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Danae
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Danae racemosa (Poet's Laurel)
Part Sun to Shade Zone: 7-8, at least 36" tall Origin: Iran, Caucasus
From Iran and other nearby "axis of evil" countries comes one of our favorite garden plants. This highly coveted plant will never be found at Wal-Mart...due to its slow propagation. From seed, it takes 5-7 years to become a saleable plant! Prized by florists and gardeners alike, the 3' green stems that arch outward from a central clump are clothed with thick, waxy-green leaves that remain evergreen all winter. After establishment, the clumps are laden with marble-sized, reddish-orange berries in fall...incredibly easy, durable, and drought-tolerant for even the deepest of shady areas! Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #02614
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Dasylirion (Sotol)
These little-known yucca relatives are among the most beautiful natives of the southwest US and northern Mexico. Their structural form, wonderful foliage colors, heat and drought tolerance, and surprising hardiness make them a great choice for blending into a variety of garden settings. Like the agaves, some of our offerings here are from wild-collected seed sources. |
Dasylirion acrotrichum (Frayed Sotol)
SunZone: 8-10, colder with protection 36" tall Origin: Mexico
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This lovely Mexican species has proven to be hardy to 8 degrees F in our zone 7b garden, despite books that proclaim it to be a Zone 9 plant. Each 4' wide rosette of narrow green foliage will eventually find itself atop a 4' tall trunk. Be sure to plant this prior to puberty (yours), if you really want to see a full-size trunk before you die. Our 10-year-old specimens are 3' tall x 4' wide but showing no sign of a trunk. The unique feature of D. acrotrichum is the attractive, frayed leaf tips that are especially evident in winter...a truly bad plant hair day! Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #05676
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Dasylirion michiquanensis (Trunked Sotol)
SunZone: 7b-10, guessing 96" tall Origin: Mexico
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The late plant explorer Lyn Lowrey was one of the first to recognize this dasylirion he called an arborescent form of D. texanum. Finally the Dasylirion monograph revealed this is, indeed, the rare, newly named D. michiquanensis from the Michiquana region of Nuevo Leon, Mexico, around 6000' elevation. D. michiquanensis boasts a massive 6' tall trunk, topped with lovely twisting 4' long green foliage...a dazzling tree rosette. A star is born! Thanks to the folks at Peckerwood Gardens and Yucca Do Nursery for sharing seed from their expedition. Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #04466
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Dasylirion quadrangulatum (Square-leaf Sotol)
Sun to Light ShadeZone: 8-10 72" tall Origin: Mexico
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(syn: D. longissimum) Dasylirion quadrangulatum is the most spectacular of all of the Mexican sotols, and without the typical spiny leaves. This magnificent specimen (6' tall x 6' wide in 10 years) forms a fountain of thin clothesline-like arching leaves to 3'...looking sort of like a car antenna after getting caught in a cheap carwash. D. quadrangulatum is somewhat shade tolerant compared with most of the other sotols.
Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #07658
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Dasylirion wheeleri (Blue Sotol)
SunZone: 7-10, possibly colder 36" tall Origin: USA
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This surprisingly hardy yucca relative is absolutely exquisite! Each dramatically architectural clump will grow 3' tall x 4' wide with long, powder-blue, gently twisting leaves. The spines are on the sides of the leaf...not the tips. Instead, the end of each leaf forms a little cowlick curl...like Elvis used to have (I mean, like Elvis STILL has...somewhere)! If you are having trouble imagining this, think of a giant, blue-braided Afro. Mature clumps are topped in summer by thick, bean pole-like flower scapes to 10' tall. The hardiness of sotol is related to keeping the crown of the plant dry during the winter. Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #00396
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Davallia
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Davallia mariesii 'Korea Rocks' (Hardy Rabbit's Foot Fern)
Light ShadeZone: 7b-10, at least 6" tall Origin: Korea
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New crop available 9-4-2008 (coll. #A1K-254) In 1997, as we climbed past the base of Korea's Wolchusan Mountain at 1000', I spotted a huge patch of rabbit's foot fern growing on a giant boulder. Amazingly, this find turned out to be completely winter-hardy back here in the warmer parts of Zone 7. Looking just like the hanging basket plant, the thick "hairy" rabbit's foot rhizomes creep very slowly, while giving rise in spring to 6" tall, lacy green fronds. We're still amazed we found a hardy form of this great house plant. Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #05776
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Deinanthe
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Deinanthe bifida (Bi-lobed deinanthe)
Light ShadeZone: 4-7 24" tall Origin: Japan
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This bizarre hydrangea relative hails from the mountain woodlands of Japan, where it forms a 2' tall x 2' wide clump of rough-textured bi-lobed light green leaves. The clumps are topped in June (NC) with white flowers resembling miniature hydrangea florets. The leaves can be cooked and eaten, but we prefer spinach. This is about as esoteric as it gets, so it's not going to get gobbled up by the Wal-Mart marigold and impatiens crowd. If this is your thing, be sure to jump on the essoteric bandwagon before they're all gone...they're really cute. Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #08105
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Delosperma (Ice Plant)
Thanks to the great work of Panayoti Kelaidis of the Denver Botanic Garden, we have an ever-increasing selection of ice plants from the mountains of South Africa. For colorful groundcovers in full sun, these are hard to beat.
