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Zamia floridana Northern Strain COONTIE PALM, SEMINOLE BREAD, COMFORT FOOD our plants my yard, new plant you have to grow this just for the common name, just so you can say to your garden visitors, "Now that, that over there, that's a big ol' Coontie Palm, or Comfort Food as some Gators know it." This is the hardier northern race of the native Floridan cycad, which grows as clustering clump of basal crowns. The glossy, bright green, palm-like pinnate leaves grow to about 2' long with an upright or arching posture. The pith of the prostrate to subterranean trunk is used for food. When you are sick of your plant, dig it up and peel it, grind it, and wash the deadly cycasin out of it and you will have a starchy substance every bit as tasty as acorn flour, or poi. Plants are dioecious (males and females separate) but cone when young. With age the plant will develop a bulbous "trunk" like a small dome with crowns of foliage emerging from it. Old plants in warm locations may reach 4' by 4'. In my cool, shaded Santa Cruz garden the specimen I traded for at a trade show promptly went into a state of suspended animation and waited three years for any indication that a warm spring was about to happen before a gopher ate it and my experiment ended. It was beautiful when it was alive, and I'm going to plant another one, this time in sun. It makes a fantastic and very interesting container plant. It is a slow grower and likes summer watering. Sunset zones 8-9, 14-24/USDA 9. Zamiaceae. rev 2/2010
Zantedeschia aethiopica CALLA LILY blue house with cactus and stairs old fence purple I like purple! a clumping winter evergreen perennial (unless cut back by frost), dormant and deciduous in summer, easily recognized by its large, dramatic, rather tropical looking arrow-shaped dark green leaves to 3' and giant funnel form white flowers on stalks to 4'. Full sun to mostly shade. Tolerates a complete lack of summer watering, going dormant and reappearing with winter rains but thrives under conditions of ample availability of water. Does best in soils that retain good moisture in winter. Invasive in wet, boggy habitats and naturalized in many places in coastal Central California. It seems to do very well under cool summer conditions. Blooms initiate with short days. A dramatic, first class and expensive cut flower! Hardy to around 15-20°F. South Africa. Araceae. rev 3/2004
'White Giant' garden closeup 'gi-normous' fits this plant, with flower stalks up to 6' or more, and large, white-spotted green leaves to 4' making for a robust presence in the garden. Our collector strain features better-than-normal white markings on the leaves. This is a short day, cool weather species (unlike the long day flowering, colored hybrids), emerging in fall, blooming in winter, and going dormant with late spring heat and drought. Summer watering will keep it evergreen. Likes average soils and regular watering but will tolerate poor drainage and boggy, constantly wet conditions.Sun or part shade near the coast, more shade inland. Protect from severe cold. Sunset zones 5-9, 12-24/USDA 7. rev 2/2011
hybrids display at Golden State Bulbs, Pack Trials 2006 these range from deep red through flame orange, yellow, light pink, and pale lavender. They are shorter than the standard white Calla, usually under 2', and much more sensitive to wet soils and frost. All do best in a warm, sunny, well drained spot with rich soil and initiate after a rest and the onset of long days. All make outstanding cut flowers though stems are rarely over 18" tall. They make well-behaved and long-lived container plants and can increase quite quickly. rev 3/2004
Aruba flowers deep, clear rose pink flowers, green elaves. rev 4/2008
Blaze wonderful flowers deep red orange, often shot with burgundy, with a little dark gold showing through. rev 4/2006
Candle Glow flowers warm rose pink suffused with salmon, often doubled. Leaves are nicely splashed and flecked with white spots. rev 4/2008
Cherry Chiffon flowers a rather wide range of light pink to deep rose. rev 7/2008
Fireglow flowers warm rose pink, small flowers. Leaves are sparsely flecked with white. rev 4/2008
Flame wonderful flowers more a rehmannii type, this is a robust deep yellow orange, with a red edge, and sometimes deep cranberry with maroon tones. Color darkens markedly with age. Spotted leaves, tall, robust. rev 4/2006
Gold Crown flowers a robust, uniform, deep golden yellow. rev 4/2006
Improved Gem Lavender flowers says it all. Larger flowers and less color variation from plant to plant. A smaller, more restrained grower than Gem Rose. rev 4/2006
Parfait flowers ranges in color, from deep pink through pale pink, with most near cotton candy. Perky. rev 4/2006
Super Gem Rose flowers deep rose. rev 2/2003
