COMPOSITAE. 'MARIGOLDS'. Well-known annuals & perennials grown for their showy flowers, attractive foliage, for flavoring & medicine, or nematode & weed control. Easily grown in ordinary well-drained soil and full sun. Keep flowers picked to keep bushy and prolong bloom. Sow where they are to stand or early indoors in pots. Germinates in about a week, some of the species taking up to 6 weeks.
—Tagetes erecta Crackerjack Mix. (a,h) TAGE-7C. Packet: $2.00
Germination: 80% Tested: 10/07, Oz $6.00
'MARIGOLD'. Old-fashioned large-flowered mix of lemon and orange shades. Dark green finely-cut foliage. Hardy annual to about 30". Classic. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks.
—Tagetes lucida. (c,h) TAGE-12. Packet: $2.50
'PERICON', 'MEXICAN TARRAGON', 'SWEET MARIGOLD'. Abundant small yellow flowers on a tender perennial to 2 1/2 feet. México. Easily grown. The leaves and flowers are sweet and used as a tarragon substitute and for tea, and they are smoked by the Huichol. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks.
—Tagetes tenuifolia Starfire Mix. (b,h) TAGE-23S. Packet: $2.00
'SCOTCH' or 'SIGNET MARIGOLD'. Small single flowers in a wide range of yellows & browns. Dwarf hardy annual to 6 - 8". Compact & floriferous.
—Tagetes tubiflora. (b,h) TAGE-16. Packet: $2.00
'WILD MARIGOLD'. Tiny yellow flowers on a strongly-scented annual to 6 - 10 feet tall. Tender and late blooming. S. America. The leaves have an apple-like scent when dried, and are used for flavoring soups, meats, and vegetables. The distilled oil is highly valued in the perfume industry. Valuable against nematodes, a root extract being highly effective against them, and it is inter-planted with crops for protection against them. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks.
TALINUM (ta-LIN-um)
PORTULACEAE. 'FAME FLOWER'. Small annuals & perennials with delicate flowers. Good in rock gardens, borders and as foliage plants. Most stand heat and drought. Most germinate readily in 6 - 20 days, though some may take up to 140 days.
—Talinum paniculatum. (=patens) (a,g) TALI-50. Packet: $2.00
Germination: 90% Tested: 11/07, Gram: $5.00
'JEWELS OF OPAR'. Dainty pink five-petaled 1/2" flowers in airy 10" panicles. Half hardy perennial to 2 feet, with 3" somewhat succulent leaves, growing from a tuberous root. SE U.S. Best in sandy, well-drained soil. Leaves edible. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks.
—Talinum paniculatum Kingswood Gold. (b,g) TALI-50K. Packet: $2.00
A nice variety with golden-green foliage. Starry pink five-petaled 1/2" flowers in airy 10" panicles, followed by round red pods. Half hardy perennial to 3 feet. S.E. U.S. Large plants can be potted up with the tuberous root exposed for an odd effect. Germinates in 1 - 3 weeks warm.
"Sooner or later you're gonna hafta face up to them... the fact is, you know too much already... you're no ignoramus... you know what they're doing all over the world is terribly, terribly wrong!" —R. Crumb.
TANACETUM (TA-na-SEE-tum)
COMPOSITAE. Aromatic annuals & perennials grown for ornament, seasoning & medicine. Easy in most soils. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks & seed is viable 3 years.
—Tanacetum vulgare. (a!,h) TANA-8. Packet: $2.00
Germination: 62% Tested: 1/08, 10 grams: $8.00
'TANSY', 'GOLD-BUTTONS'. Bright yellow 1/4 - 1/2" rayless disk-flowers in dense, flat-topped clusters from July to September. Hardy aromatic perennial to 3 - 5 feet, with dark green ferny foliage. Europe. The bitter, aromatic leaves are used in sausages, puddings & omelets, 'apple-tansy', and as a spring tonic. Many medicinal uses. Tales of toxicity stem from overdoses of concentrated extracts, not the ordinary use of the fresh leaves in cooking. Was used to brew ale, repel flies and make a green dye.
