenhouse, repot in March. May be grown as annuals for their foliage in summer flower beds. Easy from seed.
—Albizzia Julibrissin var. rosea. (100) ALBI-1R. Packet: $2.50
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'SILK TREE', 'MIMOSA', 'HE-HUAN'. Showy pink puff-like flowers in summer. Round-headed tree to 40 feet, with feathery dark green foliage which folds up at night. Iran to Japan. Fairly hardy, Zone 6 - 7. Likes heat. Considered an auspicious tree, "promoting agreement and affection". The young leaves have been eaten or used for tea, and the flowers dried or candied. Bark used in Chinese medicine as a tonic "promoting joy, assuaging sorrow, brightening the eye, and giving the desires of the heart." Nick and soak to germinate in 1 - 3 weeks.
ALCEA (al-SAY-a)
MALVACEAE. Easily grown biennial and perennial herbs from the Mediterranean and Central Asia, valued for their attractive flowers. Best in a rich heavy soil and full sun, but will make a fine display almost anywhere. Nice in the back of the border, against a wall, or in a sunny corner. Germinates in about 12 days, and best sown from mid-summer to early fall for biennial plants, or early indoors for bloom the same season. The leaves of common hollyhocks are eaten cooked or in salads, especially in Egypt, and the flowers are colorful in salads.
—Alcea ficifolia Hybrids. (100) ALCE-9. Packet: $2.50
10 grams: 15.00 NEW PRICE
'FIG - LEAF' or 'ANTWERP HOLLYHOCK'. Showy single yellow, pink, red, copper and white flowers up to 4" across, in spikes to 5 feet tall. Large lobed leaves. Vigorous hardy biennial. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks. Some lots need husking and nicking.
—Alcea rosea var. nigra. (50) ALCE-21N. Packet: $2.50
10 grams: $7.50, 50 grams: $22.00
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'BLACK HOLLYHOCK'. Single, deep maroon flowers shading to a glossy purple-black with glowing centers. Hardy biennial to 5 feet. A striking background plant. Germinates in 1 - 6 weeks.
ALEURITES (al-u-REE-teez)
EUPHORBIACEAE. Asian and Pacific Island trees.
—Aleurites moluccana. (5) ALEU-4. Packet: $3.50
50 seed: $25.00 (Shipping weight 20 ounces)
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'KUKUI NUT', 'CANDLE NUT'. Small white flowers in 10" clusters. followed by clusters of green 2" fruits resembling walnuts. Handsome tree to 80 feet, with large 8" leaves. SE Asia and Pacific islands. Zone 10. The official emblem of Hawaii because of its many uses. The nuts contain 50% oil, used by the old Hawaiians in lamps for light, and the nuts are polished and strung in leis. Needs nicking, but germinates best after burning a layer of straw on the nuts, then dousing with cold water.
ALLIUM (AL-ee-um)
LILIACEAE. Some 700 species of North Hemisphere bulbs and rhizomatous plants. Includes chives, garlic, onions, leeks, and many varied ornamental garden and rock garden flowers. Most are easily grown in well-drained to sandy soil and full sun.
—Allium altaicum. (40) ALUM-3. Packet: $3.25
Gram: $20.00
'LUK ALTAISKI'. White bell-shaped 1/4" flowers in dense round balls. Hardy bulb to 28", with hollow leaves. Siberia, Lake Baikal region. Zone 4, perhaps to Zone 1. Flowers, leaves, and bulbs are eaten raw or cooked. Probable ancestor of A. fistulosum. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks. For more seeds and plants grown by plant-explorer Ben Kamm, including many Andean rarities, see his website at www.sacredsucculents.com
NEW—Allium angulosum. (75) ALUM-6. Packet: $2.50
'MOUSE GARLIC'. White to purple flowers in 1 - 2" rounded umbels. Hardy perennial bulb to 8 - 18". Europe and Siberia, where the bulbs are eaten fresh, dried or salted. Zone 3. Germinates in 1 - 4 weeks.
