'Beautiful vs. 'Poorly flowered'

20 years ago

I have had mix-ups on my seed orders this year from two different suppliers. Both are highly recommended by Garden Watchdog. Have others experienced the same?

The first was getting Aquilegia alpine instead of Aquilegia caerulea. The alpina is also very beautiful and floriferous and fit nicely into the garden and although it was a surprise we are enjoying it very much and the supplier said he will send us the correct seed when he has fresh stock.

Then the Polemonium pulcherrimum (beautiful) turned out to be P. pauciflorum, which in my 55 year old school Latin comes out as "poorly flowered". We should have been forewarned when instead of the low, spreading plant we expected it started sending up twisted, snakelike stems but we were totally taken aback by its yellow, tubular flowers which are quite out of place in the blue and pink scheme we had planned.

Leo

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Comments (4)

Crazy_Gardener
20 years ago
What suppliers are you talking about?

I don't know yet, but I think I have a mix up with Gardens North, I sowed some Patrinia scabiosifolia seed last year and I'm thinking I have something different, will see if and when it blooms?

In my eyes I like the Polemonium pauciflorum! I ordered one from Fraser's Thimble Farms about a month ago ;)

Sharon
leo_prairie_view
Original Author
20 years ago
Sharon,
JLHudson responded to our e-mail wjithin an hour and has since offered us a replacement. On the other hand it has been a week since we contacted Patrick Studio and we have had no response.
Everything I see on the yellow Polemoniums says they are not hardy up here and are best used as anuals so it will be intersting to see what comes back next spring. It would be a very dull world if we all had the ame tastes in plants so I hope you enjoy them.
Leo
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leo_prairie_view
Original Author
20 years ago
Wouldnt'you know it. When I came home this evening there was a nice e-mail from Patrick Studio offering to replace or credit us for the seeds. I thought you might be interested in the comment on P.pauciflorum: "I believe that you received seed from the annual or short-lived perennial P. pauciflorum. However P. pulcherrimum is indeed a much nicer plant that tolerates dry shade"
Leo
Crazy_Gardener
20 years ago
Leo, glad to hear you got your orders all straighten out. I know its really frustrating to end up with something else when you have your heart on growing a particular plant.

Yes for sure, I'll be jumping up and down with joy come next spring if this P. pauciflorum makes it, I'll even be more happy if it acts as a self-seeder annual, the more the merrier ;)
If it doesn't come back, oh well, I'm out $5, thatÂs the challenge of gardening in our zone, we lose some and we discover new plants that we can grow.

I think it was Lori (ABgardener) who had success growing P. pauciflorum in her garden, as well this seed company in the link below writes.... Much hardier than some catalogs would have you believe, we've grown it in several different beds, some protected some not. You will experience some winter kill, however self seeding keeps it going quite well. Very pretty plant with its nodding salmon / yellow blooms and mainly pinnate leaves composed of lance shaped leaflets.

Sharon

Here is a link that might be useful: Polemonium pauciflorum