Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum

General Subjects => Flowers and Foliage Now => Topic started by: Maggi Young on March 17, 2010, 10:35:42 PM

Title: April in the Southern Hemisphere
Post by: Maggi Young on March 17, 2010, 10:35:42 PM
In case you Down Under Folks are not aware..... I learn that American plantsman Daniel Hinkley is visiting both Autralia and New Zealand in April.....

Collectors' Plant Fair, Australia    
Saturday, 17th April 2010
   
Collectors' Plant Fair, Australia    
Saturday, 17th April 2010
   
Collectors' Plant Fair, Australia    
Sunday, 18th April 2010
   
University of Otago, NZ    
Thursday, 22nd April 2010
   
New Zealand Gardens Trust Conference    
Saturday, 24th April 2010
   
New Zealand Gardens Trust Conference    
Sunday, 25th April 2010
   
Dunedin Rhododendron Society, NZ    
Wednesday, 28th April 2010
   



 see here for full details......
http://www.danielhinkley.com/cal.php?PHPSESSID=9627205629f32ed2ae07eb7f95982253

Title: Re: April in the Southern Hemisphere
Post by: Lesley Cox on March 17, 2010, 11:13:38 PM
Thanks for this Maggi. There's one I'll be able to attend anyway. The Dn Rhodo Group actually is in Dunedin but the University of Otago one is at their Auckland campus. Funny, 'cos I thought that was only a branch of the Medical School which is otherwise in Dunedin with out of town campuses.
Title: Re: April in the Southern Hemisphere
Post by: fermi de Sousa on March 18, 2010, 02:56:10 AM
I think the Plant Collectros' Fair is the one in Bilpin in the the Blue Mts, NSW.
I don't he's coming down to Vic :'(
cheers
fermi
Title: Re: April in the Southern Hemisphere
Post by: Maggi Young on March 18, 2010, 11:16:41 AM
Yes, that's correct, fermi....
Collectors' Plant Fair, Australia
4/17/10 1:30 PM - 4/17/10 2:30 PM

Exclamation, Punctuation, Accentuation Location: Woodgreen, Bilpin, NSW, Australia

Collectors' Plant Fair, Australia
4/17/10 3:30 PM - 4/17/10 4:30 PM

Exclamation, Punctuation, Accentuation Location: Woodgreen, Bilpin, NSW, Australia

Collectors' Plant Fair, Australia
4/18/10 1:30 PM - 4/18/10 2:30 PM

Anointing Indispensables, Dispensing Disappointments Location: Woodgreen Homestead, Bilpin, New South Wales, Australia



University of Otago, NZ
4/22/10 7 PM - 4/22/10 8 PM

From Sichuan and Vietnam to Seattle - Plant Exploring Location: University of Otago House (level 4 - street level), 385 Queen St. Auckland, New Zealand (north island)
Title: Re: April in the Southern Hemisphere
Post by: Lesley Cox on March 18, 2010, 08:05:18 PM
I've just managed to miss that Plant Fair by a day, twice now Fermi. Will have to try again maybe next year.

Wish he was doing the Auckland talk in Dunedin. :'(
Title: Re: April in the Southern Hemisphere
Post by: Otto Fauser on March 19, 2010, 03:28:19 AM
Thanks Maggi for the news that Dan Hinkley will give lectures at Bilpin ., which is much closer to Sydney - it is circa 800 kilometers from Melbourne . Stephen Ryan (the presenter of 'Gardening Australia ' ) told me a few weeks ago that he is trying to persuade Dan to spend a few days in Melbourne , which would be nice . Dan has been to Melbourne on 2 previous occasions .
Title: Re: April 2010 in the Southern Hemisphere
Post by: fermi de Sousa on April 01, 2010, 02:44:59 AM
Since Maggi already started a thread for April we may as well use it now that April's arrived in the Southern Hemisphere!
Taken this morning, this is one of the hybrid nerines, I think it's "Ariel" - one of the first "terracotta" ones that I'd ever seen,
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The clump of N. fothergila "Major" is at its peak,
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And the mauve/pink form of Oxalis flava is starting to flower,
[attachthumb=4]