—Allium Christophii. (50) ALUM-27. Packet: $2.50
10 grams: $8.00, 50 grams: $30.00 This unit OUT OF STOCK - packets and 10 grams are available
'STARS OF PERSIA'. Deep lilac 1" starry flowers with a metallic sheen, in immense 8" balls in June. To 3 feet. Persia. To Zone 4. Start seed May to August. "Probably the largest and most imposing garden species."—L.H. Bailey. Germinates in 6 - 8 weeks at cold temperatures.
—Allium Geyeri. (100) ALUM-37. Packet: $2.50
Pink or white flowers on a hardy bulb to 20", with narrow leaves. Western U.S. Zone 4. The bulbs were eaten by several tribes. Prechill seed.
NEW—Allium jesdianum. (20) ALUM-46. Packet: $2.50
Lilac-rose flowers in dense balls on stems to 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 feet, in May and June. Hardy bulb with strap-like leaves. Iraq to Afghanistan. Zone 6, some say Zone 3. Prechill seed.
NEW—Allium Rosenbachianum. (25) ALUM-80. Packet: $2.50
Rose-violet flowers in large, airy 4" balls on 3 foot stems in May and June. Hardy bulb with strap-like leaves. Central Asia. Zone 6. Prechill seed.
NEW—Allium senescens. (50) ALUM-86. Packet: $2.50
'GERMAN GARLIC'. Pink flowers in 2" balls on 16" stems, abundantly produced in July and August. Hardy bulb forming clumps from rhizomes. Eurasia. Zone 4. Bulbs and leaves eaten. Short prechill helps germination.
—Allium tuberosum. (250) ALUM-105. Packet: $2.00
Ounce: $7.50, 1/4 Pound: $20.00
'GARLIC CHIVES'. Flat-leaved aromatic perennial to 20" with a garlic-like flavor. The leaves are used in Asian cookery, chopped finely like chives in various dishes. Good in wet climates where garlic tends to rot. Zone 3. Germinates in 1 - 3 weeks warm.
—Allium unifolium. (20) ALUM-113. Packet: $3.00
Starry rose-pink 1/2" flowers in round clusters in May and June. Bulb with narrow leaves, to 2 feet. Coastal mountains, Oregon to Baja. Zone 7. Sun to part shade. "This is a great native onion for naturalizing, and is a tasty wild food."—Kamm. Prechill seed.
—Allium ursinum. (25) ALUM-115. Packet: $2.50
'RAMSONS', 'BEAR GARLIC'. Starry white 1/2" flowers in umbels, and rather un-onion-like pointed, oval, 2" wide leaves. Hardy perennial to 18". Eurasia. Zone 3. The leaves and bulbs are very strongly garlic flavored, and are diced fine and added to cooking, the flavor mellowing with the heat. Seed highly dormant.
ALONSOA (a-lon-SO-a)
SCROPHULARIACEAE. Showy tropical American plants grown as annuals or in pots for winter bloom. Full sun, most soils. For early bloom start indoors and plant out in May. Produces a profusion of bloom in 12 weeks from seed. Sow on the surface, germinates in 10 - 30 days.
—Alonsoa meridionalis. (250) ALON-16. Packet: $2.50
Cinnabar-red flowers abundantly produced on a tender perennial to 2 feet. S. America. Zone 9. Good in masses in the border or in pots. Germinates in 2 - 4 weeks.
—Alonsoa meridionalis 'Shell Pink'. (500) ALON-16P. Packet: $2.50
Abundant pink flowers for a long season, on a tender perennial to 20". Zone 9. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks.
ALSTROEMERIA (al-stre-MAY-ree-a)
LILIACEAE. Showy South American perennials from tuberous roots. Attractive flowers, often spotted or streaked, are long-lasting when cut. Best in full sun or part shade in deep rich soil, or as pot plants in the North. Naturalizes well in California. The leaves twist during development, so their undersides face up. Germination may be irregular.
—Alstroemeria aurantiaca. (10) ALST-2. Packet: $3.00
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Showy bright orange and yellow 2" clustered flowers with purple or red stripes and spots in the throat, May to August. Perennial to 3 feet, with 4" leaves. Chile. The hardiest species, to Zone 6 or 7.
