Loot headed North

This assemblage is the collection of plants that we amassed to bring back to Maryland. Look at that giant agapanthus on the right in back. Its a 3 gallon pot and the plant has 4 spikes, each one over 3' tall. $12.00! Flea Market. Its probably just a generic blue but still... It will grow it on the deck this spring and summer and return to Wildwood later this summer! If thats legal. There is no problem bringing plants from Florida to Maryland but the other direction is a no-no.

Another interesting plant is the 3-gallon cut back papaya. At th Arboretum we have been discussing the feasibility of flowering and fruiting this from seed in one year; with this head start, we definitely ought to be able to get fruit well along, if not completely ripened. A few of the plants are just perennials we needed for friends or acquaintances. Oenothera speciosa and Salvia gregii (A cultivar I forgot) will surely be available here, but these were right in front of us and hey... In front in the middle is Leonotus leonuris, a great bedding plant/tropical sub-shrub that will be 3' tall and covered with orange flowers for Halloween. I used to be able to buy this at the FONA (Friends of the National Arboretum) Garden Fair at the Arboretum, but their offerings of late are less adventurous than they once were. Still, they will have a wide selection of wonderful plants and its a great experience and it supports the Arboretum. April 25,26,27.

Unfortunately, I failed to obtain any of my target natives, either for the Florida garden, or for Fern Valley. No Asimina obovata, no Carphephorus odoratissima, or C. paniculatus, no Befaria or Erythrina. No Nolina brittoniana, Scrub Pennyroyal, Red mulberry, or xeric Hypericums. And no Ensete glaucum, sorry Ed. Still that leaves something to shoot for and I have feelers out. That red plant in back is a Hibiscus acetosella, a tropical plant that will go into a container, as will the variegated Talinum paniculatum in the front on the right. Last but not least is the big bag of Spanish Moss, Tillandia usneoides, that I harvested from the Live Oaks in our yard. It will go on the Live Oaks in the National Grove of State Trees, at the Arboretum; Live Oak is the State Tree of Georgia. I have kept Spanish Moss alive over mild winters, no matter what, It'll be fun this summer!