An extremely nice gesture but please make sure that what you send are not considered invasive to the region. There are already major problems with the transport of weed seeds out of Iraq into other countries on the many vehicles already there. And while we don't think of our common plants as weeds-they sure can be for someone else. The last thing we want to do is spread problems to others in the invasive plant arena.

Good luck.

Myself and SGT De Angelis is aware of that poteintial problem and as soon as I can get some ideas on what to send I will check with her before I acquire and/or send them. I know they are starting composting (with and without worms) and planting veggies and the like from seeds they have brought back from R & R. The same with flower seeds. Most of the plants I'm familiar with here in Central Illinois are non starters for a place like Iraq. Thought maybe I could get some ideas and go from there.

Larry

This old Marine '68-'71 has some Red Yucca seeds to send your way. Email me your address and they'll be on the way.
Lots of info through Google.
Ron

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:1263165}}

Here's a few flowers that might do well in Iraq's climate:

Zinnia
Spider Flower (Cleome hassleriana)
Cosmos
Texas Hummingbird Sage
Moss Rose (Portulaca grandiflora)
Purslane
Liatris
Black-eyed Susan
Purple Coneflower (Echinacea)
Gazania
Salvias/sages--some varieties do well in hot, dry climates

For more ideas, look at the websites for Wildseed Farms (www.wildseedfarms.com) and Seeds of Change (www.seedsofchange.com). Both offer lots of varieties that do well in hot, dry climates.

Good luck,

Dawn

Just a couple of suggestions:
Desert Willow
Zexmenia, Wedelia hispida
Lantana
Flame Acanthus
Firebush
And an excellent seed site for possible desert plants:

Here is a link that might be useful: Plants of the Southwest

Sorry about the delay getting back but been visiting the kids and grandkids. They have all moved away from home.
Thanks for the suggestions and will get started.
All of you and yours have a safe and wonderful Memorial Day weekend.
Semper Fi
Larry

Rosemary. If you can send a plant, even better. The stuff grows like mad and the scent is wonderful just running your hand over the plant...

I used to live and garden in the Middle East (although winter is the main gardening season). All the above suggestions are great ideas. Zinnias, cosmos and other Compositae flowers take the heat really well. Not sure if she's into vegetables but if she is, white amaranthus and rosella do extremely well, MUCH better than peppers or cukes. (Both are greens).

If she's there in the fall & winter, then the sky's the limit. Violets, pansies, nasturtiums, sunflowers, baby's-breath, marigolds, asters, and almost anything else, can be planted in August or September and last till frost in December (except the extreme south where they will live on till April). I used to grow tomatoes & peppers as a fall crop and lettuce, radishes and potatoes as a winter/spring crop. Nothing beats the flavor of home-grown veggies.

Just a few comments:
The Mexican petunia is easy to start from seed.
The prickly poppy is beautiful, but it can be invasive. It might not be a good one, because some people smoke it. It might cause more problems than it is worth.
The desert milkweed & chicory have seeds that can be invasive.
Some desert flowers that might be easier to contain include desert five spot, sunflower, sand verbena, lupine, evening primrose. Lily ajo & desert monkeyflower are beautiful but tricky to germinate.
The blazing star is gorgeous if you can get some seeds for them.
I have seen Echinacea purpurea grown in hot areas & it thrived.
Buckwheat is invasive in the right climate. Some people use it to make pillows.
Some of the chaparral penstemon, salvias, & monkey flower plants are also pretty.
Desert globemallow is a beautiful bush that provides color when all other plants are dead.
Prince's Plume is beautiful but it may be too large to grow.
Desert rhubarb is a beautiful ornamental.

I would not mail any plants to Iraq. The mail is closely scrutinized to that country.

i would contact Native American Seeds for quality seeds sans weeds - virtually all of their seeds are for arid/semi-arid conditions.
jo
btw - thanks for your service, larry and ron