—Alstroemeria Ligtu 'Dandy Candy'. (10) ALST-15D. Packet: $4.00
Large flowers in red, rose, and picotee white with pink, with dark stripes and yellow markings. Dwarf compact plants to about 14", blooming June to October. Flowers when young. Zone 8. Give seed 3 weeks warm, then 3 weeks cold, germination irregular.
—Alstroemeria revoluta. (20) ALST-21. Packet: $2.50
Delicate pink flowers spotted darker. Tender perennial to 12 -30". Endemic to central Chile. Zone 8. Stands summer dryness and short frosts to 20°F. Give 3 weeks warm, then 3 weeks cold and hold pots, may be slow. For more seeds and plants grown by plant-explorer Ben Kamm, including many Andean rarities, see his website at www.sacredsucculents.com
ALTHAEA (al-THAY-a)
MALVACEAE. Tall, showy, free-flowering annuals biennials and perennials grown for their attractive bloom. Easily grown in any garden soil in full sun or part shade. Many of the biennials and perennials will bloom the first year if started indoors in January or February. Sow thinly, 1/4" deep, to germinate in 9 - 12 days or more.
—Althaea Cannabina. (25) ALTH-4. Packet: $2.50
Gram: $8.00
Pink, inch-wide flowers with deep red centers. Hardy perennial to 2 - 5 feet. with palmately divided hemp-like leaves, hence the name. S. Europe. Zone 4. Blooms till fall, resembling a miniature Hibiscus. Yields a fiber. Germinates in 5 - 6 weeks.
—Althaea officinalis. (100) ALTH-9. Packet: $2.50
Pure Seed 5 grams: $12.00
'MARSHMALLOW'. Soft pink, inch-wide flowers in clusters up the stems. Hardy perennial to 3 to 4 feet, with velvety, grey-green lobed leaves. E. Europe. Zone 3. The true Marshmallow has long been cultivated for the roots used medicinally and as food. Boiled, then fried with onions and butter, they are said to be a palatable dish, and the boiled leaves have also been eaten. Mostly they are used medicinally for coughs, inflammations, etc., 'marshmallows' originally being a medicinal candy. It is said to be an immune system stimulant. Germinates in 1 - 4 weeks.
ALYOGYNE (al-ee-O-ji-nee)
MALVACEAE. Showy-flowered Australian shrubs and small trees with palmately divided leaves. Excellent ornamentals for warm areas and in the greenhouse, becoming increasingly appreciated in California. Easily grown from seed.
—Alyogyne hakeifolia. (50) ALYO-9. Packet: $2.50
Covered from spring to summer with large 3" pale purple-lilac flowers with crimson throats. The leaves are divided into narrow, thread-like segments. Dark green shrub to 5 - 10 feet. W. Australia. A beautiful shrub for warm, dry areas. Lightly nick seed to germinate in 1 - 6 weeks.
AMARANTHUS (a-ma-RAN-thus)
AMARANTHACEAE. Easily grown annuals. Many are showy inhabitants of the flower garden, others are valuable edible grains and greens. Easy from seed sown where they are to grow, or early indoors and planted out after frost. Good in hot, dry areas and poor soil, but at their best in rich soil with plenty of moisture. Many make good cut flowers and they dry well. Wonderful old-fashioned favorites. All germinate in 1 - 2 weeks unless noted otherwise.
See Amaranth in Vegetable List for other varieties.
—Amaranthus hypochondriacus 'Pygmy Torch'. (1000) AMAR-20P. Packet: $2.50
Ounce: $7.50
'PRINCE'S FEATHER'. Red, upright spikes. To 1 foot. This species is cultivated in México for its high protein (15%) seeds, borne in large heads. The young leaves can be eaten as a potherb. Development of this plant as a food source was hindered by the attempts by the Catholic church to eradicate the plant as it figured in many important Aztec rites.
