grow in full sun to partial sun

blooms late summer

used as autumn annual

grow in full sun or partial shade

comes in 8/9″ pots

B. oleracea cultivars – These ornamental cabbage and kale are cross between wild Mediterranean and grow 12-18″ tall and wide.They form rounded loose rosettes of variously colored foliage, suitable for containers, or autumn or winter bedding. They are usually available as seed mixtures of rounded to ovate, plain or fringed, white, red, or pink leaves. The most vivid coloration is produced after temperature fall below 50 degrees Fahrenheit, yields edible roots (kohlrabi), leaves (cabbage), shoots a(brussels sprouts) and flower buds (cauliflower and broccoli).

There are over 500 annuals, biennials, and deciduous or evergreen perennials, some sub-shrubby in the Caryophyllales family, in this genus. They naturally occur in widely distributed habitats ranging from open woodland to meadows and mountain screes in the Northern Hemisphere, mostly in the Mediterranean region, but some extend to the Moutains of tropical Africa and South America. The variable leaves are opposite, often silky, elliptical, and smooth edged. The flowers have 5 often notched or split, clawed petals and a tubular, often conspicuously in flated calyx, they are borne singly or in sprays, clusters, broad or narrow panicle like cymes, or corymb like panicles. Some species open their flowers only at night. Some species exude gum from their stems, passing flies get stuck to this, hence the common name “catchfly”. Most Silenes are easily grown, and often self seed freely. Smaller perennials suit a rock garden, and taller ones for the front of a wild garden. Use annauls as bedding in a mixed or annual borders. Some Silenes resent winter moisture and are best grown in a scree bed.

Grow in moderately fertile, well drained, neutral to alkaline soil in full sun or light, dappled shade.

Prone to slugs, snails, whiteflies, spider mites, aphids, rust, smut, stem and leaf fungi occur.

S. armeria – Sweet William Catchfly – This sticky stemmed annual or biennial from Central and Southern Europe grows 12″ tall and 6″ wide. From upright stems it carries gray green leaves, up to 1 ½” long, basal leaves spoon shaped, stem leaves linear shaped. In late summer, bears broad, dense, rounded, corymb like panicles of deep carmine-pink bell shaped flowers, to ½” across, with shallowly notched petals

Zones 7-10

There are over 500 annuals, biennials, and deciduous or evergreen perennials, some sub-shrubby in the Caryophyllales family, in this genus. They naturally occur in widely distributed habitats ranging from open woodland to meadows and mountain screes in the Northern Hemisphere, mostly in the Mediterranean region, but some extend to the Moutains of tropical Africa and South America. The variable leaves are opposite, often silky, elliptical, and smooth edged. The flowers have 5 often notched or split, clawed petals and a tubular, often conspicuously in flated calyx, they are borne singly or in sprays, clusters, broad or narrow panicle like cymes, or corymb like panicles. Some species open their flowers only at night. Some species exude gum from their stems, passing flies get stuck to this, hence the common name “catchfly”. Most Silenes are easily grown, and often self seed freely. Smaller perennials suit a rock garden, and taller ones for the front of a wild garden. Use annauls as bedding in a mixed or annual borders. Some Silenes resent winter moisture and are best grown in a scree bed.

Grow in moderately fertile, well drained, neutral to alkaline soil in full sun or light, dappled shade.

Prone to slugs, snails, whiteflies, spider mites, aphids, rust, smut, stem and leaf fungi occur.

S. armeria ‘Electra’ – Sweet William Catchfly – This sticky stemmed annual or biennial, grows 12″ tall and 6″ wide. From upright stems it carries gray green leaves, up to 1 ½” long, basal leaves spoon shaped, stem leaves linear shaped. Mostly in late summer, but is free flowering, it bears broad, dense, rounded, corymb like panicles of deep carmine-pink bell shaped flowers, to ½” across, with shallowly notched petals

Zones 7-10

There are about 60 species of erect spreading or prostrate annuals or short-lived perennials, used as houseplants, in this genus.  Grown as ornamentals, leaf vegetables, and grain crops but some are regarded as a weed.  Found in wastelands and in temperature and tropical regions worldwide.  They have alternate often-colorful leaves.  They bear large upright or pendent catkin, drooping tassel like cymes of numerous densely packed small red or green flowers from early summer to early autumn followed by colored seed heads.

Indoors grow in soil based potting mix in full light, water freely throughout summer and provide high humidity.   Where able to grow outside, grow in a sunny dry position and protect from strong winds, in fertile well drained, manure or humus rich site.  Prune when young to thicken growth.

Prone to snails, caterpillars, aphids as well as white rust, brown rust, Cercospora leaf spot and phyllasticta leaf spot, root rot, aster yellow and virus disease.

Amaranthus caudatus ‘Love Lies Bleeding’ – Love-lies-bleeding – Tassel Flower – This vigorous, bushy erect annual or short-lived perennial grows 3-5’ feet tall and 18-30” inches wide.   On red, purple, or green stems it carries dull green 6” long leaves but some cultivars have red or purple-green leaves.  It bears Tassel like pendent terminal and axillary’s panicles 18-24” long of blood-red flowers and is borne freely from summer to early autumn.

