#Salvia confertiflora

[jillraggett]

Plant of the Day

Saturday 16 December 2023

By late summer and into autumn Salvia confertiflora (red velvet sage, Sabra spike sage) adds drama to the garden. This tender perennial needs a sunny, sheltered spot with a well-drained soil.

Jill Raggett

[kevinscottgardens]

26 October - 13 November 2020

These past few weeks have been an emotional roller-coaster. Back in September several friends, within 48 hours of each other, informed me about an amazing opportunity in the south of France. I was so touched that people were looking out for me, knowing I’ve been aching to move to somewhere warmer, more Mediterranean. I hesitated for a week because the job announcement on a garden designer’s Facebook page stated French was important. I’ve studied French for a long time and I still have a long way to go to fluency. Again, later in the week, another friend from Kew mentioned it and knew the garden personally.

So I took the plunge and sent my CV, in French, to the garden designers. They liked it well enough to pass it to the client. A week later I had my first phone interview and it went well. Now I was super excited and could hardly sleep. On paper this job sounds really good. I checked out some You Tube videos on the garden designer, their preferred maintenance contractor and the nursery they use. I only became more interested and excited.

Plant ident 30 October

Lamiaceae Salvia africana-lutea syn. of Salvia aurea

Lamiaceae Salvia canariensis

Lamiaceae Salvia confertiflora

Lamiaceae Salvia elegans ‘Honey Melon’

Lamiaceae Salvia greggii x serpyllifolia

Lamiaceae Salvia greggii ‘Stormy Pink’

Lamiaceae Salvia involucrata

Lamiaceae Salvia microphylla var. neurepia ‘Oxford’

Lamiaceae Salvia ‘Nel’

Lamiaceae Salvia ‘Phyllis Fancy’

Plant of the week

Lamiaceae Salvia confertiflora Pohl

common name(s) - Sabra spike sage synonym(s) - Salvia confertiflora var. angustifolia J.A.Schmidt; Salvia confertiflora var. brachyantha Pohl; Salvia rufa Epling conservation rating - none native to - Brazil location - salvia walk, accession 2019-0398 leaves - deciduous, pungently-scented, ovate flowers - slender spikes of small scarlet flowers, covered with velvety red-brown hairs, with the stems of the inflorescence and the calyx also having a red-brown colour, in late summer and autumn habit - a tender bushy perennial to 1.2m tall, becoming woody at the base habitat - tropical, summer rains, dry winters pests - slugs, snails, capsid bug, rosemary beetle, leafhoppers disease - generally disease-free hardiness - to 1ºC (H2) soil - loam, chalk or sand, well-drained sun - full sun, sheltered propagation - seed in containers in a cold frame in spring; softwood cuttings in spring or early summer or semi-ripe cuttings in late summer or autumn with bottom heat pruning - cut down if hit by frost nomenclature - Lamiaceae - lamium - gullet, the name in Pliny refers to the gaping mouth of the corolla; Salvia - healer, the old Latin name for sage with medicinal properties; confertiflora - with dense or crowded flowers NB - first discovered in 1833 by the Austrian naturalist, Johann Baptist Emanuel Pohl in the Serra dos Órgãos, state of Rio de Janeiro. Pohl sent specimens back to botanical gardens of Europe where it was popular not only for its dramatic colour, but also for its prolific flowering well up to the time of frost

References, bibliography:

Gledhill, David, (2008) “The Names of Plants”, fourth edition; Cambridge University Press; ISBN: 978-0-52168-553-5

IUCN [online] http://www.iucnredlist.org/search [18 Nov 20]

Plant List, The [online] http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl1.1/record/kew-182420 [18 Nov 20]

Plants of the World [online] http://plantsoftheworldonline.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:456011-1 [18 Nov 20]

Royal Horticultural Society [online] https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/16324/i-Salvia-confertiflora-i/Details [18 Nov 20]

Wikipedia [online] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salvia_confertiflora [18 Nov 20]

About ten days later I received an email inviting me to meet with his wife, here in London, for a second interview. That took place one evening after work. Again, the conversation went very well and it turns out we have a friend in common - who would have imagined!

The following week, after posting some tea to my sister in LA, I received the call offering me the position. Again, no sleep that night!

While all of this was happening, my tinnitus has been acting up too. I have also experienced a few bouts of vertigo, which is quite rare for me.

