ORCHIDACEAE. Widespread terrestrial orchids.
—Habenaria unalascensis. (500) HABE-84. Packet: $3.00
'ALASKAN ORCHID'. Slender spikes of small white or greenish flowers on leafless stems to 2 feet tall, above a rosette of 6" leaves. W. N. America. Hardy native orchid to Zone 5 or more. Dust on pots of woodland soil and hope for the best. Let me know if you succeed.
HABRANTHUS (hab-RAN-thus)
AMARYLLIDACEAE. Central and South American bulbs related to Hippeastrum and Zephyranthes. Easy in full sun, part shade, good in sandy soil and in pots. Outdoors in California and the South.
—Habranthus robustus. (25) HABR-10. Packet: $2.50
Click for photo »
Large, rosy-pink 3" long and wide flowers with green throats, borne on 9" stalks in spring, before the leaves. Narrow blue-green leaves. Argentina. Zone 8. Evergreen in California. Germinates in 1 - 3 weeks.
HALORAGIS (ha-lo-RA-gis)
HALORAGIDACEAE. Southern hemisphere plants.
—Haloragis masatierrana. (10) HALO-16. Packet: $4.50
1/4 gram: $10.00, Gram: $30.00
Photo: http://www.trekkingchile.com/flora/fotos/robinson_crusoe/images/Haloragis-masatierrana.htm
Small shrub with attractive serrated leaves and small reddish flowers followed by berries. Endemic to Isla Robinson Crusoe off of Chile. Zone 9. Best in mild coastal climates. Germinates in 2 - 3 weeks and GA-3 helps. For more seeds and plants grown by plant-explorer Ben Kamm, including many Andean rarities, see his website at www.sacredsucculents.com
HEDYSARUM (he-DEE-sar-um)
LEGUMINOSAE. Ornamental hardy perennials and shrubs, with showy flowers and feathery leaves.
—Hedysarum tauricum. (25) HEDS-80. Packet: $3.00
Click for photos » Flower Plant Attractive Pods
'KOPEECHNIK KRYMSI'. Spikes of large purple flowers, June to September. Hardy perennial to 1 foot, with attractive pinnate foliage. Black Sea region. Zone 5. Remove husk, hot water soak, then nick hard to germinate in 3 - 8 weeks.
"Busy, curious, thirsty fly, Drink with me, and drink as I."—William Oldys, On a Fly Drinking out of a Cup of Ale, (1696 - 1761).
HELENIUM (he-LEN-ee-um)
COMPOSITAE. Hardy American annual and perennial herbs grown in the border and wild garden for their interesting and attractive summer and fall bloom. Best in rich soil and full sun. Germinates in 1 - 3 weeks. Sow in spring, and the perennials up to July. Seed viable 3 - 4 years.
—Helenium puberulum. (500) HELE-14. Packet: $2.50
5 grams: $15.00
Click for photos »
'ROSILLA'. Odd yellow flowers turn purple brown, forming round balls on long stems, the small yellow ray-flowers like a short skirt at the base. Perennial to 3 - 5 feet. California. Zone 8. Good in dried arrangements. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks.
HELIANTHELLA (he-lee-an-THEL-la)
COMPOSITAE. Yellow-flowered perennials native to the Western states. Most are hardy and easily grown in a variety of soils, and are valued for their showy fall display.
—Helianthella quinquenervis. (100) HELT-20. Packet: $2.50
1/4 Ounce: $8.00
'ASPEN SUNFLOWER'. Large nodding yellow sunflower-like 3 - 5" wide blooms on long stems. Hardy perennial to 2 - 5 feet, with narrow leaves up to 20" long. Rocky Mountain meadows. Germinates in 2 - 4 weeks, and GA-3 helps some.
HELIANTHUS (hee-lee-AN-thus)
COMPOSITAE. 'SUNFLOWER'. Large hardy annuals and perennials grown for their large showy flowers. Excellent in the back border, and are ideal for bird and wildlife food. The flowers of various species range from 1 - 12" or more across, and in height from 1 to 20 feet. Easily grown in most soils. Plant outside as early as possible to miss heavy frosts, to germinate in about 1 - 3 weeks. For early flowers, start indoors as early as February or March, to germinate in about 10 days at 60 - 65°F. Plant out in April or May. Heat and drought resistant. Best planted in masses in large gardens where "their magnificent flowers... assume an air of regal splendor."—Booth.
