New plants '96

Flower & Garden Magazine, Dec, 1995 by Doug Hall

Not all bamboss are aggressive spacegrabbers. Two rarely seen bamboos from the Himalayas are among those with clumping (instead of running) habits. Himalayacalamus falconeri grows to 16 feet in a tight clump and is hardy to Zone 8. The delicate foliage doesn't hide the culms, which nod toward the tips. The vibrant green foliage of Fargesia fungosa, or cotton flower bamboo, stands out in shady areas. It's hardy to Zone 7. Both will be listed by Tradewinds Bamboo Nursery.

Recent introductions from chrysanthemum specialist Dooley Gardens include primrose yellow `Cheryl's Dream.' Its outer petals mature from pale pink to cream. The long-lasting flowers of cushion mum `Beth's Delight' blend pink, salmon and apricot shades.

Lively colors characterize the II new garden chrysanthemums from Yoder Brothers, a wholesale company. `Helen,' an early-flowering red mum, is richer in color and keeps its color longer than `Bravo,' Yoder's current top seller. Other new varieties include `Felicia,' a lavender daisy mum, and golden yellow `Janice.' Look for Yoder chrysanthemums at garden centers.

White Flower Farm will sell Lewisia cotyledon `Ashwood Strain,' which is reputedly less difficult to grow than other Lewisia species. I deal for rock gardens, it prefers cool summers and perfect drainage. The pastel color range includes yellow, apricot, lavender, pink and white.

Van Ness Waster Gardens will bring back Nymphaea alba `Candidissima,' one of the original white hybrid waterlilies. A full complement of glistening white petals surround its golden stamens. This robust variety is good for large ponds.

Star-shaped `Charlie's Choice' is a unique color for hardy waterlilies: salmon. `Mt. Shasta,' another hardy waterlily, is pure white with a wide-open flower form. Both will be available from Lilypons Water Gardens.

Trees and Shrubs

Some of the most intriguing new plants results not from hybridization but from spontaneous mutations, called "sports." Such is the origin of daphne `Briggs Moonlight,' a sport of the much-admired Daphne x burkwoodii `Carol Mackie.' `Briggs Moonlight' reverses the leaf variegation of `Carol Mackie,' displaying pale yellow foliage that is sharply edged in dark green. Fragrant pink blossoms appear in early summer. Hardy in Zone 4 t0 8; Wayside Gardens will sell it.

Also from Wayside, Potentilla fruticosa `Pink Beauty' (shown) bears nonfading pink flowers from early summer through frost. Its compact shape, about 2 feet tall and wide, makes it useful as a foundation plant, in mixed borders and for massing. Potentillas are tough, tolerant shrubs that can be grown in Zones 2 to 7.

Fairweather Gardens will add several ornamental trees and shrubs to its 1996 catalog, including pink-flowered Clethra alnifolia `Ruby Spice,' a fragrant, summer-blooming shrub for Zone 4 to 9. Flower dogwood `Autumn Gold' is notable for the orange-and-yellow color of its twigs in winter, while `Sterling Silver' boasts cream-edged leaves. Both are suited to the warmer areas of Zone 5 through Zone 8.