So that Friday, two weeks ago, I tendered my resignation. I asked to take my remaining annual leave as part of my notice period which meant I only had two weeks left in the garden. This will give me next week to sort my packing and I’ll fly to Nice next Saturday, 21 November. This will give me one week to work with the person who is leaving. I’ve never had such a fantastic opportunity for a week-long hand-over.

Plant ident 6 November this week was a review of the past four weeks, those were my favourites at Kew because it helped me retain names that would otherwise have just never stuck.

Plant of the week

Cucurbitaceae Momordica charantia L.

common name(s) - bitter melon; bitter apple; bitter gourd; bitter squash; balsam-pear synonym(s) - Cucumis argyi H.Lév.; Cucumis intermedius M.Roem.; Momordica charantia subsp. abbreviata (Ser.) Greb.; Momordica charantia f. abbreviata (Ser.) W.J.de Wilde & Duyfjes; Momordica charantia var. abbreviata Ser.; Momordica charantia var. longirostrata Cogn.; Momordica charantia var. muricata (Willd.) Chakrav.; Momordica chinensis Spreng.; Momordica elegans Salisb.; Momordica indica L.; Momordica muricata Willd.; Momordica sinensis Spreng.; Momordica thollonii Cogn.; Sicyos fauriei H. Lév. conservation rating - none native to - tropical and subtropical Old World location - tropical corridor, accession 2020-0110 leaves - simple, alternate leaves 40 to 120mm across, with three to seven deeply separated lobes flowers - separate yellow male and female flowers; in the Northern Hemisphere, flowering occurs during June to July and fruiting during September to November habit - very vigorous, tendril-bearing vine to 5m habitat - hot humid areas of the tropics and subtropics; savannah and bush; common in coastal thickets, along creeks and streams, and in lowland forest margins pests - aphids disease - downy mildew, powdery mildew, Fusarium wilt, target leaf spot, root-knot hardiness - to 5ºC (H1c) soil - rich in organic matter with 2m to 2.5m of rainfall annually sun - full sun propagation - seed - sow in situ; seedlings emerge five to seven days after sowing, but fresh seed often shows dormancy which is very hard to break and can last for some months pruning - none nomenclature - Cucurbitaceae - cucurbita - Latin name for the bottle-gourd; Momordica - bitten, the jagged seeds of balsam pear appear to have been nibbled; charantia - graceful, the pendent fruits NB - is a laxative, diuretic herb that soothes irritated tissue, lowers fevers, kills parasites and cleanses toxins from the system; probably also a uterine stimulant; the fruit is most often eaten green, or as it is beginning to turn yellow. At this stage, the fruit's flesh is crunchy and watery in texture, similar to cucumber, chayote or green bell pepper, but bitter. The skin is tender and edible.

References, bibliography:

Gledhill, David, (2008) “The Names of Plants”, fourth edition; Cambridge University Press; ISBN: 978-0-52168-553-5

IUCN [online] http://www.iucnredlist.org/search [20 Nov 20]

Plant List, The [online] http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl1.1/record/kew-2372864 [20 Nov 20]

Plants of the World [online] http://plantsoftheworldonline.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:293413-1 [20 Nov 20]

Useful Tropical Plants [online] http://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Momordica+charantia [20 Nov 20]

Wikipedia [online] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Momordica_charantia [20 Nov 20]

I worked the weekend of 7/8 November, my last weekend duty.

I’ve been taking private French lessons twice a week for the past three weeks. François has been taking an hour out every weekend to help me with my French. I’m hoping once I start living in the language it will come together. Lucien organised my French mobile number, so it will be ready to use when I land.

During these few weeks in the garden leaves have been falling and falling and falling. Al spends most mornings blowing leaves into big piles. He’s also agreed to stay on through the end of January.

Plant ident 13 November ferns

Aspleniaceae Asplenium trichomanes

Aspleniaceae Asplenium scolopendrium

Blechnaceae Blechnum cordatum

Dennstaedtiaceae Pteridium aquilinum

Dicksoniaceae Balantium antarcticum syn. Dicksonia antarctica

Dryopteridaceae Polystichum setiferum

Polypodiaceae Adiantum venustum

Polypodiaceae Microsorum diversifolium syn. Phymatosorus pustulatus  subsp. pustulatus

Polypodiaceae Polypodium interjectum

Pteridaceae Coniogramme emeiensis

I gave Olivia a thorough hand-over of my beloved tropical glasshouse. I’m sure it is in good hands, and under the always watchful eye of Jess.

