Blue Fortune Mexican Hyssop, Featured Plant of The Day

Agastache x 'Blue Fortune'
    Mexican Hyssop,  Giant Hyssop

Type    Perennial
Hardy range    6A to 9A
Height    24" to 36" / 60cm to 90cm
Spread    12" to 4' / 30cm to 1.00m
Growth rate    Average
Form    Upright or erect
Exposure    Partial shade or partial sun to full sun

Bloom Color    Blue
Bloom Time    Summer and Fall

The flowers are showy and suitable for cut flowers.

Environment
This plant tolerates some drought.
This plant will grow in moist soil.
Suitable soil is well-drained/loamy or sandy.
The pH preference is an acidic to neutral (less than 6.8 to 7.2) soil.

Leaf Color    Green
This plant has attractive foliage and fragrant foliage.

Culture Notes
This plant has a compact habit.  It is a hybrid between A. rugosa and A. foeniculum.  It was bred and selected by Gert Fortgens of the Arboretum Trompenberg in Rotterdam.  The foliage is fragrant, and it is heat and drought tolerant.  This plant attracts hummingbirds and is excellent for sandy soils. Plants serve as butterfly nectar sources. 'Blue Fortune' requires little maintenance and does not require staking.

Emerald Tiara Hosta, Featured Plant of The Day

Hosta x 'Emerald Tiara'
    Hosta,  Plantain Lily,  Plantain Lily

Type    Perennial
Hardy range    4A to 9A
Height    12" to 17" / 30cm to 45cm
Spread    24" to 36" / 60cm to 90cm
Growth rate    Fast
Form    Rounded
Exposure    Full shade to partial sun
Persistence    Deciduous

Bloom Color    Purple
Bloom Time    Summer

The flowers are showy and suitable for cut flowers.

Environment
This plant will grow in moist soil.
Suitable soil is well-drained/loamy, sandy or clay.
The pH preference is an acidic to neutral (less than 6.8 to 7.2) soil.

Leaf Color    Green, variegated and yellow
This plant has attractive foliage.

Culture Notes
Remove flower heads when flowers are spent.  Hostas will grow best in a moist, fertile loamy soil in a woodland setting.  Plants go well with: Astilbe, Ferns, Epimedium, Rodgersia, and Dicentra sp. This plant is considered mostly allergy free and causes little or no allergy problems in most people.

'Emerald Tiara' Hybrid is the opposite of 'Golden Tiara' in that its leaf margins are green with a golden center.  The lavender blooms display purple veins, and sit atop 24" scapes.  Blooms may sometimes reoccur.

Rosea Showy Primrose, Featured Plant of The Day

Oenothera speciosa 'Rosea'     syn. Oenothera berlandieri
    White Evening Primrose,  Mexican Evening Primrose,  Showy Primrose

Type    Perennial
Hardy range    3A to 6A
Height    6" to 12" / 15cm to 30cm
Spread    12" to 18" / 30cm to 45cm
Growth rate    Fast
Form    Upright or erect
Exposure    Full sun

Bloom Color    Pink
Bloom Time    Summer

The flowers are showy.

Environment
This plant will grow in dry to moist soil.
Suitable soil is well-drained/loamy or sandy.
The pH preference is  a neutral soil.

Leaf Color    Green

Culture Notes
This plant should be grown in infertile, well-drained soil in a sunny location.  Otherwise, its aggressive runners will become invasive.

Hepatica, Featured Plant of The Day

Hepatica acutiloba
    Hepatica

Type    Perennial
Hardy range    3B to 9A
Height    6" to 10" / 15cm to 25cm
Spread    4" to 6" / 10cm to 15cm
Growth rate    Slow
Form    Rounded
Exposure    Full shade to partial sun
Persistence    Semi-evergreen

Bloom Color    Lavender
Bloom Time    Spring

Environment
This plant will grow in moist soil.
Suitable soil is well-drained/loamy.
The pH preference is an acidic to neutral (less than 6.8 to 7.2) soil.

Leaf Color    Green and variegated
This plant has attractive foliage.

Culture Notes
Easiest means of propagation is division in the spring.  Seed can be collected in the summer.  Prefers a rich humus soil.  Perfect in the woodland setting.

English Primrose, Featured Plant of The Day

Primula vulgaris
    English Primrose,  Common Primrose

Type    Perennial
Hardy range    5A to 10A
Height    4" to 9" / 10cm to 23cm
Spread    8" to 10" / 20cm to 25cm
Growth rate    Average
Form    Rounded
Exposure    Partial shade or partial sun
Persistence    Deciduous

Bloom Color    Lavender, orange, pink, purple, red, white and yellow
Bloom Time    Spring

The flowers are fragrant and suitable for dried flowers.

Environment
This plant will grow in moist soil.
Suitable soil is well-drained/loamy or clay.
The pH preference is  a neutral soil.

Leaf Color    Green
This plant has attractive foliage and fragrant foliage.

Culture Notes
Seed can be started under glass in the early spring.  Root cuttings can be taken in the spring dormancy or in the fall.  The clump should be divided shortly after flowering.  The foliage of this plant is wrinkled and deeply veined.  Prefers a moist, cool position.  Primrose has both culinary and medicinal uses.  In the kitchen, it can be used to make wine, in salads or as candied decorations for various desserts.  Purportedly, Primrose also helps relieve headaches, cuts and abrasions, and its dried root is sometimes used in the making of pot pourris.