Perennials and Annuals with a Christian Name

Members of the lungwort family are prized for their early spring bloom and attractive leaves. All grow in shady conditions, and are attractive companions for spring-blooming bulbs in the flower garden. The bell-shaped flowers are generally pinkish when they first open, but fade to blue.

Jerusalem sage (Pulmonaria officinalis) has less showy leaves than saccharata, but is an earlier bloomer.

Likes rich, well-drained but moist soil with ample moisture. Mulch with compost each spring or, less preferably, apply a slow-release fertilizer as desired. This plant can become slightly invasive in some rich, moist conditions. Trim spent blooms. Divide in spring or fall as desired.

Plant established plants in spring in all zones or also fall in Zones 7 to 8. Work in plenty of compost at planting time and mulch to conserve moisture and control weeds. Plant in cool, moist soil in partial to full shade. Grows well under deciduous trees. Intolerant of full sun. Space 18" apart. Grows 9-24" tall. Flowers throughout the spring, depending on variety.

Powdery mildew can be a problem in humid climates. Transplant into sunnier spot or spray with fungicide in early spring to control if severe. Available at:

http://www.daytonnursery.com/Encyclopedia/Perennials/Pulmonaria.htm

Bethlehem Sage

Pulmonaria saccharata

Perennial

USDA Zones: 3 - 8 Light: partial to full shade

Height: 9 to 24 inches Width: 10 to 24 inches

Flower Colors: shades of pink, purple, blue, white

Bloom Time: winter - early spring

Bethlehem sage (Pulmonaria saccharata) is considered one of the best in the lungwort family for the flower garden with distinct silver spots on the leaves.

Likes rich, well-drained but moist soil with ample moisture.

Mulch with compost each spring or, less preferably, apply a slow-release fertilizer as desired. This plant can become slightly invasive in some rich, moist conditions. Trim spent blooms. Divide in spring or fall as desired.

Powdery mildew can be a problem in humid climates. Transplant into sunnier spot or spray with fungicide in early spring to control if severe. Available at: http://www.daytonnursery.com/Encyclopedia/Perennials/Pulmonaria.htm

Christ's Palm,

Abraham's Tree,

and Jonah's Gourd

Ricinus communis

An evergreen shrub growing to 1.5m by 1m at a fast rate. It is hardy to zone 9 and is frost tender. It is in leaf all year, in flower from July to September, and the seeds ripen from September to November. The flowers are monoecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but both sexes can be found on the same plant).

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, requires well-drained soil and can grow in heavy clay soil. Requires a rich soil and daytime temperatures above 20°c for the seedlings to grow well. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It requires moist soil.

The castor-oil plant is a fast-growing shrub in the wild, reaching up to 12 metres in height, though it is much smaller when cultivated in the temperate zone. A very ornamental plant, although it is not winter hardy, it can be grown outdoors as an annual bedding plant for sub-tropical displays in the flower garden, and can flower and produce fruit in its first year in warm summers. It has been known to ripen a crop of seeds as far north as Christiana in Norway.

It has a long history of cultivation as an oil-bearing and medicinal plant, having been grown in ancient Egypt. It is still widely cultivated for its seed in tropical and sub-tropical zones.

Edible Uses: Oil. The seed contains 35 - 55% of an edible oil, used in cooking. The seed is a rich source of phosphorus, 90% of which is in the phytic form. Some caution should be observed, see the notes on toxicity from the nursery.

Anthelmintic; Antidandruff; Antitussive; Cathartic; Emollient; Expectorant; Laxative; Purgative; Skin. The oil from the seed is a very well-known laxative that has been widely used for over 2,000 years. It is considered to be fast, safe and gentle, prompting a bowel movement in 3 - 5 hours, and is recommended for both the very young and the aged. It is so effective that it is regularly used to clear the digestive tract in cases of poisoning. It should not be used in cases of chronic constipation, where it might deal with the symptoms but does not treat the cause. The flavour is somewhat unpleasant, however, and it can cause nausea in some people.

The oil has a remarkable antidandruff effect. The oil is well-tolerated by the skin and so is sometimes used as a vehicle for medicinal and cosmetic preparations.

The seed is anthelmintic, cathartic, emollient, laxative, purgative. It is rubbed on the temple to treat headache and is also powdered and applied to abscesses and various skin infections. The seed is used in Tibetan medicine, where it is considered to have an acrid, bitter and sweet taste with a heating potency.

It is an ingredient of soaps, polishes, flypapers, paints and varnishes. It is also used as a lubricant and for lighting and as an ingredient in fuels for precision engines. A fibre for making ropes is obtained from the stems.

The growing plant is said to repel flies and mosquitoes. When grown in the flower garden or vegetable garden, it is said to rid it of moles and nibbling insects. The leaves have insecticidal properties. Cellulose from the stems is used for making cardboard, paper etc.