[attachthumb=5]

cheers
fermi
Title: Re: April in the Southern Hemisphere
Post by: Lesley Cox on April 01, 2010, 04:19:49 AM
No sign of Nerines here yet, too dry but I do have some very nice Gladiolus carmineus in flower. Maybe a pic tomorrow. I see we must now call Oxalis lobata, O. perdicaria. Dammit! But surely the pic in the March AGS Bulletin is one of the laciniata forms, rather than lobata/perdicaria. Haven't heard of a purple form of it. ???
Title: Re: April in the Southern Hemisphere
Post by: Gail on April 01, 2010, 07:20:21 AM
I see we must now call Oxalis lobata, O. perdicaria. Dammit! But surely the pic in the March AGS Bulletin is one of the laciniata forms, rather than lobata/perdicaria. Haven't heard of a purple form of it. ???

That confused me too but if you read the item 'Seasonal reversal' on p. 18 R.R talks about assembling a montage of Oxalis laciniata within the trumpet of Narcissus 'December Gold' so the pic of a purple oxalis on yellow background must be intended to accompany that...
Title: Re: April in the Southern Hemisphere
Post by: Lesley Cox on April 01, 2010, 10:38:19 PM
Thanks Gail, that will help. As always, I did a quick skim through, read show reports and similar short stuff but haven't tackled the longer articles as yet. I'll get to that over the Easter holiday, maybe Saturday when it's supposed to rain heavily, though I'll be working (outside) in the morning.

With all due respect to the AGS Bulletin, there have recently, I believe, been many more slight errors of that nature, than there used to be. Occasional typos, photo names reversed, a country name printed with small letter at the beginning, misplaced apostrophes etc. Perhaps the proof-reading isn't up to what it could be. After all, even though the O. laciniata may refer to an article on a different page, one might reasonably expect the oxalis picture heading an article about O. lobata, to be O. lobata (perdicaria). According to the caption on the O. laciniata, it is...O. perdicaria! Whoever supplioed the photograph may reasonably be a little annoyed.
Title: Re: April in the Southern Hemisphere
Post by: Gail on April 01, 2010, 10:46:54 PM
Did you notice in the accompanying Alpine news newsletter they are looking to appoint a new Editor?
Title: Re: April in the Southern Hemisphere
Post by: Lesley Cox on April 01, 2010, 10:49:27 PM
Yes I did Gail but hadn't given thought to WHY, except perhaps that Kit Grey-Wilson wanted a break. I don't think there was ever a better Editor than the late Roy Elliott but he is long gone I'm afraid.
Title: Re: April 2010 in the Southern Hemisphere
Post by: cohan on April 04, 2010, 02:03:06 AM
And the mauve/pink form of Oxalis flava is starting to flower,
cheers
fermi
very nice setting, rising out of the white foliage;what is on the oxalis leaf tips, sand?
Title: Re: April 2010 in the Southern Hemisphere
Post by: fermi de Sousa on April 04, 2010, 04:12:07 AM
And the mauve/pink form of Oxalis flava is starting to flower,
very nice setting, rising out of the white foliage;what is on the oxalis leaf tips, sand?
Hi Cohan,
it's actually the morning dew which is why the flowers are still furled. I'll download some pics of the open flowers when I get back to work on Tuesday.
cheers
fermi
Title: Re: April 2010 in the Southern Hemisphere
Post by: Tecophilaea King on April 07, 2010, 01:54:46 PM
This time a few more of the smaller, charming autumn flowering Nerine species.
Nerine undulata is a very dainty spider flower which can give a wonderful display when mass planterd.
The soft pink flowers are produced abundantly and make excellent cut flowers for the vase.
Nerine humilis has slightly larger flowers than most other smaller species.
The flowers are usually soft pink, but in some forms can be salmon pink and rose.
these are very cute! just how small are they? are those leaves fully grown?