Zones 9-11

There are about 20 species of tuberous perennials, in this genus. They occur in habitats ranging from alpine woodland and damp woods to dry sands and maquis, from the Mediterranean East to Iran and South to Somalia and Southwestern Asia. The tuberous sit on or just below the soil surface. They produces rounded to heart shaped, sometimes toothed or lobed, often with silver zones or light and dark patterns above and purplish red below. Leaves of autumn flowering species last through winter to spring carried singly on bare stalks. The elegant, nodding, sometimes fragrant flowers, ½-1 1/4″ long, each have 5 reflexed, twisted petals, varying from white to pink and carmine-red, often with darker mouths (perianth tube rims). Flowers may be borne at almost any time of year, depending on the species. In most species, the flower stalk coils onto the surface after flowering to release the ripe seeds.

Grow hardy species and cultivars in a rock garden, border, or raised bed. All parts may cause severe discomfort if ingested.

Cyclamens vary from frost tender to very frost hardy. They should be planted in light, fibrous soil, rich in organic matter with good drainage and sun or part shade. Water regularly during growth but allow to dry out during summer. The tubers are best left undisturbed and should grow larger each year, flowering more abundantly each season.

Prone to mice, squirrels, spider mites, vine weevil, cyclamen mite, gray mold, and black rot.

C. purpurascens – C. europaeum – C. fatrense –   This evergreen, sometimes deciduous, tuberous perennial from Central and Eastern Europe grows 4″ tall. It produces large rounded to heart shaped, glossy, dark green leaves, to 3″ long, sometimes faintly mottled silvery green above, and purplish red below. Broad mouth, very strongly scented, rich to pale carmine-red flowers, to 3/4″ long, are borne with the leaves in mid and late summer. Prefers alkaline conditions. Grow below or just at soil level.

Zones 5-9

There are about 20 species of tuberous perennials, in this genus. They occur in habitats ranging from alpine woodland and damp woods to dry sands and maquis, from the Mediterranean East to Iran and South to Somalia and Southwestern Asia. The tuberous sit on or just below the soil surface. They produces rounded to heart shaped, sometimes toothed or lobed, often with silver zones or light and dark patterns above and purplish red below. Leaves of autumn flowering species last through winter to spring carried singly on bare stalks. The elegant, nodding, sometimes fragrant flowers, ½-1 1/4″ long, each have 5 reflexed, twisted petals, varying from white to pink and carmine-red, often with darker mouths (perianth tube rims). Flowers may be borne at almost any time of year, depending on the species. In most species, the flower stalk coils onto the surface after flowering to release the ripe seeds.

Grow hardy species and cultivars in a rock garden, border, or raised bed. All parts may cause severe discomfort if ingested.

Cyclamens vary from frost tender to very frost hardy. They should be planted in light, fibrous soil, rich in organic matter with good drainage and sun or part shade. Water regularly during growth but allow to dry out during summer. The tubers are best left undisturbed and should grow larger each year, flowering more abundantly each season.

Prone to mice, squirrels, spider mites, vine weevil, cyclamen mite, gray mold, and black rot.

C. hederifolium – C. neapolitanum – Baby cyclamen – This tuberous perennial from the Mediterranean grows 4-5″ tall. From large, flattened tubers sprouts clumps of very variable, triangular to heart shaped, 2-6″ long, often purplish green beneath. Frequently scented flowers, to 1″ long, in shades of rose-pink, with deep maroon marks at the apexes of the mouths, are borne in mid and late autumn, before the leaves. Self seed freely. Plant 1 1/4-2″ deep.

Zones 5-10

There are about 20 species of tuberous perennials, in this genus. They occur in habitats ranging from alpine woodland and damp woods to dry sands and maquis, from the Mediterranean East to Iran and South to Somalia and Southwestern Asia. The tuberous sit on or just below the soil surface. They produces rounded to heart shaped, sometimes toothed or lobed, often with silver zones or light and dark patterns above and purplish red below. Leaves of autumn flowering species last through winter to spring carried singly on bare stalks. The elegant, nodding, sometimes fragrant flowers, ½-1 1/4″ long, each have 5 reflexed, twisted petals, varying from white to pink and carmine-red, often with darker mouths (perianth tube rims). Flowers may be borne at almost any time of year, depending on the species. In most species, the flower stalk coils onto the surface after flowering to release the ripe seeds.

Grow hardy species and cultivars in a rock garden, border, or raised bed. All parts may cause severe discomfort if ingested.

Cyclamens vary from frost tender to very frost hardy. They should be planted in light, fibrous soil, rich in organic matter with good drainage and sun or part shade. Water regularly during growth but allow to dry out during summer. The tubers are best left undisturbed and should grow larger each year, flowering more abundantly each season.

Prone to mice, squirrels, spider mites, vine weevil, cyclamen mite, gray mold, and black rot.

C. hederifolium f. albiflorum – C. neapolitanum f. albiflorum – Baby cyclamen – This tuberous perennial grows 4-5″ tall. From large, flattened tubers sprouts clumps of very variable, triangular to heart shaped, 2-6″ long, often purplish green beneath. Frequently scented flowers, to 1″ long, pure white, without basal marks, are borne in mid and late autumn, before the leaves. Self seed freely. Plant 1 1/4-2″ deep.

Zones 5-10