—Amaranthus tricolor 'Early Splendor'. (500) AMAR-42ES. Packet: $2.50
10 grams: $12.00
Bright glowing crimson foliage. Hardy annual to 2 feet or so. Early maturity. Excellent cut-foliage for florist work, and the leaves are edible like spinach. The tender young leaves and sliced stems make a colorful addition to salads. Germinates in 1 - 4 weeks.
—Amaranthus tricolor 'Joseph's Coat'. (250) AMAR-42J. Packet: $2.50
'SUMMER POINSETTIA', 'CHINESE SPINACH'. Vigorous bushy annual to 3 feet or so, with 2 - 8" leaves with brilliant red, yellow and green markings. Tropics. The showy leaves are eaten raw or cooked. "An excellent hot weather substitute for spinach."—Facciola. Germinates in 1 - 6 weeks, and GA-3 helps.
—Amaranthus tricolor 'Red Sea'. (400) AMAR-42RS. Packet: $2.50
Showy plant with edible red and pink round leaves. Annual to 16". Ready to eat in 35 - 60 days depending on temperature. Productive and tasty. Germinates in a week.
AMMOBIUM (a-MOW-bee-um)
COMPOSITAE. Easily grown Australian perennials, usually grown as an annual or biennial. The yellow flowers, surrounded by silvery white bracts, make excellent everlastings. Sow early for bloom the first year, or any time up to September as a biennial. Flowers continuously from June to September. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks. Prefers a rich, sandy soil. Good cut flowers.
—Ammobium alatum. (1000) AMOB-1. Packet: $2.00
Ounce: $8.00 (about 62,000 seed), 1/4 Pound: $16.00
'WINGED EVERLASTING'. Large pearly white flowers with yellow centers, up to 2" across. Branched woolly perennial to 2 - 3 feet. The stems have striking broad flat wings. Australia. For drying, cut before the flowers fully open, and dry in a shady place. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks at warm temperatures.
AMOMUM (a-MO-mum)
ZINGIBERACEAE. Aromatic warm-region plants.
—Amomum subulatum. (25) AMOM-22. Packet: $3.00
BLACK CARDAMOM'. Dense clusters of yellow and white flowers at the base of the plant in midsummer. Tender perennial to 5 feet, with ginger-like leaves. Himalayas to 6500 feet. Zone 9. The aromatic seeds are used as a spice and in Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine. Antimicrobial and cardio-adaptogen. Nick seed and keep warm; 3 - 8 months.
Article on cardio-adaptogen properties:
Effect of Greater cardamom (Amomum subulatum Roxb.) on blood
lipids, fibrinolysis and total antioxidant status in patients with ischemic heart disease. Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Disease. http://www.apjtcm.com/zz/2012s2/38.pdf
Article on anti-microbial properties:
Antimicrobial Activity of Amomum subulatum and Elettaria cardamomum Against Dental Caries Causing Microorganisms. Ethnobotanical Leaflets 13: 840-49, 2009. http://opensiuc.lib.siu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1740&context=ebl
Review article on all medicinal properties:
Amomum Subulatum Roxb: An Overview In All Aspects. Kumar Gopal et al. IRJP 2012, 3 (7) Page 96. International Research Journal of Pharmacy. http://www.irjponline.com/admin/php/uploads/1217_pdf.pdf
ANAGALLIS (a-na-GAL-is)
PRIMULACEAE. Low growing annual, biennial and perennial herbs cultivated for their pretty little star- or wheel-shaped flowers in shades of red, blue and white. Free-flowering and easily grown in warm places. Good for edging borders and as pot-plants on a sunny windowsill. Sow indoors in March or outdoors in April. Germinates in 1 - 6 weeks at cool to warm temperatures.
—Anagallis arvensis. (1000) ANAG-2. Packet: $2.50
Ounce: $7.50
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'POOR MAN'S WEATHERGLASS' 'SCARLET PIMPERNEL'. Salmon-red 5-petaled flowers produced abundantly on a low, trailing plant to 8". The petals have a purple spot at the base, and the stamens are covered with delicate violet hairs - a beautiful sight under a hand lens. The flowers close up if rain threatens. Worldwide. Formerly highly regarded medicinally, with a reputation going back to Pliny and Dioscorides. The leaves were added sparingly to salads and greens. Germinates best with light and KNO3, or GA-3, in 2 - 6 weeks. Aged seed best.
