The first two plants in this Six on Saturday post bloomed in early August, after S.O.S #46, but I thought they were worth including even though they aren’t flowering today. The remaining four plants are currently in bloom.
1. Rhododendron prunifolium (plum-leaf azalea)
Rhododendron prunifolium is one of the latest-blooming of the North American deciduous azaleas. With its flowers tucked in among leaves, I think it looks more subdued and elegant than the flamboyant species that bloom on bare branches early in the spring. Very rare in the wild, it is native only to a small region of Alabama and Georgia along the Chattahoochee River.
2. Lycoris x rosea ‘Neon Nights’
This cross of Lycoris radiata and L. sprengeri blooms at about the same time as my L. radiata var. pumila plants. The photo doesn’t exaggerate the intensity of its color.
3. Asclepias incarnata (swamp milkweed)
Despite its common name, Asclepias incarnata grows reasonably well in regular garden soil. It doesn’t seem to be as long-lived as Asclepias tuberosa, though. This is probably a third-generation seedling, and the first generation of plants that I grew are all long dead.
4. Gentiana andrewsii (closed bottle gentian)
Gentiana andrewsii is one of the more bizarre flowers in my garden. It is native to the northeastern and midwestern states and Canada but seems to do reasonably well in the NC piedmont. The flower never opens and is pollinated by bees that are strong enough to force their way inside. If I don’t do some weeding soon, these plants will be choked out by invasive Duchesnea indica (mock strawberry) that are invading the flower bed from a nearby lawn*
*lawn, meaning green weeds that can survive being mowed.
5. Barnadia japonica (Japanese squill)
I really don’t remember planting this little bulb among the cactus and agaves that surround our wellhead. I do have a small clump of bulbs elsewhere in the garden, so I wonder if a squirrel transplanted this one.
6. Calanthe reflexa
Well, this was a disappointment. Calanthe reflexa has miniscule flowers, and the color of this clone is an insipid pale violet. About the only thing that makes it worthy of growing is its blooming season–months after all the other hardy Calanthe species and hybrids have finished flowering.
The Propagator is the host of Six on Saturday. Head over there to see his Six and find links to the blogs of other participants.