PINACEAE. Attractive N. Hemisphere, conifers with pendulous cones. Grown for ornament or timber. Most soils and zones, and easy from seed.
—Picea jezoensis. (b,v) PICA-22. Packet: $2.50
1/4 Oz: $9.00, Oz: $30.00
'YEZO SPRUCE'. Tree to 150 feet, with short, glossy dark green 3/4" needles, white below. Grey flaking bark and 3" red young cones that turn brown in fall. Japan and N. Asia. Zone 2. Prechill seed 3 weeks, but will give some germination warm.
—Picea likiangensis. (b,h) PICA-26. Packet: $2.50
1/4 Oz: $12.00
'LIJIANG SPRUCE'. Tree to 100 feet, with green to blue-green 1/2" needles. Grey scaly bark and 3" cones that may be reddish or purple when young. SW China and Tibet. Zone 7. "In April and May when loaded with its male flowers and brilliant red young cones it is spectacularly beautiful."—Hilliers. Germinates in 2 - 4 weeks warm.
—Picea purpurea. (b,g) PICA-44. Packet: $2.50
1/4 Oz: $7.50, Oz: $22.00
'PURPLE-CONED SPRUCE'. Tree to 150 feet, with deep green 1/2" needles, blue-green below. Scaly, flaking orange-brown bark and deep violet-purple young cones. China. Zone 5. Germinates in 2 - 4 weeks.
PIMPINELLA (pim-pi-NEL-a)
UMBELLIFERAE. Herbs with white or yellow flowers in umbels, and feathery leaves. Best sown directly to not-too-rich soil. Germinates in 1 - 6 weeks.
—Pimpinella Anisum. (a!,h) PIM-1. Packet: $2.00 OTC ORGANIC SEED
Oz: $6.00, 1/4 lb: $15.00 1/4 lb unit out of stock, ounces and packets still available
'ANISE'. White flowers. A dainty annual to 1 1/2 - 2 feet, with feathery bright green leaves. Greece to Egypt. Grown for the popular seeds used as a condiment for bread, pastries and cheese, to flavor liqueurs, and medicinally. Known to the ancient Greeks, it is mentioned by Dioscorides, Theophrastus, and Pliny. The leaves may be used in salads. Medicinally the seeds and oil are used as estrogenic agents to promote milk secretion, regulate and promote menstruation, ease birth, and allay symptoms of menopause. A number of synthetic estrogens were originally modeled after the estrogenic compounds found in the oil. Anise still has merit in that it is non-carcinogenic, has low toxicity, and is gentle in action. Not to mention you don't need a prescription, and it is low cost. See: 'Fennel and Anise as Estrogenic Agents'. Journal of Ethnopharmacology (1980) Vol. 2, pages 337 - 344.
PINUS (PEE-nus or PYE-nus)
PINACEAE. North Hemisphere evergreen conifers. The pines are popular and widely adapted. Valuable for timber, ornament, fuelwood, rosin, turpentine, and edible seeds. Best in well-drained soil.
—Pinus Armandii. (e,g) PINU-3. Packet: $2.50
Oz: $7.00 (about 170 seed)
'CHINESE WHITE PINE', 'YU SUNG'. Large tree to 60 - 120 feet, with wide-spreading crown. Bright glossy green 4 - 7" needles in fives, and 6" cones. E. Asia. Zone 5. "A very ornamental species with its drooping glaucous leaves and decorative cones."—Hilliers. The nuts are eaten as a delicacy in China. Prechill 12 weeks to germinate in 4 - 8 weeks.
—Pinus Bungeana. (e,g) PINU-10. Packet: $2.50
Oz: $11.00
'LACE-BARK PINE'. Bright green 3" needles in threes, and 2 1/2" yellow-brown cones. Picturesque spreading tree, often multi-trunked, to 75 feet or more. Striking whitish flaking bark. NW China. Tolerates heat and cold, to Zone 5, but may be bushy in severe climates. The pea-sized seed are edible. Germinates in 4 - 8 weeks.