Jess and I gave the tropical corridor it’s winter pruning on Thursday.

Nell has allowed me to work on several projects on the database I’ve been trying to complete. I added to my predecessor’s manual for the plant records manager. It is quite comprehensive. I hope my replacement finds it helpful and continues to update it as the roll changes.

Wednesday, when Jill was in the garden, I asked her to create a herbarium specimen of the Romneya coulteri for me, also being a California native.

Friday, 13 November, saying goodbye... I made my way to Victoria in the morning, before work, to purchase one last social from Ole & Steen. After work we indulged in cheese, beers and Nell gave a very nice speech.

Mary Ellen painted this for me, and the plant and secateurs were gifts from colleagues.

The evening concluded with a stint in the jacuzzi - so very relaxing.

Plant of the week - a foreshadow of the next garden in which I shall be working

Cistaceae Cistus creticus L.

common name(s) - Cretan rockrose synonym(s) - Cistus complicatus Spruner ex Nyman; C. creticus f. albus (O.E.Warb.) Demoly; C. creticus f. flavus Demoly; C. creticus subsp. trabutii (Maire) Dobignard; C. cupanianus C.Presl; C. dunalianus Sweet; C. garganicus Ten.; C. × incanus subsp. creticus (L.) Heywood; C. incanus subsp. creticus (L.) Heyw.; C. ladaniferus Stokes; C. polymorphus Willk.; C. rotundifolius Sweet; C. tomentosus Lam. [Illegitimate]; C. undulatus Moench; C. villosus L.; C. villosus f. albus O.E.Warb.; C. villosus var. creticus (L.) Boiss.; C. villosus var. rotundifolius (Sweet) Grosser; C. villosus var. trabutii Maire; C. villosus var. undulatus Grosser; C. vulgaris Spach; Ladanium officinarum Spach; Ladanum verum Raf. infraspecific taxa - Cistus creticus subsp. corsicus (Loisel.) Greuter & Burdet; Cistus creticus subsp. eriocephalus (Viv.) Greuter & Burdet conservation rating - none native to - central and eastern European Mediterranean to Jordan location - history beds, accession 1996-0376 leaves - shaggily hairy stems, leaves are slightly scented flowers - variable in shade from deep purple-pink to rose pink, to 6cm across, with a yellow centre habit - very variable, small, bushy, evergreen shrub, to perhaps 1.5m tall; highly branched shrub that measures between 30 to 140 cm with a more or less creeping stem but without actually taking root in the ground, with little strength to stay upright habitat - distributed in calcareous romerales that inhabit soils with sandy characteristics; can be found growing near oak forests on the coast pests - generally pest-free disease - may suffer from nutrient deficiency when grown on very alkaline soils hardiness - to -10ºC (H4) soil -well-drained sun - full sun, sheltered propagation - seed, sow as soon as ripe and keep in cold frame or sow in spring; softwood cuttings in summer pruning - does not respond well to hard renovation pruning nomenclature - Cistaceae - Cistus - capsule, rock roses are conspicuous in fruit; creticus - from Crete, Cretan NB - traditional herbal medicine, the leaves of Cistus have been used in the treatment of skin and inflammatory diseases (Hudson, 2009). Recent scientific research has confirmed the validity of this traditional herbal knowledge through studies that have demonstrated that Cistus leaf extractives have powerful antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, and biofilm-breaking qualities (Rebensburg et al, 2015).

References, bibliography:

Gledhill, David, (2008) “The Names of Plants”, fourth edition; Cambridge University Press; ISBN: 978-0-52168-553-5

IUCN [online] http://www.iucnredlist.org/search [19 Nov 20]

Plant List, The [online] http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl1.1/record/kew-2723343 [19 Nov 20]

Plants of the World [online] http://plantsoftheworldonline.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:168230-1 [19 Nov 20]

ProHealth [online] https://www.prohealth.com/library/cistus-a-natural-antibiotic-antiviral-and-biofilm-buster-6292 [19 Nov 20]

Royal Horticultural Society [online] https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/22292/Cistus-creticus/Details [19 Nov 20]

Warbleton Council [online] https://warbletoncouncil.org/cistus-creticus-13547 [19 Nov 20]

SARS-CoVid-2 update (active cases only) 2 November 2020

SARS-CoVid-2 update (active cases only) 8 November 2020

SARS-CoVid-2 update (active cases only) 16 November 2020

[sfbgs]