—Helianthus annuus 'Autumn Beauty'. (100) HELA-6AB. Packet: $1.50
Ounce: $5.00, 1/4 pound: $9.00
Many 6" flowers in shades of yellow, bronze and mahogany red, with a darker zone. Branching habit to 7 feet. An interesting mixture. Germinates in 1 - 3 weeks.
—Helianthus annuus 'Chocolate Cherry'. (100) HELA-6CC. Packet: $2.00
Ounce: $5.00, 1/4 pound: $15.00, Pound: $30.00
Deep burgundy 5 - 8" flowers on a hardy annual to 6 - 7 feet.
—Helianthus annuus 'Earthwalker'. (100) HELA-6EW. Packet: $2.50
25 grams: $7.50, 100 grams: $18.00
Shades of terracotta through brown with dark centers. Side-branching habit to 6 - 9 feet. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks.
—Helianthus annuus 'Velvet Queen'. (200) HELA-6VQ. Packet: $2.00
Ounce: $7.50, 1/4 pound: $12.00
Rusty-red 5" flowers on plants to 5 - 6 feet. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks.
—Helianthus Maximiliani. (100) HELA-30. Packet: $2.50
Ounce: $7.50, 1/4 Pound: $20.00
'MAXIMILIAN SUNFLOWER'. Yellow 3" sunflowers from July to October on a hardy perennial to 2 - 10 feet tall. Narrow, foot-long leaves. Plains, Manitoba to Texas. Zone 4. The thick tubers were eaten by the Sioux and other peoples. Germinates in 1 - 6 weeks.
—Helianthus petiolaris. (100) HELA-64. Packet: $2.50
1/4 Ounce: $7.50, 1/4 Pound: $20.00
'PLAINS SUNFLOWER'. Yellow 2 - 3" sunflowers with red-brown eyes, June to September. Hardy branching annual to 3 feet, with blue-grey leaves. Dry plains, W. U.S. Petals used by Hopi as face-powder, the seeds have been eaten, and the plant used for hunting luck and for medicine by Navajo. Use GA-3 to germinate in 1 - 6 weeks.
—Helianthus pumilus. (50) HELA-66. Packet: $2.50
5 grams: $12.00
Click for photo »
Info and photos: http://www.easterncoloradowildflowers.com/Helianthus%20pumilus.htm
'DWARF SUNFLOWER'. Bright yellow 1- 3" sunflowers in June to August, on a hardy perennial to 1 - 2 feet or so, with ash-green leaves. Eastern Rockies and plains. Zone 3. Give seed 4- 8 weeks prechill or GA-3 to germinate.
HELIOPSIS (hee-lee-OP-sis)
COMPOSITAE. 'SUN GLORY'. Showy sunflower-like hardy perennials valued for their large summer bloom in the border. Makes good cut flowers. Sow seed from early spring up to August, to germinate in 10 - 15 days. Blooms the first year if started early.
—Heliopsis scabra 'Burning Hearts'. (15) HELO-24B. Packet: $4.00
Large golden 4" flowers with vivid red centers, July to frost. Hardy perennial to 4 feet, with deep purple leaves and black stems. Zone 3. Good cut flower and blooms the first year. Germinates in 1 - 3 weeks.
—Heliopsis scabra 'Summer Nights'. (25) HELO-24N. Packet: $4.00
Gram: $7.50
An outstanding variety with golden 4" flowers with orange-red centers, July to frost. Hardy perennial to 4 feet, with red stems and purplish-red foliage. Zone 3. Germinates in 2 - 3 weeks warm.
HELLEBORUS (he-LE-bor-us)
RANUNCULACEAE. 'HELLEBORE'. Attractive long-lived hardy perennials valued for their very early bloom (some in late winter), and handsome foliage. Best in part shade and moist soil, admirably suited to planting under trees and in shrubbery. They make excellent cut flowers and are easily forced. Seed germinates best if given 2 periods of cold treatment, otherwise they may hold over 2 winters. Sow in fall or give 30 - 60 days cold, then 60 days warm, then 30 - 60 days cold, to germinate in 30 - 60 days. Freezing once in each cold period may help. Space 12". Good results have been obtained by starting at warm temperatures for 1 - 3 months, then move to cold, for germination at cold temperatures.
