| 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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Anise Hyssop (Agastache aurantiaca 'Apricot Sprite') |
Have Tender/Annuals |
Z6 Hummingbird Mint, AKA 'Mexican Hyssop' 2023: From seed - 4 plants. I planted 1 next to the garage door. Put the other 3 in a cluster by the porch. These will probably be an annual for me, but they're nice. They didn't get any size to them, but did all bloom. We'll see if they might come back next year, but I'm not holding my breath. |
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Tuberose (Agave amica) |
Prev Tender/Annuals |
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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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Calico Plant (Alternanthera dentata 'Purple Knight') |
Have Tender/Annuals |
These are very easy to start from seed and have really striking foliage. They've never bloomed for me. 2023 - From seed. I ended up with 5 or 6 and stuck them in the GH garden, mixed in with the bugleweed. The colors look nice together. Update - it got a little dry in that area for some reason, and they never got very big. 2021 - I had a bunch of these up from seed, but some varmint sneakily ate a lot of tiny starts while they were still under the humidity domes! None of these were spared. 2019 - I have quite a few and planted in a mass in the Z5. So far, they aren't really spreading like I'd hoped. |
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Amaranth (Amaranthus 'Elephant Head') |
Have Tender/Annuals |
2023: Silly me. I had a whole bunch come up from seed. I got busy and only potted up 2 and the rest are hanging out, very crowded in a 4 cell. I planted the 2 nice big ones out in the Z5 annual area. Later I planted out the little guys in the same area. None of them got real big and impressive, but I planted everything really late this year. | |
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Love Lies Bleeding (Amaranthus caudatus) |
Have Tender/Annuals |
FS, rich, acidic soil, drought tolerant but does better with evenly moist soil. 3-8' tall - mine our closer to 3' I plant this most years - it's a favorite of mine. 2022: 2 from seed. In the Z5 annual area. 2021: I got quite a few of these and planted them in the Z5 annual area. Sprinklers went down in the June heat wave and I lost some of the amaranths. 2019: Didn't get too many to sprout |
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Amaranth (Amaranthus cruentus 'Red Garnet') |
Have Tender/Annuals |
FS, drought tolerant, 6', summer. Tall ornamental with dramatic burgundy leaves and red plumes. Mine don't get that tall. 2021: Got quite a few from seed and planted in the Z5 annual area. Sprinklers went down in the heat wave of June and some of the amaranths didn't make it. |
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Joseph's Coat (Amaranthus tricolor 'Early Splendor') |
Have Tender/Annuals |
FS, average water, 2-3', summer. Poinsettia type. 2021: Quite a few from seed, but the critters got a couple of them after I moved them outside. Planted in the Z5 annual area. Sprinklers down during heat wave, some amaranths didn't make it. |
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Summer Poinsettia (Amaranthus tricolor 'Illumination') |
Have Tender/Annuals |
FS, average water, summer-fall, 2'. I grow this most years and really like them. Mine are never quite as colorful as other photos show. 2023: I got a bunch in a 4 cell and never potted them up. I planted them out as small tiny things in the Z5 annual area. These were nice, but not very big. 2021: 7 plants planted in the Z5 Annual area. Sprinklers went down in the June heat wave - some of the amaranths didn't make it through that. Not sure which ones yet - they all kind of look the same at this point. |
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Amaranth (Amaranthus tricolor 'Molten Fire') |
Have Tender/Annuals |
FS, average water, 32-48", summer. Prefers slightly acid soil. Bi-color type with bright, glowing crimson-maroon foliage. 2021: Quite a few from seed. Planted in Z5 annual area. It's really hot in June and the sprinklers were down for a few days. Everything is stressed and some of the amaranths didn't make it. |
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False Queen Anne's Lace (Ammi majus) |
Prev Tender/Annuals |
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Dill (Anethum graveolens 'Dukat') |
Prev Herb Tender/Annuals |
FS, average, 1-2', summer. An improved strain with excellent flavor is much leafier and slower to bolt than regular dill. A good choice if you are more interested in the leaves than the seeds. Reseeds readily. Plant in succession for continuous crop. 2020: 2 plants were kind of spindly. Maybe not enough sun? |
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Dill (Anethum graveolens 'Fernleaf') |
Prev Herb Tender/Annuals |
FS, average, 24", spring-fall. Attracts bees. Host for black swallowtail butterfly caterpillar. Shorter & more attractive than regular dill. Tastes & looks great in a jar of pickles. 2011: Prettier than regular dill. 2009: Made pickles - it was good. |
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Blue Woodruff (Asperula orientalis 'Blue Surprise') |
Prev Tender/Annuals |
FS-PS, moist soil, 6-12", summer. Likes rich soil. These are a nice airy filler that do best in dappled to part shade. Attracts bees and butterflies. Fragrant. Will self-seed. I've planted these a few times with varying results. One year they really filled in an area under the crabapple tree. I had a whole flat of starts from seed. Other years, I might get 5 or 6 to come up. |
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Caladiums (Caladium) |
Have Tender/Annuals |
Dappled to full shade, well drained, moist soil, rich in organic content. I get these most years. When they take off, they are gorgeous. I have mixed results however, for some reason. At the very least, find a new source. I don't do well overwintering them. 2021: Big bag of mixed from Van B. I didn't put any in a pot this year and instead planted them all along the front of the Front garden. So far, zero have come up. I think I might be done with caladiums - too finicky for me. I'd do better off to start more coleus from seed and put them out, I think. Update: A few came up here and there, but never got any size to them. I think I would have to prepare a special bed for them with amended soil and yada yada. 2019: Hardly any of these came up. A bag of mixed from Van B. 2018: Only a few came up from the mixed bag from Van B. I did manage to overwinter 1 bulb successfully. |
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Fancy-leaf Caladium (Caladium 'Aaron') |
Prev Tender/Annuals |
PS-FS, moist well-drained soil, 1-2'. Best in bright indirect sunlight, but not direct sunlight that will scorch and damage the leaves. Likes fertile, rich, slightly acid soil. Feed monthly with 5-10-10. | |
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Fancy-Leaf Caladium (Caladium 'Carolyn Wharton') |
Prev Tender/Annuals |
PS-FS, moist soil.This one is sun tolerant. Fertilize monthly. |
