All of the mystery plants this week were identified, and quickly! I was impressed that some of you knew the Sego lily, which is a wildflower from out west, that does not grow here unfortunately. Here are your Mystery Plants for the week of May 18:
May 19 –
Pomegranate or Punica granatum is a pretty deciduous shrub reliably hardy in central Arkansas southward. A few new varieties are pushing the elements and I have seen some as far north as Clarksville, but wonder how they fared this winter. The name translates to “seeded apple” and if you have ever eaten a fresh pomegranate, you know it is the seeds or arils you eat. While most of the original old-fashioned plants were grown mainly for their showy orange blooms,
they only formed small pomegranate fruits.
Today, many are growing edible varieties and getting some pretty good sized fruit.
‘Nana’ is a dwarf form which will bear small fruits, while the double flowered forms are grown mainly as ornamentals. You will get better fruiting if you grow two varieties. ‘Wonderful’ and ‘Grenada’ are the two I see most commonly in Arkansas.
May 20 – Acanthus mollis commonly called Bear’s Breech,
Bear’s Breeches or Bear’s Britches s a beautiful perennial. It can take full sun in England,
but in Arkansas it is best planted with morning sun or filtered sun. It will grow in heavy shade, but rarely will you see the stunning spikes of flowers.
The most common variety has large, deeply cut green leaves. There are some newer variegated varities which are stunning with just foliage, but are slower growing. Whitewater is one variety.
Friday, May 22, Sego Lily or Calochortus nuttallii is a native plant in the western US.
White flowers are the most common, but there are some pink species as well. Typically blooms from May through early July. Sego lilies were an important food source for Native Americans as all parts of the plants are edible. It became the state flower of Utah in 1911 chosen for its beauty, but also its historic significance—the bulb was what saved many people in the mid 1800’s during a crop-devouring plague of crickets. Many of you used the other common name Mariposa lily which is Spanish for butterfly--and it does look like a butterfly. It is lovely and wish we could grow it.
Happy Gardening!