Sunday Best – Lily of the Nile Pods
Wax Begonia
Wax begonia, Begonia X semperflorens–cultorum, exemplifies simplicity. Its floral color is white, pink or red. Its foliage is green, bronze or dark bronze. Each floral color combines with each foliar color for a total of only nine combinations. That must be enough, though. Variants of these nine simple options, including some with fluffier double bloom, are rare.
Wax begonia is most familiar as a common warm season annual. However, it is probably at least as popular as a cool season annual. Actually though, it is a short term perennial. Except for during the coolest winter weather, established specimens may bloom all year. After minor frost damage, most regenerate efficiently. They need only minimal grooming.
Mature wax begonia should not grow any higher or wider than a foot. As bedding plants, they blend together. Individually, they develop densely ovoid form. Flowers are small but abundant. Foliage and stems are succulent, with a waxy sheen. New plants grow easily from cuttings or division. Wax begonia prefers rich medium and very consistent watering. A bit of partial shade should be no problem, but a bit too much can inhibit bloom.
Naked Lady
From scarcely exposed tops of seemingly dead bulbs, floral stalks unexpectedly appear. Foliage only appears after bloom finishes. This is why Amaryllis belladonna is known as naked lady. It blooms unfoliated. Various varieties of the same species bloom with about the same vivid pink color. White variants are very rare. Floral fragrance is mild but sweet.
Naked lady flowers are about two feet tall on simple brown or green stalks. Fleshy seeds that develop after bloom are viable only while fresh and plump. Foliage begins to appear by later summer, and grows more with autumn rain. It resembles foliage of lily of the Nile, but is more fragile, and shrivels by late spring. Then, bulbs lay dormant through summer.
Naked lady bulbs are impressively resilient, but also quite sensitive. If possible, the best time to relocate them is supposedly between bloom and foliation. However, relocation is likely easiest during complete summer dormancy. Unfortunately, though, such relocation can interfere with subsequent bloom. Naked lady needs full sun exposure to bloom well, but requires no water.
Aeonium arboreum
The once traditional Aeonium arboreum, with round, dense rosettes of slightly serrate, olive green leaves has become less popular than its more colorful varieties that have become more available over the years. ‘Atropurpureum’ has rich purplish brown foliage. ‘Zwartkop’ is even darker and stays more compact. Long and sometimes unkempt clusters of tiny yellow flowers that bloom in spring or summer are not much to look at against green foliage, but contrast nicely against dark foliage. Larger plants can get to three feet tall and wide, with foliar rosettes wider than six inches.
Like many succulents, Aeonium arboreum is so easy to propagate from cuttings, that small pieces that need to be pruned from established plants can be plugged into the garden wherever more of the same plants are desired. New cuttings like to be watered until they develop roots. Established plants are a bit happier with occasional watering, but can survive neglect just fine. After all, they are native to similar climates in the Mediterranean and northern Africa.
Canna Virus
This is not a new problem, but it is infuriating nonetheless. ‘Cleopatra’ canna expressed symptoms of at least one virus about two years ago. A few other nearby cannas expressed similar symptoms shortly afterward. ‘Australia’ canna is particularly expressive of foliar streaking caused by virus. Isolation and disposal of obviously infected specimens seems to have prevented dispersion of the virus or viruses; but I really am uncertain. Three cultivars of Canna musifolia have suspiciously avoided any infection from adjacent infected cultivars. I can not help but wonder if they are actually infected but merely asymptomatic, and possibly able to transmit viruses to cultivars that are more expressive of symptoms. The canna in this picture is an important cultivar because it is one of only two remaining original cultivars that could have inhabited the landscapes here since about 1968. Because of gophers, very little of it remain, and some of what remains succumbed to virus already. I am quite protective of these few specimens that have not been infected, but would also like them to be able to inhabit the landscapes with the questionable Canna musifolia cultivars. For now, I must wait until they proliferate enough for some to be expendable.
Sneezeweed
Contrary to its silly name, sneezeweed, Helenium autumnale, does not cause sneezing. Its flowers produce heavy pollen that relies more on pollinators for dispersion than wind. Its vibrant yellow, orange or red floral color attracts all sorts of bees, butterflies and such. Bloom may begin as early as the middle of summer, or continue as late as early autumn.
Sneezeweed is a perennial like black eyed Susan, but with a somewhat shrubbier form. It can grow three or four feet tall without growing any wider than two or three feet. Foliage has a rather fine texture with lanceolate and somewhat serrate leaves. Individual flowers are about two or three inches wide, and delightfully abundant. They are nice cut flowers.