—Pinus Cembra. (d,v) PINU-13. Packet: $2.50
Oz: $5.00
'SWISS STONE PINE'. Round-headed tree to 30 - 75 feet, with dark green, twisted, 5" needles, and 3 1/2" cones. Europe to N. Asia. Slow growing. Hardy to –35°F. The large seeds are edible. Sow in fall, or give seed 3 - 9 months cold to germinate in 3 - 12 weeks. Tough and undemanding.
—Pinus Coulteri. (d,h) PINU-17. Packet: $3.00
Oz: $16.00
'BIG-CONE PINE', 'PITCH PINE'. Deep green needles in threes, up to 6 - 14" long. Large 10 - 14" cones with large edible seeds. Much eaten by the Indians. Tree to 40 - 80 feet, with dark, almost black bark. Moderately fast growth. S. Calif. Hardy to Zone 7. Good in desert areas, stands heat and drought. Germinates in 6 - 16 weeks warm.
—Pinus densiflora. (c,h) PINU-19. Packet: $2.50
Oz: $9.00
'JAPANESE RED PINE'. Broad-crowned tree to 70 - 120 feet, with bright bluish-green 3 - 5" needles and tawny 2" cones. Japan. Fast growing, often multi-trunked tree, hardy to –20°F. Dislikes hot, dry climates. Used as flavoring in Korea. Germinates in 2 - 4 weeks, and 3 weeks prechill may help.
—Pinus edulis. (d,g) PINU-20. Packet: $2.50
Oz: $6.00
'PINYON PINE'. Dense, dark green inch-long needles in pairs. Slow growing shrub or round topped tree to 10 - 20 feet, with 2" cones. Southernmost Wyoming to Arizona. Hardy to Massachusetts (Zone 5). The large, oily, protein-rich piñons are an important food for Indians, and are second only to the pecan as a commercial wild nut. Bears in 25 years. Germinates in 1 - 4 weeks. Soaking or cold may help.
—Pinus koraiensis. (e,g) PINU-31. Packet: $2.50
Oz: $7.50
'KOREAN PINE'. Round-headed tree to 90 - 150 feet. with dark green 4" needles and 6" cones. SE Siberia to Japan. Hardy and slow growing. Edible seeds and pollen, and the needles used as flavoring. Give 8 - 12 weeks cold to germinate in 1 - 6 weeks.
—Pinus Mugo Mughus. (d,g) PINU-44. Packet: $3.00
'DWARF SWISS MOUNTAIN PINE'. Low shrub to 4 feet, with crowded 2" needles and 2" cones. Alps. Zone 3. Very ornamental. Produces Hungarian terebinth. Germinates in 2 - 24 weeks warm.
—Pinus patula. (b,h) PINU-55. Packet: $2.50
Oz: $7.50 (about 3450 seed), 1/4 lb: $22.50
'OCOTE MACHO', 'MEXICAN WEEPING PINE'. Foot-long grass-green drooping needles. Fast growing tree to 40 - 80 feet, with 4 - 5 " cones. México. Zone 8, to about 15°F. One of the fastest growing pines in the world. "An elegant species with gracefully drooping foliage."—Hilliers. Germinates in 2 - 6 weeks warm, a prechill helps some lots.
—Pinus Pinea. (e,h) PINU-62. Packet: $2.50
1/4 lb: $12.00
'ITALIAN STONE PINE', 'UMBRELLA PINE'. Round-topped tree to 40 - 80 feet, with stiff, bright to grey green 8" needles, and 4" cones. Mediterranean. Cultivated for the large, sweet, edible nuts. Considered sacred to Poseidon by the ancient Greeks. Zone 8. Germinates in 1 - 4 weeks warm.
—Pinus pumila. (=cembra var. pumila) (e,v) PINU-64. Packet: $2.50
Oz: $22.00
'DWARF JAPANESE STONE PINE'. Dwarf, often prostrate shrub to 1 - 10 feet, with 3" needles and 1 3/4" cones. Mts. of E. Siberia and Japan. Seeds edible. Zone 4. Prechill 4 - 5 months, to germinate in 4 weeks.
