J. L. HUDSON, SEEDSMAN, BOX 337, LA HONDA, CALIFORNIA 94020-0337 USA
2008 SUPPLEMENT - Q - Z2008 Supplement Seedlist - Q - Z
RHODODENDRON (ro-do-DEN-dron)
ERICACEAE. A large genus of shrubs and small trees. Includes Azalea. Highly ornamental, they are
some of the most beautiful shrubs in cultivation. Best planted in sheltered places, protected from
dry wind and hot sun. Does not like clay or limestone soil; best in well-drained, slightly acidic
leaf mold with peat and sandy loam. Sow in early spring on the surface of sand and peat. Place pots
in a plastic bag or cover with glass. Germinates in about 6 - 8 weeks at 55ºF. Remove glass when
cotyledons are well developed. Prick off into a good potting mix and harden off. The secret to
growing good plants is to keep them growing rapidly the first year or two. They should be 1 -
3" tall in 6 months. Never let them dry out and protect from direct sun. Some of the Himalayan
species are hardy to Boston.
—Rhododendron macrophyllum. (b,l) RHOD-240. Packet: $2.00
'CALIFORNIA ROSEBAY', 'COAST RHODODENDRON'. Rose-purple bell-shaped 2 1/2" flowers with
dark spots, in May & June. Evergreen shrub to 4 - 12 feet, with aromatic 8" leaves. Coastal
forests, B.C. to California. State flower of Washington. "It is a shrub so beautiful, we
marvel it is not generally cultivated in gardens." —Parsons. Germinates in 2 - 4 weeks.
ROSA
—Rosa moschata. (d,v) ROSE-99. Packet: $2.00
'HIMALAYAN MUSK ROSE'. Creamy white 1 1/2 - 2" musk-scented flowers in large corymbs in
April and May. Large deciduous climber. Himalayas to 4000 to 8000 feet. Not hardy in the North.
—Rosa pimpinellifolia. (=spinossissima) (b,v) ROSE-141. Packet: $2.00
Oz: $8.00, 1/4 lb: $16.00
'SCOTCH ROSE', 'PIMPERNEL ROSE'. Creamy white to pale pink or yellow 1 1/2 - 2" flowers are
borne in profusion in May and June, followed by shining purple-black 1/2" hips. Rounded spiny
shrub to 3 feet, forming a dense mound. Eurasia. Stands seaside conditions and will grow in dunes.
The hips are eaten and made into jellies, "being unusually sweet and pleasant-tasting."
—Facciola. They can be used for dye, giving a peach or beautiful violet shade. The leaves have been
used as tea.
SABAL
—Sabal Palmetto. (e,h) SABA-20. Packet: $2.00
Germination: 95% Tested: 3/08, 100 seed: $8.00
'CABBAGE PALMETTO'. Rounded heads of fan-like 6 foot fronds, 6 foot flower clusters followed by
black 1/2" fruits. To 20 - 90 feet. SE U.S. Plant 1/2 - 1" deep to germinate in 3 - 12
months at warm temperatures. The leaves have been used in weaving & thatching, the fruits eaten
raw or made into syrup, and the growing bud eaten as 'palm cabbage'.
—Sabal texana. (e,h) SABA-14. Packet: $2.00
100 seed: $10.00
'TEXAS PALMETTO'. Tall fan palm to 60 feet, with 3 foot long fans and a thick trunk. Clusters of
small white fragrant flowers followed by black berries. Texas and Mexico. Quite hardy, stands to
20°F.
SALVIA
—Salvia stenophylla. (b,f) SALV-86. Packet: $2.00
'MOSISILI'. Spikes of small light blue flowers in summer. Sticky aromatic tender perennial to 2
feet. S. Africa. Used as a smudge by the Southern Sotho to purify their homes, and they also mix it
with their tobacco. Germinates in 1 - 4 weeks.
SCILLA (SKI-a or SIL-a)
LILIACEAE. Beautiful, easily grown early blooming bulbs. Most are hardy and flower for years
without care. Also good in the rock garden or in pots. Many need cold treatment to germinate.