Sneezeweed may self sow, but some cultivars are not true to type. For them, division is a more reliable method of propagation. ‘Pumilum Magnificum’ provides vivid yellow bloom. ‘Chippersfield Orange’ provides vivid orange and yellow flowers. ‘Kupfersprudel’ blooms with a bit more yellow than orange. ‘Bruno’ blooms with deeply rich ruddy brown flowers. ‘Butterpat’ provides rich golden bloom. Several cultivars are compact.
Bear’s Breech
Like some other Victorian perennials that are still happy after a century, bear’s breech, Acanthus mollis, can get to be too much of a good thing. It can become invasive where not contained. Once established, it is difficult to eradicate. The bold coarse foliage looks great while the weather is favorable, but then dies back after bloom when summer weather gets warm, leaving obvious voids where other plants were crowded out.
The good news is that bear’s breech does not require much attention at all. It is very easy to propagate by division or simply by digging a few thick roots while dormant or just as new foliage appears in autumn. Well watered plants can keep their foliage all year, so that they only need to be groomed of older foliage and spent flower stalks. Partial shade is not a problem; although snails can be.
Big arching leaves form bold mounds of glossy foliage about three feet wide. The distinctively lobed and toothed foliage has an appealing texture and deep green color. Elegant mostly white flower spikes stand nearly five feet tall late in spring into summer. Acanthus balcanicus (illustrated) is more compact, with more intricately textured foliage.
Garden Phlox
Several species of Phlox are native California wildflowers. Yet, the more popular garden phlox, Phlox paniculata, is native only east of Kansas. It can self sow where it gets water, and is naturalized in the Pacific Northwest. It prefers rather rich soil and sunny exposure but is not very discriminating. A bit of partial shade might promote taller stems for cutting.
Mature garden phlox can be as tall and wide as three feet. Some modern cultivars stay a bit more compact. Dense panicles of small flowers may be as wide as six inches. Bloom is most commonly white, but may be pink, red, lavender or pastel orange. It is a splendid cut flower, with an alluringly rich fragrance. Bloom might continue for a month of summer.
Garden phlox is deciduous, so all canes die to the ground for winter. Mature colonies are then easy to propagate by division. Similarly, feral specimens that appear where they are unwanted are easy to relocate. Garden phlox can perform nicely in proportionately large pots and planters. It is uncommonly available from nurseries, but grows easily from seed.
Curve Leaf Yucca
Curve leaf yucca is one of a few species of the genus that is difficult to identify. It may be a distinct species, Yucca recurvifolia. It may be a naturally occurring variety of mound lily, Yucca gloriosa var. tristis or recurvifolia. Yet, it may be a natural hybrid of Yucca aloifolia and Yucca flaccida. To complicate all of this, its physical characteristics are inconsistent.
The evergreen leaves of curve leaf yucca are typically pliable, and curve downward. Yet, they can be quite rigid and upright. Foliar color is typically grayish green but can be olive drab. Stout but upright trunks can potentially develop, but may never do so. Only their tall floral stalks that bloom for summer are consistent. Individual flowers are small and white.
Curve leaf yucca enjoys warm and sunny exposures. Occasional watering through warm weather may improve vigor, but is unnecessary. Old colonies form large mounds that can slowly grow as high and wide as ten feet. With the exception of gophers, which eat roots, not much bothers curve leaf yucca. In fact, it can be very difficult to eradicate if unwanted. Pups may continue to develop from rhizomes for many years.
Rock Purslane
In Santa Cruz and coastal areas down to Los Angeles and San Diego, rock purslane, Calandrinia spectabilis (grandiflora) has been popular for only a few years. It is still somewhat uncommon here in the Santa Clara Valley. Because of the ambiguity of its Latin species name, it is most commonly known simply by its genus name of Calandrinia.
Moderate watering is best. On the coast, rock purslane only needs water occasionally through the driest summer weather. It should recover readily from winter frost damage. Partial shade is not a problem, but may limit profusion of bloom. Harsh exposure or reflected glare can actually roast the tender succulent foliage.
From about now through autumn, limber, two foot tall stems suspend strikingly bright magenta flowers above the low, grayish evergreen foliage. The fragile leaves are neatly arranged in terminal rosettes. Foliage, stems, flower stalks and all parts are sensitive to traffic, and can even get broken by a cat sneaking through the garden. Broken bits and pieces of stem root very easily to make new plants, though.
Tony Tomeo 