—Pinus radiata. (d,h) PINU-68. Packet: $2.50
Oz: $7.50, 1/4 lb: $20.00
'MONTEREY PINE'. Fast growing tree to 50 - 150 feet, with bright green 3 - 7" needles and 7" cones. Native to only 4 stands in coastal California, but naturalized elsewhere, a fine example of preservation through dissemination. The fastest-growing pine, up to 6 feet a year when young, and 50 feet in 12 years. Zone 7 - 10. Widely planted for timber, best in cool coastal climates. Germinates in 2 - 7 weeks warm.
NEW—Pinus Roxburghii. (=longifolia) PINU-72. Packet: $2.50
Oz: 5.00, 1/4 lb: $15.00
'CHIR' or 'EMODI PINE'. Beautiful Himalayan pine to 80 feet, with long, drooping, light green 12" needles and 7" cones. The seeds are eaten in India. Germinates in 2 - 4 weeks with no prechill needed.
NEW—Pinus Sabiniana. PINU-73. Packet: $3.00
Oz: $7.50, 1/4 lb: $20.00
'FOOTHILL PINE', (formerly 'DIGGER PINE'). Fast-growing pine to 50 feet, with grey-green 8 - 12" needles and 10" cones. California foothills. Often has a forked trunk in the wild. Stands drought and heat, yet thrives in Seattle. Give seed 8 -12 weeks prechill to germinate in 4 weeks. The large seeds were an important food of California Indians, who were known by the derogatory slur "Diggers" or "Digger Indians", so polite folks now call it "Foothill Pine". Historical note: The "Diggers" (originally The True Levelers) were also a group of agrarian anarchists in England begun in 1649 by Gerrard Winstanley, who advocated for individual freedom and equality in small agrarian communities cultivating common land. The movement was crushed by 1651. They were emulated by a group of anarchists in San Francisco (also called Diggers) in the 1960s, who gave away food, had a 'free store' in which you took what you needed, and left items you no longer used. So the term "Digger" may be an insult to one man, or a compliment to another!
"I took my spade and went and broke the ground upon George-hill in Surrey, thereby declaring freedome to the Creation, and that the earth must be set free from the intanglements of Lords and Landlords, and that it shall become a common Treasury to all."—Winstanley, founder of the Diggers, 1649.
—Pinus Thunbergii. (e,g) PINU-82. Packet: $2.50
'JAPANESE BLACK PINE'. Fast growing, broad-crowned tree to 130 feet, with stiff, bright green 4 1/2" needles and 3" cones. Japan. Zone 4. One of the best evergreens for the seaside, and excellent bonsai material. Prechill 4 - 8 weeks, to germinate in 2 - 4 weeks.
—Pinus Torreyana. (10,h) PINU-97. Packet: $3.00
'TORREY PINE'. Small round-headed tree to 60 feet, often gnarled in the wild. Stiff dark green 8 - 12" needles and round 6" cones. Rare endemic, only a few thousand trees occur in a small spot on the San Diego coast and on Santa Rosa Island. Large edible seeds. Germinates in 4 - 6 weeks or so.
NEW—Pinus Wallichiana. PINU-107. Packet: $2.50
Oz: 5.00, 1/4 lb: $15.00
'BHUTAN PINE', 'BLUE PINE'. Tall conical tree to 150 feet, with drooping 8" blue-green needles in 5s. Long, cylindrical 6 - 12" cones. Himalayas. Zone 6. Give seed 2 - 12 weeks prechill.
PITHECELLOBIUM (pi-the-se-LO-be-um)
LEGUMINOSAE. Ornamental broad-headed tropical and subtropical trees with puff-like flowers and pinnate leaves. Easily grown in warm regions. Nick seed to germinate in 2 - 4 weeks.
—Pithecellobium flexicaule. (10) PITH-9. Packet: $2.50
1/4 lb: $18.00
Seed has been treated with Sevin, then washed.
'TEXAS EBONY' Fragrant yellow or creamy puff-like flowers in 1 1/2" spikes in summer, followed by large pods. Shrub or small tree to 20 - 50 feet, with dark green shining pinnate leaves. Texas to Baja and Yucatan. Valuable ornamental, much planted in warm regions. The rich reddish brown wood is tinged purple, with bright yellow sapwood. It is hard, heavy and valuable. The green seeds are eaten boiled, and roasted as a coffee substitute.