Sorry Cohan, for the late reply, we have been away over the Easter with the campervan, fishing with the family in the Coromandel
To show you (I hate boasting  ;D) here is a picture of a 30 lb. kingfish caught on the beach with a longline. Very nice catch.
Maggi will probably growl at me for going off-topic. Would you Maggi? What about an chocolate Easter egg as a sweetener? ;D
Anyway Cohan, here is also a picture of Nerine fothergillii and Nerine gracilis I picked for comparison.
Title: Re: April in the Southern Hemisphere
Post by: Tecophilaea King on April 07, 2010, 02:06:02 PM
Here is a close-up of this charming Nerine gracilis
Title: Re: April in the Southern Hemisphere
Post by: Tecophilaea King on April 07, 2010, 02:35:29 PM
Lesley mentioned the dainty Gladiolus carmineus that belong to a small group of species, which produce their flowers in late summer and autumn, before the foliage has appeared (hysteranthous group)
It is very easily grown, certainly the easiest member of this group, and the flowers are cerise with white markings on the lower petals.
Title: Re: April 2010 in the Southern Hemisphere
Post by: Maggi Young on April 07, 2010, 03:04:38 PM

Sorry Cohan, for the late reply, we have been away over the Easter with the campervan, fishing with the family in the Coromandel
To show you (I hate boasting  ;D) here is a picture of a 30 lb. kingfish caught on the beach with a longline. Very nice catch.
Maggi will probably growl at me for going off-topic. Would you Maggi? What about an chocolate Easter egg as a sweetener? ;D

Growl? Moi? Nah, everyone knows my bite is worse than my bark.

Fred Admin will be very interested to hear more about the kingfish, though..... he's is a keen fisherman ( I'm only interested in it if it tasted good!)
Title: Re: April in the Southern Hemisphere
Post by: anita on April 08, 2010, 11:44:27 AM
The autumn crocus are in full swing but the highlight's been this cluster/clump of C. goulimyi Mani White. This cluster is based on just three bulbs I bought from Marcus Harvey in 2006. Of the various crocus that I've been trialling in the garden C. goulimyi seems to have adapted best to Adelaide's dry summers and moderate winters. This clump is at the edge of the front lawn where they get a little additional water in summer. The second pic is a wider shot showing outliers to the cluster. Interestingly the flower at the bottom of the cluster seems to have more pointed petals yet it must be a clone of the others in the group as I haven't had any self-sown seedlings (although I did collect seed from this group last year).
Anita
Title: Re: April in the Southern Hemisphere
Post by: Tecophilaea King on April 08, 2010, 12:35:59 PM
The autumn crocus are in full swing but the highlight's been this cluster/clump of C. goulimyi Mani White. This cluster is based on just three bulbs I bought from Marcus Harvey in 2006. Of the various crocus that I've been trialling in the garden C. goulimyi seems to have adapted best to Adelaide's dry summers and moderate winters. This clump is at the edge of the front lawn where they get a little additional water in summer. The second pic is a wider shot showing outliers to the cluster. Interestingly the flower at the bottom of the cluster seems to have more pointed petals yet it must be a clone of the others in the group as I haven't had any self-sown seedlings (although I did collect seed from this group last year).
Anita
What a nice clump of Crocus goulimyi Mani pure white you got there Anita, they almost look like the beautiful Weldenia candida flowers.
Wish I could grow Crocus like that.
Title: Re: April in the Southern Hemisphere
Post by: Lesley Cox on April 08, 2010, 09:56:59 PM
My first thought was Weldenia candida too Bill, especially with those long tubes.
I haven't a single crocus out yet, it's been so dry but C. vallicola will only be a day or two at most, after a decent shower last weekend.

Bill, your frits are on the way, well almost. Easter and other things kept getting in the way but I'm sorting some today and will post first thing Monday. Promise.
Title: Re: April 2010 in the Southern Hemisphere
Post by: cohan on April 09, 2010, 08:05:03 PM

Sorry Cohan, for the late reply, we have been away over the Easter with the campervan, fishing with the family in the Coromandel
To show you (I hate boasting  ;D) here is a picture of a 30 lb. kingfish caught on the beach with a longline. Very nice catch.
Maggi will probably growl at me for going off-topic. Would you Maggi? What about an chocolate Easter egg as a sweetener? ;D
Anyway Cohan, here is also a picture of Nerine fothergillii and Nerine gracilis I picked for comparison.

