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. (c,h) ALBI-1. Packet: $2.00
Germination: 99% Tested: 7/09, Oz: $6.00, 1/4 lb: $16.00
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This is hardier, northern-source seed.
'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-SEE-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 pallida. (d,h) ALCE-19. Packet: $2.50
Gram: $7.00
Lilac-rose single 2 - 3" wide flowers in spikes, May to September. Hardy biennial to 6 feet, with lobed, rounded leaves. Central Eurasia. Possibly one of the parent species of the modern hollyhock. Nick seed to germinate in 1 - 6 weeks.
—Alcea rosea Chater's Chestnut Brown. (c,g) ALCE-21CC. Packet: $2.00
5 grams: $8.00, 10 grams: $12.00
Large double flowers in a luscious chestnut-brown shade. Perennial strain to 6 feet. Nice!
—Alcea rosea Chater's Peaches and Dreams. (c,h) ALCE-21CP. Packet: $2.00
5 grams: $8.00, 10 grams: $12.00
Beautiful large salmon-pink fully double flowers in tall spikes. Perennial strain to 6 feet.
—Alcea rosea Chater's Violet. (c,h) ALCE-21CV. Packet: $2.00
Germination: 84% Tested: 8/09, 5 grams: $8.00, 10 grams: $12.00
Fully double large violet flowers in tall spikes. Perennial strain to 6 feet. Choice!
—Alcea rosea Indian Spring. (b,h) ALCE-21IS. Packet: $2.00
Germination: 86% Tested: 6/09, Oz: $6.00
'HOLLYHOCKS'. Beautiful mix of single and semi-double flowers, in a full range of colors- red, yellow, pink and white. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks, up to 6.
—Alcea rosea var. nigra. (c,h) ALCE-21N. Packet: $2.50
10 grams: $14.00, 25 grams: $22.00 BULK OUT OF STOCK - PACKETS ARE AVAILABLE
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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.
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.
NEW —Allium carolinianum. (e,l) ALUM-23. Packet: $3.00
'RI SGOG' (Tibetan name). Spiky balls of pinkish lavender flowers. Hardy rhizomatous bulb to 16", with attractive broad flat waxy leaves. Himalayas. The bulbs, leaves, and flowers have been eaten. Used in Tibetan medicine. Give well-drained soil. Germinates in 3 - 4 weeks; most dormant.
—Allium cernuum. (b,h) ALUM-24. Packet: $2.50
'NODDING ONION', 'LADY'S LEEK'. Nodding clusters of rose or white flowers. Hardy perennial to 1 - 2 feet. North America. The elongated bulbs are eaten in soups & stews, and were eaten by the Indians. An absolutely beautiful species. Germinates in 1 - 6 months at warm or cold temperatures.
—Allium Christophii. (e,g) ALUM-27. Packet: $2.50
'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 fistulosum Red. (b,h) ALUM-32R. Packet: $2.50
5 grams: $9.50, 10 grams: $15.00
'RED WELSH ONION'. Perennial bunching onion to 14", with red stalks. Excellent hardy perennial vegetable. Highly productive, and will give for years once established, spreading by offsets. Also nice in the flower garden, as the red stems contrast with the balls of flowers. Germinates in 1 - 3 weeks.
—Allium jajlae. (25) ALUM-44. Packet: $2.50
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Rose-violet 1/4" flowers in small round 1 - 2" heads in June & July. Hardy bulb to 2 feet, with flat grass-like leaves. Crimea & the Caucasus. Often considered a subspecies of A. scordoprasum, the 'Giant Garlic', so the bulbs are probably tasty. Germinates in 1 - 3 weeks warm.
—Allium tuberosum. (c,h) ALUM-105. Packet: $2.00
Germination: 91% Tested: 3/09, Oz: $6.00
'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. Germinates in 1 - 3 weeks warm.
—Allium ursinum. (e,v) 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. The leaves and bulbs are very strongly garlic flavored, and are diced fine and added to cooking, the flavor mellowing with the heat.
ALOE (AL-o-ee or AL-o)
LILIACEAE. Popular perennial succulents with rosettes of spiny-toothed sword-shaped leaves and showy tubular flowers. Grown in the greenhouse loam in full sun. Some species are valuable medicinal plants, their juice being dried and used as a purgative, or fresh as topical treatment of wounds & burns, including X-ray and radiation burns, promoting cell growth and speeding the healing process. All are CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) endangered species. Germinates easily.
