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Plant Profiles

Daylilies

Botanical name: Hemerocallis Common names: Daylily History: We may think of the daylily as a modern or new flower since it is not until the early 1930s that Arlow Burdette Stout initiated a new era of research on Hemerocal... more

Echeveria; ‘Zorro’, ‘Big Red’ and ‘Blue Curls’

Botanical name: Echeveria x hybrida Origin: Native to Texas, Mexico, Central America to South America. Name: Named after Atansio Echeverria Codoy and 18th century Spanish botanist. Comments: Echeveria’s are evergr... more

Chinese Water Bamboo

Botanical name: Dracaena sanderiana Common names: Lucky Bamboo History: Well known throughout China, this plant is probably the most popular indoor plant in China and is well regarded in art of Feng Shui, in which part of ... more

Pink Mist

Botanical name: Zantedeschia x aethiopica. Common names: Arum lily, Lily of the Nile Origin: East and South Africa Comments: The genus of Zantedeschia are members of the Arum family. The primary distinguishing c... more

Cymbidium Orchids

Botanical name: Cymbidium x hybrida History: Orchids have captured the curiosity of generations since the time of Theophratus (372-287 B.C.). He was a student of Aristotle’s and thought orchids had medicinal qualities. They were t... more

Epimedium Rose Queen

Botanical name: Epimedium grandiflorum Common name: Barrenwort, Bishops Mitre. History: The common name ‘barrenwort’ refers to the ability the plant was once thought to have prevented conception. Origin: Originat... more

Luculia Fragrant Cloud

Botanical name: Luculia gratissima. Common names: Luculia History: Origin: S.E.Asia Name: The genus name Luculia, is the Latinised form of the Nepalese name, Luculi Swa. The species name, gratissima, ... more

Clivia miniata

Botanical name: Clivia miniata. Common names: Bush lily (English), Boslelie (Afrikaans). History: At one time Clivia miniata were selling for US$1600. An American mail order company was in the early stages selling it for US... more

Viola ‘Prairie Violet’

Botanical names: V. pedatifida ‘Prairie Violet’. Common names: Larkspur violet, Purple prairie violet. History: Early references are from Plantarium (1753) and Reichenbach (1832), but there is a long history of violets from... more

Tulbaghia ‘Silver Lace’ and ‘Highland Wonder’

Botanical names: Tulbaghia cominsii ‘Silver lace’ and Tulbaghia leucantha ‘Highland Wonder’. Common name: 'Society Garlic'. History: Linnaeus first documented Tulbaghia in 1771. It was never widely grown in gardens due to t... more

Serratula ‘Purple Haze’

Botanical name: Serratula seioniae ‘Purple Haze’. Common name: Saw-wort. History: This plant has never been widely grown in gardens. First documented by Linnaeus (1753), this perennial was grown for its attractive thistle-l... more

Sempervivum ‘Noir’

Botanical name: Sempervivum tectorum ‘Noir’. Common names: ‘artichauts des montagnes’, ‘Houseleek’ and ‘Hen-and Chickens’. History: In ornamental horticulture, the use of Houseleeks started in the 14th century when they wer... more

Persicaria ‘Superba’

Botanical name: Persicaria bistorta ‘Superba’, Polygonum bistorta. Common names: Knotweed, snake root, fleeceflower and bistort. History: ‘Superba’ is derived from the more common Bistort, a native of Britain. The perennial... more

Geranium

Botanical name: Geranium robustum ‘Silver sky’. Common names: Cranesbill. History: The family Geraniaceae consists of Geranium, Erodium, Pelargonium, Monsonia and Sarcocaulon. Confusion has arisen by both Pelargonium and Ge... more

Fairy’s Fishing Rod

Botanical name: Dierama pulcherrimum ‘Deep Maroon’. Common Names: Harebells, Wand Flowers, Fairy Wands, Fishing Wands. History: The original form of Dierama pulcherrimum was found in the Eastern Cape province of South Afric... more

Echinacea ‘Ruby Star’

Botanical name: Echinacea purpurea ‘Ruby Star’. Common Names: Sacred Plant, Black Sampson, Sampson Root, Narrow-leaved Purple Coneflower, Purple Coneflower and Red Sunflower. History: The Echinacea plant was used in traditio... more

Dahlia ‘Bishop of Llandaff’

Botanical name: Dahlia ‘Bishop of Llandaff’. Common name: ‘Bishop of Llandaff’. History: The scientists looked at the Dahlia as a possible source of food because a disease in the early 1840's had destroyed the French potato ... more

Carex ‘Evergold’

Botanical name: Carex hachijoensis, Carex oshimensis 'Evergold'. Common names: ‘Everbite’, ‘Variegata’, ‘Aureo variegata’ and ‘Old Gold’. History: Japanese gardeners who have always had a special love for plants with varieg... more