Plant This: Pam’s Pink Turk’s cap, a mini-me plant
Have you ever bought a plant just because it shares your name? I have. It’s like having a Mini-Me, but in plant form.
Meet my Mini-Me—‘Pam’s Pink’ Turk’s cap (Malvaviscus drummondii ‘Pam’s Pink’). OK, it doesn’t look much like me, I’ll admit, but I’m already growing the commonplace red as well as the rarer white, and I couldn’t resist trying this pink cultivar too. It’s a Greg Grant hybrid between M. drummondii x M. arboreus, named for Pam Puryear, late co-founder of the famous Texas Rose Rustlers who rescued heirloom roses from oblivion.
With a namesake like that, who wouldn’t want one? Especially if your name is Pam.
Note: My Plant This posts are written primarily for gardeners in central Texas. The plants I recommend are ones I’ve grown myself and have direct experience with. I wish I could provide more information about how these plants might perform in other parts of the country, but gardening knowledge is local. Consider checking your local online gardening forums to see if a particular plant might work in your region.
All material © 2006-2008 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
I once bought a Verbascum as it had the same name as me but it was a sad thing and didn’t reappear the following year – just like me shy and retiring!!!
Alas for the verbascum, but I’m glad you’re not too shy to share your story. Thanks, PG. —Pam
Very pretty — lovely blooms! I chose the carpet for the new house we built in the 80s because the color was my best friend’s name: Heather Hill. 🙂
That’s a good one, Nancy. I wouldn’t have been able to resist either. Do you grow heather also? —Pam
These are so pretty! It would be interesting to know if they share any personality traits, a as well as name? Cheerful, persistent, things like that. Ever heard of any Joanne plants? 🙂
I would like to be able to say I attract hummingbirds, but, well… 🙂 As for Joanne plants, how about this beautiful new penstemon cultivar: ‘Sweet Joanne’ penstemon. —Pam
Why it would be just criminal if you didn’t get that plant Pam. You should have every plant that flaunts your name. I haven’t found a Lisa plant as yet. I do buy plants that have names of people I love. I like to have them with me when I am in the garden.
I found a ‘Mona Lisa’ lipstick plant online, Lisa. It’s a hanging houseplant, I believe. —Pam
Very pretty just like you. I wonder if there are any ‘Dee’ plants? I shall look. Cute post.~~Dee
I found one! An ‘Aunt Dee’ wisteria. I’d love to see you give it a try. —Pam
Lovely Pam…very nice color! Pam is a nice name for a pink plant. I like that~ Pam’s Pink Plant!
I believe there is also a ‘Pam’s Pink’ honeysuckle, which I may have to try. By the way, here’s a ‘Gail’ daylily for you, Gail. —Pam
Oh, that’s a gorgeous pink! Where did you find yours? And I’d be tempted to buy any plant with the same name as someone I liked– as long as the plant is as awesome as whoever shared its name!
Lori, I found it at Hill Country Water Gardens, but it might have been their last one. A few weeks ago, someone told me ‘Pam’s Pink’ was being sold at Emerald Gardens, but when I called they were out and weren’t getting more. Give HCWG a call to see if they still have some or will get more.
By the way, here’s a lovely ‘Lori’ daylily for you too. —Pam
I’d hate to think what my mini-me plant would be.
John’s Wart? Cuckooflower ?
Wiseacre, if you’re divulging your true name here, then I’d have to go with St. John’s wort. ‘Sunburst’ is an exciting cultivar. —Pam
Thanks for the flower link! Love the lavender color.
It’s nice having a lovely flower namesake 🙂
You found the plant you were looking for, Pam! Hill Country Water Gardens may be surprised by requests from all over Central Texas ;-]
I used to grow ‘Annie Welch’ daylilies (as well as a few other varieties with family names), but I don’t think that it could survive in Texas.
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
I bet there are other Annie (or Ann) plant names. Have you ever looked? Sorry you can’t grow the ‘Annie Welch.’ —Pam
Have not found a plant with my name. I did get a Mimi hisbiscus because we call my best friend Meme and a Logan’s hardy lemon because my oldest is named Logan.