—Aloe broomii. (e,g) ALOE-40. Packet: $2.50 OUT OF STOCK
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'BERG ALWYN'. Large rosettes to 3 feet across of broad sword-shaped bright green leaves with thorny edges. Pale lemon-yellow inch-long flowers in dense spikes to 5 feet tall. S. Africa. CITES II endangered species. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks warm.
—Aloe dichotoma. (d,h) ALOE-86. Packet: $2.50
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A giant species, forming a stout tree to 30 feet tall, with a trunk 3 - 4 feet thick, with many forking branches tipped with rosettes of sword-shaped 6 - 14" leaves edged with tiny teeth. Bright canary yellow 1 1/2" flowers in branched, foot-long panicles. Namibia, South Africa. Lives many hundreds of years. CITES II endangered species. Awesome. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks at warm temperatures.
—Aloe striata. (d,h) ALOE-327. Packet: $2.50
'CORAL ALOE'. Large dense rosettes of smooth, pale green spineless leaves with narrow white or pinkish red edges, often distinctly striped. Brilliant coral red to peach 1 1\4" flowers on 2 - 3 foot stems, February to May. S. W. Africa. Easy, long-lived, and blooms young. Stands to 28°F with some damage. Germinates in about 2 weeks. CITES App. II.
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 & 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. (b,h) ALON-16. Packet: $2.50
Cinnabar-red flowers abundantly produced on a tender perennial to 2 feet. S. America. Good in masses in the border or in pots. Germinates in 2 - 4 weeks.
ALSTROEMERIA (al-stre-MEER-ee-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. (e,h) ALST-2. Packet: $3.00
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 O. P. Hybrids. (d,h) ALST-15 Packet: $3.00
Beautiful shades of pink, orange and flame, spotted and streaked. Perennial to 2 feet, narrow leaves. Chile, An excellent, fairly hardy strain. Give seed 4 weeks warm then cold to germinate in 3 - 10 weeks at cold temperatures.
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.
NEW —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. Blooms till fall, resembling a miniature Hibiscus. Yields a fiber. Germinates in 5 - 6 weeks.
—Althaea officinalis. (b,h) ALTH-9. Packet: $2.00
Pure Seed - Gram: $6.00, 5 grams: $11.00
'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. 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.
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 & 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 caudatus. (a!,h) AMAR-1. Packet: $1.50
Germination: 92% Tested: 7/09, Oz: $5.00, 1/4 pound: $10.00
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'LOVE-LIES-BLEEDING'. Long, drooping spikes of tiny, deep red flowers, July to September. Robust, easily grown hardy annual to 2 1/2 - 3 feet, with pointed leaves. Tropics. An old favorite garden flower, cultivated for grain since ancient times in the tropics, and in Europe since 1596. Yields up to a metric ton of nutritious seeds per acre (1/2 lb per square yard). The leaves are eaten like spinach.
—Amaranthus caudatus Viridus. (a!,h) AMAR-1V. Packet: $2.50
10 grams: $10.00 BULK OUT OF STOCK - PACKETS ARE AVAILABLE
'GREEN LOVE-LIES-BLEEDING'. An interesting green form of this old garden favorite. Valued in flower-arranging. Unusual.
—Amaranthus hypochondriacus Pygmy Torch. (a,h) AMAR-20P. Packet: $2.00
Germination: 96% Tested: 7/09, Oz: $6.00
'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. (b,h) AMAR-42ES. Packet: $2.50
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. (b,g) 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.
—Amaranthus tricolor Red Sea. (a,h) AMAR-42RS. Packet: $2.00
Germination: 92% Tested: 9/09, 5 grams: $6.00
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.
AMETHYSTIA (a-me-THIS-tee-a)
LABIATAE. A single species from Siberia. Sow where they are to stand, or early in the greenhouse. Germinates in 2 - 6 weeks, and flowers in about 14 weeks. Does well as a pot plant, thin to 3 per 6" pot.
—Amethystia caerulea Turquoise. (b,h) AMET-6. Packet: $2.50
Showy, tiny sky-blue flowers in dense spikes, valued for cutting. Bushy annual to 2 feet, with sweetly fragrant foliage, trifoliate 3" leaves, and purple stems. Siberia. Very free flowering and valued for the delicate aromatic leaves. "What you don't mention in your catalog is, that after it has gone to seed, the colour remains, and it makes a special, very attractive background to any dried floral arrangement." --Reinhold Lang, B.C., 2/96.
AMMI (AM-ee)
UMBELLIFERAE. Perennial carrot-like herbs with feathery leaves and small white flowers in umbels. An interesting genus producing several pharmacological agents. Excellent wildflowers for naturalizing. Seed germinates in 1 - 2 weeks or so at warm temperatures.