—Scilla peruviana. (e,h) SCIL-20. Packet: $2.00
'CUBAN LILY'. Starry, deep purple-blue flowers almost an inch across, in large dense rounded
masses of 50 - 100 blooms, May and June. Half hardy bulb to a foot tall, with broad, strap-like
leaves. Mediterranean, despite the name. Zone 8.
SCUTELLARIA
—Scutellaria lateriflora. (a,h) SCUT-48. Packet: $2.00
Germination: 99% GA-3 Tested 2/08, Gram: $7.00
'MAD-DOG SKULLCAP'. Small light blue flowers in one-sided racemes, July to September. Hardy
perennial to 2 - 4 feet, with 3" leaves. North America. Best in moist soil. Valuable medicinal
plant, formerly highly regarded against rabies, and called "One of the finest nervines ever
discovered." —Grieve. Use GA-3 to germinate in 2 weeks.
SENNA (SEN-na)
LEGUMINOSAE. Cassia-like herbs, shrubs, and trees with showy flowers and feathery leaves.
—Senna Covesii (=Cassia C.) (c,h) SENN-12. Packet: $2.00
'DESERT SENNA'. Yellow inch-wide flowers in April to June. Desert shrub to 1 - 2 feet, with
ash-grey velvety pinnate foliage, Southwest. Zone 7. Scratch seed to germinate in 1 - 2 weeks.
SESBANIA
—Sesbania Drummondii. (e,h) SESB-7. Packet: $2.00
'COFFEE-BEAN', 'DRUMMOND'S RATTLEBOX'. Abundant bright yellow 1/2" flowers in 2 - 6"
racemes, followed by four-winged 2 - 3" pods that rattle when ripe. Shrub to 2 - 15 feet, with
feathery pinnate 4 - 8" grey-green leaves. Gulf Coast to Arkansas. Blooms all summer and into
fall. Said to be useful for cleaning up toxic sites, as it hyper-accumulates lead. Nick seed.
—Sesbania exaltata. (c,h) SESB-9. Packet: $2.00
'BEQUILLA', 'COLORADO RIVER HEMP'. Yellow 1/2" flowers in small clusters followed by thin
8" pods. Past-growing annual shrub to 12 feet, with foot-long pinnate leaves. California to
N.Y. Best in damp areas or streamside. Used by the Yuma Indians for fishing line and nets. Good
green manure, and promising non-wood source for paper pulp. Nick seed.
SESELI (se-SEL-lee)
UMBELLIFERAE. Herbs with rosettes of divided foliage and multiple umbels of conspicuous flowers.
—Seseli gummiferum. (e,h) SESE-28. Packet: $3.00
'MOON CARROT'. Large umbels of white flowers ranging to pink, July to August. Hardy biennial to
perennial to 3 feet, with rosettes of finely divided, feathery blue-grey leaves. E. Mediterranean.
Zone 6. Germination irregular, sometimes in 3 - 5 weeks, other times over a long period.
SIDALCEA
—Sidalcea candida. (c,h) SIDL-7. Packet: $2.00
'WHITE CHECKERMALLOW'. Small white flowers with bluish anthers, like miniature hollyhocks to
1" wide, in dense spikes to 2 - 3 feet, in summer. Hardy perennial with lobed 8" glossy
leaves. Colorado. Zone 5. Makes nice clumps. Nick, hot water, or prechill. Some germinate in 3 - 4
weeks.
—Sidalcea malviflora Purpetta. (c,f) SIDL-16P. Packet: $2.00
Large purple-red miniature hollyhocks with white throats, in dense spikes produced over a long
period from July to September. Hardy perennial to 3 - 4 feet, with attractive divided foliage. Zone
5. Good for cutting. Germinates irregularly over a long period. Cool temperatures may help.
—Sidalcea malviflora Rosaly. (c,f) SIDL-16R. Packet: $2.00
Beautiful soft pink miniature hollyhocks with fringed petals, in dense spikes, July to
September. Hardy perennial to 4 feet, with attractive divided foliage. Zone 5. Good for cutting.