"No heart can think, no tongue can tell,
The virtues of the pimpernel."—Old Folk Rhyme.
ANDROPOGON (an-dro-PO-gon)
GRAMINEAE. Many species of widely distributed grasses. Some were major components of the great American prairie. Important grasses for forage, erosion control, ornament and prairie restoration. Robust and easily grown. Seed viable 3 - 4 years.
—Andropogon Gerardi. (1000) ANDP-18. Packet: $2.00
Ounce: $5.00, 1/4 Pound: $10.00 This unit OUT OF STOCK - Packets and ounces are available
'BIG BLUESTEM'. Native bunchgrass to 3 - 8 feet, with half-inch wide leaves and large, three-parted purplish spikes. Great Plains, from Canada to México. Zone 3. An excellent bunchgrass for ornament, prairie restoration, and erosion control. Provides forage and a rapid increase in the organic content of the soil. Strong and deep rooted, thriving in wet or dry places. Used medicinally by the Indians. The ashes are used in Navaho Evilway blackening. Seed germinates in about 2 weeks warm.
ANGELICA (an-JELL-i-ka)
UMBELLIFERAE. Stout aromatic perennials with stately umbels of white or pale yellow flowers. Planted in the border for ornament, food and medicine. Sow in late fall to germinate in spring, or give 4 - 6 weeks cold treatment and sow in spring.
Angelicas often do best sown outdoors as varying temperatures seem to help germination.
Bertrand reports the best success germinating the seed by sowing on the soil surface, then covering with 1/4" of chick grit, to germinate at 60 - 70°F.
—Angelica atropurpurea. (50) ANGE-4. Packet: $2.50
10 grams: $7.50
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'ALEXANDERS'. Dark wine-purple stems and white flowers in 10" wide umbels. Hardy perennial to 6 feet, with divided leaves. Wet areas, eastern N. America. Hardy to Zone 4. Medicinal. Prechill seed.
—Angelica sylvestris 'Vicar's Mead'. (50) ANGE-26V. Packet: $4.00
Pale purple-pink flowers in large umbels, June to September. Hardy perennial to 5 feet, with reddish purple stems and bold foliage. Europe. Zone 4. Prechill seed.
ANIGOZANTHOS (a-nig-o-ZAN-thos)
HAEMODORACEAE. Odd, half-hardy or tender perennials with peculiar woolly flowers and sword-like leaves rising from a thick rootstock. Grow outdoors in California and the South. The cut flowers are excellent fresh or dried. Nectar-seeking birds are attracted to them. Best in well-drained soil, and keep dry during the winter rest. Sow on soil surface, keep moist. May take up to 1 - 3 months to germinate at 60 - 70°F. Hot water soak may help. After 1st spring, leave pots to bake dry in the sun all summer, and more seed will germinate the second spring. Most are easy from seed, and seed is viable for at least ten years. Smoke treatment may help germination.
—Anigozanthos Manglesii. (50) ANIG-16. Packet: $2.50
'KANGAROO PAWS'. Stunning, vivid red and green woolly 3" flowers really do resemble kangaroo paws. To 3 - 6 feet, excellent for cut-flowers. Prefers light soil and will not tolerate cold wet areas. The floral emblem of Western Australia. An excellent species, will survive to Zone 8. Germination temperamental, 1 month or more, smoke and heat may help.
"Any close and worthwhile contact with the earth tends to make one original or at least detached in one's judgments and independent of group control."—L.H. Bailey.
ANNONA (a-NO-na)
ANNONACEAE. Tropical American and African fruit trees. Grow like Citrus in California and 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. (10) ANNO-22. Packet: $2.50
'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 - 40 weeks.
ANOMATHECA (a-no-ma-THEY-ka)
IRIDACEAE. African cormous flowers.
—Anomatheca laxa. (50) ANOM-15. Packet: $2.50
Bright red inch-long flowers in spikes of up to 12 blooms, late Summer and fall. To 12". South Africa. Prechill seed for 8 weeks to germinate in 1 - 2 weeks.