"The only possible alternative to being either the oppressed or the oppressor is voluntary cooperation..." —Errico Malatesta.
TELOXYS (tel-OX-ees)
CHENOPODIACEAE. A single species.
NEW—Teloxys aristata Sea Foam. (a,h) TELX-1. Packet: $2.00
Germination: 80% Tested: 10/07, Gram: $7.00
Interesting hardy annual to 10", with moss-like, intricately-branched green foliage, and tiny flowers that turn reddish, giving the whole plant a red glow. Central Asian deserts. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks.
TEUCRIUM (TEW-kree-um)
LABIATAE. Ornamental summer-blooming perennials & tiny shrubs grown in the border & rock garden. Many are aromatic & medicinal. Tough plants, standing poor, rocky soil and drought.
—Teucrium Chamaedrys. (c,h) TEUC-10. Packet: $2.50
'GERMANDER'. Showy rosy pink 3/4" flowers in loose spikes on a hardy compact rhizomatous shrublet to 1 foot tall, With 3/4" leaves. Europe. Attracts bees. The flowers have been likened to miniature orchids. Medicinal. Germinates in 2 - 3 weeks.
—Teucrium Scorodonia. (b,v) TEUC-23. Packet: $2.00
'WOOD GERMANDER', 'GARLIC SAGE'. Yellow 1/3" long flowers in dense, one-sided 5" spikes. Hardy perennial to 1 - 2 feet, with sage-like leaves. Europe. Good rock garden plant, thriving in dry, stony soil. Naturalizes easily. Has a strong taste and smell of hops, and has been used to brew ale and beer. Was used as an appetite stimulant and tonic, and has many medicinal uses. The tea is very popular in Scotland. Worth growing. Use GA-3 to germinate in 2 - 3 weeks.
"Every living object has individuality." —L. H. Bailey.
THALICTRUM (tha-LIK-trum)
RANUNCULACEAE. 'MEADOW RUE'. Charming hardy perennials with graceful feathery panicles of flowers and ferny leaves. Good in the border, massed in the wild garden & woodland. Good cut flowers. Easily grown under garden conditions ranging from well-drained loamy soil to low wet areas, full sun or part shade. Protect from wind. Most kinds germinate in 2 - 9 weeks at cool temperatures. Some like 2 months cold, most do best if treated with 500ppm gibberellic acid.
—Thalictrum aquilegifolium. (b,h) THAL-5. Packet: $2.00
Germination: 90% Tested: 6/07, Gram: $7.50
Click for photo »
'FEATHERED COLUMBINE'. Fluffy clusters of pink and white flowers in May to July. Hardy perennial to 3 - 4 feet, with bluish green columbine-like foliage. Eurasia. Zone 5 or 6. Germinates in 2 - 9 weeks.
—Thalictrum dasycarpum. (b,g) THAL-12. Packet: $2.00
'PURPLE MEADOWRUE'. Airy foot-long clusters of feathery purplish flowers. Tall hardy perennial to 4 - 7 feet, with often purplish stems contrasting with the green leaves. N. America. Germinates in 1 - 4 weeks.
NEW—Thalictrum minus adiantifolium. (d,v) THAL-52A. Packet: $2.50 Click for photo »
Miniature species to 9" tall, with maidenhair-fernlike foliage, and greenish yellow flowers. Eurasia. Hardy and quite nice. "Beautiful foliage - grow it for the foliage." —Bertrand.
—Thalictrum Rochebrunianum. (d,g) THAL-72. Packet: $2.50
Clustered dusky light purple buds opening to violet-purple flowers with yellow stamens, in summer. Hardy perennial to 6 feet, with ferny compound leaves. Japan. Choice! Sun or part shade. Germinates in 2 - 7 weeks warm. GA-3 may help.
THELESPERMA (the-le-SPER-ma)
COMPOSITAE. A dozen or so species from W North America & S South America, grown for their attractive Coreopsis-like flowers and finely divided foliage. Showy to the border, free-blooming and good for cut flowers. Best in sandy soil & full sun.