no worries--sounds like a nice family outing..
i've seen very little growling about OT on this forum, and none of it from maggi ;) but who's going to turn down a chocolate easter egg  ;D
these little nerines are very interesting,little is key for me....shields shows a rather different looking gracilis:
http://www.shieldsgardens.com/amaryllids/nerine-b.html
undulata sounds nice and small by his description, among others..
that glad is very nice too..here, i have only seen the garden monsters, which are lifted in the fall..
Title: Re: April in the Southern Hemisphere
Post by: cohan on April 09, 2010, 08:07:07 PM
Here is a close-up of this charming Nerine gracilis

charming indeed--are those leaves full size, or have they just emerged?
Title: Re: April 2010 in the Southern Hemisphere
Post by: Tecophilaea King on April 11, 2010, 01:29:33 PM
these little nerines are very interesting,little is key for me....shields shows a rather different looking gracilis:
http://www.shieldsgardens.com/amaryllids/nerine-b.html

Yes you could be right cohan, there is a difference, some of those small Nerine species might have been mixed up, I do grow the N. gracilis, must go and have a look for it.
The foliage of most Nerines species, usually grow a bit more after they finished flwering.
Title: Re: April in the Southern Hemisphere
Post by: Tecophilaea King on April 11, 2010, 02:36:51 PM
It's that time of the season again when the autumn/winter flowering Oxalis species start blooming once more.
The first to display their flowers, one of my favourites, is the beautiful Oxalis massoniana, always reliable and colourful to brighten up the garden.
Title: Re: April in the Southern Hemisphere
Post by: Lesley Cox on April 11, 2010, 10:37:18 PM
Lovely Bill. Yours are well ahead of mine but then, it's still so dry here. Just the first two crocuses over the weekend, CC. pulchellus and vallicola.
Title: Re: April in the Southern Hemisphere
Post by: kiwi on April 12, 2010, 09:43:45 AM
I wish we had smell-o-vision because this NZ native orchid Earina autumnalis has a beautiful intoxicating aroma, overpowering all in the garden at the moment. So easy to grow and yet one of our most beautiful orchids I think.
Aconitum carmichaelii - wolfsbane, never fails to put on a show.
Pinellia tripartia - keeps on giving, bloom after bloom.
Title: Re: April in the Southern Hemisphere
Post by: Tecophilaea King on April 12, 2010, 10:56:30 AM
The second Oxalis to flower of all the species to come yet, is the delicate but equally charming Oxalis pardalis
The growth of this species has the tendency to collapse and almost become pendulous when grown in a container.
Title: Re: April in the Southern Hemisphere
Post by: galahad on April 12, 2010, 11:00:28 AM
It's that time of the season again when the autumn/winter flowering Oxalis species start blooming once more.
The first to display their flowers, one of my favourites, is the beautiful Oxalis massoniana, always reliable and colourful to brighten up the garden.

O. massoniana is one of my faves.
Title: Re: April in the Southern Hemisphere
Post by: galahad on April 12, 2010, 11:03:57 AM
My Cyclamen seed from the SRGC list is germinating well.  For those of you that know the weather patterns here in Canterbury, should I provide C. persicum with some shelter?  We have had 2 frosts already
Title: Re: April in the Southern Hemisphere
Post by: Tecophilaea King on April 12, 2010, 12:25:46 PM
My Cyclamen seed from the SRGC list is germinating well.  For those of you that know the weather patterns here in Canterbury, should I provide C. persicum with some shelter?  We have had 2 frosts already

Yes I would certainly provide some sort of temporary shelter Ross, especially the emerging, very tender, young seedlings, the frost would kill the seedlings. Have you got a glass house or coldframe? Under the trees, or the north facing sheltered side of the house?
Title: Re: April in the Southern Hemisphere
Post by: Lesley Cox on April 12, 2010, 09:56:31 PM

Doug, I love your orchid. I bought a small one at my Market a couple of weeks ago and even its tiny stem is powerfully scenting my tunnel. I've never seen it in the bush but it is said to be smelled before seen.

Yes Ross, I DO know the Canterbury climate (lived in Timaru for many years) and I'd agree with Bill, keep the seedlings sheltered from frosts for their first year at least. Some of the smaller persicums will grow out in the garden once established but I'd always be wary.
Title: Re: April in the Southern Hemisphere
Post by: galahad on April 13, 2010, 07:21:07 AM
My Cyclamen seed from the SRGC list is germinating well.  For those of you that know the weather patterns here in Canterbury, should I provide C. persicum with some shelter?  We have had 2 frosts already

Yes I would certainly provide some sort of temporary shelter Ross, especially the emerging, very tender, young seedlings, the frost would kill the seedlings. Have you got a glass house or coldframe? Under the trees, or the north facing sheltered side of the house?