ANTENNARIA (an-ten-AR-ee-a)
COMPOSITAE. Small hardy perennial white-woolly plants grown in the rock garden or border. Some are valued for everlastings. Related to Anaphalis. Dioecious, males rare or unknown in some species, seed being produced by apomixis. Best in poor soil and full sun. Seed germinates in 1 to 2 months at cool temperatures.
—Antennaria neglecta. (200) ANTN-17. Packet: $2.50
'FIELD PUSSYTOES'. Hardy perennial to 3 - 12", forming rosettes of somewhat woolly leaves, and spreading by stolons to be a nice ground cover. White woolly flowers in clusters in April to June. S. Canada to California & Virginia. Good in dry sunny areas. Zone 3. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks.
ANTHEMIS (AN-the-mis)
COMPOSITAE. 'CHAMOMILE'. Very free-flowering hardy aromatic annuals, biennials and perennials, with yellow or white daisy-like flowers and finely divided foliage. Grown in the border, rock or herb garden for their abundant flowers. Needs full sun, and thrives in almost any soil, a dry sandy soil being best. Sow the annuals from March to May, on the soil surface, or up to 1/4" deep for some kinds. Flowers in about 13 weeks. Biennials and perennials may be sown any time up to August. Many will self sow. Some are very good for cut flowers.
—Anthemis nobilis. (=Chamaemelum nobile) (1000) ANTH-10. Packet: $2.50
5 grams: $7.50, 25 grams: $25.00, 100 grams: $50.00
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'ROMAN CHAMOMILE', 'MANZANILLA'. A hardy, low growing, compact trailing perennial to 12", with abundant white 3/4" daisies with yellow centers in July to September, held above the aromatic, finely divided, feathery foliage. Europe. Zone 4. An excellent aromatic lawn substitute; do not mow till the second year. Grown since ancient times for flavoring and medicine, the Egyptians revered its virtues and dedicated it to their gods. Chamomile tea, made from the flowers, is an old favorite, being soothing, sedative, beneficial to digestion, tonic to the nerves, and tasty, too. The whole herb was used for making herb beer. Cut flowers when fully opened for tea. Germinates in 1 - 4 weeks warm.
—Anthemis Sancti-Johannis. (100) ANTH-13. Packet: $2.50
Gram: $7.50, 5 grams: $18.00
'ST. JOHN'S CHAMOMILE'. Deep orange-yellow 2" wide daisies. Hardy perennial to 2 feet, with divided leaves. Bulgaria. Zone 3. Showy and free flowering in well drained soil and full sun. Germinates in 1 - 5 weeks.
—Anthemis tinctoria 'Kelwayi'. (100) ANTH-14K. Packet: $3.00
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'GOLDEN MARGUERITE', 'DYER'S CHAMOMILE'. Lemon-yellow 1 1/2" daisies in summer to tall, held above finely cut feathery foliage. Hardy perennial to 16" or so. Europe. Zone 3. The flowers are used to dye wool and as a tea. "An excellent hardy perennial border plant, and useful at the same time for cut-flowers."—L.H. Bailey. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks.
"In wine there is truth."—Pliny.
ANTHOCERCIS (an-tho-SER-sis)
SOLANACEAE. Australian shrubs related to Duboisia, with bell-shaped flowers with 5 spreading petals. Easily grown in California, but surprisingly little known. Some are almost leafless, making the flowers more conspicuous.
—Anthocercis littorea. (100) ANTC15. Packet: $2.50
https://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/browse/profile/6949
http://anpsa.org.au/a-lit.html
http://www.flora.sa.gov.au/efsa/lucid/Solanaceae/Solanaceae%20species/key/Australian%20Solanaceae%20species/Media/Html/Anthocercis_littorea.htm
'YELLOW TAILFLOWER'. Abundant yellow star-shaped 1 - 2" flowers with narrow petals. Shrub to 3 - 9 feet. W. Australia. Zone 9. Good in coastal Mediterranean climates. Give seed GA-3 to germinate in 2 - 8 weeks.