The Garden has loved these light, early rains and is looking fresh and rejuvenated as we shift from summer to fall. Sunshine, warmer weather, and the palpable seasonal transition make this time of year so special in the Garden—get out here and feel it for yourself. 🍂 Foliage has just begun to turn on deciduous trees like the gingko, magnolias, maples and more. 🌸 Late summer-fall flowers are still very abundant such as the Japanese anemones in the Rhododendron Garden and Temperate Asia collections. 🇨🇱 Cunco rojo (Colletia ulicina) is blooming profusely in the Chile collection with a beautiful Chilean wine palm (Jubaea chilensis) backdrop. 🌿 Natal lilies (Crinum moorei) brighten up a shady nook in the South Africa collection. 🐝 A honeybee enjoys nectar of the vibrant, late-blooming Salvia confertiflora from Brazil. ☁️ Thought to be extinct in the wild in its native Chiapas, Mexico, golden fuchsia (Deppea splendens) is flowering now in the Mesoamerican Cloud Forest. 🌷 Nerine and late flowering Lillium species add more fall floral highlights in the South Africa collection and Rhododendron Garden. 🌲 The century old Redwood Grove shows signs of fall as the redwoods themselves shed some of their oldest leaves and deciduous understory plants like vine maple (Acer circinatum) start to turn. 🍁 Come enjoy San Francisco’s best weather and welcome the beautiful fall season with open arms in the Botanical Garden! 🌾 #sfbotanicalgarden #fall #fallfoliage #fallflowers #seasonal (at San Francisco Botanical Garden) https://www.instagram.com/p/B2mQ9rOA4HJ/?igshid=trxl0zamrv47

[pumpkinpurrs]

RT @christophhowell: Wonderful salvias on #GardenersWorld this evening. With around 1000 species, salvia is a diverse and colourful genus. A few of my favourites- Salvia patens, S. involucrata, S. oxyphora and S. confertiflora. https://t.co/FCUaOS5AKe

RT @christophhowell: Wonderful salvias on #GardenersWorld this evening. With around 1000 species, salvia is a diverse and colourful genus.…

— 🎃 Pumpkin 🎃 (@PumpkinPurrs) Sep 11, 2021

from Twitter https://twitter.com/PumpkinPurrs

[kevinscottgardens]

1 - 5 January 2020

I managed to pull together all the plants blooming in the garden on New Year’s Day, even though I didn’t work it this year. I went around on 31 December and again on 2 January. This year these taxa were flowering:

Abutilon × milleri

Acacia baileyana 'Purpurea'

Acanthus sennii

Achillea millefolium

Adlumia fungosa

Ageratina ligustrina

Ajuga reptans

Alonsoa incisifolia

Alonsoa warscewiczii

Alstroemeria aurea

Amicia zygomeris

Ammi majus

Anagyris foetida

Angelica archangelica

Anisodontea capensis

Antirrhinum majus

Arbutus canariensis

Arbutus unedo f. rubra

Argyranthemum pinnatifidum subsp. pinnatifidum

Asterotrichion discolor

Banksia integrifolia var. compar

Bergenia × schmidtii

Bergenia crassifolia

Bidens aurea

Blumenbachia insignis

Camellia sasanqua 'Hugh Evans'

Camellia sinensis

Carum carvi

Cestrum parqui

Cestrum psittacinum

Chamaemelum nobile

Chimonanthus praecox

Chimonanthus praecox Grandiflorus Group

Cistus creticus

Cneorum tricoccon

Cobaea scandens

Colletia hystrix 'Rosea'

Colletia paradoxa

Convolvulus cneorum

Coronilla valentina subsp. glauca 'Citrina'

Correa backhousiana

Cyanus segetum

Cytisus canariensis

Dahlia imperialis

Dahlia pteropoda

Delphinium × belladonna

Descurainia millefolia

Dichroa febrifuga

Diplotaxis tenuifolia

Drimys winteri

Echium hypertropicum

Eranthis hyemalis

Eriocephalus africanus

Eruca vesicaria subsp. sativa

Eryngium pandanifolium 'Physic Purple'

Fabiana imbricata 'Violacea'

Fuchsia 'Hawkshead'

Fuchsia magellanica 'Thompsonii'

Fuchsia magellanica var. molinae

Fuchsia microphylla

Gaillardia aristata

Galanthus 'Art Nouveau'

Galanthus cilicicus

Galanthus elwesii

Galanthus elwesii 'Lode Star'

Galanthus elwesii 'Mrs Macnamara'

