Comments on: Defying Gravity http://www.heronswoodvoice.com/2009/08/defying-gravity/ Heronswood Voice – A web log written by George Ball Mon, 16 Jan 2012 17:50:49 -0800 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 By: Diana http://www.heronswoodvoice.com/2009/08/defying-gravity/#comment-21349 Diana Mon, 10 Aug 2009 23:53:56 +0000 http://www.heronswoodvoice.com/?p=571#comment-21349 I gathered seeds from a Verbascum thapsus growing in a river bottom. It's flowers are at least half again larger than usual. Both of the plants had many branches covered with blossoms. Of course, I know that means I will be having them come up all over for the next 100 years, but it was worth it. To see 3 pictures of this plant click here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/iamfoxtrax/3808983239/ I gathered seeds from a Verbascum thapsus growing in a river bottom. It’s flowers are at least half again larger than usual. Both of the plants had many branches covered with blossoms. Of course, I know that means I will be having them come up all over for the next 100 years, but it was worth it.
To see 3 pictures of this plant click here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/iamfoxtrax/3808983239/

]]> By: Marshall Smyth http://www.heronswoodvoice.com/2009/08/defying-gravity/#comment-21281 Marshall Smyth Fri, 07 Aug 2009 22:22:06 +0000 http://www.heronswoodvoice.com/?p=571#comment-21281 Here in northern Lake County California we have a wild Mullein that grows along the shore of Lake Pillsbury. It looks similar to those you have pictured only not that tall. More like 7 or 8 feet, but with thicker stems. Ours don't defy gravity as spectacularly, but after dying they stand for almost a year. Probably another local plant that could be grown more. These are biennial, and their first year rosettes are nice fuzzy grey-green. Simon Crawford has a truly dream job! He's probably been in this area searching plants, It's a treasure trove of plants here! Late January to late June is like an ever changing natural display of flowers. Our wild Heuchera varies in leaf colorations and flower and stem colors. This is evolution central for Scrophulariaceae; snowflowers of several kinds, some kind of lousewort that makes one flower bloom at a time that seems very to extremely rare, and another more common kind; a very small red to magenta monkey flower, a nice stalky yellow one, and those, what are they(?) that make a little candlelabra and then disappear-poof...not kiddin! Oh, and the Mariposa Tulips!!! I think I see 3 genera of them. Lupines of many kinds, but I really enjoy those itty bitty subminiature yellow ones that I don't think count as clover. Aigh. Here in northern Lake County California we have a wild Mullein that grows along the shore of Lake Pillsbury. It looks similar to those you have pictured only not that tall. More like 7 or 8 feet, but with thicker stems. Ours don’t defy gravity as spectacularly, but after dying they stand for almost a year. Probably another local plant that could be grown more. These are biennial, and their first year rosettes are nice fuzzy grey-green. Simon Crawford has a truly dream job! He’s probably been in this area searching plants, It’s a treasure trove of plants here! Late January to late June is like an ever changing natural display of flowers. Our wild Heuchera varies in leaf colorations and flower and stem colors. This is evolution central for Scrophulariaceae; snowflowers of several kinds, some kind of lousewort that makes one flower bloom at a time that seems very to extremely rare, and another more common kind; a very small red to magenta monkey flower, a nice stalky yellow one, and those, what are they(?) that make a little candlelabra and then disappear-poof…not kiddin! Oh, and the Mariposa Tulips!!! I think I see 3 genera of them. Lupines of many kinds, but I really enjoy those itty bitty subminiature yellow ones that I don’t think count as clover. Aigh.

