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Quarryhill in Glen Ellen

Laurel Zito
10 years ago

Founded in 1987, Quarryhill is one of the pre-eminent Asian botanical gardens globally, featuring one of the largest collections of documented, wild-collected Asian plants in the world.
This plant had no label, can someone help ID it? I loved the pink flowers. I should have taken a close up of it. You can go see it. It is blooming right now so hurry and go.
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Comments (11)

  • SusanC
    10 years ago

    It looks like Kolwitzia amabilis, beauty bush; it is native to China.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Kolwitzia amabilis, beauty bush

  • Sara Malone Zone 9b
    10 years ago

    It is indeed Kolkwitzia amabilis (note that 'k' in there on the genus). Nicely sited there at the entrance to the Arbor area. Always gets a lot of attention at this time of year! Quarryhill is having a plant sale next Saturday to celebrate Earth Day and we will have Kolkwitzia for sale!

    Sara

  • Laurel Zito
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    It looks like Kolkwitzia amabilis âÂÂpink cloudâ the flowers are all light pink without any dark pink centers. I googled some images. I wish I had the space for it. I just loved it.

  • Sara Malone Zone 9b
    10 years ago

    The one at Quarryhill is the straight species - all the plants there are grown from wild-collected seed so no cultivars. But you are correct - you'd need some room!

  • Laurel Zito
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    How can you be sure it is straight species as it did not have a sign or if it did the sign was hidden by the branches. Maybe they tossed it in there to look cute and not be part of the labeled collection.

  • Sara Malone Zone 9b
    10 years ago

    QH is a research-driven botanical garden dedicated to conservation education and is not interested in 'looking cute'. There are accession records - that specimen was planted in 1996. The Director could probably tell you exactly where and how he collected the seed....

  • Laurel Zito
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Species plants are often not as magnificent as the hybrid. Consider Hydrangea arborescens species vs. Hydrangea arborescens âÂÂAnnabelleâÂÂ. I am not saying I know for sure that is the hybrid, but I canâÂÂt make the call without some verification.

    That one looked too good to be the species. If it was the species, why would anyone want to create the hybrid. That plant could not have looked any better than it did. It could not have more flowers. It was all head to toe flowers. I think I will plant it someday if I move to a bigger place. I donâÂÂt have room for it, but I would like to know for sure which one, as I want to know which one to get. I read if you prune them they look ugly. I have just a small garden in San Francisco. Once I find out I will put it in my notes.

  • Sara Malone Zone 9b
    10 years ago

    I can verify that it is the species. I am a volunteer there. I have the accession records in front of me. There are all kinds of reasons why people don't think that 'enough is enough'. I like single flowers, for example, and vastly prefer them to doubles, which is what most breeders seek in cultivars of flowering shrubs, but different strokes...

  • Laurel Zito
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    That is nice, I don't like double flowers as much as singles either. Because doubles are over kill and over all the double flowers is more likely to become rotten due to the damp conditions in san francisco or refuse to open. They have too many petals so they won't open here. I found rose with high petal counts are the worst in san francisco. Doubles have double the petals.

  • napapen
    10 years ago

    I like Quarryhill very much. I happen to find a few seeds of an iris in my pocket after visiting there and they have sprouted!!

    Penny

  • Sara Malone Zone 9b
    10 years ago

    We're having a plant sale at Quarryhill tomorrow to celebrate Earth Day. Come check it out!

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