Passalong plants
Warm and cool colors vie for dominance in the shady back garden. From front to back: heartleaf skullcap (Scutellaria ovata ), majestic sage (Salvia guaranitica ), ‘Wilson’s Yellow’ daylily, and Texas betony (Stachys coccinea ).
Let ’em duke it out! I enjoy this match-up.
In the spirit of the Garden Bloggers’ Book Club book this month, Passalong Plants , I’ll just mention that my Salvia guaranitica is a passalong from a former neighbor who was always generous with her divisions.
One day she brought me a plastic garbage bag stuffed unpromisingly with brown canes holding onto a few green leaves and some straggling roots. “They’ll be fine,” she assured me. “Just give them afternoon shade.” I planted two big bunches of the canes in the back garden and gave the rest to my in-laws, who were filling in a new garden. They greened up right away and bloomed the first season, and today I have these beautiful majestic sages to remind me of my former neighbor.
I purchased two or three small pots of heartleaf skullcap a few years ago at the Wildflower Center‘s native-plant sale. I learned soon afterward that one pot would have been enough, as it spreads quite happily and easily in a partly shady patch. It’s easy to pull up, however, so I have no hesitation in recommending it to people. It’s such a beautiful plant whether in bloom or not.
I just read somewhere (I wish I could remember where) that heartleaf skullcap is predicted to become quite popular as it becomes more widely available. Hey, I’ve done my part in promoting this plant and giving away starts of it. Don’t say I didn’t warn you about its eagerness to romp in your garden though.
One other passalong, a pink cuphea, is also blooming nicely. Last winter’s ice storm didn’t slow down this tender perennial, which grows in my garden thanks to Annie in Austin.
Pam,
I’ll add you to the list of posts for the Garden Bloggers’ Book Club. I’m also going to look up about the skullcap to see if it would survive up here, or if there is a close relative that would. I decided I need more blue and purple flowers in my garden.
Carol at May Dreams Gardens Where We Are Harvesting Peas Today!
Thanks, Carol, but as you’ve probably noticed, I didn’t review the book—though I do own a copy and actually read it many years ago. As I was reading reviews all over the blogosphere, the theme of passalong plants struck a chord and led to this post. If you think your readers won’t mind the missing review, I’ll be happy to be added to your list of posts. 😉 Enjoy your peas! —Pam
I’ve just planted some of the heartleaf skullcap after seeing it in bloom at the Wildflower Center. It was absolutely beautiful next to cedar sage and goldenseal (which is something I’d like to have but haven’t found). Someone told me that the heartleaf gets kinda ratty looking in the summer. Is that true? I’m wondering if I might need to plant it next to something that might hide the rattiness.
Yes, it gets a little “seedy” in the summer after it blooms. I usually cut it back hard once it has gone to seed. When cooler weather arrives, it will come back in little rosettes that grow all winter. —Pam
Pam, your heartleaf skullcap has made flowers in my garden, and it may be ready to be passed along to another gardener in a year or so. I’m glad the Cuphea made it – mine were killed to the ground so are much smaller than at this time last year. But they’re alive!
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
My cuphea was frozen back too, but it’s looking good now. I’m glad your heartleaf skullcap is blooming for you. —Pam
Love all those salvias and sages, what wonderful and tough plants they are. I hadn’t seen a Cuphea before, what a lovely flower it has. Scullcaps I only know as medication to give to my cats when they are stressed. I wonder if it is made from this plant?
There are quite a few cupheas that grow well in Austin, though they all die to the ground in the winter, and permanently if winter is too harsh. I lost my bat-face cuphea last winter, but the pink one from Annie is doing well, and my cigar-plant cuphea (orange) comes back reliably each year.
That’s interesting about the skullcap you give your cats. I also wonder if it’s the same thing. —Pam