PLANTAGO (plan-TA-go)
PLANTAGINACEAE. About 250 species of herbs and some shrubs. Worldwide distribution. Easily grown and vigorous, some sown for ornament, medicine, food, erosion control, bird and wildlife food. A few are weedy, others are rare endemic endangered species. Generally easy from seed, which is long-lived. Sow on the surface.
—Plantago major 'Variegata'. (50) PLAN-15V. Packet: $2.50
Stunning variety with broad dark green leaves marbled with white, becoming red on older leaves. Hardy perennial to 10". Zone 3. Nice!
PLATYCODON (pla-te-KO-don)
CAMPANULACEAE. 'BALLOON FLOWER'. A single species. A showy hardy perennial thriving in well drained sandy loam. Easy from seed; blooms the second year. The flower buds are inflated and balloon-like before they open. Allow stems to die back in fall. Germinates in 1 - 3 weeks at warm temperatures. Do not cover seed. The young leaves are used in salads in Japan. Native to eastern Asia.
—Platycodon grandiflorus Apoyama Fairy Snow. (25) PLTY-1AF. Packet: $2.50
Gram: $18.00
Large white flowers with blue veins. Dwarf to 10". A choice variety! Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks.
—Platycodon grandiflorus Florist Blue. (b,h) PLTY-1B. Packet: $2.50
Gram: $7.50, 5 grams: $22.00
'BLUE BALLOON FLOWER' Large blue 3" flowers. Showy perennial to 2 feet. Germinates in 1 - 3 weeks.
—Platycodon grandiflorus 'Hakone White'. (50) PLTY-1HW. Packet: $2.50
Gram: $20.00
Elegant pure white twinned flowers-two perfect flowers nested together with the petals offset, like five-pointed stars. Hardy perennial to 20". Zone 3.
—Platycodon grandiflorus Perlmutterschale. (b,f) PLTY-1P. Packet: $2.50
'MOTHER-OF-PEARL'. Large pale pink flowers on a rare and unusual variety to 2 feet. Germinates in 1 - 3 weeks.
PLECTRANTHUS (plek-TRAN-thus)
LABIATAE. 'SPUR FLOWER'. Warm region herbs and sub-shrubs closely related to Coleus. Grown in the greenhouse and outdoors in warm areas. Some species are grown as potherbs. This genus contains many highly ornamental species which are virtually unknown in this country and should be grown more. Many are adapted to indoor low light conditions.
—Plectranthus argentatus (b,g) PLEC-5. Packet: $2.50
Pale blue-white 1/2" flowers in foot-long racemes. Small shrub to 3 feet, with 2 - 4" silvery white leaves. Australia. Germinates in 2 - 6 weeks warm.
POGOSTEMON (po-go-STEM-on)
LABIATAE. Tropical Asian herbs for fragrance.
—Pogostemon heyneanus. (500) POGO-H. Packet: $3.00
'INDIAN PATCHOULI'. Small purple flowers in spikes on a shrubby tropical perennial to 5 - 6 feet, with highly fragrant leaves. Tropical Asia. Prefers full to part shade, good houseplant. One of the main sources of patchouli oil.
POINCIANA (poin-see-A-na)
LEGUMINOSAE. Showy warm-region small broad-crowned trees and shrubs with feathery pinnate foliage and spectacular flowers. Fast growing heat lovers, best in well-drained soil. Drought-resistant thriving in hot sun and warm regions, north to Oregon. Easy in pots in the greenhouse. Easy from seed, grow like Caesalpinia, which see.
—Poinciana Gilliesii (=Caesalpinia Gilliesii) (e,h) POIN-2. Packet: $2.50
Oz: $14.00
Click for photos »
'BIRD of PARADISE BUSH'. Striking flowers with 3 - 5" long bright red stamens from 5-petaled yellow flowers in dense clusters. Blooms all summer. Shrub or small tree with feathery foliage. South America. Fast growing to 10 to 20 feet or so. An excellent ornamental, good in desert areas and the South, but grown as far north as Oregon. Easy in pots in the greenhouse in the North, and said to be possible as an annual if started early. The stamens have been used as a saffron substitute. "A very showy and worthy plant."—L. H. Bailey. Nick seed, germinates in 1 - 3 weeks.