Galanthus elwesii 'Rose Lloyd'

Galanthus elwesii 'Snowfox'

Galanthus elwesii var. monostictus Hiemalis Group

Galanthus 'Farringdon Double'

Galanthus 'Lady Beatrix Stanley'

Galanthus 'Lyn'

Galanthus plicatus 'Florence Baker'

Galanthus plicatus 'Warham'

Geum rivale

Glebionis coronaria

Globularia sarcophylla

Hebe breviracemosa

Hebe 'Majorie Joan'

Hebe salicifolia

Helleborus × hybridus

Helleborus argutifolius

Helleborus foetidus

Helleborus niger

Helleborus purpurascens

Hydrangea 'Ayesha'

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Sir Joseph Banks'

Hypericum lancasteri

Hypericum pseudohenryi

Iberis amara

Iberis sempervirens

Iris unguicularis 'Walter Butt'

Jasminum mesnyi

Jasminum nudiflorum

Lamium album

Lavandula × terophylla

Lavandula dentata var. dentata (grey-leaved form)

Leucojum vernum var. vagneri

Lithodora zahnii

Lobelia tupa

Lonicera standishii

Mahonia japonica

Mahonia napaulensis

Malva sylvestris var. mauritania

Medicago arborea

Narcissus 'Mary Poppins'

Nicotiana mutabilis

Nigella sativa

Oenanthe pimpinelloides

Ononis hispida subsp. arborescens

Osmanthus decorus

Oxalis articulata

Pandorea jasminoides

Persicaria amplexicaulis

Petasites fragrans

Petrorhagia nanteuilii

Phacelia tanacetifolia

Physalis peruviana

Potentilla alba

Primula × pruhonicensis

Prunus × subhirtella 'Autumnalis Rosea'

Rosa × odorata 'Bengal Crimson'

Rosa chinensis 'Veridiflora'

Rosa 'Mortimer Sackler'

Rosmarinus officinalis

Rosmarinus officinalis 'Jekka's Blue'

Rosmarinus officinalis 'Prostratus'

Rubus fruticosus 'Fantasia'

Ruta graveolens

Salvia 'Amistad'

Salvia atrocyanea

Salvia confertiflora

Salvia corrugata

Salvia elegans 'Honey Melon'

Salvia gesneriiflora

Salvia guaranitica ‘Black and Bloom’

Salvia guaranitica 'Black and Blue'

Salvia haenkei 'Prawn Chorus'

Salvia involucrata

Salvia leucantha

Salvia 'Phyllis' Fancy'

Salvia stachydifolia

Santolina magonica

Sarcococca confusa

Sarcococca hookeriana var. hookeriana

Sarcococca ruscifolia var. ruscifolia

Scabiosa minoana subsp. minoana

Scrophularia lucida

Senna corymbosa

Silene bourgaei

Silene vulgaris subsp. suffrutescens

Sinapidendron angustifolium

Solanum luteum

Tagetes lemmonii

Tanacetum parthenium

Tricyrtis lasiocarpa

Tulbaghia acutiloba

Tulbaghia violacea

Viburnum tinus 'Eve Price'

Vinca difformis

Vinca major

Westringia fruticosa

Thursday, I collected my three weeks of antibiotics and I was amazed how quickly they started working. I’m still not hungry and it’s a bit painful to eat; however, there are definite signs that all is improving. Hopefully I’ve also lost a few of those kilos I wanted to loose.

Most of the team was back at work Friday and of course we finished at 13.00. I met Susie and Luis for lunch in Duke of York Square. Then I headed home for a few hours before heading back into town to 606 Club to list to Kat Eaton. I always enjoy my evenings at 606 with Maarten, Mark, Mike and Mike.

I worked this weekend and started auditing our seed bank material.

Thankfully the antibiotics are kicking in and I’m starting to feel alive again. I was hungry for the first time in over three weeks today.

I’ve been very good about studying French for an hour to an hour and a half every day...I hope I can keep that going. I also have time to do some non-book club reading so I’m going to read Lawrence in Arabia by Scott Anderson. It’s been a while since I’ve read a good book about adventures in that part of the world. I like to read Wilfred Thesinger, and I have his book The Marsh Arabs in my to read pile.

