Hot Pink Scullcap

As I made my daily rounds in the polyhouse on this rainy afternoon, just as it was starting to rain, I noticed how bright the flowers of Scutellaria ventenatii really are.  From what I gather, it is a tropical plant that blooms most of the time.  It certainly has bloomed a long time in the greenhouse this winter.  I don't recall noticing it this summer, and either it takes a break when confronted with heat, or I just didn't notice it against all the other colorful things we seem to have in the warm polyhouse.

An Evergreen Heuchera

I've been admiring this flat of Heuchera richardsonii all winter.  I had to check the conifers I've been grafting (more about that in a future post) before leaving work today and I managed to get a few snaps of it on my way out.  I first noticed the pronounced pink color last fall in plants tucked into the new part of the Prairie in the Fern Valley Native Plant Collection.  These have stayed, apparently quite happily, in the confines of 804 cell packs in the overwintering polyhouse.

Chrissy, Kevin, and I collected this plant in Custer State Park in South Dakota in 2010, and it has proven to be very adaptable.  It has looked great even though it's been confined to the restricted soil volume of the cell packs where it's had to endure last year's brutal summer.  I've seen it in a bit of wilt, and I've seen it waterlogged, and apparently it isn't too finicky.  We have it planted outside in the lath house where it has proven equally evergreen, and I'm wondering if it might have a future as a green roof plant.  With this lovely coral and green foliage, it might be an interesting ground cover for sunnier locations.

Compared to other Heuchera species, Heuchera richardsonii has not played a major role in the development of new cultivars.  Perhaps it should take its place along Heuchera villosa in the development of new cultivars that have better heat, humidity, and drought tolerance.

This 'Iron Butterfly' Has Been Great All Winter

I've been meaning to photograph my Vernonia lettermanii 'Iron Butterfly' for months.  I didn't get around to cutting it back, and I'm glad I didn't.  I've found that I like it more in the winter garden than I did in the summer.  Sure, the small purple flowers do attract butterflies, and it has done very well in the brutal heat and dryness of a small bed surrounded by house, driveway, and sidewalk near the front door of my home.  But its real charm has been the very persistent fluffy seeds that replaced the flowers as autumn eased into the very mild winter we have had.  It's native to some pretty tough habitats in Oklahoma and Arkansas, and its performance confirms my belief that we need to make greater use of our native flora in our gardens.  I think Allan Armitage selected the cultivar from the species, and its just one of many great heat tolerant plants he has introduced.  

The most remarkable thing about this plant is the persistence of the fluffy seed heads.  They have been there since early December, and even in 50 mile per hour winds last week, most are still there.  That's a long season of ornamental interest.  How do they manage to stay on the plant? 

Today I've also pondered the blessings of an unseasonably warm winter.  Maybe I'm not the only gardener thinking about the coming growing season, hoping that the pattern of above normal temperatures will break before we get into June.  But my years of experience have taught me that I must adapt and learn to use plants like this one that can thrive in brutal heat and give months of enjoyment.  It's definitely on the list to be divided and spread around the garden.