Here’s one for you, Deb—‘Lavender Deb’ yarrow. —Pam
Pam– that “Lori” daylily is definitely one I would get. Wow. It’s almost like someone designed it for me. 😉
Haven’t found a plant with my name on it yet but I’m not despairing. It could be much worse; like finding a bullet with my name on it. 😉
Pam’s Pink Turk’s cap: lovely plant for a lovely garden blogger!
Since your name means “pansy,” you’re already set with a Mini-Me plant, Yolanda Elizabet. But I also found this ‘Yolanda’ fuchsia houseplant for you. —Pam
Of course, I grow the very fragrant rose named ‘Sheila’s Perfume’!
But of course. How nice to find a fragrant rose that shares your name. —Pam
I have never seen a pink Turks Cap but have red all over my yard…saw a hummingbird helping themselves yesterday.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sammymom/2704602536/
Yes, the hummers love the red. I hope they’ll be fond of the pink too. —Pam
Yes well, my mini-me is a variety of living stone…a warty little succulent (some might describe me that way as well!) The species name is Lithops lesliei var. hornii.
Ahem..yes well, botanists have a “special” kind of sense of humor don’t they? lol.
Hee, hee. You’re a good sport to tell us about this one, Leslie. 🙂 —Pam
I did not know that Turk’s Cap had so many varieties. That is a luscious color! I have been meaning to try this plant in my garden but haven’t gotten around to it yet. I’m glad to know that red is not my only choice of color.
Red is wonderful for attracting hummingbirds, but I do like the ghostly white and this new pink as well. —Pam
I’m still looking for that plant tag but, alas, haven’t found it yet.
I gave it a search too, Layanee, but your name may be one of a kind. —Pam
I like your mini-me better than mine. Mine is the ‘Miss Kim’ lilac, which frustrated the heck out of me because it was NOT fragrant at all… and yet some other gardeners, like Carol at May Dreams, raves about its scent!
Ooh, ‘Miss Kim’ lilac sounds nice. I’m sorry the plant disappointed you. I’m curious—did you try it because of the Mini-Me name or because you just wanted the plant? —Pam
This is an interesting flower, and a pretty color. One thing about having an unusual name–you won’t ever run into anything with the same name, not even many people!
Aiyana
Like Layanee’s, your name is very unusual, Aiyana. Maybe someone will name a plant after you one of these days and immortalize the name. —Pam
We have the same cultivar, Pam. I wish I could find the variegated one and the white one… Hmmmm… I’m going to have to see if I can find any Randy plants. 🙂
I’ve not come across the variegated Turk’s cap. It sounds interesting. Here’s a ‘Randy’ magnolia for you. —Pam
A nice namesake plant. The only one I know for me is “Creeping Jenny” Not sure that conjures up a good picture.
Creeping Jenny does spring to mind first. But a quick search also turned up ‘Jenny Wren’ crimson chrysanthemum. —Pam
I like the idea of the ‘mini me’ plants. I suppose I could claim any plant that has a species name of “carolina”, even though I’m just plain Carol.
True, but what about this lovely Daphne x burkwoodii ‘Carol Mackie’? —Pam
It does seem silly to want to buy a plant just because it shares your name, but I have been tempted. One of the plants I shouldn’t try, because it probably wouldn’t survive a bad winter, but the other is a beautiful Hydrangea. Vanity gardening? Maybe. But I like that you decided to go for this plant even though it’s pink.
There’s a psychology study that shows it’s our nature to be attracted to other people and things that share our name, or even the first letter of it. Call it egotistical, call it silly, but we can’t help ourselves. So don’t feel bad about picking up that beautiful hydrangea that shares your name. It sounds perfect! And I actually do like pink, as evidenced by my front garden, which has entirely too much of it. —Pam
Per chance have you seen the giant Turk’s Cap that Greg introduced? It’s blooms are just huge. The only place I have seen it is Wright’s nursery between Briggs and Copperas Cove. She gets some really great plants in there but it is a drive.
If it’s the same as the Mexican Turk’s cap, you can find it at Barton Springs Nursery right now. I called asking for the pink, which they don’t have, but they said they did have the big Mexican variety. I haven’t seen it yet. I’m glad to know about Wright’s Nursery too. —Pam
Coincidence? My neighbor just called me over to plant a red malviscus she recently found and decided she had to have. Didn’t catch its name.