DICENTRA (di-SEN-tra)
FUMARIACEAE. Hardy perennials valued for their attractive much-cut foliage and oddly-shaped flowers in shades of red yellow and white. Easily grown in shady parts of the border or wild-garden. Seed needs 6 weeks or more cold treatment to germinate in 30 days or so.
—Dicentra formosa. (50) DICE-12. Packet: $2.50
Gram: $7.50
'PACIFIC BLEEDING HEART'. Rosy purple to pink 3/4" heart-shaped flowers in graceful 9 - 30 flowered racemes. Hardy perennial to 6 - 24", with attractive ferny foliage. Moist areas, B.C. to central California. Good in part shade, blooms late spring or summer, often reblooming later. Zone 3. Variable dormancy, try 4 - 10 weeks warm followed by 12 weeks prechill, or sow in fall. GA-3 may help.
DRACOCEPHALUM
—Dracocephalum renattii. (25) DRPH-21. Packet: $2.50
Creamy white inch-long flowers flushed red at the base, in woolly spikes. Low perennial to 10", with 1" leaves. Morocco. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks or so.
EPILOBIUM
—Epilobium hirsutum. (500) EPIL-34. Packet: $2.50
'CODLINS AND CREAM', 'APPLE PIE'. Wine-red 1/2 - 1" flowers in short clusters. Hardy rhizomatous perennial to 2 - 6 feet, with downy, willow-like leaves. Eurasia, North America. Best in moist areas such as pond-side. The crushed fresh leaves have a sweet, delicate scent, hence the common names. The leaves are sucked in Russia for the salty taste. Germinates in 2 - 3 weeks warm.
FUCHSIA
—Fuchsia procumbens. (25) FUCH-64. Packet: $2.50
'TRAILING FUCHSIA'. Odd upright 1/2" yellow-green flowers with purple-tipped stamens, in summer, followed by bright red fruits. Low trailer to 6" tall. New Zealand. Zone 8. Slow to germinate.
GALIUM
—Galium verum. (250) GALI-25. Packet: $2.50
Gram: $7.50
'YELLOW BEDSTRAW', 'CHEESE RENNET'. Yellow flowers on a pretty trailing hardy perennial to 3 feet. Europe. Zone 2. Used to curdle milk in cheese-making, and to dye the cheese yellow. Also used to dye wool and maiden's hair. The roots provide red dye. The flowering tops have been made into a summer drink. Medicinal. Germinates in 2 - 4 weeks.
GEUM (JEE-um or GAY-um)
ROSACEAE. Easily grown hardy perennials with bright red to yellow flowers. Good for cutting. Best in sun and well-drained soil.
—Geum urbanum. (75) GEUM-44. Packet: $2.50
Gram: $7.50
'CLOVE ROOT', 'HERB BENNET'. Pale yellow 1/2" flowers in May to October. Hardy perennial to 1 - 2 feet, with large divided leaves. West Eurasia and North Africa. Zone 5. The root is clove-scented, and used as spice and for flavoring wine and ale. Germinates in 2 weeks and up.
GINGIDIA (hard or soft G, as you like!)
UMBELLIFERAE. From Australia and New Zealand.
—Gingidia montana. (50) GING40. Packet: $2.50
'MAORI ANISE'. Umbels of white flowers in summer, and striking blue-green pinnate foliage. Perennial to 16". New Zealand. Zone 6. Has an anise flavor and used for food. Attracts bees. Prechill seed a few weeks.
HALORAGIS (ha-lo-RA-gis)
HALORAGIDACEAE. Southern hemisphere plants.
—Haloragis erecta purpurea 'Wellington Bronze'. (10) HALO-8P. Packet: $2.50
'TOATOA'. Bronze-red serrated foliage and red- dish flowers and pinkish fruits. Hardy perennial to 16". New Zealand. Zone 5. Germination may be irregular, and GA-3 helps.
HELIANTHUS
—Helianthus annuus 'Carosel'. (100) HELA-6CAR. Packet: $2.50
Ounce: $7.50
1/4 Pound: $15.00
Lemon-yellow 4 - 6" flowers covering a dwarf, compact, multi-branched annual to 3 - 4 feet.
—Helianthus annuus 'Midnight Rouge'. (100) HELA-6MD. $2.00 Packet: $2.00
Ounce: $5.00
1/4 Pound: $12.00
Rich burgundy-red 3 - 6" flowers with deep brown centers on a branching annual to 4 - 6 feet. Good for cut-flower production.
HELIOPSIS
—Heliopsis scabra 'New Hybrids'. (50) HEL0-24NH. Packet: $2.50
Double and semi-double lemon to orange-yellow flowers. Hardy perennial to 3 feet. Zone 3.
IPOMOEA
—Ipomoea heptaphylla. (25) IPOM-35. Packet: $2.50
10 grams: $7.50
50 grams: $30.00
Click for photos
'WRIGHT'S MORNING GLORY'. Pink 1 1/2" flowers with dark purple throats. Vigorous vine with hand-shaped leaves. Widespread in warm regions of the globe. Soak seed, nick hard ones.
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.
—Lapeirousia laxa. (=Anamotheca laxa) (25) LAPE-24. Packet: $2.50
Info and photos
Info and photos
Info and photos
Click for photo
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
—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.
LAVANDULA
—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.
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.
—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.
—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.
LILIUM
—Lilium Aurelian and Trumpet Hybrids. (20) LILY-AT. Packet: $2.50
A nice mix of open sunburst Aurelians and long Trumpets, in various shades and scents. Good landscaping lilies as they bloom in late summer after the Asiatics stop. Germinates in 4 - 6 weeks.
—Lilium philippinense. (50) LILY-84. Packet: $2.50
Gram: $7.50
Click for photo »
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.