—Helleborus foetidus. (50) HELB-6. Packet: $2.50
5 grams: $7.50 BULK OUT OF STOCK - packets are available
Click for photo »
'BEAR'S FOOT'. Nodding bell-shaped pale green 1/2 - 1 1/4" wide flowers, often edged or tipped reddish or purple. Hardy evergreen perennial to 1 1/2 feet, with leathery, dark green, divided leaves. S. and W. Europe. Zone 5. Blooms February to April. Choice. Give seed 6 - 12 weeks warm, then cold treatment. Best sown in fall. Hold pots 2 years.
—Helleborus niger. (25) HELB-10. Packet: $3.50
Click for photos »
'CHRISTMAS ROSE'. Very large white flushed pinkish 2 - 4" saucer-shaped flowers bloom very early, December to April. Elegant hardy perennial to 1 1/2 feet, with dark green divided leaves. Europe. Zone 3. Best in cold-winter climates. The poisonous root was used medicinally and was once used to bless cattle as protection from evil spirits, and was used by sorcerers of legend to become invisible.
—Helleborus purpurascens. (25) HELB-20. Packet: $4.00
Greenish purple to bluish 3" wide flowers, purple-violet outside, with dark veins, in winter and spring. Hardy perennial to 16", with deeply lobed leaves. Hungary. Zone 4. Good in humusy soil. Forms mats. Needs warm/cold/warm cycles.
HEMEROCALLIS (he-mer-o-KAL-is)
LILIACEAE. 'DAYLILY'. Hardy, free-flowering tuberous rooted Eurasian perennials prized for their showy bloom. Easily grown, pest free, thriving with neglect. Almost any soil, full sun or part shade. Easy to naturalize. forming large clumps. Mixed types germinate at 70°F, with further germination if unsprouted seeds are moved to 40°F.
—Hemerocallis Fine Mixed. (25) HEME-FX. Packet: $2.50
1/4 Ounce: $15.00, Ounce: $40.00 New Price
Click for photos »
'DAYLILY'. Seed from a fine collection from the full spectrum of day lilies—colors from yellow and orange through red, purple and pink to near white. Flower sizes from miniature to 6", and many ruffled and a few spider types. Includes named types like Stella De Oro and Catherine Woodbury, and a full range of heights and bloom times. Excellent. Zone 4. Easy but irregular from seed, most germinating in 1 - 8 weeks warm, best in the dark, but some lots need 4 -8 weeks prechill.
"Moral indignation is envy with a halo."—H. G. Wells.
HERACLEUM (her-a-KLEE-um)
UMBELLIFERAE. Bold perennials or biennials, some gigantic, with cartwheel-sized umbels. Good specimen plants for moist soil in full sun or shade.
—Heracleum lanatum. (=maximum) (100) HERA-3. Packet: $2.00
Ounce: $6.00
Click for photos »
'COW PARSNIP', 'MUN-SHOK' (Yuki name). White flowers in large umbels to a foot or so across, February to June. Hardy perennial to 3 - 10 feet, with bold 20" lobed leaves. N. America and Eurasia. Zone 3. Widely used by Indians for medicine and food, the tender young leaf and flower stalks eaten peeled. The roots are a valuable medicine. Give 4 - 6 weeks cold to germinate in 4 - 8 weeks.
HESPERALOE (hes-per-AL-o)
LILIACEAE or AGAVACEAE. Several stemless plants resembling Yucca. Narrow leaves from a bulbous base. Long flower-spikes. Easily grown; treat like Agave or Yucca. Excellent for desert areas.
—Hesperaloe parviflora. (10) HESO-19. Packet: $2.50
Photo Whole Plant Flower-Stalk
'RED YUCCA'. Bright dark to light red inch-long flowers on red stems to 6 feet tall, May to July. Inch wide, gracefully arching reddish green leaves to 4 feet long, the edges with conspicuous threadlike frayed edges. S.W. Texas. Hardy to 0°F (Zone 7). Germinates in 1 - 4 weeks.
HESPERIS (HES-per-is)
CRUCIFERAE. Hardy Eurasian biennials and perennials grown for their bright, often fragrant flowers.