Germinates irregularly over a long period. Prechill may help.
SILPHIUM
—Silphium laciniatum. (d,v) SILP-15. Packet: $2.00
'COMPASS PLANT'. Large yellow sunflower-like blooms in tall spikes. Hardy perennial to 6 feet,
with large, striking bipinnately divided leaves, which tend to align themselves north & south.
Plains States. Long-lived perennial valued in prairie gardens. Bird love the seeds & it exudes a
gum which has been chewed. Give 8 weeks cold or GA-3 to germinate in 2 - 4 weeks. Easy from seed.
SOLANUM
—Solanum khasianum. (c,g) SOLN-40. Packet: $2.00
Shrub to 2 - 4 feet, with 1/2" flowers and green & white 1" fruits that turn
yellow at maturity. Large 8" leaves with triangular lobes, covered with dense yellow down.
India. The fruits are used in Indian medicine & the plant is a contraceptive in Nepal. An
industrial source of solasodine, used in synthesizing cortisone & steroidal hormones. One
third of the seed germinates in 2 - 4 weeks, the rest within 4 months.
SOLIDAGO (so-li-DA-go)
COMPOSITAE. Summer and fall flowering perennials. Excellent in the border where their yellow
flowers harmonize beautifully with the blue flowered native Asters. Too-little appreciated as garden
plants where their flower-clusters become larger and fuller than in the wild. Do not over-fertilize.
Easy from seed, germinates in 2 - 7 weeks at cool temperatures. They do not cause hay fever.
—Solidago canadensis. (b,g) SOLI-12. Packet: $2.00
'CANADA GOLDENROD'. Large branching sprays of golden-yellow flowers in late summer and autumn.
Hardy rhizomatous perennial to 5 feet, with narrow 4" leaves. NE N. America. The Indians used
it medicinally for many ailments, the Navajo used it as a charm for gambling luck, and smoked the
roots mixed with tobacco. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks.
SORBARIA (sor-BAR-ee-a)
ROSACEAE. Showy ornamental deciduous E. Asian shrubs valued for their panicles of white flowers
& handsome, elegant pinnate foliage. Moist soil in full sun or part shade.
—Sorbaria sorbifolia. (a!,g) SORA-8. Packet: $2.00
Germination: 99% Tested: 2/08, 5 grams: $7.00
'FALSE SPIRAEA'. White sweetly-scented 1/3" flowers in feathery upright 4 - 10"
clusters at the branch tips in summer. Handsome deciduous shrub to 6 feet, with pinnate foliage. N.
Asia. Insect resistant. Very hardy; Zone 2. The buds and young leaves have been used as a potherb.
Germinates in 1 - 4 weeks.
SPILANTHES (spi-LAN-theez)
COMPOSITAE. Tropical creeping herbs with yellow or white daisy-like flowers on long stalks.
—Spilanthes acmella. (c,h) SPIL-4. Packet: $2.00
Germination: 94% Tested: 2/08, Gram: $7.00
'TOOTHACHE PLANT', 'PARA CRESS'. Abundant red-tipped yellow clover-like flowers on a
sub-tropical creeper with pointed triangular leaves. Tropics. The young leaves are added to salads,
soups, or steamed with rice. They stimulate the saliva and cause numbness and tingling, so they are
chewed for toothache. Anti-viral and anti-fungal. Used as a flavor-enhancer. Germinates in a week.
STACHYS
—Stachys byzantina (=lanata). (c,h) STAC-7. Packet: $2.00
Germination: 92% Tested: 2/08, 5 grams: $9.00
'LAMB'S EARS'. Deep pink flowers and densely white woolly, soft, silvery foliage. Hardy
perennial to 2 feet. Persia. Valuable bedding plant, doing well in poor soil. Formerly classed as S.
olympica. Germinates in 1 - 4 weeks at warm temperatures.
