LEGUMINOSAE. Spectacular hardy small trees and shrubs valued for their pendulous yellow racemes and graceful habit. Hardy to at least Massachusetts (Zone 4) and standing poor rock soil. Pest free. Nick and soak seed to germinate in about 3 weeks.
—Laburnum alpinum. (100) LABN-2. Packet: $2.50
Ounce: $7.50
1/4 Pound: $20.00
'SCOTCH LABURNUM'. Bright yellow 1/2" flowers in long slender pendulous 15" racemes in summer. Hardy tree to 30 feet, with shiny deep green foliage. Mountains of Southern Europe. Zone 3. Nick seed to germinate in 1 - 3 weeks.
LACTUCA (lak-TOO-ka)
COMPOSITAE. Tall annuals, biennials and perennials grown for ornament, food, seed oil, and medicine.
—Lactuca virosa. (100) LACT-24. Packet: $2.50
10 grams: $35.00
100 grams: $275.00
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'WILD LETTUCE'. Light yellow 1/2" flowers in large airy clusters. Hardy biennial to 3 - 6 feet. Europe. Sow any time, spring to late summer. Crosses of this with L. scariola sometimes show enlarged leaves more like garden lettuce than either of the parents. A re-domestication of lettuce might be an interesting project. The bitter milky juice was formerly used in medicine. Germinates best in part shade, in about 1 - 6 weeks.
LAGENARIA (la-je-NAR-ee-a)
CUCURBITACEAE. 'GOURD'. Tender long-running tropical vines. Easily grown musky-scented plants. Give warm rich soil and full sun. Start indoors early in the North, and grow like squash. Pantropical and independently domesticated in both hemispheres. Includes the hard-shelled, white flowered Calabash Gourds, Cucuzzi Squash, Snake Gourd, and New Guinea Bean. Some lots more or less dormant. Clip pointed end of seed and use GA-3 for best germination in 2 - 3 weeks.
—Lagenaria siceraria 'Bushel Gourd'. (10) LAGS-6B. Packet: $3.00
Ounce: $7.50 BULK OUT OF STOCK - packets are still available
1/4 pound: $25.00 BULK OUT OF STOCK - packets are still available
Very large round gourds, sometimes up to 4 - 5 gallon capacity. Used for containers, drums, etc.
LAPEIROUSIA (la-pay-i-ROO-zee-a)
IRIDACEAE. Easily grown African cormous plants hardy in the North with winter protection. Showy Watsonia-like flowers. Grow like Gladiolus in light soil and full sun. Good for forcing in the greenhouse. Named in honor of the unfortunate French navigator, La Peyrouse. Germinates readily.
NEW—Lapeirousia laxa. (=Anamotheca laxa and Freesia laxa) (25) LAPE-24. Packet: $2.50
Info and photos
Info and photos
Info and photos
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Salmon-pink 1 1/2" flowers with red eyes, in one-sided spikes of 6 - 12. Rare plant with narrow, foot-long leaves. To 4 - 10" tall. South Africa. Hardy to Zone 4. Good to naturalize in California among shrubs where it is summer dormant. Germinates in 4 - 12 weeks. Now classed as Freesia laxa.
LATHYRUS (LATH-ee-rus or la-THY-rus)
LEGUMINOSAE. Showy climbing and upright annuals and perennials, including the familiar 'Sweet Pea'. Grown for their lovely, often fragrant flowers of many shades of blue, violet, red, white or yellow. Excellent, quick-growing plants, perfectly adapted to trellises, fences, or allowed to sprawl as a colorful groundcover on sunny slopes. The perennials are easily grown in any garden soil, giving a good display year after year without attention. The annuals need a deep, rich moist soil and full sun. Pick pods to prolong bloom. Germinates in 1 - 3 weeks.
—Lathyrus odoratus 'Heirloom Mix'. (50) LATH-36HX. Packet: $2.00
Ounce: $6.00
1/4 pound: $15.00
'HEIRLOOM SWEET PEAS.' Blend of highly fragrant heirloom varieties in shades of rose, lavender, purple, salmon, and white. Excellent cut flowers. Best in full sun.