—Hesperis matronalis Mix. (100) HESP-6X. Packet: $1.50
Ounce: $6.00, 1/4 Pound: $10.00
'SWEET ROCKET', 'DAME'S VIOLET', 'DAMASK VIOLET'. Very sweet scented, showy purple-violet or white flowers in large pyramidal clusters from June to August. Hardy biennial or perennial to 3 feet. Eurasia. Zone 3. Space 18". Good cut flower; a few mixed in a bouquet will scent a room. Full sun or part shade. An old-fashioned cottage garden favorite. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks.
HEUCHERA (hew-KER-a)
SAXIFRAGACEAE. 'ALUM ROOT'. Popular native North American wildflowers. Airy clusters of dainty flowers held above clumps of broad, heart-shaped, lobed leaves. Though mostly inhabiting rocky cliffs, streambanks, and mountains, they thrive in full sun or part shade in ordinary moist garden soil. Good for cutting and florist work. Sow on surface in late fall to early spring. Germinates in 1 - 10 weeks at cool temperatures. Seed half-life 3 years.
—Heuchera americana 'Dale's Strain'. (500) HEU-4D. Packet: $2.50
Beautiful foliage, the 2 - 3" lobed leaves marbled purple and white, edged with green. Tiny creamy flowers in airy panicles, June to September. Hardy perennial to 2 feet, very variable in coloring. E. N. America. Zone 4. Germinates in 1 - 3 weeks or so. Best with light and KNO3.
NEW—Heuchera cylindrica. (500) HEU-7. Packet: $2.50
Gram: $7.50
'ROUND-LEAF ALUM ROOT'. Dense cylindric spikes of tiny creamy flowers, to 2 1/2 feet tall. Perennial with shining roundish leaves. NW N. America. Highly valued for the attractive foliage.
—Heuchera micrantha Wild Type. (500) HEU-15. Packet: $2.50
'ALUM ROOT'. Airy clusters of tiny white flowers in May and June, above clumps of lobed leaves. Hardy perennial to 2 feet. Moist shady areas, B.C. to California. Zone 5. Germinates in 2 - 8 weeks warm.
—Heuchera 'Newest O.P. Hybrids'. (500) HEU-NH. Packet: $2.50
Produces many varied forms with foliage from green to bronze, marbled silvery to red veined, smooth to lobed margins, and flowers from white to red. Hardy perennial to 8 - 20", blooms June to September. Zone 3. Nice! (americana X micrantha) Germinates in 1 - 3 weeks, light and KNO3 helps.
—Heuchera pulchella. (100) HEU-16. Packet: $2.50
Click for photos »
Nice rosy pink flowers on 6" stems. Hardy perennial (Zone 4) forming dense 1 1/2" tall mats of deeply lobed bright green leaves. New Mexico mountains. Zone 4. Best in dappled shade. "One of the finer species Heucheras. We've got a mat that has spread to 2 feet across over a period of about 8 years. A true miniature. Really nice."—Bertrand. Germinates in 2 - 12 weeks.
—Heuchera sanguinea Firefly. (1000) HEU-20F. Packet: $2.50
1/4 gram: $7.50
Click for photos »
'CORAL BELLS'. Dark scarlet, nodding, bell-shaped 1/2" flowers in open clusters, on delicate stems to 2 feet, May to July. Hardy perennial with rosettes of roundish scalloped leaves. SW U.S. Zone 3. This is an improved deep scarlet strain. Germinates in 2 - 3 weeks.
HIBISCUS (hi-BIS-kus)
MALVACEAE. 'ROSE MALLOW'. Warm region herbs, shrubs and trees with showy flowers in many colors, and a long season of bloom. Best in deep, rich, moist soil and full sun. Many of the herbaceous kinds are hardy in the North if mulched, and others good greenhouse tub plants, or the roots lifted in fall and stored in a cellar. Some can be flowered indoors in winter in a 6" pot. Germinates readily in 1 - 10 weeks warm, and light nicking or hot water soak may help. Various kinds are grown for food, fiber, seed oil, and even some for timber.
NEW—Hibiscus cannabinus. (50) HIBS-5. Packet: $2.50
5 Grams: $10.00
'KENAF', 'INDIAN HEMP'. Yellow 3 - 6" wide flowers with purple or crimson centers. Annual or perennial to 3 - 6 feet with heart-shaped basal and palmately lobed upper leaves. Old World tropics. Widely cultivated for the jute-like fiber as well as for papermaking. Seeds yield an illuminating oil, and the seed-cake is eaten. Young leaves eaten as a potherb. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks, best with hot water soak or light nicking.