Plant of the week

Solanaceae Solandra maxima (Moc. & Sessé ex Dunal) P.S.Green

common name(s) - chalice vine, golden chalice vine, cup of gold vine; Spanish: capa de oro synonym(s) - Datura maxima Moc. & Sessé ex Dunal; Datura maxima Sessé & Moc. [Illegitimate]; Solandra hartwegii C.F. Ball; Solandra nitida Zuccagni; Solandra selerae Dammer ex Loes. conservation rating - none native to - Central America to Colombia location - glasshouse four, accession 2016-0362 leaves - leathery green, elliptical to 150mm flowers - fragrant at night (which attracts pollinating bats), bell-shaped, yellow to orange with purple stripes in the middle of every petal, there are five petals, to 200mm long; fruits, rarely seen in cultivation, are round berries, about 35mm in diameter habit - perennial evergreen shrubby climber, liana, to 200m long habitat - dry-to-moist forests in open areas from 1,300m to 2,600m in altitude pests - no information found disease - generally disease-free hardiness - to 1ºC (H3) soil - humus rich soils with a good layer of mulch to help retain moisture sun - full sun propagation - stem cuttings in summer, rooted with bottom heat pruning - responds well to hard pruning which should be done in early winter nomenclature - Solanaceae - solanum - comforter, an ancient Latin name in Pliny; Solandra - to honour 18th century Swedish botanist, Daniel Carlsson Solander FRS (1736-82) who was one of Linnaeus' favourite students and best friend of Sir Joseph Banks and in 1768 Solander embarked with Banks on Captain James Cook's travels around the world on the HMS Endeavour.; maxima - largest, greatest, superlative of magnus NB - extract from this species is said to be used for its hallucinogenic effects in ceremonies of the Huichol people from Mexico. It apparently pre-dates the similar use of peyote cactus in ceremonies

References, bibliography:

Eden Project [online] https://www.edenproject.com/learn/for-everyone/plant-profiles/golden-chalice-vine [4 Jan 20]

GardensOnline [online] https://www.gardensonline.com.au/GardenShed/PlantFinder/Show_1591.aspx [4 Jan 20]

Gledhill, David, (2008) “The Names of Plants”, fourth edition; Cambridge University Press; ISBN: 978-0-52168-553-5

Grow Plants [online] https://www.growplants.org/growing/solandra-maxima [4 Jan 20]

IUCN [online] http://www.iucnredlist.org/search [4 Jan 20]

Plant List, The [online] http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl1.1/record/kew-2579596 [4 Jan 20]

Plants of the World [online] http://plantsoftheworldonline.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:818078-1 [4 Jan 20]

San Marcos Growers [online] https://www.smgrowers.com/products/plants/plantdisplay.asp?plant_id=1508 [2 Jan 20]

Tropicals [online] https://toptropicals.com/catalog/uid/SOLANDRA_MAXIMA.htm [4 Jan 20]

[kevinscottgardens]

14 October through 3 November 2019

I didn’t realise how long it had been since my last update. Well, I was in France and Italy last week. In France I paid a long overdue visit to Matt and Will near Limoges. We had a very nice few days together, doing some autumn chores; I met Will’s parents who moved to a nearby village earlier this year, escaping Brexit (which didn’t happen - again - on Halloween); visiting a château; and playing lots of cards.

I flew back to Stansted where I checked into the Holiday Inn Express and awaited Ginny who arrived later that evening. I passed the afternoon reading American Eden for book club. I really enjoyed the book. We watched the Great British Bake Off final then early to bed. We flew to Perugia for our annual visit to Casa Luciano.

This year was quite different than years past - part due to there being no olives to harvest due to a very bad spring when all the flowers were knocked off in heavy rain and freezing weather - and several new people were invited, so we enjoyed hikes, games, getting to know each other, and a Halloween costume party more than doing outdoor work. Thursday and Friday we managed to prune all the trees in front of the house. Elizabeth and Rob purchased all the surrounding land this year so we also did a bit of exploring of the newly acquired property.

I missed the annual comradery of everyone pruning, harvesting, clearing and the ensuing bonfire. There was a lot of rain, so we didn’t even manage to burn what little we did prune. Of course we all ate very well and imbibed delicious wines.

In the weeks since my previous update, we have been focused on winter protection and the Index Seminum. I’m sure there is more winter protection waiting for me. The Friday before I departed for Limoges, Elizabeth, Alessia and Paul visited the garden then we all went to lunch at Maze Grill down the street.

I’ve been working on getting the seeds for Index Seminum on Iris and I hope this makes producing this year’s catalogue faster. I’m meeting with Robert tomorrow.