STIPA (STEE-pa or STY-pa)
GRAMINEAE. 'FEATHER GRASS'. Attractive perennial grasses native of plains, savannas &
steppes throughout the world. Grown for ornament, forage, and restoration, they include some of our
finest native bunchgrasses, and are assets in any garden. Many kinds are best grown from aged seed,
germination increasing after a year in storage. Two weeks cold may help germination of fresh seed.
Most sprout in 5 - 30 days. Seed and plants long lived. Sow in spring or early fall. Smoke treatment
may help germination.
—Stipa pennata. (10,g) STIP-64. Packet: $3.00
'FEATHER GRASS'. Striking long feathery plumes, consisting of the elongated seed-awns, to 10 -
14" long, which wave gracefully in the breeze. Densely tufted hardy perennial bunchgrass to 2 -
3 feet. Steppes of Europe to Siberia. Seed partly dormant, about half germinate in a couple of
weeks.
STYPANDRA (sty-PAN-dra)
LILIACEAE. Australian perennials grown for their lovely blue 6-petaled flowers. Half hardy
perennials with narrow leaves. Mild climates.
—Stypandra glauca. (d,v) STYP-4. Packet: $2.00
'NODDING BLUE-LILY'. Clusters of bright blue starry, pendant 1/2" flowers. Half hardy
perennial to 1 - 3 feet, with leafy stems, sometimes sprawling, with narrow 4 - 8" leaves.
Australia. Zone 8 or 9. Germinates with smoke or fall sowing.
SUTHERLANDIA (su-ther-LAN-dee-a)
LEGUMINOSAE. Showy and easy South African shrubs.
—Sutherlandia frutescens. (e,h) SUTH-9. Packet: $3.00
'DUCK PLANT', 'BALLOON PEA', 'CANCER BUSH'. Showy scarlet inch-long flowers in nodding clusters
in June, followed by silvery inflated 2" pods. Nice upright shrub to 3 feet, with downy shoots
and feathery foliage. South Africa. Zone 9. Children float the pods on water to resemble ducks.
Start early indoors for bloom the first year. Used medicinally for a wide variety of ailments,
including HIV and cancer. Scratch seed to germinate in 1 - 2 weeks.
SWAINSONIA
—Swainsonia Greyana. (c,l) SWAN-38. Packet: $2.00
'DARLING PEA'. Large deep purple-pink flowers in dense long arching sprays, followed by inflated
2" pods. Arching shrub to 3 - 6 feet, with feathery pinnate foliage, and young shoots downy
white. SE Australia. Soak, nick unswollen, to germinate in 1 - 2 weeks.
TINANTIA (tin-AN-tee-a)
COMMELINACEAE. Tropical American herbs related to dayflowers. Good old-fashioned plants.
—Tinantia erecta. (c,h) TINA-12. Packet: $2.00
'WIDOW'S TEARS'. Pink orchid-like 1/2 - 1" flowers in summer to autumn. Annual to 3 feet,
with fleshy, Impatiens-like stems. Tradescantia-like 4" leaves. Tropical America.
Germinates in 1 - 3 weeks.
TRADESCANTIA (trad-es-KANT-ee-a)
COMMELINACEAE. Easily grown often hardy plants with showy three-petaled flowers, native of the
Americas. Trouble-free and long-blooming.
—Tradescantia occidentalis. (c,g) TRAD-16. Packet: $2.00
'WESTERN SPIDERWORT'. Beautiful blue to rose three-petaled inch-wide flowers, June to August.
Hardy perennial to 2 feet, with narrow, foot-long grass-like leaves. Minnesota to Arizona. The
tender shoots were eaten raw or cooked by the Indians. Used as an aphrodisiac, and the root gum to
'stop craziness'. Germinates in 2 - 3 weeks, prechill best.
TRACHYCARPUS (tra-kee-KAR-pus)
PALMAE. Himalayan region fan palms, among the hardiest palms known. Slow growing and long-lived,
they make nice houseplants in cold regions.