Yep have somewhere to put them.  Thanks
Title: Re: April in the Southern Hemisphere
Post by: Otto Fauser on April 14, 2010, 04:43:34 AM
Anita , your clump of Crocus goulimyi'Mani White' looks splendid coming up through a carpet of ?violets , which also prevents the flowers being splashed with soil durind heavy rain . I regard C .g. 'Mani White' a superior plant ,than the other white form leucantha. I think most species coming from the Mediteranean region -hot , dry summers - should thrive in your area .
   3 Crocus in bloom here :C. caspius ( ex a Paul Furse collection in the 60s )likes it here .C. ser. ssp. clusii is the A.M. form from Alan Edwards ,
 and I think the C. speciosus ssp. xantholaimos  is a cross with C. pulchellus.
Title: Re: April in the Southern Hemisphere
Post by: Armin on April 14, 2010, 11:04:53 PM
Otto,
lovely crocus, especial I like the C. caspius ;) :D
Title: Re: April in the Southern Hemisphere
Post by: fermi de Sousa on April 15, 2010, 01:08:39 AM
Otto and Anita,
you are well ahead of me for crocus flowers - only a few buds here at this stage!
The Sternbergia sicula are just about finished
[attachthumb=1]

The Salvia chamedryoides is in full flower again,
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The Narcissus viridiflorus clump is still sending up spikes
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There is a single flower on Colchicum autumnale "Album"
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And what I presume is Colchicum autumnale, but it has been overgrown by a vigorous DBI and I can't locate the label!
[attachthumb=6]

[attachthumb=7]

cheers
fermi
Title: Re: April in the Southern Hemisphere
Post by: Tecophilaea King on April 15, 2010, 01:17:59 PM
The Narcissus viridiflorus clump is still sending up spikes

Lovely clump of Narcissus viridiflorus Fermi, your well ahead of our N.viridiflorus, they're just breaking the surface. Always looking forward to this species flowering and its delicious fragrance.
Have also used in a bit of hybridising with other Narc. species, to try to breed early flowers with that gorgeous perfume.
Title: Re: April in the Southern Hemisphere
Post by: Tecophilaea King on April 15, 2010, 01:54:42 PM
This dainty autumn flowering Strumaria discifera, from the Cape and Roggeveld, commonly called desert snowflakes, has hairy long, narrow lanceolate leaves usually dry at flowering and star-shaped glistening white flowers with channeled tepals with an olive-green to pink median dorsal stripe on each tepal.
Title: Re: April in the Southern Hemisphere
Post by: Tecophilaea King on April 17, 2010, 10:54:00 AM
Could someone identify this flower please? Zephyranthus sp.perhaps?

Lesley, your parcel with goodies arrived safely and already planted. Thanks.
Title: Re: April in the Southern Hemisphere
Post by: Tecophilaea King on April 17, 2010, 12:06:13 PM
Another colourful species to brighten up the garden is the beautiful autumn flowering Moraea polystachya
It is one of the easiest species to grow and perhaps the most valuable in the garden.
Plants readily self-sow, seedlings often appearing in unexpected places.
A huge number of flowers are produce over the season, sometimes until late spring.
Title: Re: April in the Southern Hemisphere
Post by: Otto Fauser on April 17, 2010, 12:58:36 PM
A few Nerine flowering in my garden now , most of them unnamed .I quite like the murky colours .
Title: Re: April in the Southern Hemisphere
Post by: Lesley Cox on April 17, 2010, 11:18:06 PM
The Nerines are really beautiful Otto. I love those smokey, subtle colours too.

Bill, I'm pleased the package arrived safely but I wasn't very happy with the quality, or numbers of the bulbs. I should be able to do better next summer. I started to lift too late and then found that most were already rooting so had to leave them. I won't forget you though, round about January would be best.
Title: Re: April in the Southern Hemisphere
Post by: Tecophilaea King on April 18, 2010, 07:03:19 AM
Bill, I'm pleased the package arrived safely but I wasn't very happy with the quality, or numbers of the bulbs. I should be able to do better next summer. I started to lift too late and then found that most were already rooting so had to leave them. I won't forget you though, round about January would be best.