—Ammi majus. (a!,g) AMMI-16. Packet: $1.50
Germination: 72% Tested: 3/09, Oz: $6.00
'BISHOP'S FLOWER', 'FALSE QUEEN ANNE'S LACE'. White flowers in 6" wide umbels, good for cutting. To 1 1/2 - 3 feet. Feathery compound foliage. NE Africa. A nice little wildflower, easy, but resents transplanting. The root was chewed by North African caravaneers to protect themselves from the sun; it contains 8-methoxypsoralen which stimulates pigment production in skin exposed to ultraviolet light. May cause side effects.
—Ammi Visnaga. (c,f) AMMI-25. Packet: $2.50
'KHELLA', 'TOOTHPICK PLANT'. Large umbels of white flowers, good for cutting. Perennial to 2 - 3 feet, with feathery divided 3 - 8" leaves. Mediterranean region. The seeds are valued for treating asthma, angina pectoris, and the pain of kidney stones. The dried seed stalks are used as toothpicks in Egypt. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks warm.
AMMOBIUM (a-MOW-bee-um)
COMPOSITAE. 'WINGED EVERLASTING'. 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. (a!,h) AMOB-1. Packet: $2.00
Germination: 92% Tested: 7/09, 63,000/Oz, Oz: $8.00
'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.
AMORPHA (a-MOR-fa)
LEGUMINOSAE. Hardy, graceful North American shrubs with dense spikes of flowers and feathery pinnate leaves. Easily grown in borders & shrubbery.
—Amorpha fruticosa. (b,h) AMOR-7. Packet: $2.50
Germination: 76% Tested: 8/09, Oz: $7.50, 1/4 pound: $22.50
'FALSE INDIGO'. Dark purple flowers in dense 3 - 6" spikes in summer. Hardy shrub to 5 - 20 feet, with feathery pinnate 6 - 12" leaves. Saskatchewan to México. "Remarkable for the unusual color of its dark violet-purplish flowers."—Bailey. Beautiful and easily grown. Sow the whole tiny pods to germinate in 3 - 5 weeks, or rub out of pods and nick or use hot water for higher germination.
AMORPHOPHALLUS: See Perishable Items page.
AMSONIA (am-SO-nee-a)
APOCYNACEAE. Hardy perennials valued in the border or among shrubbery, for their blue starry flowers. Easy in most soils in sun or part shade. Native to E. North America and E. Asia.
—Amsonia hubrichtii. (e,h) AMSO-10. Packet: $2.50
Starry blue flowers in clusters on a hardy perennial to 3 - 5 feet, with narrow needle-like leaves that turn bright yellow-orange in fall. Ozarks. Zone 5. Prechill 4 - 8 weeks to germinate in 3 - 5 weeks.
—Amsonia illustris. (c,h) AMSO-12. Packet: $2.00
1/2 Oz: $10.00 (about 900 seed)
Rich light blue flowers in early spring on a hardy perennial to 4 feet, with broad, glossy leaves. Missouri to Texas. Hardy to Zone 4 and stands gravelly to garden soil. Give 8 weeks cold, to germinate in 2 - 4 weeks.
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. (a!,h) ANAG-2. Packet: $2.50
25 grams: $18.00, 100 grams: $40.00
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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. Use GA-3 to germinate in 2 - 6 weeks.
"No heart can think, no tongue can tell,
The virtues of the pimpernel."—Old Folk Rhyme.
—Anagallis linifolia (=coerulea). (a!,h) ANAG-5. Packet: $2.00
Germination: 76% Tested: 8/09, Oz: $6.00, 1/4 pound: $18.00
Large deep gentian-blue 3/4" wide flowers in masses. Half hardy annual to 8", forming a soft compact mound of foliage. Mediterranean region. Good for borders and edging. For a nice flowering pot plant for a sunny window, sow in July or August. Germinates in 1 - 3 weeks warm.
ANAPHALIS (a-NA-fa-lis)
COMPOSITAE. Woolly perennials often grown for everlastings. Easily grown and nice in the border.
—Anaphalis margaritacea New Snow. (a,h) ANAP-1N. Packet: $2.50
Gram: $10.00
'PEARLY EVERLASTING'. Clustered small white, shiny round flowers with yellow tips, in July to September. Hardy perennial with white-woolly foliage. North Hemisphere. Cut flowers dry well, and they can be dyed various colors. Good for harsh areas. Leaves used as a tobacco substitute. Germinates in 2 - 4 weeks warm.
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 & prairie restoration. Robust & easily grown. Seed viable 3 - 4 years.
