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roselee_gw

Bizarre Foliage Plant ...

A couple of years ago I 'collected' seeds of the plant below and just got around to planting them this year. I don't remember where I saw the plant, but I labeled them "Rock Rose". It grew FAST!

The foliage is most unusual, I think. Does anyone know what anything about this plant? I don't remember what color the flowers were, but they will only be icing on the cake. Just having foliage like this is enough! I just hope it blooms so I can save the seed.

If you have photos of interesting foliage we'd love to see them! Post them on this thread.

BTW, I have a couple of extra plants to trade at the upcoming San Antonio Plant Swap Oct. 9.

Comments (23)

  • bossjim1
    13 years ago

    It reminds me of Pentapete, which was grown by Thomas Jefferson at Monticello.
    Jim

    Here is a link that might be useful:

  • carrie751
    13 years ago

    Does it have tiny thorns?????

  • roselee z8b S.W. Texas
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Wow Jim! You're right.

    How did you know that? Have you grown it?

    Here's something else about it:

    "This deliciously rare old-world tropics annual was introduced by Jefferson he sowed seeds of this tender annual along his Roundabout flower border in 1811, calling it 'Scarlet Mallow.' This handsome plant of the Old World Tropics, rarely cultivated in America, has brownish-green stems and scarlet, mallow-like blossoms that open at noon and close at dawn. Direct sow or transplant to a sunny location after the last frost. Grows to five feet. Multi-branching with a strong, upright central stem, it bears interesting & attractive long narrow foliage. Easy to grow & tolerant of wet or dry soils, this lovely rarity may very well act as perennial in warmer temperate climates."

    Grows to five feet and I have it a little pot! LOL Some other sites said three to four feet. I just hope it gets big enough to produce flowers and seed this year as it would be a tender annual in Texas. Other sites said the flowers need to be hand polinated.

    Carrie it has no thorns. It's as soft as can be.

    I would still like for you all to show us your plants that you like for their interesting foliage.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Scroll down about two thirds for more ....

  • rock_oak_deer
    13 years ago

    Wow, Jim that's impressive plant knowledge. And a very unusual looking plant also. Roselee, if you do have enough to share I'd love one.

    I'll look through my albums for foliage 'cause it's a bit hot out there now. I don't have unusual plants except for the swan flower I already showed.

  • bossjim1
    13 years ago

    I can't take credit for identifying your little plant. Jolana identified it for me just last year. I had seen it in bloom, and had acquired a tiny seedling. I sent her a picture of the seedling, and described the bloom to her and she immediately knew what it was. I lost the little seedling last winter, so never got blooms.
    Jim

  • roselee z8b S.W. Texas
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Jim, Jolana is certainly a whiz at identifying plants! I'll save some seed for you if you want some, IF I get any that is.

    Shirley, you're the first on my SAPS trade list :-)

    Here is a link that might be useful: More from Houston Gardening ...

  • bossjim1
    13 years ago

    Thanks, Roselee. If you end up with plenty, I would appreciate a couple.
    Jim

  • jardineratx
    13 years ago

    I have had pentapete in my garden for 5 or 6 years and really enjoy them. I have no doubt you will be able to harvest seed from them late this summer. Mine self-sow, but transplant easily. Although the blooms fall freely from the plant (leaving little blooms lying all around the plant), the seed pod remains visible and easy to harvest. The blooms are an orange red and small and the plant is a late summer bloomer for me. It has no disease (and no fragrance) and does not require staking.

  • roselee z8b S.W. Texas
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Jardineratx, you were right -- all the plants, even the small ones still in pots for the plant swap, have buds and the first of the ones planted out bloomed yesterday. BTW, they grew very fast once in the ground. The color, as you can see, is a very rich red and the foliage deep green. I hope it produces some seeds to pass around by SAPS time (Oct. 9) also.

    Scarlet pentapete ...

  • nbtonya
    13 years ago

    Ragna, I may be too late, but if you have any extra's for the SAPS swap, would love one. If I am too late, I'd love any seeds you can pass on!

    Tonya

  • roselee z8b S.W. Texas
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Tonya, no problem. I still have a couple of extra plants. If anyone wants seeds they can send an email through my page.

  • nbtonya
    13 years ago

    Wonderful! Thanks.

  • roselee z8b S.W. Texas
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Thought you all might want to see the whole plant of Scarlet pentapete. It's putting on a nice show and has many more buds to go ...

  • Vulture61
    13 years ago

    Very nice, Roselee, very nice.

    Omar

  • txgardenewb
    13 years ago

    Oh wow, that's beautiful! What a nice surprise that turned out to be =]

  • julia42
    13 years ago

    I recently acquired some Pentapetes seeds.

    Rosalee, your plant looks so beautiful at its peak - what time of year did you plant your seeds in order to get it transplanted at the right time to be ready for all those blooms?

  • roselee z8b S.W. Texas
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Hi Julia. I planted them in 4 in. pots about March. But you could plant them directly in the ground and they would do fine. The seeds I had were several years old and I think every one of them came up and grew fast. They are still looking good. I'd like to plant them in the front, but I don't know if the deer would eat them. Does anyone know if they are deer munchies?

  • beachplant
    13 years ago

    It was Thomas Jeffersons favorite plant! I love this little plant. Easy from seeds, tons of blooms, not many pests. They are sometimes hard to find in nurseries and noone ever seems to know what they are.
    I think I'll order some seeds for next spring.
    Tally HO!

  • roselee z8b S.W. Texas
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Tally, you and anyone else can order seeds from me.

    And they'd be free! Just email me through my page.

  • wally_1936
    11 years ago

    roselee Thanks for the photo. I just received a packet from one more Gardenweb'er Looking forward to planting my first seeds in a couple months. About all that is blooming for me is my paper-whites and bougainvillaeas, which did not bloom well all summer. I love the bright color and love the thought that they will be blooming from the time most have stopped blooming.

  • roselee z8b S.W. Texas
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Wally, you're welcome! I want to add that I've learned the seeds like warmth to germinate, so if the ground stays cool for awhile in spring be patient. They will come up. But they may sprout quicker if planted in a black pot which is placed in the sun.

    Also I have seeds of a pink variety that someone was kind enough to send to me in case anybody wants to try them.

  • roselee z8b S.W. Texas
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Link to a photo of the Pink Pentapete.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Post about Pink Pentapete ...

  • beachplant
    11 years ago

    I have my seeds ready to put in this spring. Come on spring!
    Tally HO!