Podcast
Focus on Flowers
Hosted by Indiana Public Media · EN
Focus on Flowers is a weekly podcast and public radio program about flower gardening hosted by master gardener Moya Andews.
28episodes
Episodes
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Oenothera
2w ago00:02:00Tap to summarizeThe common evening primrose is native to Virginia and was sent to England in the early 1600s, feeling quite at home there and has naturalized in several parts of Britain. The Missouri primrose was identified first in 1811. The evening primrose has both roots and leaves that are edible. The roots are sometimes eaten in France and some herbalists believed that the plant can be used medicinally for asthma and whooping cough. The botanical name for evening primrose, Oenothera, is from the Greek, which is interesting since all members of this plant family are natives of the New World. Oenothera fruticosa is hardy zones 3-8 and blooms in late spring, and its common name is sundrops. The nectar attracts butterflies and hummingbirds, and it grows 12-24 inches high. The pink evening primrose is Oenothera speciosa, and the flowers open in the evening and close in the morning. The white form is called 'Alba'. The Missouri evening primrose 'Missouriensis' has lemon yellow flowers on low red stems. It blooms from May through August and enjoys a dry soil. Divide these plants in spring or fall. Sometimes these primroses are aggressive growers, especially the pink ones, but they also often die out after a while. They are popular pass-a-long plants and easy to grow and are fun.
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Billy Goat Weed
3w ago00:02:00Tap to summarizeMany of us are familiar with ageratum, the low-growing annual with fuzzy flowers that are blue/lavender color. It is a member of the Ageratum genus that includes 43 species of annuals and perennials, most of which are native to warmer regions of the American continents. They have felted oval or heart-shaped leaves and clustered flower heads. They like full sun and moist well-drained soil, and a common name is floss flower. Another common name is billy goat weed, which suggest perhaps that goats may like them. I am guessing about that, as I have never seen a goat eating ageratum in my garden. Of course, I do not have any goats in my garden, even though I do have ageratum, as it pairs well with just about any other plant of any color. I also grow tall varieties ‘Bavaria’ and ‘Blue Horizon’, which are 18-20 inches tall and produce good cut flowers that dry well. Some species of ageratum can be pink and white as well as blue. Some even grow in light shade—for example, Ageratum altissima, which gets quite tall and has fluffy white blossoms. Some native varieties of ageratum winter over in our zone 6 and may become a pest as they self-sow prolifically. As long as you just grow varieties of this plant that are annual in our cold climate, however, it is well behaved. Otherwise, you may need to get some goats!
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Baptisia australis
4w ago00:02:00Tap to summarizeBlue false indigo, with the botanical name Baptisia australis, is a lovely shrub that blooms in the late spring in zones 3-9 in full sun or part shade. It grows about 4 feet tall and as wide and is drought tolerant and deer resistant and has blue/green foliage and blue flowers that resemble lupins. It was used by pioneers to dye cloth and is called 'false indigo' because its color is not as deep as true indigo. It has a big root system that cannot be divided. However, it grows easily from seeds. Gather the dark-colored seed pods in the fall and start new plants any time. This plant has been hybridized so that there are now white, purple, and yellow flowering varieties available and some that are smaller. They prefer full sun and good drainage to bloom well and can be planted as a hedge or as a background plant. The foliage stays grey/green and crisp and neat until late fall when it can be cut to the ground. I have mine in the front of a large flower bed, but if I was planting it now, I would place it at the back of a bed, as its flowering period is short, and it tends to self sow. However, the foliage always looks cool even on the hottest day of summer.