—Trachycarpus Fortunei. (e,g) TRCY -6. Packet: $2.00
'WINDMILL PALM', 'CHINESE FAN PALM'. Tall slender fan palm to 40 feet, with 3 foot fronds.
Clustered fragrant flowers followed by blue 1/2" fruits. Trunk covered with dark fibers, and is
thinner at the base than the top. One of the hardiest palms, standing to 10°F, and mature ones have
survived -2°F. Commonly grown in Vancouver, B.C., and specimens growing in Sitka, Alaska and
southern Norway vie for the record northernmost outdoor palms on the planet. Young flower-stalks
eaten. Germinates in 2 - 3 months warm.
TRICHOCEREUS
—Trichocereus Werdermannianus. (e,h) TRCH-104. Packet: $2.00
Tree-like to 16 feet, with trunk 2 feet thick, with 6 - 14 ribs or more. Spines to 3" long.
White 8" flowers. Southern Bolivia. Intergrades with T. Terscheckii. Germinates in 2 - 8
weeks. GA-3 may improve percentage.
TRICHOSANTHES
—Trichosanthes cucumeroides. TRCS-10. Packet: $3.00
'KARASU-URI'. Vermillion-red egg-shaped 3" fruits on a vigorous perennial vine to 15 feet,
with 3 - 5-lobed 4 - 6" leaves. White flowers with beautifully-fringed petals. Japan. Zone 7.
Forms a large tuberous root that has been used for starch, and can be lifted and stored over winter
in cold climates. The immature fruits are preserved in salt and miso, and the ripe fruits used as
soap. Has some of the most peculiar-looking seeds I've ever seen!
—Trichosanthes kirilowii var. japonica. TRCS-24J. Packet: $3.00
'KI KARASU-URI'. Egg-shaped yellow 3" fruits on a vigorous perennial vine to 20 - 30 feet,
with beautifully-fringed white flowers and 3 - 5-lobed 4 - 5" leaves. Japan. Zone 6. The
tuberous roots can be lifted in cold areas, and have been used as a source of starch. Fruits have
been eaten prepared, and the seeds are a source of edible oil.
TRITELEIA (tri-te-LEE-a)
LILIACEAE. Western American bulbs with showy six-petaled flowers and grass-like leaves. Best in
full sun and well-drained soil. Good in pots. Rest dry.
—Triteleia laxa Queen Fabiola. (b,h) TRIT-26Q. Packet: $2.00
'TRIPLET LILY', 'GRASSNUT'. Abundant funnel-shaped 1 1/2 - 2" blue flowers in 6"
clusters in early summer. Half-hardy bulb to 2 feet, with inch-wide grass-like leaves. California.
Hardy to Zone 5, and stands a fair amount of summer moisture. Good cut-flower. The bulbs were eaten
roasted by the Indians, and were a favorite of grizzly bear. Germinates at cool 40°F temperatures
in 3 - 8 weeks.
TROPAEOLUM
—Tropaeolum majus Blue Pepe. (e,g) TROP-5BP. Packet: $2.00 OUT OF STOCK
Striking new variety bred especially for salad use. The small leaves are steel blue with
purplish undersides, and make an attractive addition to baby salad mix, to add color and flavor.
Choice!
UNGNADIA (oong-NA-de-a)
SAPINDACEAE. A single species. Seed viable 3 years.
—Ungnadia speciosa. (e,g) UNGN-4. Packet: $2.00
'TEXAN' or 'MEXICAN BUCKEYE'. Fragrant inch-wide rose flowers in April to May, before the
leaves. Large pinnate shining leaves. Small tree to 10 - 30 feet. S. Texas and N. Mexico. A
beautiful and fast growing drought tolerant tree that can flower when 3 years old. Try it in mild
(Zone 8) climates outside its range, such as California. The large black seeds are used as marbles,
but cause 'giddiness' if eaten. Germinates in a month or so.
VACCARIA (va-KAR-ee-a)
CARYOPHYLLACEAE. Several species related to Saponaria.
