Cool Plants

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In my wandering around the internet looking at plant databases I run into some really cool plants. I don't usually buy them as they are often not appropriate for my little dark yard. But, I will be landscaping a bit in bigger sunnier yards, so I just need to convince the owners of those yards that they want extraordinary plants.

Here are some oddballs I've found recently. Some are gaining more of an audience, some are not.

Stinking Iris (iris foeditissima)

Akebia (be sure to check out all the pages)

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I don't know the foetid iris! The akebia seems dangerous re native plants, and I am a natives fan.

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MMmmm, I don't think it'd be dangerous up here, the climate isn't kind enough. But, it is definitely a non-native.

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It, the Akebia, is killing lots of trees in Virginia and Maryland.

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Rhododendron canadense .. is a native species.

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That's sad, is it killing the kudzu too?

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In a page of the link littlek added an ecological threat is refered to.

http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/fact/akqu1.htm

"ECOLOGICAL THREAT: Fiveleaf akebia grows so quickly that, if left unmanaged, it can kill off existing ground level vegetation, understory shrubs and trees, and even some canopy trees, by overtopping and smothering them. Once established, its dense growth prevents seed germination and seedling establishment of native plants. "

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May be they will duke it out - there is some weird stuff growing at the water front in Alexandria, VA and in D.C. too. They call it blue algae I think.

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hmmmm, are kudzu and akebia the same plant? We have these little vines up here. The one I'm thinking of has been a very healthy, smallish vine for several years. I wonder if there are cultivars that breed out the rampant growth....? That's too bad, I love it!

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algea is a surface plant(?) that eats up sewage and other waste materials. I've read about algea blooms in that area due to pig farming run-off and top-soil washout. You'd think that was a good thing, but what happens is they cut out the light that the lower plants need to live. Maybe they produce a toxic byproduct too, can't remember. But, I bet if this isn't sufficiently addressed by tomorrow that I'llbe doing an online search. Too tired for that now.

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The Oleander is native to native to California and grows well in Arizona too. It is so pretty but very posionous.

International Olenader Society

http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:nFhsRpOkloUC:stqj1.chs.edu.sg/t2002088/oleander.jpg

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Aaaaah, Oleander is beautiful!

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I love Oleander but it hates the climate I live in.

Littlek, have you thought about Astilbe? That is the only thing I could get to brighten up a part shade area in one place I lived. It has this lovely lacey, airy quality.

**wondering where I could plant some here....**

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Astilbe is nice...

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We've got astillbe in the back yard, there's a new pale lavender variety out!

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LIttlek! Do tell!

**still hunting a good astilbe spot, getting some ideas**

Very Happy

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