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Asclepias curassavica


Asclepias curassavica

I came across this pretty bright plant today - the label says 'Almost hardy'...hmmm...I know what that means!



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In my experience it tends to mean the exact opposite of what it says!!!
Be nice if it were the case with this plant as it's an interesting looking specimen.

10 Aug, 2010

 

No chance - I've looked it up in my RHS book, which tells me that the label is a half-truth, I'm afraid. Or - a lie! Why put something so meaningless on it, though?

10 Aug, 2010

 

Would you have paid what you did for an annual?
As the marketing man who dreamt up this description would say - "it's not a lie, just a best case scenario!"

11 Aug, 2010

 

yep, tried this a couple of times, and it hasn't come through even a mild winter (sorry B)

11 Aug, 2010

 

I suspected that, G. Meanie - maybe not. :-(( I'd have thought about it several times, though! I wanted a bright plant for the front of the hot border, so I left a Dahlia behind and brought this home instead.

11 Aug, 2010

 

Well it is beautiful Spritz......how could you possibly have left it.....Lol

11 Aug, 2010

 

It's 'different', isn't it. Dahlias - well, I already have three in the hot border. They may or may not return next year - I'm not digging them up...so they're sort of annuals, really, aren't they.

11 Aug, 2010

 

Sorry, Spritz, it's a tropical plant. they sometimes freeze back even here. On the other hand, they are easy to grow from seed, and with a couple good seed mixes available. You might want to try a few as annuals next summer.

11 Aug, 2010

 

Yes, I realise that from my RHS book, which is pretty accurate on temps. and hardiness. I'll try some from seed...thanks.

12 Aug, 2010

 

Did you see the one posted up by a lady 700 metres above sea level in Brazil?

12 Aug, 2010

 

No? I'll do a search for it, Meanie. Thanks. :-)

12 Aug, 2010

 

Cut and paste this link to go straight there.......

http://www.growsonyou.com/photo/slideshow/171102/member/penaselvagem

That'll take you straight there.

12 Aug, 2010

 

Thanks v. much, but I found it via the members' photos...and left a comment. Fancy it being a weed there!!! What a pretty weed...:-))

12 Aug, 2010

 

Just like Britton's Ruellia here!

12 Aug, 2010

 

Duh - I'll have to look that one up, Tug. Not a familiar name, I'm afraid.

12 Aug, 2010

 

Ruellia brittoniana, aka Mexican Petunia--though it's actually a member of the Acanthus family. Lovely flowers, heat loving, spreads everywhere by seeds and root sprouts. It's definitely a love-hate relationship!

12 Aug, 2010

 

No - not one I know at all....I'll look it up later. We're on our way to the vet's now.

12 Aug, 2010

 

Blessings and healing for Henry, and all your household!

12 Aug, 2010

 

Thank you Tug. That's lovely. :-)))

12 Aug, 2010

 

Lovely pic!

17 Aug, 2010

 

Lovely plant - for the moment, Pip! lol.

17 Aug, 2010

 

Nice plant - but you just know it ain't gonna make it through the winter, whatever they garden centre says. As to why they confabulate, well, they want you to buy it, so misinformation is the order of the day...

17 Aug, 2010

 

I think they're dishonest, don't you? :-((((

17 Aug, 2010

 

Well yes, of course - never trust a salesman, Spritz, whatever he's selling! I remember buying a washing machine years ago on the strength of the salesman assuring me it did a cold wash - it didn't, but they didn't want to take it back. I had it moved to the front garden, told them, they arrived within an hour and removed it, gave me my money back. I was at the garden centre only last week when I heard a woman ask if the Berberis atropurpureum 'nana' she was looking at kept its leaves all winter (she wanted it for winter tub) and was told yes! I'm afraid I took him to task and told her the truth...

17 Aug, 2010

 

Louise and I do that in GCs...I've been known to take someone aside and tell them that certain Osteos are NOT hardy! The sales assistants can't all be trained to know every plant, I realise that - but to stand there and answer a question wrongly like that was more that I could stand. Grrrrr..... Why couldn't she refer the person to someone who knew? Just to get a sale??

17 Aug, 2010

 

I suspect they just don't know, and their motto appears to be, if in doubt, say yes to whatever the customer says. Has the added advantage of avoiding responsibility, in which habit there is a noticeable increase these days, unless I'm just a grumpy old woman, lol.

17 Aug, 2010

 

Join the club - I'm definitely one of those, Bamboo - and it annoys me soooo much to hear the wrong information being doled out. I can't keep quiet!

17 Aug, 2010

 

Glad to hear it, Spritz!

19 Aug, 2010

 

I can't bear to think of the poor plants being taken home and dying off - let alone the disappointed ex-owners.

19 Aug, 2010



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