—Thelesperma filifolium. (a,h) THEL-10. Packet: $2.00
Germination: 74% Tested: 10/07, Oz: $8.00 (about 14,000 seed)
'GREENTHREAD', 'NAVAJO TEA', 'DEP'E' (Tewa name meaning 'coyote plant'). Bright golden-yellow 2" daisies with darker centers, in summer. Showy annual or perennial to 2 feet, with finely divided thread-like leaves. Central and S. U.S. The leaves and flowers have been used as tea. Germinates in 2 weeks, but 3 weeks cold increases germination percent.
"The law, in its majestic equality, forbids the rich as well as the poor to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal bread." —A. France.
THUNBERGIA (thun-BER-jee-a)
ACANTHACEAE. Tender climbers or shrubs, with showy, funnel-shaped flowers. Best in rich moist soil and a warm sheltered spot, or in the greenhouse. Start seed early for early bloom.
—Thunbergia alata Mixed. (d,h) THUN-1. Packet: $2.00
Germination: 78% Tested: 10/07, 10 grams: $6.00
'BLACK-EYED SUSAN'. Large bright yellow to orange 1 1/2" ,flowers with dark purple-black throats, abundantly produced in summer to fall. Fast growing tender perennial vine to 5 - 10 feet, with dark green triangular 3" leaves. Tropical Africa. Grow as an annual in the North. Good in hanging baskets. Leaves eaten in the Congo. Germinates in 2 - 5 weeks.
THYMUS (TI-mus or THY-mus)
LABIATAE. 'THYME'. Aromatic tiny shrubs or perennials, several hundred Eurasian species. Good in the rock garden, for edging, groundcover and fragrance. Easily grown in full sun and well-drained soil, doing well in dry, rocky places. The classification of the cultivated kinds is totally confused. Germinates in 5 - 87 days at cool to warm temperatures. Seed viable 2 - 7 years.
—Thymus fragrantissimus. (b,h) THYM-9. Packet: $2.50
Germination: 70% Tested: 12/07, 1/4 gram: $9.00, Gram: $24.00
'ORANGE-SCENTED THYME'. Hardy perennial to 8", with a nice orange scent. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks.
—Thymus pulegioides. (a,h) THYM-20. Packet: $2.50
Germination: 72% Tested: 1/08, Gram: $6.00 BULK OUT OF STOCK - PACKETS ARE AVAILABLE
'MOTHER OF THYME'. Tiny mauve 1/4" flowers in heads on a hardy fragrant dwarf shrublet to 4 - 14" tall, with tiny leaves. Europe. Attracts bees & makes a nice ground cover. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks.
—Thymus Serpyllum. (a!,h) THYM-23. Packet: $2.00
Germination: 82% Tested: 11/07, 1/4 Oz: $6.00, 1/2 Oz: $9.00, Oz: $12.00
'CREEPING THYME', 'MOTHER-OF-THYME', 'SERPOLET'. Creeping evergreen with fragrant 1/4" dark green leaves and purple flowers produced abundantly in July & August. Eurasia. Good ground cover in the rock garden or between paving stones. Much loved by bees. Used in cookery. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks.
—Thymus vulgaris German Winter. (a!,h) THYM-24W. Packet: $2.00
Germination: 88% Tested: 12/07, 10 grams: $7.50
Broad-leaved variety which can stand frost.
'GARDEN THYME'. Tiny lilac or purplish flowers on a small shrublet to 6 - 15" tall. Western Mediterranean. A popular culinary herb and much valued for edging. Excellent in soups, stews, sausages stuffings, herb vinegars, baked goods, etc. Good honey plant. Valued since ancient times as a powerful medicine, it is mentioned by Pliny, Virgil and others. Thymol, from the oil, is antiseptic and a powerful miticide. Crushed thyme sprinkled in beehives kills varroa mites, and soaked in olive oil is the best remedy for ear mites in pets; superior to commercial remedies. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks.
TIARELLA (ti-a-RELL-a)
SAXIFRAGACEAE. 'FOAM FLOWER', 'FALSE MITREWORT'. Small woodland perennials grown for their brilliant autumn colors. Good in rock and wild gardens in shady spots. Some are medicinal.