Not to worry Lesley, like us you must have been busy that time of the season, anyway, something to look forward to, will remind you next January,
Title: Re: April in the Southern Hemisphere
Post by: t00lie on April 18, 2010, 09:52:23 AM
Lovely Nerines Otto. :)

Here is my contribution to a bit of colour in the southern hemisphere.

A number of plants have flowered from seed for the first time this autumn. :D

Including a number of the smaller Colchicum sps ---Colchicum corsicum and C. pusillum --umm ? maybe that one flowered last year.

Shot taken today ---Colchicum cupanii -- from NARGS seed sown feb 02.
Only an 8 year wait. ;D

Cheers Dave.

Title: Re: April in the Southern Hemisphere
Post by: fermi de Sousa on April 19, 2010, 04:26:13 AM
Dave,
some of us have waited longer than 8 years for the first flowering of a colchicum! That one looks similar to one of my "unnamed" ones.
We had a good dose of new flowers over the last few days, including 3 types of white crocus:

Crocus cancellatus ssp mazzariacus
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Crocus ochroleucus
[attachthumb=2]

[attachthumb=3]

and Crocus niveus,  which was initially hidden from view
[attachthumb=4]

and looked a lot better the next day,
[attachthumb=5]

[attachthumb=6]

One for Lesley: Oxalis palmifrons
[attachthumb=7]
Still appears that only one bulb is flowering but it has put up a few flowers!
cheers
fermi


Title: Re: April in the Southern Hemisphere
Post by: Lesley Cox on April 19, 2010, 05:06:42 AM
Thanks Fermi. Nice to see it even if not here. Mine's not up yet though there are a few flowers on O. massoniana.
Title: Re: April in the Southern Hemisphere
Post by: Tecophilaea King on April 21, 2010, 12:37:40 PM
Testudinaria elephantipes, aka Elephant foot, or Turtle shell is a curious plant with the tuber above ground level covered with layers of corky bark, resembling a caudex. Slow-growing. It is a very unusual succulent. Its main feature is a large, corky caudex that grows up to one meter in habitat, resembling an elephant foot (hence the popular name). The caudex looks as if it is segmented into geometric patterns (smaller plants look like tortoises) and looks dead but is actually a living tuber. A plant with a 18" caudex can be 75 years or older, this one is only 30 years old. The plant grows into a vine with attractive heart-shaped leaves and small yellow flowers. Culture is relatively easy. A greenhouse is great, but a windowsill with moderate to full sun works fine, as long as the plant is kept at 65F minimum.
Title: Re: April in the Southern Hemisphere
Post by: Lesley Cox on April 22, 2010, 02:23:28 AM
What an odd-looking plant, as if related to some kind of knobbly tortoise.
Title: Re: April in the Southern Hemisphere
Post by: Tecophilaea King on April 26, 2010, 11:18:51 AM
Not much activity or flowering on this forum in our autumn/winter off-season, but will carry on with a few winter flowering Oxalis species.
Oxalis hirta and Oxalis flava are always welcome when there is not much to flower in the garden.
Title: Re: April in the Southern Hemisphere
Post by: fermi de Sousa on April 27, 2010, 09:39:50 AM
The first of the autumn snowdrops is in bloom!
Galanthus peshmenii,
[attachthumb=1]

And Ipheion (Nothoscordum) hirtellum is in flower.
The clump is a little smaller this year as I dug up a few to share with some friends ;D
[attachthumb=2]

[attachthumb=3]
I also have a few (dozen) pics from the Ferny Creek Hort. Society's Autumn Show but I think I'll start a new thread for that those!
cheers
fermi
Title: Re: April in the Southern Hemisphere
Post by: Tecophilaea King on April 29, 2010, 11:13:42 AM
Nerine filifolia has very thin, grassy foliage and small spidery light rose-red flowers, one of the most charming, prolific and best know of the low growing autumn flowering species, and one that is desevedly popular as a border plant.
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