Accents That Bloom In Mid-Spring
Accents with commentary. Enjoy the photo essay-
Lewisia cotyledon, common name, Siskiyou Lewisia. Native to southern Oregon, it shares its common name “Siskiyou” with a county, a mountain range, a lake, and a telephone company. The species has many cultivars. The fleshy leaves shrink to nubs in a small pot and hot pink is everyone’s favorite bonsai color.
Vancouveria hexandra, White Inside-out Flower. Delicate white flowers open like tiny parachutes. One of our Pacific Northwest natives, Inside-out Flower grows in the murky shade of Douglas Fir forests where black and white truffles abound. This one needs some tricksy lighting to pop in a photograph. The small white growth coming out of the soil in the lower right is Clavaria fragilis, Fairy Fingers, a soil fungus that feeds on decaying matter or other fungi.
Heuchera sp., common name Coral Bells. Native to your front yard, courtesy of a local nursery (I don’t know where it’s native to…). It’s a modest thing, bowing its flower stalks in all four directions. This one is proving the tenacity of saxifrages by growing happily on a chunk of lava. Saxifrage are early succession plants, breaking down rock and playing a role in soil creation in advance of shrubs and trees.
Possibly Hieracium maculatum, common name, Hawkweed. The genus has representatives all over the globe. They are day bloomers, opening when it’s sunny out and blooming only for a day. Definitely deadhead these or they will come up everywhere. And they use a lot of water, famous for wilting when you turn around to water something else.
A year ago a Columbine self-seeded into this pot of Lily of the Valley. We let it bloom this year and may cut it out completely after it’s finished. If we don’t it may well finish off the Lily. Both of these like a fair bit of water, though, so they can live harmoniously at least in that regard. Once the Columbine flower begins to tip up—as the large flower on top is beginning to do—it’s about a day away from going to seed. Hawkweed and Lady Fern complete this odd composition that I didn’t compose. The only thing I planted in this pot was the Lily, which might be getting nervous about the new squatters. Ferns in particular are famous for giving previous residents the boot.
14 Comments
Do you collect these Michael or can one buy them some where?
About half and half. Some nurseries specialize in plants native to your area. Some of the cultivars are fun, and can be purchased, but like the bright pink flowered one here, is often a bit too much for bonsai. I’ve collected many others.
Thank you Michael
All are very beautiful. Thank you for sharing the photos.
They really look fabulous Michael, breathtaking… I would like to know what determines which plant is stronger than the other, better adaptation, genes or looks…?!
Good question. Don’t know about looks, but some plants have more aggressive root systems. They then take over a pot pretty quick, limit the nutrient and water uptake of others, and essentially take over the house.
That’s a really good question…I’m not sure I have an answer. I have suspected stronger root growth and more compaction that way, which maybe limits the root growth of other plants that aren’t so root aggressive, but I’m not sure. Possibly adaptation to pots in general!
That’s a really good question…I’m not sure I have an answer. I have suspected stronger root growth and more compaction that way, which maybe limits the root growth of other plants that aren’t so root aggressive, but I’m not sure. Possibly adaptation to pots in general!
Michael, some heucheras are PNW natives. They’ve been taken by the nursery trade and hybridized as all get out but the originals were from here. 🙂
Cool! Thanks for the info!
Great blog post on accents that bloom in mid-spring! The information on various plants and flowers that add color and vibrancy to the garden during this time is fantastic. I appreciate the suggestions for incorporating these blooming accents into different garden styles. Inspired to add some of these plants to my own garden for a beautiful mid-spring display. Thanks!
Are the coral bells a miniature variety or did the leaves reduce over time?
The leaves reduced after planting on the rock-
Thank you. I recently started a couple in pots and will move to rocks next year. I love coral bells.