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Dahlias
Jun 1100:02:00Tap to summarizeNative to Mexico, dahlias probably grew in Aztec gardens as they were already in cultivation when the Spaniards arrived.Francisco Hernandez, a botanist and physician to King Phillip of Spain, described them in a book published in 1651. But dahlias were not introduced to Europe until 1789 when seeds were sent from Mexico to the Royal Gardens in Madrid. The flower was named in honor of Dr. Dahl a Swedish botanist and pupil of Linnaeus. They were sent to Kew Gardens in England in 1798 by the wife of the British Ambassador to Madrid. By 1835, John Wedgewood, the founder of the British Horticultural Society, grew over 200 different varieties of dahlias. They were popular cut flowers with blooms of many sizes and colors. If a tuber has a sprout of more than 2" long, clip it off before you plant the tuber. Dig a hole 4-6 inches deep and place the tuber on its side and cover it with soil. Fertilizer is needed every 3-4 weeks and must be low in nitrogen. Do not water until sprouts are visible above the ground and then water deeply 3 times a week. Full sun is best, but plant in part shade if your temperatures go over 100F degrees. Dahlias bloom about 3 months after planting. Cut blooms that are 2/3 open and place the stems in hot (but not boiling) water in a plastic container and leave them in it until the water cools.
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Torch Lilies
Jun 400:02:00Tap to summarizeRed Hot Pokers belong to the genus Kniphofia (Kniphofia uvaria) and are also known as tritoma or torch lilies. Some dwarf varieties are 'mango popsicle', 'pineapple popsicle', and 'red hot popsicle'. They are orange, yellow, and red with grassy foliage. They spread by rhizomes and can become invasive. Native to South Africa, they like full sun and well-drained soil and do well in zones 6 through 9, as they tolerate heat and drought and dislike boggy soil. Flowers fade first at the bottoms of the torch-shaped blooms, but the striking blooms last a long time on the plants. After the blooming is over, do not cut down the foliage until it yellows and dies back in the fall. These are not flowering plants to put in pots or urns, as they look best in clumps and swathes in garden beds. Their vertical shape and vibrant orange, red, and yellow blooms make a strong statement. Give them room to spread and do not combine them with small plants that they will overwhelm. They are interesting perennials that have become popular on both sides of the Atlantic. While they do not combine well with cottage garden plants, they do create a modern looking presence and are perfect near a mid-century modern home.
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Sweet Dianthus
May 2800:02:00Tap to summarizeDianthus are well-behaved in our gardens. The flowers are fragrant, and the plants can be perennial, biennial, or annual. The common name "pinks” does not refer to the color but to the fringed edging of the petals that makes them look as if they had been cut with pinking shears. They like full sun but can manage some shade and a variety of soils. However, they do best in well-drained soil with good air circulation, as they are susceptible to root rot and fungal diseases. Rabbits eat the narrow grey/green leaves, but thankfully deer leave these plants alone. There are over 27,000 registered cultivar names, so there are plenty to choose from. Colors can be pink, lilac, purple, white, and combinations with picotee edging on the petals. They originated in Eurasian countries and are grown worldwide in home gardens because they are easy care and don't mind periods of dry weather. Dead heading keeps them looking attractive and the plants stay low. The flowers make sweet little arrangements and even just a few, in a small bottle, look pretty. I would not be without these plants in my Midwestern garden. Most varieties are not especially long lived, however, but that is okay as then one can always be tempted to try new varieties that come on the market. Common names are cheddar pinks, clove pinks, maiden pinks, and gillyflowers.
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May is the Month of White Flowers
May 2100:02:00Tap to summarizeIn the lower Midwest, May is the month when we see lots of white flowers. For example, Spirea ‘Bridal Wreath’ shrubs completely cover themselves with lacy white blossoms so that they do, in fact, resemble brides in traditional wedding gowns. The low-growing perennial iberis, commonly known as candytuft, also has lacy white flowers, and there are white lilacs and dogwoods in abundance too. Dogwood trees are positively dazzling when they are in full bloom. There is even a rare white double flowered dogwood Cornus Florida ‘plena.’ Other white flowering trees include Bradford pears, serviceberries, and star magnolias. The kalmia shrubs, our native mountain laurels, have some whites, and the miniature white variety ‘Elf’ is especially lovely. The mock oranges are fragrant as well as white, and Philadelphus ‘Virginal” has luscious double blossoms. A dainty white flowering groundcover is sweet woodruff (gallium odoratum), and it has a scent like vanilla and has been traditionally used as a May Day centerpiece for celebrations. If you want to use this shade lover as a centerpiece, dig up several small clumps of it in bud and pop them into a basket lined with foil. They will happily bloom indoors and then can be replanted back into the garden. Lily-of- the-Valley is usually in bloom in the lower Mid-West on Kentucky Derby day and so make perfect centerpieces for Derby Parties. They smell wonderfully fragrant and partner well with mint juleps.
