Peacock Horticultural Nursery Blog » Shade

Paeonia obovata – Japanese Woodland Peony

peahort — Fri, 15 May 2009 17:09:35 +0000

Paeonia obovata

I am very excited to finally be able to offer blooming Paeonia (pay-OH-nee-ah) obovata plants (6-7 year old plants). This rarely offered Japanese Woodland Peony is slow-growing and usually takes more than five years to reach blooming size from seed. But, with a little patience, you are rewarded in late spring by their lovely single, rose-pink flowers on 18″ – 24″ stems. In the fall, the mature seed pods split open to reveal dramatic metallic-blue fertile seeds and red infertile seeds.

Paeonia obovata prefers bright shade in humus-rich, moist, well drained soil, in USDA zones 5 – 8. Very limited quantities are available.

Paeonia obovata

Arisaema ringens – Cobra Lily

peahort — Thu, 14 May 2009 17:01:30 +0000

Arisaema (a-ri-SAY-ma) is another plant genus that I am very fascinated with. One look at the photos of the of the strange and beautiful flowers and I was hooked. If you have not yet made their acquaintance, please drop in the nursery and see them for yourselves.

Arisaema ringens (Cobra Lily) is one of the first to flower in the spring and is bloom now at the nursery. From a dormant tuber these plants send up these helmet-like flowers with two large green trifoliate leaves.

Arisaema sikokianum

Arisaema sikokianum (with patterned leaves) is also blooming in the nursery now. This is another example of the curious and beautiful flowers in this genus – and this has a variegated leaf as well.

Arisaema are easy to grow if you met their needs – a shady spot in the garden with very well drained soil. Female flowers can produce striking orange-red fruit.

Additional Arisaemas available at the nursery include Arisaema flavum, A. taiwanense ‘Sliver Heron’, A. candidissimum, A. ciliatum and A. franchetianum ‘Hugo’.

Calanthe Takane Hybrids – Hardy Orchids

peahort — Thu, 14 May 2009 16:53:56 +0000

Calanthe Takane Hybrids

Another great plant available at Peacock Horticultural Nursery for your woodland shade garden is a Hardy orchid – Calanthe Takane hybrid. These plants are a cross between Calanthe discolor and C. sieboldii. The cross has resulted in many different flower colors from yellow, gold, orange, brown, red, white and cream and every combination of these colors you can think of. Hopefully it will be easier for you decide which is your favorite as I wanted them all.

Calanthe orchids also have attractive pleated green leaves, flowers that are often fragrant and are hardy to USDA zone 7. These ground orchids grow very well in pots also where you can enjoy their blooms up close. Even in times of inadequate rainfall, I will try to find a small space in my gardens for a few of my favorite woodland plants. This Calanthe Takane Hybrid would be one of favorites.

Here are just a few of the beautiful flower color combinations available.

Other Calanthe orchids available at Peacock Horticultural Nursery include Calanthe sieboldii, which has striking pure yellow flowers, and Calanthe discolor which has mahogany and white flowers.

Please check back to this blog periodically for new varieties of Calanthe available for sale.

Variegated Acanthus mollis ‘Tasmanian Angel’

peahort — Thu, 14 May 2009 16:17:18 +0000

Acanthus mollis ‘Tasmanian Angel’ is an unusual and spectacularly variegated foliage plant to create a bright feature in your shade garden. This variegated form of the Acanthus (Bear’s Breeches) displays a pale yellow and green leaf emerging in early spring; the dramatic variegation is emphasized as the yellow pales to ivory white, and the green deepens to a rich lustrous green. The leaf form also adds to the drama, with it’s deeply scalloped edge and large scale when mature. A mature plant will send up a spike of pale pink and white flowers up to 5′ tall.

Tasmanian Angel will make a bold clump about 3′ x 3′ if you provide a deep rich soil in part sun to shade in zones 7 - 10 . Deer resistant.

Other varieties of the Bear’s Breeches available at Peacock Horticultural Nursery include Acanathus mollis ‘Hollard’s Gold’ with golden leaves.