Flowers of Every Hue
(Page 2 of 3)
March/April 2008
Mike Lang
Sometimes it is good to procrastinate. Many of the annual plants that do great throughout the summer do not like to have cold feet. Planting too early in spring’s cool temperatures will cause some of these plants to be stunted or, worse, to die from root rot diseases. Periwinkle is a plant that despises cold feet, but it will tolerate the hottest of summer locations.
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Annual plants with colorful foliage should also be part of your plans. Coleus, sweet potato vine, Perilla, fibrous begonia and celosia all provide excellent landscape color without blooms. Foliage plants are often more tolerant of mild neglect and don’t require the regular fertilization regime typical of many flowering annuals for optimal display.
Coleus is one of the annuals I choose each year when it comes time to plant. It has been a stalwart for shade plantings in the past, but several new light-loving selections are available as cultivars in the Sunlover and Solar series. These cultivar families offer the same great range of colors as the shade types, with red, gold and burgundy on a plant that will tolerate full sun conditions.
From its performance in my last season’s plantings, Perilla ‘Magilla’ is my newest favorite annual. ‘Magilla’ is a recent hybrid that’s reminiscent of coleus. The foliage is burgundy with pink centers on a plant that grows to 30 inches tall and wide. I pinched back ‘Magilla’ in several of my beds last season to encourage a smaller stature, and it responded well. This foliage plant did well in both full sun and shade, though the color was a little muted in full sun. Imagine a planting of this colorful variety with a contrasting companion of ‘Marguerite’ sweet potato vine for a real statement.
Speaking of sweet potato vine, this is one of the easiest foliage annuals to grow. The plant has no special needs other than water and a container or space sufficiently large to let it roam. ‘Marguerite’ is a chartreuse-colored selection; others, including ‘Blackie’ and ‘Black Heart,’ have dark burgundy leaves, and ‘Tricolor’ has green foliage with pink and cream variegation.