—Lathyrus odoratus 'High Scent'. (50) LATH-36HS. Packet: $2.00
Ounce: $7.50
1/4 pound: $18.00
Bred for fragrance, the large white flowers have purple-tinged edges, and are the mo
—Lathyrus odoratus 'Royal Family'. (50) LATH-36RF. Packet: $2.00
Ounce: $6.00
1/4 Pound: $15.00
'SWEET PEAS'. Lovely mix of fragrant large flowers in bright colors- reds, pinks, oranges, whites and purples. Withstands heat. Long-lasting cut flowers. This mixture is now difficult to find.
NEW—Lathyrus tuberosus. (25) LATH-53. Packet: $2.50
5 grams: $7.50
'EARTH-NUT PEA', 'DUTCH MICE'. Fragrant rose-pink flowers on a trailing climber to 4 feet. Eurasia. The tubers are delicious raw or cooked, tasting like chestnuts. Soak, nick hard ones, to germinate in 2 - 8 weeks. Can be sown in fall.
"Live as if you are going to die tomorrow, garden as if you are going to live forever."—Joan Kipling
LAVANDULA (la-VAN-du-la)
LABIATAE. 'LAVENDER'. Aromatic perennials and shrubs grown for their attractive bloom, handsome foliage and delightful fragrance. They prefer full sun, and light, dry, limey soil, rich soil reducing yield. South facing slopes are best. Clip frequently to induce bushiness. Hardy to about zone 5. Sow in fall or spring, as they germinate best at cool temperatures. Or prechill 6 - 12 weeks to germinate in 1 - 12 weeks. Seed viable 5 years. Cut flowers in morning or evening, and dry in a cool, shaded place.
—Lavandula officinalis. (=vera) (100) LAVA-7. Packet: $2.50
1/4 Ounce: $7.50
'TRUE or ENGLISH LAVENDER'. Lavender 1/2" flowers with purplish calyces, in long-stemmed spikes. Narrow grey green 2" leaves. Rounded shrub to 1 - 3 feet. Mediterranean region. Zone 5. An ancient herb, used by the Romans in their baths, and in their salads. It is mentioned by Shakespeare, and is much used to this day for strewing, perfume, scenting clothes, medicine, etc. A good honey source. Good cut flowers. The flowers were candied in former times, and they are good in salads, wine, and vinegar. Give seed 6 weeks prechill, or GA-3 and light, to germinate in 1 - 2 weeks.
NEW—Lavandula viridis. (250) LAVA-25. Packet: $2.50
10 grams: $10.00
'YELLOW FLOWERED' or 'CANARY ISLAND LAVENDER'. Small yellow flowers, fragrant leaves. Perennial to 2 feet. Canary Islands. Zone 8. Use GA-3 to germinate in 1 - 2 weeks. Aged seed best.
LAWSONIA (law-SOW-nee-a)
LYTHRACEAE. A single species.
—Lawsonia inermis var. alba. (500) LAWS-4A. Packet: $2.50
10 grams: $7.50
'HENNA', 'MIGNONETTE TREE'. Very fragrant small white flowers with crisped petals on a small tree to 20 feet. Africa and Asia. Zone 9. Grown since ancient times for the leaves which are used to dye the hair a coppery reddish color. Bees are attracted to the sweetly-scented flowers, which are used by the Swahili for perfume. Medicinal. GA-3 helps germination, which takes 4 - 8 weeks or so. Germination rate is generally low.
"All civilization does is hide the blood and cover up the hate with pretty words!"—U. K. LeGuin.
LEONURUS (lee-o-NOO-rus)
LABIATAE. Hardy Eurasian herbs, good in the back border or wild garden. Easily grown from seed which germinates readily in 1 - 3 weeks.