]]> By: Joyce Holzinger http://www.heronswoodvoice.com/2009/08/defying-gravity/#comment-21269 Joyce Holzinger Fri, 07 Aug 2009 13:04:34 +0000 http://www.heronswoodvoice.com/?p=571#comment-21269 What an amazing plant. I'm adding a visit to your research center to my "Bucket List" of places to experience, I live in Mankato MN so it will be awhile. I so enjoy the Heronswood site What an amazing plant. I’m adding a visit to your research center to my “Bucket List” of places to experience, I live in Mankato MN so it will be awhile. I so enjoy the Heronswood site

]]> By: Linda Crawford http://www.heronswoodvoice.com/2009/08/defying-gravity/#comment-21257 Linda Crawford Fri, 07 Aug 2009 01:06:55 +0000 http://www.heronswoodvoice.com/?p=571#comment-21257 That is an incredible plant!!! If I were in your part of the USA I certainly would go to the open house. That is an incredible plant!!! If I were in your part of the USA I certainly would go to the open house.

]]> By: Fran Passik http://www.heronswoodvoice.com/2009/08/defying-gravity/#comment-21255 Fran Passik Thu, 06 Aug 2009 23:18:09 +0000 http://www.heronswoodvoice.com/?p=571#comment-21255 I am 77 and handicapped by a broken hip, but I still love planting on my terrace and in my kitchen window, which is VERY sunny. I truly enjoy your plants and your very knowledgable blog. I learn a lot from them. Thank you. I am 77 and handicapped by a broken hip, but I still love planting on my terrace and in my kitchen window, which is VERY sunny. I truly enjoy your plants and your very knowledgable blog. I learn a lot from them. Thank you.

]]> By: b kessler http://www.heronswoodvoice.com/2009/08/defying-gravity/#comment-21252 b kessler Thu, 06 Aug 2009 23:07:23 +0000 http://www.heronswoodvoice.com/?p=571#comment-21252 My wild mullens have all died. Maybe too much water. My summer squash (Burpee seeds) is truly delicious. It looks like half zuchinni and half acorn. The flavor is sweet and nutty. I grill it with shallots and olive oil.. Wow - and thankyou My wild mullens have all died. Maybe too much water. My summer squash (Burpee seeds) is truly delicious. It looks like half zuchinni and half acorn. The flavor is sweet and nutty. I grill it with shallots and olive oil.. Wow – and thankyou

]]> By: Lois Cutting http://www.heronswoodvoice.com/2009/08/defying-gravity/#comment-21250 Lois Cutting Thu, 06 Aug 2009 22:13:11 +0000 http://www.heronswoodvoice.com/?p=571#comment-21250 I used to see tall mulleins in the cow pasture and thought they were just weeds. They always grew quite tall but not as tall as in the pictures you have shown in this e-mail. Lois I used to see tall mulleins in the cow pasture
and thought they were just weeds. They always
grew quite tall but not as tall as in the pictures you have shown in this e-mail.

Lois

]]> By: greenmoss http://www.heronswoodvoice.com/2009/08/defying-gravity/#comment-21248 greenmoss Thu, 06 Aug 2009 21:57:31 +0000 http://www.heronswoodvoice.com/?p=571#comment-21248 Loved your mullein! I was amused by you calling it "little fellow" since "he" has been busy producing seeds all summer, as well as pollen. My daughter, when she was quite young, started add "or her" when I indiscriminately called living things "he" and now either "it" or "himmerher" is di rigueur in our family. Loved your mullein!

I was amused by you calling it “little fellow” since “he” has been busy producing seeds all summer, as well as pollen. My daughter, when she was quite young, started add “or her” when I indiscriminately called living things “he” and now either “it” or “himmerher” is di rigueur in our family.

]]> By: Sue http://www.heronswoodvoice.com/2009/08/defying-gravity/#comment-21246 Sue Thu, 06 Aug 2009 20:57:36 +0000 http://www.heronswoodvoice.com/?p=571#comment-21246 I was a bit surprised by your comment about it being a good year for flowering plants. We here in Northern Virginia have been wondering what has happened to some of our best flowering trees, the crepe myrtles whose blooms have been a bit sparse this year. We wondered if it had anything to do with the die-back of bees. I was a bit surprised by your comment about it being a good year for flowering plants. We here in Northern Virginia have been wondering what has happened to some of our best flowering trees, the crepe myrtles whose blooms have been a bit sparse this year. We wondered if it had anything to do with the die-back of bees.

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