—Hibiscus coccineus. (40) HIBS-9. Packet: $2.50
'RED STAR OF TEXAS'. Large red 6" flowers on a bushy plant to 8 feet. Shorter and more floriferous if pinched back. S. U.S. Hardy to about Philadelphia. Roots may be stored over winter in a cellar. Pick pods to extend bloom. Attracts hummingbirds. Hot water soak to germinate in 1 - 3 weeks.
—Hibiscus Moscheutos Mixed. (50) HIBS-30X. Packet: $2.50
1/4 Ounce: $7.50, Ounce: $15.00
Huge 8 - 10" flowers range from pink to dark rose to white. Bushy perennial to 5 feet, with large, maple-like leaves. Zone 4. A 'Southern Belle' type. Choice and easy. Nick or use hot water to germinate in 1 - 2 weeks.
HIERACIUM (hee-er-RAY-see-um)
COMPOSITAE. 'HAWKWEED'. Easily grown perennials with red, orange or yellow flowers on spikes held above a rosette of leaves. Good in the rock garden and in poor soil. Easy from seed, which germinates in 1 - 3 weeks, sometimes much longer. The name comes from the belief that hawks eat the plant to sharpen their sight. They have a sweet honey-like scent and give much nectar. Used medicinally.
—Hieracium Pilosella. (b,h) HIER-34. Packet: $2.50
'MOUSE-EAR HAWKWEED'. Lemon-yellow 1" wide flowers, striped purple on the back, from May to September, held above the felty grey foliage. Hardy stoloniferous perennial to 1 foot. Europe. Nice groundcover. Medicinal. Germinates in 1 - 3 weeks.
HIEROCHLÖE (hee-er-o-KLO-ee)
GRAMINEAE. Fragrant perennial grasses of both hemispheres. Easily grown in moist places. The name is from Greek; hieros - sacred, and chlöe - grass.
—Hierochlöe odorata. (Hierochloe odorata). (25) HIEC-18. Packet: $3.00
1/4 gram: $15.00
'SWEET GRASS', 'HOLY GRASS'. Sweetly vanilla/coumarin scented grass to 1 - 2 feet, with graceful brownish panicles in June and July. North temperate regions from Europe, through N. Asia and N. America. Zone 3. This is the source of the well-known sweetgrass braids used as sacred incense by N. American Indians. It is not well known that it was also sacred to early European peoples, and is still used to strew in churches on festival days. Used for flavoring in tropical Asia. Perhaps we can all use this grass to help us remember our common humanity. Germinates in 2 weeks to 6 months, but KNO3 or 100ppm GA-3 speeds this to 2 - 4 weeks. Light helps. We supply rubbed seed. (The name Hierochloe odorata is repeated above so that the search engines can find it - they don't seem to do well with the "Ö")
"The danger is not that a particular class is unfit to govern. Every class is unfit to govern."—Lord Acton, 1881.
HOSTA (HO-sta)
LILIACEAE. Hardy and easily grown herbaceous perennials from China and Japan. They form large attractive clumps of broad basal leaves overtopped by spikes of funnel-shaped blue, lilac or white nodding flowers. They grow vigorously in rich soil in moist shaded places, the clumps of foliage creating a pleasing effect. Easy from seed, which germinates in 2 - 4 weeks or so.
—Hosta species Mixed. (50) HOST-X. Packet: $2.50
A mix of various hardy species. Germinates in 2 - 4 weeks.
HUMULUS (HOO-mu-lus)
CANNABIDACEAE. Two species of twining dioecious vines, of easy cultivation. To save your own seed, plant several, to be sure of having both sexes.
—Humulus Lupulus. (50) HUMU-6. Packet: $2.50
5 grams: $35.00, 10 grams: $65.00 BULK OUT OF STOCK - packets are available
Click for photo of seedlings »
'HOPS'. Hardy dioecious perennial twiner to 20 feet, with handsome 3-lobed leaves and rounded cone-like spikes which form the bitter 'hops' used to flavor beer and increase its intoxicating effects. Young shoots eaten like asparagus. North temperate regions. Zone 4. Prechill 6 - 8 weeks to germinate in 2 - 3 weeks.
