| Image | Plant | Status | Notes | Events |
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Sweet Flag (Acorus calamus 'Variegatus') |
Prev Tender/Annuals Water |
Z4, FS-PS, may scorch with too much afternoon sun, moist to wet, average soil or mud, 2-2.5' | |
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Japanese Sweet Flag (Acorus gramineus 'Ogon') |
Have Tender/Annuals Water Z5 Grasses |
Z5, FS-PS, moist soil or mud, 6"-1' 2021: I picked up 1 at Fred Meyers for the barrels, but they were too expensive to buy 3. Wish I would have done it anyway now. I'll try to find some smaller ones locally, but probably won't find any. I put the one I bought in the barrel on the south end. 2020: I had these in the barrels again and they did well. I tried to overwinter them in the pump-house, but it was a fail. 2019: I picked up 3 of these (4" pots) and they did well in the water barrels. In the fall, I threw them in the Z5 garden and spring of 2020, I see 2 of them that appear to be alive. |
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Grassy Leaved Sweet Flag (Acorus gramineus 'Variegatus') |
Have Tender/Annuals Water Z5 Grasses |
Conflicting information about the hardiness - some say Z6, MOBO & Perennials.com both say Z5. 2017: These did quite well in the water barrels this summer. I plunked them down in the Z5 garden, mulched with leaves, and said "I hope to see you in the spring." |
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African Mask (Alocasia 'Amazonica') |
Prev Tender/Annuals Water |
FS-PS, wet. 2009: They looked so cool in the catalog, so I bought one and tried it in the water. Total fail. I've since read that this is a bit tricky to grow. It's an expensive bulb to try and probably would be hard to overwinter as well. It's thirsty but needs to be well drained or the bulb will rot. I think maybe only colocasia will grow in water? |
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Marsh Marigold (Caltha palustris) |
Prev Tender/Annuals Water |
These were really nice the one year I had them. They are very hard to find as plants and I didn't have much luck starting from seed. | |
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Canna Lily (Canna 'Pretoria') |
Have Tender/Annuals Water |
FS-PS, moist, 4-6', summer These are really striking with the zebra foliage and have done well in the barrels. I don't think I've ever gotten a bloom though. 2022: I got 3 tubers with the thought of putting them in the barrels. As usual, 2 didn't look viable so I just planted all 3 in the Z5 garden by the porch. Hopefully I'll see at least one. Yep. That's what I got - one. I don't know why I keep buying these things from Van B. |
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Canna 'Stuttgart' |
Have Tender/Annuals Water |
FS-PS, moist, 6-8', summer. I've planted these a few times in the water barrels. Gorgeous variegated foliage. 2019: From Van B. One was mush. The other 2 did OK, but not great. |
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Canna Tropicanna® |
Prev Tender/Annuals Water |
FS-PS, moist, 6', summer. If grown in the water, fertilizer stakes make them grow much larger. Striking variegated foliage. I've grown these a few times and they really are nice. I've had them bloom in the barrels, but the foliage is the star here. | |
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Canna (Canna indica 'Louis Cottin') |
Have Tender/Annuals Water |
FS-PS, rich, moist to wet, 18-30", summer-fall. Pretty bronze foliage. I grew these in the barrels at least once in the past. I also grew one in a pot that year that did well. 2021: Ordered 2 tubers from Wild. I got one teeny tiny little thing that I have no hope for. I planted it in a clay pot anyway and we'll see if anything comes up. I got a refund from Wild, but don't buy Cannas from them anymore. I got some bad ones from them last year too. Update - the sole survivor didn't survive. |
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Canna (Canna x generalis 'Black Knight') |
Prev Tender/Annuals Water |
FS-PS, moist, will grow in water, 4-6'. Cannas rarely bloom for me in the water. They do better if I put fertilizer spikes in the pots. I usually only grow a few cannas for their foliage in my water barrels. This one has lovely burgundy tinged leaves. |
