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leira_gw

White rose campion!

leira
14 years ago

Or, as my grandmother always called them, and therefore as I call them, "mullein pink."

I brought home a standard fuschia-colored one of these from the Billerica plant swap, and then kicked myself, because I realized as soon as I got home that the fuzzy things growing in the lawn were also these...and I'm not exactly overrun with space. Since I've only ever seen fuschia ones, I assumed I'd be getting fuschia again.

Well, the one from the plant swap was fuschia, as expected. The one rescued from the lawn has just started blooming, and it's a beautiful snow white. There were two others in the same lawn clump, but they seem to be in their first year, and won't be blooming this Summer. I assume they will also be white.

It's time to start examining the neighbor's yards more closely, to see if any of them are growing the white ones, which might have re-seeded. I don't recall seeing any. Otherwise, I wonder if they are a long-lost remnant of the former owner's garden, which is otherwise completely non-existent.

Comments (10)

  • diggingthedirt
    14 years ago

    I love rose campion too; I have both the magenta and the white, although I think I started with seeds that were supposed to be all white. I love the way they appear in the strangest places - in fact I rarely move them, I figure they know where they want to be.

    Bottom line, though; I don't think the colors are predictable. If the former owner of your garden planted all whites, I suspect you may find both magenta and white ones popping up as seedlings.

  • leira
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    I did read that the white ones will produce a few fuchsia ones when they re-seed. I gather that the fuchsia ones stay that way.

    We're building gardens out of nothingness...if the former owner ever had gardens, they were long gone long before she sold the house, and there is no evidence of them whatsoever. I do know that she was in poor health in the years leading up to the sale, so it's possible she got rid of any gardens when she was no longer able to care for them. I've been putting a fair bit of effort into acquiring free things to fill out the space we've built, and it's been going quite well.

    At any rate, it's a big win for me. Presumably if I play my cards right, I will continue to have both white and fuchsia ones for the foreseeable future.

  • fgirl21
    14 years ago

    Hmmm..............I've never had one of mine with white flowers. Would be interesting.

    I do have a lychnis "angel blush" though. Maybe it's what you have (unless there are mixed flowers on the same plant)? The angel blush flowers are white with the palest (I have to look to find it) ring of pink around the center

  • leira
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    fgirl21, based on what you said, I went out and checked. These blossoms are as white as white can be, from the center to the edge.

    I'm guessing they're either an "alba" or a sport that has the same effect. I haven't started snooping in the neighbors' gardens yet to see if they have any.

  • PRO
    Nancy Vargas Registered Architect
    14 years ago

    Might someone have some of the white to share?

    WG

  • ericofwebster
    14 years ago

    WG:

    I also have the white and it tends to self-seed quite freely. I can certainly send you some seeds when it's time, and can dig some small starts now if we can figure out how to get them to you safely. I'm in Webster, MA. Are you anywhere near?

  • leira
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    WG, you're welcome to some next year, if you'd like.

    I've been half-heartedly deadheading so far this year, but I have a baby arriving pretty much any time now, so I'm sure the deadheading will stop very soon.

    I could save you some seeds, which as I understand it very often but not 100% of the time turn out to be white, or we could investigate root divisions in the Spring.

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    Nancy Vargas Registered Architect
    14 years ago

    Thanks guys. Eric, seeds sound good. I have had the pink version and I know they establish themselves very easily. I could start them inside this winter. You're probably about 45 minutes from me. Maybe we will meet up at a fall swap?

    Leira, good luck with the baby coming. Maybe we can both attend the same swap in the spring and I could get some of your seedlings. A fall swap might be too much for you with a brand new baby?

  • botanicalboi
    10 years ago

    I LOVE the White ones! They are beautiful, Airy and very hardy for me.

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    Nancy Vargas Registered Architect
    10 years ago

    Yes, it was ericofwebster! In 2009 no less! Seems like it was just last year! Let's see if mine stay white.