—Poinciana pulcherrima (=Caesalpinia pulcherrima) (e,h) POIN-4. Packet: $2.50
Oz: $9.00
Click for photo »
'PRIDE OF BARBADOS', 'DWARF POINCIANA', 'FLOWER FENCE'. Striking flowers with red crinkled petals edged yellow, and bright 2 1/2" red stamens. Dense shrub to 10 feet with delicate dark green feathery foliage. West Indies. Fast growing, good hedge or screen in warm regions, blooming throughout warm weather. Stands some frost. Sacred in India. The seed and pods yield tannin and dye, and the orange colored wood is carbonized for ink in India. Leaves used as a fish poison in Guatemala. All parts have medicinal uses, and extracts have shown antiviral effects. Nick seed to germinate in 2 - 3 weeks.
—Poinciana regia: See Delonix regia.
POLEMONIUM (po-le-MO-nee-um)
POLEMONIACEAE. Mostly easily grown perennials for the border. Blue, yellow or purplish flowers. Best from fall-sown seed in rich loam. Common kinds germinate in 1 - 4 weeks at warm.
—Polemonium yezoense 'Purple Rain Strain'. (50) POLE-28P. Packet: $2.50
Gram: $15.00
Large violet inch-wide flowers in June and July. Hardy perennial to 20", with pinnate leaves. Japan. Zone 4. Until early summer the whole plant is reddish-purple, making a nice display. Germinates in 1 - 3 weeks.
POLYGONUM (po-LI-go-num or PO-li-GO-num)
POLYGONACEAE. 'FLEECE-FLOWER'. A large and varied genus of annuals and perennials grown for their abundant bloom and attractive foliage. They range from dry, rocky areas to deep woods, to aquatic habitats. Easily grown in the border and wild garden; some are good ground covers or great in hanging baskets. Various species provide food, in the form of seeds, greens or roots, or forage, medicine and dyes. Researchers might find this vigorous group a fertile source of new crops. Most germinate in 2 - 3 weeks, some up to 2 months. Seed viable up to 25 years.
NEW—Polygonum Aubertii. (=Fallopia baldschuanica) POLY-5. Packet: $2.50
Oz: $7.50, 1/4 lb: $20.00
'SILVER LACE VINE', 'CHINA FLEECE VINE'. Fragrant small white flowers in long upright branched racemes in late summer. Rampant fast-growing twining hardy perennial to 20 - 40 feet, with 2 1/2" leaves. Western China and Tibet. Sometimes blooms twice in a season. Very ornamental. Germinates in 1 - 4 weeks.
—Polygonum orientale. (d,l) POLY-18. Packet: $2.50
'KISS-ME-OVER-THE-GARDEN-GATE', 'PRINCE'S PLUME'. Bright pink or rose flowers in dense 3 1/2" spikes in autumn. Tall annual to 6 feet with large 10" leaves. Asia. Easily grown, self-sows. The roasted or steamed seeds are said to have been eaten in China. They were said to relieve thirst and fever, brighten the eye and breath. Give seed one month cold treatment to germinate in 2 weeks.
POLYSTICHUM (po-LIS-ti-kum)
POLYPODIACEAE. Mostly temperate zone woodland ferns grown for ornament. Easily grown. Prefers limestone and leafmold. See Fern Spores for germination.
—Polystichum munitum. (a!!,h) POLYS-12. Packet: $2.50
'GIANT HOLLY FERN', 'WESTERN SWORD FERN'. Large, deep green, pinnate, leathery evergreen fronds to 10" wide, in large clumps to 3 to 5 feet tall. Striking and hardy, living to great age. Alaska to California. The thick roots were peeled and roasted in embers or cooked like potatoes with salmon eggs by Northwest Indians. Said to have a banana-like flavor. I've got to try it someday!
PORTULACA (por-tu-LA-ka)
PORTULACEAE. 'MOSS ROSE'. Somewhat succulent low-growing herbs grown for their brilliant flowers or as potherbs. Sun lovers, preferring poor, dry, light soils and only a little water, providing a showy, dense carpet of color in hot areas where other flowers would soon perish. Try several to a 6" pot. Sow in March at 65 - 75°F, or outdoors in April. Germinates in 1 - 3 weeks. Seed viable 3 - 10 years, and some up to 45 years.
