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Anyone grow Crambe?
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Posted by Fundybayfarm z5westernN.S. (My Page) on Wed, Jan 4, 06 at 0:11
I was just wondering if any of you grow Crambe to use as a filler? It looks quite interesting, and is described in the catalog I have as, "Gypsophylia on steroids". It's very tall, 4-6' and 4' wide. It sounds like it would be really nice in a perennial garden grown behind peonies or roses, and would make a nice filler.
Cheryl |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Anyone grow Crambe?
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| Yes, I have tried it. It is beautiful and extremely fragrant. It thought it shattered rather soon but we were able to use it for a week or so as a filler, I have a plant of it in my moongarden and it is lovly there. |
RE: Anyone grow Crambe?
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Thanks Liza, it sounded great in the catalog and I can always use more white filler.
Cheryl |
RE: Anyone grow Crambe?
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| There are a few photos of it in a house-garden setting in The Undaunted Garden, by Lauren Springer. It looks lovely. She seems to use it heavily as a foliage accent plant with the added benefit of a tall cloud of flowers when it blooms (up to 18 feet?? Could be a misprint??). Crambe maritima is the one she mentions the most, cordifolia is just barely mentioned; it's smaller than maritima. Maritima makes a big clump of foliage, two feet wide (and tall, I think), so don't crowd it. Springer doesn't address it as a cutting plant, but I bet it's worth a try, especially with a recommendation from LizaLily. The Undaunted Garden is written expressly for people gardening in difficult, cold climates like mine, so you know Crambe is tough. Oh, and if you decide you don't like it, you can blanch the leaves and eat them. It's one of the things I plan to plant in my house garden (once I get it cleaned up). Not to eat, though. Jeanne |
RE: Anyone grow Crambe?
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| According to my sources, Crambe cordifolia is the one to grow for cutflowers. I believe it's the ornamental cultivar. It grows to 60," and has sweet honey scented flowers which decrease with age. This plant is native to the Mediterranean. Assuming this means hot, dry growing conditions -- just like herbs. The photos I have seen of this plant are quite nice. |
RE: Anyone grow Crambe?
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It is cordifolia that I ordered. Hopefully they grow fast, I did order them bare root. I'll let you all know if I get blooms the first year. I'm always looking for things that I can substitute for annuals as filler. Thanks for all of your input.
Cheryl |
RE: Anyone grow Crambe?
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| Hmmm, Up to 18'? I am trying to remember how tall mine was. I know that I would reach up and pull a branch down and then cut it off and I Am 5'9"I am guessing mine was between 12 and 15' growing in an underwatered north facing slope in hard clay. I wanted to leave some up for the birds to perch in but it wasn;t strong enough to withstand the autumn winds. MY poor plant only blooms some years in this tough position, or maybe it is reseeding itself And I have to wait for a new one to grow. My memory is that it smells like the most fragrant sweet allysum. |
RE: Anyone grow Crambe?
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| I think I'm going to have to grow some Crambe. If it handles the cold of Trish's area and the rain of Lizalily's, it should do fine here. I LOVE the sweet smell of alyssum. Well, that's just one more of the hundreds of things I want to plant in my front yard! Jeanne |
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