NEW—Leonurus Cardiaca 'Grobbebol'. (100) LEOR-3G. Packet: $2.50
'MOTHERWORT'. Unique variety with attractive ruffled-edged leaves. Lilac-pink flowers in summer. Hardy perennial to 3 feet. Zone 3. Said to be strong medicinally.
LEPECHINIA (le-pe-CHIN-ee-a)
LABIATAE. Aromatic shrubs with showy flowers, grown in warm regions for ornament. Includes one of our finest California natives. The large, hard seed may require scarification to germinate.
NEW—Lepechinia hastata. (10) LEPE-18. Packet: $4.00
'BAJA PITCHER SAGE'. Long spikes of bright purple flowers in summer. Perennial to 2 - 4 feet, with aromatic, arrow-shaped blue-green leaves. Zone 7. Attracts hummingbirds. Drought resistant. Germinates in 2 weeks or so.
LEPIDIUM (le-PI-dee-um)
CRUCIFERAE. Herbaceous plants, many eaten.
—Lepidium virginicum. (200) LEPI-88. Packet: $2.50
'VIRGINIA PEPPERWEED'. Tiny white flowers in long sprays. Hardy annual to 2 - 3 feet. North America. The leaves have been eaten in salads or cooked, the unripe pods used as seasoning, and had medicinal uses among the Indians.
"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).
LEVISTICUM (le-VIS-ti-kum)
UMBELLIFERAE. 'LOVAGE'. A single species of hardy perennial herb grown for the seeds used as flavoring. Best in rich moist soil and full sun. Sow in fall or early spring to germinate in 2 - 3 weeks. Space 1 - 3 feet apart. Seed viable 3 years.
—Levisticum officinale. (100) LEVI-1. Packet: $2.50
10 grams: $7.50
'LOVAGE'. Tall perennial with shining dark green leaves in mounds to 2 - 3 feet. Tall 6 foot flower stalks topped with umbels of small yellow flowers in June and July, followed by strongly aromatic seeds. Alpine Europe. Zone 3. The fresh chopped leaves are an excellent addition to salads, stews and soups. The thick leafstalks can be eaten fresh like celery or candied like Angelica. Dried leaves make a nice tea. Seeds and root used for flavoring cordials and in perfumery. Germinates in 2 - 3 weeks warm.
LEWISIA (lew-ISS-ee-a or lew-iss-EE-a)
PORTULACACEAE. About 20 species of attractive hardy perennials named for Capt. Meriwether Lewis of the Lewis and Clark expedition. Good in the rock garden or among alpines, best in very well-drained gravelly, sandy soil, kept moist in spring and dry in summer. Germinates irregularly, best after 4 - 10 weeks cold treatment, may take 13 days and up to a year; usually 1 - 2 months. Best at cool temperatures and light may help, try surface sowing.
—Lewisia Cotyledon 'Sunset Strain'. (75) LEWI-6S. Packet: $2.50
Abundant inch-wide flowers in shades of red, pink, orange, and yellow, often with striped petals. Hardy perennial to 6", with a rosette of succulent leaves. Zone 3. Prechill seed 6 - 8 weeks to germinate in 1 - 2 weeks.
LEYCESTERIA (lay-ses-ter-EE-a)
CAPRIFOLIACEAE. 'HIMALAYAN HONEYSUCKLE.' Himalayan shrubs with funnel-shaped flowers in nodding spikes. Easily grown outdoors in the South and in sheltered places in the North. Easy from seed, flowers in 3 - 4 years. Interesting plants.
—Leycesteria formosa. (250) LEYC-9. Packet: $2.50
'FLOWERING NUTMEG', 'HIMALAYAN HONEYSUCKLE', 'PHEASANT BERRY'. White 3/4" flowers in pendant 4" spikes, with claret-red bracts, in August - September. Shiny purple-black berries, Strong growing deciduous shrub to 6 feet, with 7" leaves. Himalayas. Zone 6. "Berries bitter but delicious with sugar and milk. Diluted with water, they make a refreshing drink, sweetened to taste. Unique flavor. My favorite soft fruit."—J.L. Germinates in 1 - 3 weeks.