—Portulaca grandiflora Single Mix. (a!,h) PORT-1SX. Packet: $2.50
Gram: $7.50, 5 gm: $15.00
Large single flowers in a range of colors. This is the old-fashioned type not often seen nowadays.
PRIMULA (PRIM-you-la)
PRIMULACEAE. 'PRIMROSE'. A large genus of mostly cool-region hardy and half hardy perennials grown for their beautiful, showy winter and spring bloom. Popular for pot plants, bedding, in the rock garden, greenhouse and border. Most like deep, moist, well-drained soil and part shade. Mulch to keep soil cool. Sow seed in late fall or early spring; several weeks to months cold is beneficial to most hardy kinds. Most need light, sow on the surface and keep cool, best under 65°F. They may be irregular in germinating, taking from 2 - 10 weeks or more; usually 20 - 40 days. Seed viable 1 - 5 years.
—Primula anisodora. (50) PRIM-10. Packet: $3.00
Dark brownish-purple 1/2" flowers with a yellow eye, in stacked whorls to 2 feet, June to August. Hardy perennial with aromatic foliage. China. Zone 5. Root strongly fragrant. Germinates in 3 - 5 weeks.
—Primula Auricula ssp. Bauhinii. (b,v) PRIM-12B. Packet: $2.50
Click for photo »
Large primrose-yellow flowers with white throats, in clusters on stems to 8". Very sweetly scented. Like P. Auricula, but larger in all its parts. Alps.
NEW—Primula X elatior 'Victoriana Laced'. PRIM-44V. Packet: $4.00
'LACED POLYANTHUS'. A wonderful mix of red, purple, and brownish-black shades, each petal edged with a gold or silvery margin, and with a golden center. Zone 5. Give 1 - 3 months prechill to germinate at cool temperatures.
—Primula Florindae. (50) PRIM-54. Packet: $2.50
Fragrant yellow bell-shaped nodding 3/4" wide flowers in large clusters of 30 - 60, over a long period in summer. Large hardy perennial to 1 1/2 - 4 feet. SE Tibet. Good waterside plant, best in a few inches of water or in moist soil. Nutmeg scented. Germinates in 1 - 7 weeks at warm temperatures.
—Primula japonica alba. (b,h) PRIM-85A. Packet: $2.50
Click for photos »
White 1 - 1 1/2" flowers in tiered clusters to 18" tall, May and June. Quite hardy perennial with rosettes of foot-long leaves. Japan. Give seed GA-3 or 8 weeks cold.
—Primula japonica Miller's Crimson. (b,h) PRIM-85M. Packet: $2.50
Deep intense red 1 - 1 1/2" flowers in tiered clusters to 1 1/2 - 2 feet, May to July. Hardy perennial with grey-green rosettes of 8 - 12" leaves. Japan. Give seed 250ppm GA-3 or prechill 8 weeks.
—Primula macrocalyx. (b,h) PRIM-100. Packet: $2.50
Large yellow to orange 1 1/4" fragrant flowers in clusters to 15" tall. Hardy perennial. Central Asia. "Like P. veris on steroids. More robust in all its parts."—Bertrand. Give seed GA-3 to germinate in 4 - 6 weeks.
—Primula veris (=officinalis). (b,v) PRIM-165. Packet: $2.50
'COWSLIP', 'MAYFLOWER', 'KEY OF HEAVEN'. Bright yellow fragrant nodding inch-wide flowers clustered on 8 - 12" stems in spring. The petals each have a red spot. Attractive rosettes of crinkled leaves. Europe. A legendary plant of the herbalists, with a long history of use. Norse mythology dedicated it to the goddess Freya, and it was held to be the entrance to her treasure palace. The sedative flowers are made into cowslip wine, an old folk remedy for insomnia, giddiness, and nervous troubles. The fresh blossoms are added to salads or are made into conserves. They were once held in high esteem as a cosmetic, believed to remove spots and wrinkles. Seed viable 2 - 5 years. Give seed 2 weeks warm, then 8 weeks cold, to sprout in 1 - 8 weeks.