HYDROPHYLLUM (hee-dro-FEE-lum)
HYDROPHYLLACEAE. North American plants.
—Hydrophyllum capitatum. (50) HYDP-6. Packet: $2.50
'CATS BREECHES'. Small purple or white flowers in dense balls in late spring. Hardy perennial to 18", with feathery grey fuzzy basal leaves. W. N. America. Zone 5. Germinates at cool to cold temperatures.
NEW—Hydrophyllum tenuipes Dark Purple. (25) HYDP-23P. Packet: $2.50
5 grams: $7.50
'PACIFIC WATERLEAF'. Deep purple bell- shaped 1/4" flowers in clusters, with long stamens. Hardy perennial to 3 feet, with divided 6" leaves. Pacific Northwest. Zone 8. Best in shade and moist soil. Roots were eaten by the Cowlitz Indians.
HYMENOPAPPUS (hi-men-o-PAP-us)
COMPOSITAE. North American biennials and perennials.
NEW—Hymenopappus newberryi. (75) HYMN-17. Packet: $2.50
Gram: $7.50
'NEWBERRY'S PLAINSMAN'. Showy white 2" daisies with yellow centers in summer, above a rosette of finely divided leaves. Hardy perennial to 8 - 24". Endemic to only a few counties in Colorado and New Mexico. Zone 3. Stands drought and harsh conditions. Best sown in fall.
HYOSCYAMUS (hee-os-KEE-a-mus)
SOLANACEAE. Curious annual and perennial medicinal herbs of folklore. Easy in well-drained soil.
—Hyoscyamus albus. (25) HYOS-1. Packet: $2.50
'WHITE HENBANE'. Creamy white to pale yellow funnel-shaped flowers with green or purple centers, in long spikes to 18 - 24" tall. Attractive hardy annual or biennial with deeply lobed leaves. Mediterranean. The curving spikes of odd, Urn-shaped pods are valuable in dried arrangements. Medicinal. Not weedy. Use GA-3 to germinate in 2 weeks.
—Hyoscyamus niger. (200) HYOS-3. Packet: $2.50
CANNOT BE SENT TO CALIFORNIA
'HENBANE', 'HENBELL'. Yellow, inch-wide, funnel-shaped flowers veined and netted with purple in the throat, in long spikes in June to Sept. These turn into long sprays of unusual, ornamental, urn-shaped capsules. Hardy biennial or annual to 2 - 4 feet, with pale green, lobed, 8" leaves, and silvery hairs. Mediterranean. Zone 3. The stalks of curiously formed capsules are valued in the dried floral trade. Has an ancient history of medicinal use, and was an ingredient in the famed sorcerers ointment of European witches. Important commercial pharmaceutical crop. Use GA-3 to germinate in 2 - 4 weeks.
HYSSOPUS (hi-SO-pus)
LABIATAE. Aromatic perennials from the Mediterranean to central Asia. Most germinate in 1 - 2 weeks.
—Hyssopus officinalis. (250) HYSS-1. Packet: $2.50
Ounce: $8.00
'HYSSOP'. Dark blue 1/2" flowers in dense 5" spikes in summer and fall. Hardy aromatic perennial to 1 - 2 feet, with small, narrow, dark green 1 - 2" leaves. S. Europe. Zone 3. Blooms profusely. Best in warm, alkaline soil. Good bee plant, producing fine honey. A popular herb, used for tea, soups, potpourri, and medicinally against rheumatism. Germinates in 1 - 3 weeks.
—Hyssopus officinalis 'Tricolor Mix'. (100) HYSS-1TX. Packet: $2.50
'TRICOLOR HYSSOP'. Blue, pink, and white-flowered forms mixed. Blooms June to August, making a nice display. Hardy perennial to 18". Zone 3.
HYSTRIX (HIS-trix)
GRAMINEAE. Striking ornamental perennial grasses. Nine species ranging from New Zealand and Asia to North America. Best in moist, woodsy, shady places.
—Hystrix californica. (50) HYST-4. Packet: $2.50
'CALIFORNIA BOTTLE-BRUSH GRASS'. A stately perennial grass to 6 feet, with large nodding bottle-brush-like spikes, and wide, strap-like leaves. Rare endemic to central coastal California. Zone 9. Good in part shade or full sun. Germinates in 2 weeks. My favorite local grass.