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misssherryg

Liatris Popping up - RickinLa Please Note

MissSherry
10 years ago

I hope everybody will read this, not just Rick, it's just that he sent me a big bag of liatris seeds a few years ago, I put them out in my 'meadow' but none came up the next year, at least I couldn't find them. There are at least 10 liatris plants coming up there now, though, and I didn't plant any plants there, so I assume these came from the seeds I sowed. I don't know if they came up the first year and I didn't see them, or they just came up this year. There are some seeds that take a few years. The 'meadow' is SO weedy, I only wish I could say 'voila' and the dog fennel and other ugly, undesirable plants would be gone. I guess I'll just have to go out in the heat and pull them! I want the plants I planted or seeded there, plus the grasses that grow there naturally, so when I sow Agalinis seeds, they'll take.

Here's a picture of one of them -

{{gwi:486035}}

Sherry

Comments (14)

  • Mary Leek
    10 years ago

    I think this is too large for a first year Liatris, Sherry, so my thinking is it came up and resembled small blades of grass, which would be difficult to spot in a natural meadow setting. I'd venture to guess this might even be a third year plant. Does that look like flower buds forming on the tip?

    Mary

  • MissSherry
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Yes, the bigger ones look to have the beginnings of flower buds, Mary. The seeds were extremely tiny, so the seedlings must have also been tiny, making them nearly impossible to see, much less differentiate from the grass and other weeds there. It was about ?3 years ago that I put them out.

    Sherry

  • rickinla
    10 years ago

    I'd like to take credit for sending those seeds but it wasn't me. I've seen some of those locally but haven't collected seeds.

  • MissSherry
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Sorry, rickinla, maybe his name was Ron? And now that I think about it, maybe you're in Los Angeles? The man who sent me the seeds was in Louisiana.

    If whoever sent the seeds reads this, thank you!

    And while I'm at it, I want to thank whoever sent me the Ludwigia octovalvis seeds last year. I sowed them in a large container late last fall, kept them wet, and they came up. I've divided them, planted them in containers, and they're doing beautifully. I'll be planting them out in wet areas, and I might even make my own bog or two for some of them to grow in.
    Sherry

  • susanlynne48
    10 years ago

    Are you hoping for Banded Sphinx? They are gorgeous moths, and the larvae are striking as well. You are in their range.

    Susan

    Here is a link that might be useful: Eumorpha fasciavtus or Banded Sphinx

  • MissSherry
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Yes, Susan, a banded sphinx actually flew into my kitchen on night! Ever since then, I've wanted to have some of its host plant. I'd LOVE to raise some of those horned caterpillars!

    Sherry

  • rickinla
    10 years ago

    Sherry, I can take credit for the Ludwigia octovalvis seeds along with seeds from a mystery plant. I haven't noticed either of them coming up this year but I'm sure they will. I'm in lower Alabama, south of I-10.

    Now I've noticed an interesting vine coming up, care to try for an ID on this one?

  • MissSherry
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Then thanks so much, Rick for the seeds - I'll take a picture and post it of the plants.

    Your vine could be Passiflora lutea, although the leaves on the P. lutea that grows on my property has a bit more rounded lobes.

    Can you post another picture? If it's P. lutea, it'll stay small and in late summer, it'll make a very small, yellowish flower. I've only found ONE gulf frit egg on mine, and that was years ago, so it's certainly not the favored host plant for them. Still, it's good to have it around - I've finished feeding gulf frits with it when everything else was gone.

    Sherry

    Here is a link that might be useful: Passiflora lutea

  • rickinla
    10 years ago

    Thanks Sherry, I thought it looked like a Passiflora but wasn't sure without a flower, it does have tendrils and is pretty small. The vine is not needly as thick as my other Passifloras.

  • MissSherry
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Yes, I'm almost positive that's what it is. They don't always bloom, but when they do, the flower and tiny fruit are interesting.

    Sherry

  • MissSherry
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Here's a picture of just one of the containers of L. octovalvis. I think it's an attractive plant even when not in bloom -

    {{gwi:486037}}

    Sherry

  • susanlynne48
    10 years ago

    Oh, they are pretty,MissSherry! I would just love to see you get some Banded Sphinx! I always remember that post from Biophilia about them. She has a website that I check every year to see what is happening with their restoration project. I don't think that's a project you can ever say "okay, we're done now!"

    Susan

  • butterflymomok
    10 years ago

    Susan, what is Biophilia's website? I think there are a lot of us that would be interested in how her project is progressing.

    Sandy

  • rickinla
    10 years ago

    Glad to see that the seed was good. With the amount of seed in those little seed pods there must be millions waiting to pop up around here.

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