—Primula veris Sunset Shades. (60) PRIM-165S. Packet: $3.00
Flowers in shades of red, orange, ochre, and yellow, from March to May. Hardy perennial to 10".
PROBOSCIDEA (pro-bo-SID-ee-a)
MARTYNIACEAE. Annuals and perennials from the warm Americas, grown for their bold foliage, large bright flowers, and especially the peculiar pods. Best in rich moist soil and full sun, but stands drought well.
—Proboscidea louisianica. (e,h) PROB-15. Packet: $2.50
'UNICORN PLANT, 'MARTYNIA'. Showy annual to 3 feet across, with large pale lavender 2" wide flowers with orange stripes in the throat, in spikes. Large round leaves up to a foot wide. Peculiar 4 - 6 " pods with two curved horns, useful in dried arrangements. S.E. U.S. Very drought resistant. The young pods are eaten pickled or cooked, and the seeds are edible. The Hopi say the pods draw lightning, and hence rain, so they are never weeded from fields. Strips of the ripe pods are used for black designs in basketry and ceremonial objects. Seed needs darkness or GA-3 to germinate in 1 - 3 weeks.
—Proboscidea parviflora var. hohokamiana. (25) PROB-19H. Packet: $3.00
1/2 Oz: $12.00
'DOUBLE DEVIL'S CLAW'. Pods with 8" long claws, four instead of the usual two claws. Pink to pale yellow flowers. Annual to 2 - 3 feet, with soft rounded leaves. S.W. U.S. The young pods are eaten, as are the seeds, which are said to have a coconut flavor. Claws used in Indian basketry. Needs warmth to germinate in 1 - 6 months.
PRUNELLA (proo-NELL-a)
LABIATAE. Showy-flowered low growing perennials from north temperate regions. Easily grown long blooming, attracts pollinators and good groundcover.
—Prunella grandiflora 'Pagoda Mix'. (200) PRUL-10P. Packet: $2.50
10 grams: $12.00
'BIGFLOWER SELFHEAL'. Various shades of purple-blue, white and rose inch-long flowers in June and July. Hardy perennial to 4 - 8". Europe. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks.
—Prunella vulgaris. (b,h) PRUL-25. Packet: $2.50
5 grams: $15.00 NEW PRICE
'SELF-HEAL', 'HEAL-ALL'. Violet-blue 1/2" flowers in short, dense spikes, in May to October. Hardy perennial to 4 - 20", with 4" leaves. Eurasia. Highly regarded medicinal herb. Sow on the surface. Germinates in 2 - 8 weeks warm.
PRUNUS (PROO-nus)
ROSACEAE. Ornamental flowering trees and shrubs. Many produce edible fruits or nuts. Easily grown, and making a great display of bloom in spring.
—Prunus Lyonii. (5,g) PRUN-76. Packet: $2.50
Oz: $6.00 (about 14 seeds per ounce)
'CATALINA ISLAND CHERRY'. Maroon to black 1/2 - 1" round cherries with a large stone, eaten fresh, with fine flavor. Tree or shrub to 10 - 45 feet, with large 2 - 5" dark green leaves, and spikes of small white flowers in March to May. Rare species endemic to the Channel Islands off the coast of California. The fruits were prized by the Indians, who also ate the large, nut-like kernel after leaching and boiling. Zone 8, and probably hardy to 0° - 10°F. Germinates in 2 - 5 months, and a prechill may help.
PSIDIUM (SI-dee-um)
MYRTACEAE. Tropical American trees and shrubs with large white flowers and edible fruits. Easily grown in mild climates (wherever oranges grow), or in tubs in the greenhouse. Easy from seed, which germinates in 2 - 8 weeks at warm temperatures.
—Psidium littorale var. littorale. (c,h) PSID-48L. Packet: $2.50
'YELLOW STRAWBERRY GUAVA'. Sulfur-yellow 1 1/2" round fruits with a sweet-acid flavor. Small tree to 10 - 25 feet, with inch-wide white flowers, oval 3" leaves and smooth grey bark. South America. Sweeter and more delicate flavor than the red-fruited form. Good for tropical reforestation. Germinates in 4 - 8 weeks.
