COMPOSITAE. Showy Eurasian hardy perennials grown for their bold foliage and bright summer flowers. Easily grown in moist soil and full sun or part shade. Germinates in about 2 - 3 weeks.
—Ligularia dentata 'Midnight Lady'. (10) LIGU-7M. Packet: $2.50
Compact purple-bronze foliage, almost black in spring, and holds color well in summer. Golden flowers on strong stems to 3 feet. Zone 3.
LIGUSTRUM (li-GUS-trum)
OLEACEAE. Well-known ornamental shrubs and trees valued for their profusion of white fragrant flowers. Much grown as hedges or street trees. Tolerant of pollution and easily grown. Usually germinates readily, though some need cold treatment.
—Ligustrum lucidum. (50) LIG-26. Packet: $2.50
10 grams: $7.50
'GLOSSY PRIVET', 'NU-CHEN'. Fragrant white flowers in up to 10" clusters in late summer, followed by small black fruits. Evergreen shrub or small tree to 30 feet, with glossy 4 - 6" leaves. China and Korea. Zone 8. Good in wild areas. The ripe fruits are important in Chinese medicine. Said to be similar to Lycium fruits; nourishing the liver, kidneys, and improving the eyesight.
LILIUM (LI-lee-um)
LILIACEAE. 'LILY'. Noble flowers, unequalled in their beauty, grace, and magnificence. Native to widely varying conditions, most are easily grown in a light or sandy soil, and only a few species have strict requirements. Most dislike lime, and like good drainage. They do best if mulched heavily in cold climates. Growing lilies from seed is a rewarding undertaking, and are easy if the correct germination method is followed. Most will bloom in 3 - 4 years. Seed viable 2 years; 5 years if kept very dry.
—Lilium Aurelian-Trumpet Purple Hybrid. (25) LILY-AP. Packet: $2.50
Nice purple lilies. Zone 5.
NEW—Lilium candidum. (10) LILY-15. Packet: $2.50
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'MADONNA LILY'. Fragrant pure white funnel-shaped 3" flowers with golden anthers, in racemes of 5 to 20 in late June. To 4 - 6 feet. S. Europe. Seed germinates readily, in about 3 - 8 weeks or so. It appears in 5000 year old Cretan frescoes, and has been cultivated since at least 1500 BCE for the scent of the flowers, a thousand pounds of blooms yielding under a pound of essence.
—Lilium Henryi. (20) LILY-40. Packet: $2.50
Gram: $7.50, 5 grams: $30.00
Bright orange 3 - 4" flowers with recurved petals spotted brown, with dark orange anthers, in August. Four to 20 blooms per plant. Striking hardy lily to 4 - 8 feet, best in part shade. China. Zone 5. Nice! Root germinates in 5 - 20 weeks warm.
—Lilium Henryi 'Citrinum'. (25) LILY-40C. Packet: $2.50
Pale yellow 3" flowers spotted brown, with recurved petals. Up to 20 blooms per plant. Striking hardy lily to 3 - 8 feet. China. Zone 5. Best in part shade. Germinates in 3 - 8 weeks or so.
—Lilium Kesselringianum. (25) LILY-52. Packet: $4.00
Fragrant pale yellow turk's cap type nodding 3 - 5" flowers in summer. Hardy bulb to 2 - 4 feet. NE Turkey. Zone 5 or 6. Root germinates in 4 - 16 weeks warm.
—Lilium Mackliniae 'Naga Form'. (15) LILY-56N. Packet: $2.50
'MANIPUR LILY'. Large nodding deep rose flowers in summer. Hardy bulb to 3 feet. NE India. Zone 6. Irregular, root germinates in 2 - 12 weeks.
—Lilium Martagon album. (25) LILY-59A. Packet: $2.50
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Pure white flowers to 2" across, in long, green-stemmed racemes to 3 feet. Nice. Sow April to June, root germinates in 3 - 8 weeks with leaf growth the next spring.
—Lilium Martagon Wild Pink. (25) LILY-59P. Packet: $2.50
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'PINK MARTAGON'. A pink form of the wild turk's cap. Zone 3. Root germinates in 1 - 12 weeks warm.
—Lilium Martagon Mix. (20) LILY-59X. Packet: $2.50
Nice mix of red, orange, pink, and gold. Zone 3.
—Lilium nepalense. (10) LILY-70. Packet: $2.50
Gram: $18.00
'NEPAL LILY', Large fragrant nodding trumpet-shaped 6" yellow flowers, blotched rich purple-brown in the throat. To 1 1/2 - 3 feet, the stem running horizontally underground for 1 - 2 feet. Himalayas, to 8500 feet. Zone 5. Germinates in 3 - 6 weeks without pretreatment. The bulbs are edible.
—Lilium pardalinum. (25) LILY-77. Packet: $2.50
Gram: $7.50, 5 grams: $25.00
'LEOPORD or PANTHER LILY'. Nodding 4" orange-red flowers with recurved reddish to scarlet tipped petals, and mahogany purple spots on the lower half. To 4 - 10 feet. Rich moist soil and stream banks, California and Oregon. Zone 5. Sun or part shade. Sow April to June outdoors, root germinates in 2 - 9 months, top growth the next spring.
—Lilium philippinense. (25) LILY-84. Packet: $2.50
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Large fragrant 10" funnel-shaped flowers in July. To 3 feet. Philippines. Zone 8. Germinates readily in 3 - 6 weeks at warm temperatures, grows and blooms quickly.