ANTHOXANTHUM (an-tho-ZAN-thum)
GRAMINEAE. Fragrant annual and perennial grasses related to Hierochlöe and Phalaris. Easily grown.
—Anthoxanthum odoratum. (250) ANOX-18. Packet: $2.50
'SWEET VERNAL GRASS'. Hardy perennial bunch grass to 2 feet, with bronzy yellow 3" spikes. Eurasia. Zone 3. 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, light helps.
ANTHRISCUS (an-THRIS-kus)
UMBELLIFERAE. Parsley-like plants with pinnately compound leaves and umbels of small white flowers. Grown for the delicious aromatic leaves which are eaten in salads and in sauces. Easily grown from seed in any soil. Likes shade.
—Anthriscus cerefolium: See Chervil in Vegetable list.
—Anthriscus sylvestris 'Ravenswing'. (25) ANTS-22R. Packet: $3.50
Stunning purple-red ferny foliage and umbels of small white flowers. Hardy perennial to 2 feet. Eurasia. Zone 6. Foliage good in flower arranging. Give seed 8 - 12 weeks prechill, many stragglers.
ANTHYLLIS (an-THIL-is)
LEGUMINOSAE. Easily grown mostly hardy herbs and shrubs prized for their showy flowers. Good in rockwork and full sun. Likes lime. Soak, nick hard ones.
—Anthyllis vulneraria. (50) ANTY-10. Packet: $2.50
'LADY'S FINGERS', 'WOUNDWORT'. Bright yellow-orange flowers in dense heads on a sprawling hardy perennial to 6 - 8", with silky pinnate foliage. Eurasia. Zone 4. Good bee and butterfly plant and soil improver. Good in dry, sunny places. Medicinal. Seed half-life 9 years. Soak, nick hard ones, to germinate in 2 weeks or so.
ANTIGONON (an-TIG-o-non)
POLYGONACEAE. Showy tendril climbers from México and Central America, easily grown in warm regions and in the greenhouse. Blooms best in not-too-rich soil. Vines killed by frost, but re-sprouts from the tubers. Loves heat. In the greenhouse, rest dry in winter.
—Antigonon leptopus. (10) ANTI-1. Packet: $3.00
'CORAL VINE', 'CORALLITA'. Bright rose-pink flowers in clusters from spring to fall. Climber to 40 feet with heart-shaped to triangular leaves. México. Zone 9. "One of the handsomest summer-blooming greenhouse climbers..."—L.H. Bailey. The tubers reach 15 pounds, are edible when cooked, and are said to have a nut-like flavor. The leaves and flowers are cooked and eaten in Thailand. Germinates in 2 - 4 weeks.
ANTIRRHINUM (an-ti-RYE-num)
SCROPHULARIACEAE. Very popular annuals and perennials grown for their showy flowers which are good for cutting. Excellent in the border, and the dwarf kinds for edging and in the rock garden. The modern types are very over hybridized, but the wild kinds and old-fashioned types still retain their natural beauty. Sow seed as early as February and as late as September for winter bloom. Avoid sowing during mid-summer heat. Do not cover the seed as light is beneficial to germination, which takes 10 to 20 days, and up to 72 days for some species at cool temperatures. Seed viable for 3 - 7 years or more.
Antirrhinum majus maximum Varieties:
'SNAPDRAGONS'. These are the old-fashioned open pollinated tall snapdragons, cottage-garden favorites. Easily grown, excellent for cut flowers.
—Antirrhinum majus 'Appleblossom'. (1000) ANTR-30AP. Packet: $2.50
25 grams: $7.50
Appleblossom pink and white flowers in spikes to 2 - 3 feet tall. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks.
—Antirrhinum majus 'Bizarre Mix'. (1000) ANTR-30BX. Packet: $2.50
5 grams: $9.00
Unusual speckled, striped, and mottled flowers in a variety of shades. Long blooming, to 20" tall. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks.
—Antirrhinum majus 'Welcome'. (1000) ANTR-30WE. Packet: $2.50
25 grams: $7.50
Dark red flowers on semi-dwarf plants to 18".