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Calendula officinalis
May 1400:02:00Tap to summarizeThe common European marigold, (like the Mexican variety), is justly popular because it is easy to grow, and pests don't like it. It was first mentioned by the old-time herbalists in 1578, quote, "It has pleasant and bright shining yellow and orange single-petal flowers." It was used by herbalists during the times of ancient plagues, and the petals of the flowers were dried and sold for use in making broth in the winter. The flowers have also been used to add yellow color to cheese in times past.Native to southern Europe, the seeds can be sown directly into the soil and germinate easily in sun or part sun. Plants begin to flower in June and continue till frost. Gather seeds when they ripen in August and September.Some people use the flowers to treat the stings of wasps and bees and also to treat warts. Large flowering marigolds (those that originated in Mexico) are usually yellow or orange, and French marigolds are smaller and orange/brown in color.All types of marigolds last well as cut flowers, but it is best to remove all of the leaves below the water line in a vase as they otherwise develop an unpleasant odor.Marigolds are excellent plants for children to grow when they begin gardening as they are likely to grow well even with sporadic watering.Note: The European variety (about 20 species) is daisy-like in appearance, and the botanical name is Calendula officinalis with the common name of Pot marigold or English marigold. The name calendula comes from the same root as the word "calendar," signifying that it blooms almost all year in zones 6-10.The Mexican variety is larger and many petaled, and its botanical name is Tagetes, and they are unrelated to the European varieties.
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Larkspur
May 700:02:00Tap to summarizeLarkspur is a member of the Delphinium family and though native to Europe, it grows well in North America. The plant is poisonous if eaten by cattle but fortunately only mildly toxic to domestic pets and people. Its colors are shades of blue/purple, white, and pink, and its tall upright habit and ferny, lacy foliage is good in combination with other garden plants. Larkspur likes well drained soil in full sun and is a good cut flower. In my midwestern garden I cannot grow perennial delphiniums or perennial larkspur. So, I buy packets of annual larkspur seeds and just sprinkle them in my beds (unmulched, as mulch often has a seed germination deterrent) in early spring. I am rewarded with pretty flowers that meld well with many of my perennials. For example, I have a bed of white iris, and the larkspur grows up and blooms before the iris have finished their show. Larkspur also blend nicely with daylilies because of their height. Larkspur seeds germinate best between 40-50F in zones 4-7. I would not be without my annual larkspur, which I have enjoyed year after year and some often self-seed and return, but in order to be sure, I always buy some seeds. I don't want to risk a year without it! Note: Larkspur grows well in zones 4-7 but needs protection to self-sow below zone 5. Field larkspur grows wild in cornfields throughout Europe.
Transcribe →Magnolia x soulangiana
Apr 3000:02:00Tap to summarizeThe most commonly grown deciduous magnolia in the Lower Midwest is Magnolia x soulangiana, usually referred to as the saucer magnolia.Hardy in zones 4-9, it may be a shrub but usually is a tree about 20-25 feet tall with a rounded crown. It usually develops a number of trunks and may over time even grow 30 feet tall and as wide.It blooms before it leafs out, and the pale pink blossoms look striking against the rough grey bark. However, about one in three years the late spring frosts ruin the bloom and the flowers turn brown. I am told there is a hybrid called ‘Forrest's Pink’ that will make new buds if the old ones are ruined.I think ‘Spectrum’ and ‘Galaxy’ bloom a little later also, which provides more reliable bloom.There are actually a large number of more modern hybrid cultivars now available and some produce flowers in other shades such as white, rose, magenta, burgundy, and purple.The genus name honors Pierre Magnol, a French botanist (1638-1715). Since it is a long- lived tree, think carefully before you decide where to plant it as it needs space for its branches, which cast a lot of shade when it matures. This allows for a large shade garden beneath it.I have a tree that is 83 years old and underneath its sheltering arms I grow winter aconite, Virginia bluebells, perennial geraniums, ferns, hellebores, bleeding heart, wildflowers, epimediums, and for-get-me-nots. The birds love to perch above.
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