—Andropogon Gerardi. (a,h) ANDP-18. Packet: $1.25
Germination: 73% Tested: 1/09, Oz: $5.00, 1/4 lb: $10.00
'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. An excellent bunchgrass for ornament, prairie restoration, & erosion control. Provides forage and a rapid increase in the organic content of the soil. Strong & 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.
"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.
ANGOPHORA (an-GO-for-a)
MYRTACEAE. Australian evergreen trees related to Eucalyptus, but with five-petaled flowers. Easy, fast-growing, blooms profusely, and stands some frost.
—Angophora costata. (d,h) ANGO-6. Packet: $2.50
'SYDNEY REDGUM'. Profuse clusters of white, inch-wide, five-petaled flowers in spring and early summer, which attract nectar-seeking birds and insects. Deep wine-red new foliage, narrow 5" leaves. Pinkish bark peels to show bright orange-brown new bark, and often has curiously twisted branches. Open-crowned tree to 80 feet. E. Australia. Produces abundant honey and pollen. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks.
—Angophora hispida. (10,g) ANGO-11. Packet: $2.50
'DWARF APPLE'. Abundant white 1 1/2" five-petaled flowers from pink and red buds, in spring and summer. Shrub or small tree to 10 - 30 feet, with red-tipped 4" leaves, and orange to pink flaking bark. NSW Australia. Buds, flowers and foliage all good floral material. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks.
ANIGOZANTHOS: See Reserved Access Page.
ANNONA (a-NO-na)
ANNONACEAE. Tropical American & African fruit trees. Grow like Citrus in California & 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. (e,g) ANNO-22. Packet: $2.50
Oz: $7.50, 1/4 pound: $22.50 BULK OUT OF STOCK - PACKETS ARE AVAILABLE
'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 - 24 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. (c,h) ANTH-10. Packet: $2.50
Germination: 92% Tested: 3/09, 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. 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. (b,h) ANTH-13. Packet: $2.50
Germination: 88% Tested: 9/09, 10 grams: $10.00 BULK OUT OF STOCK - PACKETS ARE AVAILABLE
'ST. JOHN'S CHAMOMILE'. Deep orange-yellow 2" wide daisies. Hardy perennial to 2 feet, with divided leaves. Bulgaria. Showy and free flowering in well drained soil and full sun. Germinates in 1 - 5 weeks.
—Anthemis tinctoria Kelwayi. (a,h) ANTH-14K. Packet: $2.00
5 grams: $6.00
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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. 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.
ANTHOXANTHUM (an-tho-ZAN-thum)
GRAMINEAE. Fragrant annual & perennial grasses related to Hierochlöe and Phalaris. Easily grown.
—Anthoxanthum odoratum. (b,h) ANOX-18. Packet: $2.00
Germination: 56% Tested: 11/09, 10 grams: $9.00
'SWEET VERNAL GRASS'. Hardy perennial bunch grass to 2 feet, with bronzy yellow 3" spikes. Eurasia. 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.
ANTHYLLIS (an-THIL-is)
LEGUMINOSAE. Easily grown mostly hardy herbs & shrubs prized for their showy flowers. Good in rockwork and full sun. Likes lime. Soak, nick hard ones.
NEW—Anthyllis vulneraria. (c,h) 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. Good bee & butterfly plant and soil improver. Good in dry, sunny places. Medicinal. Seed half-life 9 years. Nick seed to germinate in 2 weeks.
ANTIGONON (an-TIG-o-non)
POLYGONACEAE. Showy tendril climbers from México & Central America, easily grown in warm regions and in the greenhouse. Blooms best in not-too-rich soil. Vines killed by frost, but resprouts from the tubers. Loves heat. In the greenhouse, rest dry in winter. Germinates in 2 - 4 weeks at 70°F.
—Antigonon leptopus. (e,h) 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. "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. Germinates in 2 - 4 weeks. Rub papery husk off seed.
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 Choice O.P. Mix. (a,h) ANTR-30CX. Packet: $2.00
Germination: 64% Tested: 8/09, 25 grams: $10.00
Old fashioned open-pollinated snapdragons, in a mix of colors. To 1 - 2 feet. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks.
NEW —Antirrhinum Orontium. (a,h) ANTR-34. Packet: $2.50
'WEASEL SNOUT', 'SMALL SNAPDRAGON'. Pretty little annual to 1 - 2 feet, with 1/2" rose or purple flowers. Europe. Once used medicinally. Good to naturalize. Use GA-3 to germinate in 1 - 2 weeks.