—Tiarella polyphylla Filigran. (b,g) TIAR-19F. Packet: $2.50
Beautiful rounded, scalloped, silver green leaves on a mat-forming perennial to 1/2" high, with small flowers on stems to 6". Asia. Good in the shade. A particularly nice miniature species. Give 6 - 8 weeks cold for best germination.
"The earth belongs to the living, not the dead." —Thomas Jefferson.
TITANOPSIS (ti-tan-OPS-is)
AIZOACEAE. Stemless South African succulents forming rosettes of triangular, pebbly leaves that mimic the rocky soil of their habitat. Sandy, well-drained soil and rest dry in winter. Surface sow.
NEW—Titanopsis calcarea. (d,h) TITA-6. Packet: $2.00
'JEWEL PLANT'. Tiny 3" wide rosettes of odd leaves, each with a triangular tip covered with pebbly bumps. Large, golden yellow to orange 3/4" flowers in summer, from the center of the plant. S. Africa. Zone 8. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks.
NEW—Titanopsis Hugo-schlechteri. (d,h) TITA-11. Packet: $2.00
Rosettes of tiny 1/2" leaves with triangular tips covered with grey or red-brown pebbly bumps. Orange or yellow flowers. Namibia. Multi-headed, forming nice clumps. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks.
TITHONIA (ti-THO-nee-a)
COMPOSITAE. 'MEXICAN SUNFLOWER'. Showy robust tender annuals and perennials from tropical America, grown for their large, sunflower-like flowers. Good in the greenhouse and in the back border in California and the South. Heat and drought resistant, but needs good drainage. Good in poor soil and full sun. Best sown indoors 6 - 8 weeks before last frost. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks. Space 24".
—Tithonia speciosa Goldfinger. (d,h) TITH-22G. Packet: $1.50
Germination: 86% Tested: 9/07, 10 grams: $5.00, 25 grams: $9.00
Vivid orange-scarlet 3" flowers from mid-summer to frost. Dwarf to 2 - 3 feet. Compact & floriferous.
—Tithonia speciosa Torch. (c,h) TITH-22T. Packet: $1.50
Germination: 90% Tested: 9/07, Oz: $5.00
'MEXICAN SUNFLOWER'. Brilliant orange 3 - 4" wide flowers on tall, vigorous plants to 4 feet. Large, bold, often 3-lobed velvety leaves. Central America. Blooms July to frost, excellent for cutting. Drought resistant, good in desert gardens.
TOLMIEA (TOL-mee-a)
SAXIFRAGACEAE. A single species.
—Tolmiea Menziesii. (a,v) TOLM-1. Packet: $2.00
'PIGGYBACK PLANT', 'THOUSAND MOTHERS', 'YOUTH-ON-AGE'. Small reddish-brown flowers in airy 6 - 10" spikes on 1 - 2 foot stems in May and June. Large lobed 4" leaves form a new plant at the leaf-stem. Shade-loving perennial from the moist Pacific coast. Zone 6. Good ground cover in shade, or as a hanging basket houseplant. Germinates in 1 - 4 months warm.
TOVARA (to-VAR-a)
POLYGONACEAE. Two species usually included in Polygonum. Nice and easily grown. Germination is slow.
—Tovara virginiana Variegated. (b,f) TOVA-4V. Packet: $2.00
Oval, slender-pointed variegated 2 - 6" leaves on slender, gracefully arching stems. Slender, threadlike spikes of tiny flowers. Hardy perennial to 1 - 4 feet. E. U.S. Very nice & the variegation comes true from seed. Give 3 months cold to germinate in 1 - 2 weeks, or sow in fall.
—Tovara virginiana Tricolor Variegated. (c,f) TOVA-4TV. Packet: $2.50
1/4 Oz: $8.00 BULK OUT OF STOCK - PACKETS ARE AVAILABLE
Selected for white variegation plus a dark chevron marking on each leaf. Choice! Give 3 - 4 months cold to germinate in 1 - 3 weeks or sow in fall.