—Lilium regale. (10) LILY-95. Packet: $2.50
Gram: $7.50, 5 grams: $20.00
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'ROYAL or REGAL LILY'. Large fragrant trumpet shaped 6" white flowers with canary-yellow throat, and flushed lilac to purple outside. One to 7 per plant, in July to August. To 2 - 6 feet tall. W. China. Zone 4. Germinates in 2 - 11 weeks without pretreatment. "Have had them bloom in 18 months from seed started in late December."—Bertrand. "Deliciously fragrant... One of the most beautiful of all known lilies, the exquisite blending of tints and colors forming a charming contrast with the rich, deep green foliage. Highly recommended... hardy, strong growing and permanent as far North as Boston."—J. H. Tilton.
—Lilium Szovitsianum. (20) LILY-115. Packet: $2.50
Gram: $10.00
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Long nodding yellow flowers with recurved petals, up to 20 per plant. Summer-blooming hardy bulb to 5 feet. Caucasus. Zone 4. Sow in spring, root germinates in summer, top growth in fall or the next spring.
LINARIA (li-NAR-ee-a)
SCROPHULARICEAE. Easily grown annuals and perennials with snapdragon-like flowers in many colors. Good for cutting. Full sun to part shade, making the best display planted in masses.
—Linaria maroccana Fairy Bouquet. (10,000) LINA-22F. Packet: $2.50
Ounce: $6.00, 1/4 Pound: $20.00
'MOROCCAN TOADFLAX'. Bright 1/2" flowers resembling miniature snapdragons, in shades of purple, red, yellow, blue, lavender, pink, salmon, etc., with contrasting throats and long pointed spurs. Blooms abundantly in summer. Compact hardy annual to 8 - 12", with narrow leaves. Morocco. Excellent for bedding and cut flowers. Space 6". Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks warm.
—Linaria maroccana 'Northern Lights'. (10,000) LINA-22N. Packet: $2.00
Ounce: $6.00, 1/4 Pound: $18.00
A fine mixture of bright 1/2" flowers in more red shades than 'Fairy Bouquet', and also taller, reaching 2 feet tall. Good for cutting. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks.
"The junk way to more junk."—W. Burroughs.
LINUM (LI-num)
LINACEAE. Annuals, perennials, and shrubs, with attractive five-petaled flowers in various colors. Easily grown in full sun, the perennials often blooming the first season. Most soils, good to naturalize. All germinate in 1 - 3 weeks unless noted.
—Linum flavum. (100) LINM-14. Packet: $2.50
'GOLDEN FLAX'. Large bright clear yellow inch wide flowers borne profusely in summer. Hardy perennial to 1 foot. Europe. Zone 4. Germinates in 1 - 8 weeks.
—Linum grandiflorum 'Rubrum'. (500) LINM-16. Packet $2.00
Ounce: $6.00, 1/4 Pound: $12.00
'SCARLET FLAX'. Brilliant scarlet inch-wide flowers with a silky sheen, blooming all summer till frost. Hardy annual to 14", with narrow leaves. N. Africa. Easily grown, producing a nice effect in masses. Self sows but not weedy. Germinates in 1 - 3 weeks.
—Linum grandiflorum 'Salmon'. (750) LINM-16S. Packet: $2.50
25 grams: $7.50
Salmon-pink inch-wide flowers with brick red centers, blooming all summer till frost. Hardy annual to 1 - 2 feet, blooms 8 weeks from seed.
LIPPIA (LIP-ee-a)
VERBENACEAE. Tropical African and American herbs, shrubs, and trees, with small tubular flowers in spikes. Some are popular aromatic herbs.
—Lippia dulcis. (=Phyla scaberrima) (100) LIPP-32. Packet: $3.00
'YERBA DULCE', 'AZTEC SWEET HERB', 'OROZUZ'. Tiny white flowers in daisy-like 1/2" heads. Small shrub to 1 - 2 feet, with 2" leaves. México. The leaves are intensely sweet when chewed, and are used as seasoning or tea. Roots licorice-flavored. "Much easier to grow than Stevia as it tolerates heat."—Baber. Germinates in 2 - 12 weeks, and light or GA-3 helps.
LIQUIDAMBAR (lik-wid-AM-bar)
HAMAMELIDACEAE. 'SWEET GUM'. Highly ornamental deciduous trees of N. America and Asia. Valued for their brilliant autumn coloring, timber and aromatic gum. Easy from seed.
—Liquidambar formosana. (100) LIQU-1. Packet: $2.50
'CHINESE LIQUIDAMBAR', 'FORMOSAN GUM'. Attractive 3-lobed 6" leaves are red-tinted in spring and again in fall, downy underneath. Tall tree to 120 feet, with greyish bark. China. Zone 7. Beautiful fall color. Resin and seed-balls used in Chinese medicine. Silkworms that feed on it produce superior silk. Spirits are believed to inhabit the top of the tree. Germinates in 2 - 4 weeks.
—Liquidambar Styraciflua. (50) LIQU-2. Packet: $2.50
'SWEET GUM'. Large, star-shaped 5 - 7 lobed 7" leaves turn brilliant crimson in fall. Tall tree to 50 - 150 feet. Inch wide spiky fruit balls. Connecticut to Nicaragua. Valued street and shade tree. Germinates readily in 2 - 4 weeks, stragglers up to 10 weeks. The sweet aromatic gum is chewed and used medicinally. Produces a fine wood and the seeds are eaten by birds. "Unsurpassed in the brilliancy of autumnal colors..."—Sargent. Zone 5.