—Psidium littorale var. longipes. (d,h) PSID-48C. Packet: $2.50
'RED STRAWBERRY GUAVA'. Red to purple 1" wide round fruits with a sweet-acid flavor. Small dense tree to 10 - 20 feet, with white, inch-wide flowers and oval 3" leaves. South America. Made into a jam said to taste like strawberries. One of the hardiest. Popular in California. Germinates in 4 - 8 weeks.
PULMONARIA (pul-mo-NAR-ee-a)
BORAGINACEAE. About a dozen spring-flowering Eurasian perennials. Easily grown in part shade.
—Pulmonaria officinalis. (e,l) PULM-18. Packet: $2.50
'LUNGWORT', 'JERUSALEM COWSLIP'. Funnel-shaped pink 3/4" flowers changing to violet, in forked cymes, March to April. Hardy perennial to 10", with pointed, often white-spotted leaves. Slowly spreads by rhizomes to form nice patches. Europe. "They are among the most elegant ornaments of the flower-garden..."—Loudon, 1829. The young leaves have been eaten in salads or as pot-herbs, and have been used for lung complaints. Seed needs cold treatment or GA-3 to germinate in 1 month.
"Economic growth is not only unnecessary, but ruinous."—Alexander I. Solzhenitsyn.
PULSATILLA (pul-sa-TIL-a)
RANUNCULACEAE. Herbaceous perennials with poppy-like flowers. Sometimes included in Anemone. Good in the rock garden and wild garden.
NEW—Pulsatilla vulgaris 'Papageno'. PULS-46P. Packet: $2.50
Click for photo of seedheads »
'PASQUE FLOWER'. Fringed to semi-double flowers in shades ranging from creamy white to pink, deep red, light blue, and violet. Zone 5. Young plants tend to be single-flowering. Germinates in 2 - 4 weeks.
PUNICA (POO-ni-ka)
PUNICACEAE. Two species of trees and shrubs widely grown in warm regions for ornament and their beautiful flowers and edible fruit. Popular in the greenhouse in the North. Can stand to 0°F with protection, hardy to D.C. against a south wall, but likes hot sun and good drainage. Fruits in 3 or 4 years from seed, and best in hot arid regions. Stands alkaline soil. Good for hedges. Soak overnight to germinate in 2 - 10 weeks warm.
Punica Granatum Varieties:
'POMEGRANATE'. Spectacular brilliant deep orange-red flowers 1 - 2" across, sometimes reaching 4", from succulent scarlet buds. Satiny crinkled petals surround gold-tipped stamens. The apple to grapefruit-sized red fruits are filled with seeds, each surrounded by red juicy pulp, resembling a mass of rubies when the fruit splits open. Tree or shrub to 6 - 25 feet, with attractive glossy narrow foliage, bronze when young. West Asia. Grown for its delicious fruit since ancient times, it is mentioned in the Ebers Papyrus, and by Homer, Pliny and Theophrastus. Wine was made from the juice in Ancient Egypt, and is used to make 'Grenadine' today. The Greeks believed it to have been brought by Aphrodite, and the fruit is to have kept Proserpina from returning to Earth, hence the origin of winter. The Phoenicians and Syrians used the fruit and bark for tanning. It was grown in the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, and it is the national emblem of Spain. Black ink can be made from the rind, and red cloth dye from the flowers. The wood is hard. Can live several hundred years. The rind and bark are well known as vermifuges, and used against dysentery.
—Granatum. (b,h) PUNI-1. Packet: $2.50
Oz: $9.00
Click for photos »
'POMEGRANATE'. Crimson pulp in medium-sized tart, flavorful pomegranates. From my father's tree; he used to put the pulp through the blender for a marinade in Greek cooking. Also makes a nice drink, strained, sweetened, and diluted. Germinates in 4 - 6 weeks.
—Punica Granatum var. nana. (d,g) PUNI-1N. Packet: $3.00
1/4 Oz: $9.00
'DWARF POMEGRANATE'. A diminutive plant reaching only 1 - 3 feet tall, often blooming when only 6" tall. Beautiful inch-wide pink or scarlet flowers followed by tiny 2" fruits. The best for ornamental pot growth indoors in the North.