Plant ident on sages by Nell and Allison:

Lamiaceae Salvia canariensis

Lamiaceae Salvia confertiflora

Lamiaceae Salvia discolor

Lamiaceae Salvia haenkei 'Prawn Chorus'

Lamiaceae Salvia involucrata

Lamiaceae Salvia leucantha

Lamiaceae Salvia officinalis

Lamiaceae Salvia ‘Phyllis’ Fancy’

Lamiaceae Salvia regla

Lamiaceae Salvia uliginosa

Plant ident on fragrant plants by intern Valentina:

Asteraceae Helichrysum italicum

Cannabaceae Cannabis sativa

Ginkgoaceae Ginkgo biloba

Lamiaceae Lavandula x christiana

Lamiaceae Salvia 'Phyllis' Fancy'

Onagraceae Oenothera stricta

Rosaceae Filipendula ulmaria

Rosaceae Rosa rugosa 'Frau Dagmar Hastrup'

Solanaceae Brunfelsia pauciflora

Solanaceae Nicotiana sylvestris

Plant of the week

Lamiaceae Callicarpa japonica Thunb.

common name(s) - East Asian beautyberry, Japanese beautyberry; Japanese Murasakishikibu synonym(s) - Amictonis japonica (Thunb.) Raf.; Callicarpa caudatifolia Koidz.; C. japonica f. albibaccata H.Hara; C. japonica f. albiflos Konta; C. japonica f. angustifolia Miq.; C. japonica var. japonica; C. japonica f. taquetii (H.Lév.) Ohwi; C. mimurazakii Hassk. [Invalid]; C. murasakii Siebold [Invalid]; C. taquetii H.Lév. conservation rating - none native to - China, Japan, Korea, Ryukyu Islands, Taiwan location - embankment west, accession _____ leaves - simple, opposite flowers - can range from pink to white in late summer; producing purple drupes in autumn habit - small, rounded, deciduous shrub to 2m tall and wide with slender, upright branches habitat - no information found pests - generally pest-free disease - leaf spot; black mould hardiness - to -10ºC (H4) soil - well-drained moist soil sun - full sun to light shade propagation - seed; semi-ripe or hard-wood cuttings pruning - flowers and fruits on the current season's growth and so any pruning is best done whilst the plant is dormant nomenclature - Lamiaceae - gullet, the name in Pliny refers to the gaping mouth of the corolla; Callicarpa - callos (beauty), carpos (fruit); japonica - from Japan or Japanese NB - fruits are not edible for humans, but provide food for birds and deer; leaves can be used to make herbal tea; essential oils are the most common use for the plant, though not for aromatherapy, oils, which contain at least 67 different compounds, have been found to be useful for repelling insects like ants and mosquitoes.

References, bibliography:

Gardenia [online] https://www.gardenia.net/plant/Callicarpa-Japonica-Japanese-Beautyberry [4 Nov 19]

Gledhill, David, (2008) “The Names of Plants”, fourth edition; Cambridge University Press; ISBN: 978-0-52168-553-5

IUCN [online] http://www.iucnredlist.org/search [4 Nov 19]

Plant List, The [online] http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl1.1/record/kew-30810 [4 Nov 19]

Plants for a Future [online] https://pfaf.org/User/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Callicarpa+japonica [4 Nov 19]

Superfoodly [online] https://www.superfoodly.com/beautyberry/ [4 Nov 19]

Useful Temperate Plants [online] http://temperate.theferns.info/plant/Callicarpa+japonica [4 Nov 19]

Wikipedia [online] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Callicarpa_japonica [4 Nov 19]

Ibid https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Callicarpa [4 Nov 19]