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Canna (Canna x generalis 'Futurity Pink') |
Have Tender/Annuals Water |
FS-PS, moist, will grow in water, 18-24", summer-fall. Burgundy bronze foliage 2020: Bought 4 from Gilbert Wild. One went into the Z5 garden and 3 went into clay pots for the water barrels. Only 1 came up in a pot. Damn! |
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Canna (Canna x generalis 'Pink Beauty') |
Prev Tender/Annuals Water |
FS-PS, moist, 3-6', summer. This one was a little shorter when I grew it in the water. The leaves had a bit of variegation to them, so it looked nice. |
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Sedge (Carex oshimensis 'Evergold') |
Have Not planted yet Crabapple Water Grasses |
Z5, FS-PS, not a true bog plant, but they'll make it through a summer, 10-12". 2024: I'm trying them in the barrels again unless I find something else to plant in there. 2023: I got 3 nice big ones to put in the barrels again. They didn't like it there, so I put 1 in the CA garden and I think the deer were nibbling on it! The other 2 went in the GH triangle. 2022: I tried 3 of them in the water this year. They did pretty well, but didn't get as big as the acorus that I usually try to find. In early November I moved them to the crabapple garden. I'd like to try to get some more grassy stuff in there for low maintenance and to hopefully choke out the Oriental Limelight there that looks like crap when it gets tall. 2017: I'm not sure if this is still in the Crabapple garden? |
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Elephant Ear (Colocasia esculenta) |
Prev Tender/Annuals Water |
FS-PS, wet, 0-12" deep. I buy them frequently and they work in a pot or in the water. These ordinary ones are the most reliable, but you really need big bulbs to have impressive results. Mixed results trying to overwinter and smaller bulbs are the least likely to make it. Try to find a better source with bigger bulbs. 2021: I ordered them too early off Amazon. They shipped immediately and arrived as mush. Have to wait until later next time. Don't get these from Amazon anymore. 2019: Amazon. Not one ever came to life. They were small bulbs. 2012: I put some in the barrels and also one in a pot on the front porch. That one got huge! |
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Elephant Ear (Colocasia esculenta 'Black Magic') |
Prev Tender/Annuals Water |
FS-PS, wet, 3-6', 6" deep. These only get 1-2' tall for me either in water or a pot. I've never seen one flower. Best foliage color in full sun. 2012: In water 2009: In the barrels 2006: In a pot. Very dark leaves! |
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Elephant Ear (Colocasia esculenta 'Pink China') |
Prev Tender/Annuals Water |
FS-PS, wet, 4-6', 6" deep. Pretty pink stems. 2009: It made it through the winter once again, I'm on a roll. Oddly, the bulb is no bigger than it ever was. You'd think they'd grow a little every year, wouldn't you? 2008: I successfully overwintered this one! It did well again. 2007: It did well and I liked the pink stems. |
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Black Stem Elephant Ear (Colocasia fontanesii) |
Prev Tender/Annuals Water |
FS-PS, wet, 4-8', 6" deep. 2012: In the barrels. These looked exactly like the ordinary elephant ears but with dark stems. |
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Umbrella Papyrus (Cyperus alternifolius) |
Have Tender/Annuals Water |
2023: I planted a bunch of seeds in a couple 4 cells. They took a while to come up, but both are solid now, like grass. I split these up into 3 bigger pots with several in each for the barrels. They did surprisingly well! They were simple to start and filled the pots nicely. I will do these from seed again! | |
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Papyrus (Cyperus papyrus) |
Have Tender/Annuals Water |
2023: From seed. These did not come up as prolifically as the c. alternifolius, but they are taller so far. I put them all in one pot and put it in the south barrel. They were more impressive than the other papyrus I did from seed this year, but it could be because they were on the south side of the greenhouse in a sheltered location. I'll do these again. | |
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Papyrus (Cyperus papyrus Graceful Grasses® King Tut®) |
Prev Tender/Annuals Water |
