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cls1978

Chocolate garden?

cls1978
18 years ago

I've been reading that there are some plants that are "chocolate scented" and would love to try them out. Does anyone know of these plants and where I can find them? I'm new to gardening and can use all the help I can get:)

Thanks,

Christine

Comments (16)

  • risingpower1
    18 years ago

    Berlandiera lyrata and cosmos atrosanguineus especially. There are a few others listed in the faq, but I still think these are the best. Might want to try an akebia quinata though too.

    RP1

  • susanzone5 (NY)
    18 years ago

    Heliopsis! It's called chocolate sunflower. It is a spreader but easily contained by pulling shoots. Grows very tall.

  • rainsong
    18 years ago

    choclate scented geranium. I have them.

  • cls1978
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    Thank you all for your responses! I've been searching online and having such a tough time finding a seed company that sells these - ugh! Anyone know where I can go?

  • risingpower1
    18 years ago

    You won't get the ones I've mentioned from seed, one doesn't set seed, and I haven't seen the other grown from seed. Gilia tricolor is one other which I tried to remember last time.

    You'd love the roald dahl garden in chelsea if you were in the UK, a garden dedicated to chocolate.

    Happy hunting,
    RP1

  • jimshy
    18 years ago

    some hoyas (carnosa, sheperdii, minibelle, and maybe one or two others) are said to have a chocolate/vanilla odor, depending on your nose's opinion.

    ditto a few orchids: encyclia phoenicia, randii and the famous "Chocolate Orchid", oncidium Sharry Baby.

    Jim

    P.S. chocolate mint shouldn't be hard to find.

  • jbcarr
    18 years ago

    There is a chocolate mint- not fragrant to the air, but the leaves do smell of chocolate.

  • DarthSquirrel
    18 years ago

    There's a nursery that specializes in plants that LOOK chocolately... maybe if you combined some Chocolate Lookers with some well placed Chocolate Smellers, you'd have the best of both worlds!

    Here is a link that might be useful: The Chocolate Flower Farm Nursery

  • shadowlover
    18 years ago

    How about a 'Hot Coco' scent? This Clematis is a Montana called "Elizabeth and altho they say it smells like vanilla, it'c coco to many of us!

    Here is a link that might be useful: Donahue's Clematis

  • risingpower1
    18 years ago

    Smells like vanilla to me, definitely not hot chocolate. Berlandiera lyrata smells like hot chocolate.

    RP1

  • cls1978
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    I found chocolate mint, but can't find chocolate geraniums! Anyone have seed or a spare cutting?

  • birdtalker
    18 years ago

    I know someone who mulches her garden with cocoa shells. it smells deliciously just like chocolate. another friend grows a chocolate garden with chocolate named or colored flowers. I myself have a heather called 'winter chocolate'

  • juliaw
    18 years ago

    Hi all,

    After reading this thread yesterday I went to the link provided by DarthSquirrel (Chocolate Flower Farms) and got myself a Cimicifuga 'Hillside Black Beauty'. I wanted to report back on the process, not just because it was absolutely great working with them, but because it's relevant to the chocolate theme. I'll include the entire text from the last email Marie sent me, after I ordered (before that I spent all day pestering her with about 1 email every half hour with constant questions -- she responded quickly and very helpfully everytime, bless her patient soul). Here's the last return email:

    ******************
    Well, you are getting the last large one that is "shippable" as the others were moved up to 2 gallon size yesterday. I had a large shipping box that I saved from an order I got from Raintree for some Akebia vines that I can use. I selected the largest one I could for you that would still fit in this box. I will get it off to you today and you will have it tomorrow. You can let those on the fragrant forum know [edit: There was a place in the order form for me to enter where I had heard of their business.] that we have all of the plants that smell like chocolate too (although right now I only have 3 Berlandiera lyrata's left - more are coming along that will be old enough to leave home this fall). We also have 40 pound bags of cocoa mulch that is a special brand in that it is the only cocoa mulch that I could find that is not harmful to dogs. As you know, chocolate is very dangerous for dogs to eat because their bodies cannot process the chemical theobromine that is one of the key components of chocolate ... and it can be fatal to them. This mulch has been heat treated to remove all theobromine and caffeine and fat from the cocoa bean hulls so it is safe... Just a bit of chocolate trivia for you to share with fellow chocolate garden lovers...
    ***************************

    I should add that it appears from their website that they are out of most things until Fall, though it's worth checking out. Just thought you'd like to know!

  • flowersandthings
    18 years ago

    Chocolate cosmos and berlandiera lyrata (chocolate daisy) come to mind. :)

  • benita383
    16 years ago

    Hi: After trying for several years with no success I finally succeeded in gaining two plants.. To find more seeds, I suggest you type in Berlandiera Lyrata in some of the search engines. I had luck with (ugh) Dogpile.

  • benita383
    16 years ago

    Has anybody had success with berlandiera lyrata? I started mine from seeds this year (2007.) Do they have to be brought inside over the winter in zone five? How long before they start blooming; I assume two years.

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