Plant of the week

Plantaginaceae Lophospermum erubescens D.Don

common name(s) - creeping gloxinia, Mexican twist synonym(s) - Asarina erubescens (D. Don) Pennell; A. lophospermum (L. H. Bailey) Pennell; A. purpusii (T. S. Brandeg.) Pennell; Besleria scandens Sesse & Mocino ex D. Don; Lophospermum chiapense W. J. Elisens; L. purpusii (T. S. Brandeg.) Rothm.; L. scandens D. Don; L. spectabile Hort. ex Vilmorin’s; L. turneri W. J. Elisens; Maurandya erubescens (Don) A. Gray; M. erubescens var. glabrata I. M. Johnston; M. erubescens var. purpusii (T. S. Brandeg.) I. M. Johnston; M. glabrata (I. M. Johnston) Ramirez; M. lophospermum L. H. Bailey; M. purpusii T. S. Brandeg.; M. scandens (D. Don) A. Gray; M. scandens var. erubescens (D. Don) A. Voss; M. scandens var. glabrior A. Voss; M. scandens var. spectabilis A. Voss conservation rating - none native to - Mexico location - dicotyledon order beds, accession 2019-0280 leaves - twining leaf-stalks (petioles rather than tendrils or twining stems), triangular leaves flowers - solitary, trumpet-shaped rose-pink flowers to 70mm long, summer and autumn habit - climbing evergreen perennial (usually grown as an annual in the UK) habitat - in the margins of seasonally dry Quercus or Quercus-Liquidambar forests, including forest edges created by roads, or on canyon walls at elevations between 1,000m and 2,200m pests - generally pest-free disease - generally disease-free hardiness - to 1ºC (H2) (it will survive if its base and roots are protected from freezing in the winter) soil - moist and well-drained, moderately fertile sand or loam sun - full sun propagation - seed sown at 19ºC to 24ºC in early spring pruning - cut back after flowering nomenclature - Plantaginaceae - plantago - foot-sole-like, feminine termination of planta (ancient Latin, plantaginem, for the way the leaves of some lie flat on the ground) cognate with the French derivative, plantain; Lophospermum - crested-seed; erubescens - shamed, blushing, turning red, erubesco, erubescere, erubescui NB - has been cultivated as an ornamental plant since at least 1830; Lophospermum erubescens has been confused with Lophospermum scandens, partly because the earliest illustration of L. erubescens was labelled as L. scandens. Among other differences, L. erubescens has a more climbing habit than L. scandens, with many twining leaf stalks; also the sepals are broader and joined at the base for only 2–3 mm rather than 7–11 mm.

References, bibliography:

Catalogue of Life [online] http://www.catalogueoflife.org/col/details/species/id/df4b1711c48c990e104c630b9975ee88 [13 Nov 19]

Gledhill, David, (2008) “The Names of Plants”, fourth edition; Cambridge University Press; ISBN: 978-0-52168-553-5

IUCN [online] http://www.iucnredlist.org/search [13 Nov 19]

Plant List, The [online] http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl1.1/record/kew-2498793 [13 Nov 19]

Plants of the World online [online] http://plantsoftheworldonline.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:279831-2 [13 Nov 19]

Royal Horticultural Society [online] https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/44861/i-Lophospermum-erubescens-i/Details [13 Nov 19]

Wikipedia [online] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lophospermum_erubescens [13 Nov 19]

Plant of the week

Lamiacaeae Plectranthus zuluensis T.Cooke

common name(s) - Zulu spurflower synonym(s) - none conservation rating - none native to - South Africa, Swaziland location - tropical corridor, accession 2018-0472 leaves - ovate, coarsely-toothed, textured, lime-green flowers - spikes of blue to pale mauve, tubular, spurred flowers are borne on dark purple stems above the foliage from late spring into summer habit - erect or sprawling, much-branched, four-angled, hairy stems, evergreen, frost-tender, plant to 1m tall and wide habitat - summer rainfall areas that experience little or no frost; often common along stream banks and deep river gorges pests - generally pest-free disease - generally disease-free hardiness - to 1ºC (H2) soil - fertile, well-drained loam or sand sun - part to full shade, sheltered propagation - seed or by cuttings taken in summer pruning - deadhead spent racemes to promote flowering; trim back after flowering or in spring to promote bushy growth nomenclature - Lamiacaeae - gullet,  the name in Pliny refers to the gaping mouth of the corolla; Plectranthus - spurred-flower; zuluensis - from Zululand NB - characteristic pungent smell when crushed; once established, plants need little watering; feed with 2:3:2 every three months in summer to keep plants healthy.

References, bibliography:

Gledhill, David, (2008) “The Names of Plants”, fourth edition; Cambridge University Press; ISBN: 978-0-52168-553-5

IUCN [online] http://www.iucnredlist.org/search [13 Nov 19]

Plant List, The [online] http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl1.1/record/kew-158614 [13 Nov 19]

Plants of the World [online] http://plantsoftheworldonline.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:454800-1 [13 Nov 19]

Royal Horticultural Society [online] https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/105029/Plectranthus-zuluensis/Details [13 Nov 19]

SANBI [online] http://pza.sanbi.org/plectranthus-zuluensis [13 Nov 19]