—Vaccaria segetalis (= pyramidata) (b,h) VACA-4. Packet: $2.00
Oz: $6.00, 1/4 lb: $15.00
'COWCOCKLE'. Pink 1/3" wide, 5-petaled flowers in graceful sprays produced in great
profusion in summer. Showy annual to 2 - 3 feet, with oval to lance-shaped leaves. Eurasia. Said to
have been used as a condiment and used for cow-fodder. Can be sown in fall for spring bloom in mild
climates, or in spring for summer bloom. "The flowers are produced in great profusion during
the summer and are splendid for cutting." —Booth. Called 'wang bu liu xing'
(meaning 'king who does not stay but departs'), the seed are used in Chinese medicine for amenorrhea
& insufficient lactation, and topically against herpes zoster. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks.
VATRICANIA (va-tri-KA-nee-a)
CACTACEAE. Bushy columnar cacti from Bolivia, much like Espostoa. Easily grown.
—Vatricania guentheri. (d,h) VATR-16. Packet: $2.00
Base-branching, with 6 foot tall columns with many ribs and small dense spines. Forms a
'cephalium' at the top-a dense mass of reddish-brown bristles and wool, from which the yellowish
3" flowers bloom on summer nights. Bolivia. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks.
VIOLA
—Viola mandshurica. (c,g) VIOL-74. Packet: $2.00
Gram: $9.00, 5 grams: $25.00
'SUMIRE'. Large deep violet flowers with darker veins. Stemless perennial violet to 2 - 4",
with 3" leaves. East Asia. Zone 5.
VITIS
—Vitis rotundifolia, (d,g) VITI-93. Packet: $2.00
'MUSCADINE'. Strong tendril climbing vine with small clusters of dark purple, strong flavored
grapes. SE N. America. There are vineyard varieties. Much used in domestic winemaking. Give cold
treatment, but will germinate in 1 - 4 months without.
YUCCA
—Yucca aloifolia. (e,h) YUCC-1. Packet: $2.50
'SPANISH BAYONET', 'IZOTE'. Large beautiful 4" wide bell-shaped nodding creamy flowers
often tinged purple, in upright 2 foot long spikes in summer and fall. Tree to 25 feet, with heads
of sword-shaped 2 1/2 foot leaves. Fruit with purple edible pulp. SE U.S. The flower petals are
eaten in salads, or battered and fried. Fairly hardy. Germinates in 2 - 4 weeks or so. A nice plant.
—Yucca elata. (d,h) YUCC-8. Packet: $2.00
10 grams: $8.00
'SOAPTREE YUCCA', 'PALMILLA'. Tall 6 foot spikes of creamy white 2" bells, often tinged
pink or green. Round heads of stiff, narrow 3 - 4 foot leaves. Forms a trunk to 20 feet with age.
Southwest. The flowers are eaten raw or cooked, and the young fruits are said to be eaten. Roots
used as soap. Germinates in 2 - 4 weeks, and the seedlings grow rapidly, forming nice plants.
—Yucca rupicola. (d,h) YUCC-26. Packet: $2.50
'TWISTED-LEAF YUCCA'. White 2 3/4" bells in large 3 foot clusters in autumn. Stemless, with
a round head of twisted, stiff sword-like 2 foot leaves with undulating margins. S. central Texas.
Forms nice clumps of heads with age. Flowers eaten cooked by the Indians. Germinates in 1 - 3 weeks.
—Yucca Whipplei. (d,h) YUCC-36. Packet: $2.00
'SPANISH BAYONET'. Fast growing small species with 2" long, creamy white, fragrant, nodding
flowers in huge spikes up to 12 feet high with up to 6000 blossoms. Sword-like 1 1/2 - 4 foot long
leaves. S. California. The Indians ground the seeds for food, ate the stem-centers and heads raw or
roasted in pits and obtained a fine fiber from the leaves. Soak seed in water overnight. Germinates
at warm temperatures in as little as 3 days. Will flower in as little as 7 years. Some forms die
after flowering, others form clumps which will flower for years.