Available at White Flower Farm: Ricinus

Climbing Joseph's Coat

Rose

Softens walls, fences, trellises and arbors with a blanket of blooms!

Just plant in a sunny area with well-drained soil and enjoy gorgeous

roses and foliage all summer through fall.

Climbs 8-10'. Bare root.

Enjoy a kaleidoscope of non-stop summer color. Yellow, red and orange

blooms cover this incredible climber. Zones 3 - 10.

Available at Michigan Bulb, on the left side of the page, type 13456 in

the “Quick Order” product number search box

Red Eden

Rose

The same lustrous, dark green foliage and vigorous growth as its parent, 'Climbing Eden', but with vibrant red flowers instead. It blooms heavily for almost a month in early summer, and then more sparsely through September.

Superb on a pillar or arbor, but best, perhaps, on a split rail fence or the weathered gable end of a barn. Very fragrant.

Exposure: Full Sun

Hardiness Zone: 4- 9 Bloom Time: June-Sept

Height: 12'+ Ships as: Bareroot

Available from White Flower Farm: Rose Red Eden

Golden Jerusalem

Rudbeckia

USDA Zones: 3 - 10 Light: sun

Height: 8 to 48 inches Width: 8 to 36 inches

Flower Colors: shades of red, gold, orange

Bloom Time: summer - fall

Available both in annual and perennial types,

Black-eyed Susan is a flower garden workhorse.

From midsummer to frost, this rugged, easy-to-grow plant produces masses of long-lasting golden yellow, daisy-like flowers with contrasting brown centers that are excellent for cutting. Attractive dark green lance-shaped foliage adds to the plant's impressive display. Black-eyed Susan is a North American native wildflower that is well-suited to the middle of perennial borders and butterfly, cutting and wildflower gardens. Plant black-eyed Susan in almost any well-drained soil. It can be short-lived but freely reseeds and can even become weedy if not controlled.

Notable Varieties

Perennial black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia fulgida) is one of the most popular black-eyed Susans and 'Goldstrum' is a very popular, long-blooming, and reliable variety that reaches 2 feet tall.

The glorosia daisy (Rudbeckia hirta) is an annual.

Shining coneflower (Rudbeckia nitda) is a perennial in Zones 4 to 10 and does well in the South.

'Hersbone' produces drooping yellow flowers with green cones on 5-foot plants.

Care:

Mulch to conserve moisture. Black-eyed Susan tolerates drought but grows best when watered. Fertilize rarely. Tall types may need staking. Trim spent blooms to promote further flowering; however, some gardeners like to allow dried seed heads to ripen and remain through winter for cold-season interest.

Planting:

Plant established plants 12 to 24 inches apart in full sun in fertile, well-drained soil. Divide perennial types in spring or fall every four or five years to maintain vigor.

Available at White Flower Farm: Rudbeckia goldsturm and Rudbeckia prairie sun

Crown of Thorns

Ruscus aculeatus

in the family of Ruscaceae

Part Sun to Shade Zone: 7-9, possibly colder

24" tall— Origin: England, Iran, Mediterranean

Web-Only! From Iran and a few other adjacent countries comes this strange poet's laurel relative.

The mature, upright clumps to 2' tall x 4' wide are composed of dark green stems and sharp cladophylls (a prehistoric leaf-like structure). Butcher's broom was named because butchers used the branches to sweep the ground after they finished their work.

A well grown clump of the painfully slow growing butcher's broom resembles a short-haired green porcupine after a close encounter with an tractor-trailer. These are truly tough drought-tolerant plants for the worst of garden conditions. Available at: http://www.plantdelights.com/Catalog/Current/Detail/04751.html

Herb O' Grace

Ruta graveolens

Evergreen Herb, Perennial

Light: full sun - partial shade

Height: 2 Feet, Hardiness: Zone 4, Flower Color: Yellow

Take a look at the rue plant, then glance at the design of the clubs suit

on a deck of cards. The plant inspired its design.

Besides its comely appearance, rue is said to help eyesight and help artists find their inner vision -- at least that's what Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo claimed.

Medicinal uses: Rue is said to stimulate menstruation and disinfect insect bites. It is full of iron and mineral salts. It should be used only under supervision, and not during pregnancy.

Divide plants in spring, or take cuttings in summer. Transplant to 18 inches apart and protect in cold winters. Rue can be grown successfully indoors, too. Native to southern Europe, rue or garden rue as it is also known was introduced into Britain by the Romans.

It was used in church ceremonies being used to sprinkle holy water before High Mass and considered an anti-plague plant. Rue tastes bitter and is usually used in egg, cheese and fish dishes.

Plant available from: www.mountainvalleygrowers.com/rutgravelolens.htm