Just wanted to share. I got this pink pampas grass as tiny little shoots a few years ago and have been waiting patiently. It's finally paying off. I have my first blooms emerging. I'll take another shot next week after they've emerged a bit more.
Jan...
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Here's my blue ginger blooming for the first time.
Beautiful ginger. Someone was wanting Pampas grass, can't wait for the pink heads.
sidney
I'll probably divide mine in the fall when it cools down some.
Am intrigued by your blue ginger, budgielover. Does it need more shade than the shell (shampoo) ginger I have?
Am looking for 'cool' blue flowering plants that have a little height (1-3ft) and can take sun. The black asphalt driveway is so hot in the summer near the front door. I have a 3' tall concrete planter surrounded by 1' area of sand that could hold a 'cool' plant. It would camouflage the hot concrete planter, too. Even if I transplanted some of my salmon cannas into that spot to soak up the heat, the blooms look too 'hot'. Know what I mean?
Oh, and that pink pampas will be so exotic looking :)
I have it in mostly full shade.
You should try the purple/blue porter weed. It thrives on full sun, is bushy and may get over 3 ft tall but can be trimmed easily. Also drought tolerant when established and great nectar plant.
Jan...
Lovely, cool and airy. Looks good in the PlantFiles! Has a lot going for it since it would take the blistering afternoon sun and offer a respite for butterflies.
Thanks.
You might also want to try Duranta if you have room for it. It too can be kept pruned back for bushier effect or allowed to grow. Another sun/heat luver that's pretty drought tolerated and loved by bees and butterflies. Comes in different varieties of purple flowers, white flowers and different color/variegation of leaves.
Jan...
The flowers appear showier (PlantFiles) on the Duranta than on the blue porter weed. It gets so much taller than the porter weed...more pruning.
Wish I could take PlantFiles with me when I see some of these things in the store and they aren't usually labeled with all the helpful info.
Right now the blue porter weed is ahead! Pretty low maint., not a water hog, takes brutal afternoon sun. smile
Here's an update on the pampas. Also pictures of a few of my porter weed and duranta.
purple porterweed
pink porter weed
yellow/green variegated form of duranta. This one has yet to bloom for me but the blooms are insignificate compared to the foliage
You're right about that blue porterweed. Airy and cool looking...even in August! And the variegated duranta is in full sun also?
I'm rooting some cuttings of the blue/purple porterweed if you'd like me to save you one.
I haven't seen them in the stores this year. The var duranta has been in the full sun but is now getting a bit of dappled shade around noon from the numwah banana next to it.
The other var duranta, white with green is less tolerate of full sun but can take quite a bit.
I will take you up on your offer of the blue/purple porterweed, Jan. Could that go in the ground this time of year?
In checking the PlantFiles, a fellow Floridian noted that they cut it to the ground in "January each year for energy and new growth". Is this something you do, or just let it go?
Will you trim your pampas to the ground in winter/spring?
Sue
Last year I let it go because it was still fairly small. I will probably try trimming back this year and I may divide it in the spring. When the porter weed is rooted, I would probably plant it right away to allow it time to acclimate before winter. It probably won't be ready to plant until the first part of October. It's not likely that we would get any frost or freeze for come time after that but it can always be covered. I did have mine in a 6 in pot for probably a year before deciding where to plant it but it didn't grow much until it went in the ground. It has probably tripled in size this summer since being in the ground.
Jan...
