The latest dirt from my garden: 2018

Wednesday

Grape Smelling Purple Texas Mountain Laurel

Also known as Grape Soda or Cool Aid Tree due to it's grapelicious fragrance. Indigenous to Texas, New Mexico and Mexico, this large shrub or small tree is evergreen, thornless and long-lived. Glossy dark green compound leaves provide a lush look for desert gardens. Showy clusters of purple wisteria-like flowers perfume the air in the spring. The thick seed pods contain orange-red seeds. Plant in full sun to part shade and in well-drained soils. Temperatures as low as 25F and as high as 120F. Native Indians used to make stunning jewelry from the bright red seeds.

Tuesday

Droping and Weeping Showy Coast Silk Tassel Bush Garrya elliptica

Garrya elliptica (Coast silk-tassel) is an evergreen shrub native to the coastal ranges of California and southern Oregon, south to Los Angeles County. It reaches a height of 7–15 ft.
Garrya elliptica is appealing as an ornamental plant with a neat growing habit. It is low-maintenance plant that thrives in a range of locations, but is typically seen growing against a wall, or as a windbreak in coastal areas.
It is very much sought after for its wavy, leathery leaves and luxuriant growth, and of course the pretty dangling whitish catkins. Produces purple berries, small (0.25 - 0.50 inches). Full sun to partial shade, zones 8 - 10.
This is a rare shrub with a long winded germination process; start seeds in late summer or fall.

Other Names: silk-tassel bush, wavyleaf silktassel, rare shrub, rare seeds, rare ornamental.

Richea Pineapple Heath - Fascinating and Unusual Flower

Richea dracophylla is a tall, erect shrub 4-12 feet high but often smaller. The leaf bases sheath the stem and the leaves are arranged spirally up the stem. The leaves are about 1 foot long and taper to a sharp, red point.
Dense flowering spikes appear at the end of the few branches. The petals of the small flowers form a pointed cap which falls off when the flower opens
and a mature flower spike appears bristly due to the prominent stamens and lack of petals. Flowering is early to late summer. Very unusual, protect from high winds. Zone 7+.

Other Names: Pineapple Heath, Dragon Heath, Cystanthe dracophylla, Dragon Leaf

Seed Source
Plant Source (let me know)

The Exotic Peruvian Sweety Drop Pepper aka Biquinho Pimenta De Bico

If you love the flavor of hot chili peppers, but have problems with their spicy "heat," then a variety of heirloom chili pepper from the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais might just be the solution to your problems.
Pimenta De Bico, also known as "Little Beak" or Chupetinha peppers, are mildly hot, small, round and a brilliant scarlet-red with a small beak-shaped protuberance hanging from the end.
The highly productive plant makes a beautiful ornamental plant, and many of these plants grace Brazilian gardens and yards.

Works well for Chili Pepper Bonsai ( Bonchi )

The incredible rich flavor of these small chilies are perfect served as a "red Hersheys kiss"garnish or as an appetizer with cheese, drink decoration or can be used to make chutney and perk up almost any soup, stew or braised dish.

Other Names: Biquinho, Chupetinha, Little Beak, Rubber Nipple, Peruvian Sweety Drop pepper, Teardrop pepper, Pimenta de Bico ou Biquinho, Biquinho Iracema, Brazilian pimenta, Biquinho Iracema

Seed Source
Plant Source

Friday

Blue Nasturtium Tropaeolum azureum

Wow. The stunning and rare blue climbing nasturtium has thin twining stems which produce many dazzling cobalt blue flowers from the leaf axils of delicate, attractively-lobed leaves.
One of the fabulous perennial plants of dry places in Chile, it dies down to deep resting tubers in winter when it must be kept as dry and protected as possible. Quickly develops a taproot/tuber.

Perennial, USDA zone 9-11. The plant does not tolerate snow, but can tolerate occasional freezing spells. Requires well-drained slightly humid soil, neutral pH, high luminosity and full sun.

Other Names: Soldadillo azul, Pajarito azul

Seed Source: Blue Nasturtium Seeds

Monday

Rare Chilean Nasturtium Tropaeolum tricolor

Tropaeolum tricolor, Soldadito is a winter growing plant found in Chile and Bolivia, with very delicate looking
shoots appearing usually around October. The shoots twine around any support and grow to a height of around 3 Ft.
As the leaves open they are a lovely fresh green and very fragile looking, unlike the common nasturtium.
It is however the flowers that are the main interest of the plant. As the specific name implies,
they have three colors being red and blackish violet with a yellow lip, a combination that sounds like a
miss-match but on these dainty flowers is very appealing.
The long-lasting flowers appear in generous profusion and always make me think of a school of tropical fish.

After flowering the plant then goes dormant for the summer. USDA Hardiness Zone 8.
The plant tolerates low temperatures 18F and can tolerate occasional snow cover for up to a couple of weeks per year. Excellent in a container.

Seeds found here

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The latest dirt from my garden

Wednesday

Grape Smelling Purple Texas Mountain Laurel

Tuesday

Droping and Weeping Showy Coast Silk Tassel Bush Garrya elliptica

Richea Pineapple Heath - Fascinating and Unusual Flower

The Exotic Peruvian Sweety Drop Pepper aka Biquinho Pimenta De Bico

Friday

Blue Nasturtium Tropaeolum azureum

Monday

Rare Chilean Nasturtium Tropaeolum tricolor

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