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Delosperma 'Beaufort West' (Beaufort West Ice Plant)
SunZone: 6-7, at least 1" tall Origin: S. Africa
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New crop available 7-31-2008 For the well-drained rock garden, Delosperma 'Beaufort West' is a real cutie. The slow-spreading, tiny, 1" tall cushion resembles a collection of small, green, rubbery marbles. In April in NC, the plants are topped with tiny, light pink flowers that continue until temperatures settle above 90 degrees F for the summer. D. 'Beaufort West' doesn't appreciate summer rains and high humidity, but in our gravel scree, it does manage to come back year after year. At the Denver Botanic Garden, it continues to flower all summer. D. 'Beaufort West' is an unidentified species that was collected from high alpine elevations near the town of Beaufort West in the Nieuwveld Mountains (South African Karroo). Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #05873
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Delosperma cooperi (Hardy Ice Plant)
SunZone: 5-9 3" tall Origin: S. Africa
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The succulent, needle-like leaves and fluorescent purple flowers make this semi-evergreen groundcover a sight to behold. Hot, sunny conditions keep the flowers coming most of the summer. This is a great groundcover for the beach, since it takes the salt as well as any margarita. A single plant can spread to 2' wide in one season. Although quite hardy, it cannot stand excessive winter moisture, either in the soil or applied from above. Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #00397
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Delosperma 'Kelaidis' PP 13,876 (Mesa Verde Ice Plant)
SunZone: 4-8a 2" tall Origin: S. Africa
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This marvelous new ice plant appeared in 1998 as a seedling or mutation in a patch of dwarf alpine collections of Delosperma cooperi (probably crossed with D. nubigenum) at the Denver Botanic Gardens. The succulent, jellybean-like leaves are topped with stunning salmon-pink flowers from spring to fall. D. 'Kelaidis' is perfect for the rock garden where a low groundcover for a hot, dry site is needed. Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #04951
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Delosperma sp. 'Grahamstown Ghost' (Grahamstown Ghost Ice Plant)
SunZone: 7-8, at least 2" tall Origin: S. Africa
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(aka: Delosperma sp. A1SA-239) From 2300' in elevation in the Eastern Cape town of Grahamstown, South Africa, comes this delightful new ice plant selection with large 1.5" pure white, star-shaped flowers. The flowers adorn the compact fleshy green clump from spring through the summer. D. 'Grahamstown Ghost' may be much hardier than we're guessing, but we'd rather be conservative with our guesses. Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #06624
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Delphinium
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Delphinium exaltatum (Tall Larkspur)
Sun to Light ShadeZone: 5-8a 72" tall Origin: USA alternate image
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This rare US native, occurring from PA south to AL, makes a 6' tall spiky addition to the garden. The base of the stems are clothed in three to five lobed palmate leaves, while the top is adorned with blue or purple flowers. D. exaltatum normally occurs in well-drained slightly alkaline soils in clearings or at the edge of woodlands. Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #04646
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Dentaria
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Dentaria diphylla 'American Sweetheart' (Toothwort)
Light Shade to ShadeZone: 4-8 6" tall Origin: USA
(syn: Cardamine diphylla) This cool crucifer is native from ME south to SC. The winter-green foliage is dark-olive drab, highlighted by silver veins and a dark purple back...certainly the most colorful clone that we have grown. The new growth emerges in fall and looks good until it goes dormant in June, allowing summer bulbs and perennials to take center stage. Toothwort makes a superb winter-growing perennial groundcover (2' wide in 4 years) that is tolerant of both sandy and clay soils, although a moist woodland soil is preferable. The root of this little plant is used to treat hysterical nervousness, late periods, and of course, flatulent colic...a true Renaissance plant. Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #06458
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Dentaria maxima (Giant Toothwort)
Light ShadeZone: 4-7, at least 10" tall Origin: USA
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(aka: Cardamine maxima) This unusual toothwort, found in moist rich (often alkaline) woods from ME south to KY, is thought to be a sterile hybrid between D. diphylla and D. laciniata. The rich olive-green tripartite (three-lobed) leaves emerge in mid-October (NC) and make a slowly spreading clump to 3' in 7 years. In April in NC, the clumps are topped with 10" stalks of 1/2" white flowers. After flowering, the clumps remain attractive until late summer when they go dormant. D. maxima is a very easy-to-grow plant for the winter/spring woodland garden. Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #06993
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Deparia
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Deparia conilii (Lady In Bed Fern)
Light ShadeZone: 6-8, at least 10" tall Origin: Japan
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(aka: Lunathyrium pseudoconilii) Thanks to Dr. John Mickel for sharing this Japanese native he prizes in his NY garden. D. conilii creates a deciduous groundcover fern that can form a 3' wide patch of 10" tall fronds in 5 years. It reminds us of a smaller version of one of our favorites, Athyrium japonicum. Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #06227
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| <Dahlia] | [Dianthus - Disporopsis> |
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