Chaenorrhinum origanifolium ssp crassifolium          PRICE 1@ $5.50

Dwarfer than the species Mojmir found these on acid rocks in the Sierra Nevada at 3000m; this is a cute little creeping scroph with purplish pink little snapdragons in the manner of Linaria.

 

Chaenorrhinum origanifolium 'Blue Dream'           PRICE 1@ $5.50

A selected form the purplish blue flowers have Freudian overtones.

 

Chasmanthium latifolium PRICE 1@ $6.50

Sea Oats, a zone 4 hardy perennial grass with pendant flattened overlapping lemmas much like a flat angular Briza maxima.

 

Chasmatophyllum musculinum PRICE 1@ $5.50

Yet another of the "Hardy" Delosperma-like mesembs (hardy in Denver's zone five has become something of a joke around here, which is why I have such disdain for zone maps). It survived the winter here but died in the spring mushy season, like most of them it needs it dry to make it, but it is easy to bring a piece inside, they root like weeds.

 

Chasmatophyllum sp. ..... PRICE 1@ $6.50

A nearly everblooming plant from Krugerskrall via Alan Bradshaw with bright yellow flowers over tufts of foliage that emerge emerald green in spring in nice contrast to the bluish overwintering foliage.

 

Chelinopsis yagiharana PRICE 1@ $8.00

A pink flowered labiate from Japan 2’ mounds of foliage bear tubular Penstemon like pinkish flowers from late summer until frost this is one of the best new perennials we have seen in years.

 

Chelone glabra ................... PRICE 1@ $6.50

Our native turtlehead, glabra has white flowers and narrow glossy leaves, it tends to be difficult to establish since both deer and checkerspots tend to devour it.

 

Chiastophyllum oppositifolium 'Jimes Pride'      PRICE 1@ $12.00

Fantastically variegated succulent leaves and chains of yellow flowers, this definitely needs shade it is also a crappy grower but it looks great if you can figure out how to keep it happy.

 

Chrysanthemum leucanthemum maikonigin          PRICE 1@ $6.50

In my thoughts I have seen rings of smoke through the trees it’s just a sprinkling for the May Queen.

 

Chrysanthemum maximum 'Aglaya' PRICE 1@ $8.00

A good double form of Shasta daisy the frilly white flowers are produced for months in mid summer.

 

Chrysanthemum maximum 'Brightside'             PRICE 1@ $6.50

Bred out of Becky, which was the 2003 perennial plant of the year 'Brightside' is better still with improved disease resistance heat and cold tolerance

 

Chrysanthemum maximum nanum snow lady          PRICE 1@ $6.50

A dwarf f1 hybrid Shasta with large single white flowers on compact plants

 

Chrysanthemum maximum 'Sonnenschein'    PRICE 1@ $8.00

A very interesting plant this is a yellow Shasta daisy; it is perfect with some of the new Echinacaea cultivars. Sunshine got rave reviews by all who saw it in our border last summer.

 

Chrysanthemum vulgare 'Gold Sticks'           PRICE 1@ $6.50

If you prefer Tanacetum vulgare, tansy has yellow button flowers without ray florets and strongly aromatic foliage; long used for medicinal and culinary purposes it is virtually unkillable.

 

Chrysanthemum weyrichii PRICE 1@ $8.00

A dwarf pink flowered species native to Japan and Kamtschatica, it is small enough for a larger rock garden, forming loose cushions of woody stems 12-25 cm high.

 

Chrysopsis villosa ........... PRICE 1@ $6.50

Also known as Heterotheca villosa this is commonly known as Golden Aster it is Western American native and quite garden worthy.

 

Cichorium pumilum ............ PRICE 1@ $6.50

A cool little spiny shrublet (actually it starts life with a taraxicum-like rosette) the general appearance is much the same as spinosum however pumilum seems to produce adventitious plantlets from the roots, spinosum will too but only occasionally.

 

cichorium SPINOSUM ......... PRICE 1@ $6.50

Sky blue flowers, strange contorted spiny bushlets (actually it starts life with a taraxicum-like rosette) this is a wonderful plant and always commented on by visitors to the nursery, not your roadside weed.

 

Cimicifuga ramosa atropurpurea PRICE 1@ $15.00

A fine plant and trendy, pricey too; in its various incarnations its been featured on a number of covers in computer enhanced color. Even without the plastic surgery, its bronzy foliage and racemes of white flowers are most impressive

 

CIMICIFUGA RAMOSA 'BRUNETTE' PRICE 1@ $15.00

A particularly dark leaved selection out of tissue culture, even showier than the above.

 

Cimicifuga ramosa 'Hillside Black Beauty' PRICE 1@ $15.00

Another contender for the darkest leaved Cimicifuga; to tell the truth culture and placement in the garden seems to have more to do with it than genetics, all the dark ones are spectacular with a fragrance is simply incredible. Big drifts are quite a sight in late summer.

 

Cimicifuga ramosa 'James Compton' PRICE 1@ $15.00

Yet another dark one, supposedly more compact growing than the others but I see little difference. To tell the truth culture and placement in the garden seems to have more to do with it than genetics, all the dark ones are spectacular with a fragrance that is simply incredible. Big drifts are quite a sight in late summer.

 

Cimicifuga simplex 'PRICHARD’S Giant'   PRICE 1@ $15.00

A huge thing that towers to 7 feet and more, flowers are only so so but the plant is imposing.

 

CODONOPSIS

An overlooked genus that deserves much more attention, the pendant elegantly netted bells are lovely and most species with the exception of convolvulacea are easy to please. Thriving in sun or light shade the flowers are usually fragrant with a musky scent as intriguing as the inside of the flowers. There is also a new website dedicated to straightening out their taxonomic confusion, its a good place to see a ton of photos, search for Paul Kneebone and Codonopsis in Google. We have an outstanding collection to offer, try a few and you'll want them all - I did.

 

Codonopsis lanceolata see vine section

 

Codonopsis clematidea PRICE 1@ $6.50

Mojmir’s wild collections from alpine meadows in the Tien-Shan at 2500m in Kyrgyzstan large pendant blue flowers intricately marked within with a startling orange ring at the base of the stamens atop 20-40cm stems this is the first new genetic material of this species that we have seen offered in many years.

 

Codonopsis ovata .............. PRICE 1@ $6.50

a demure species with icy blue bells marked inside with purple veins and a basal blotch of almost black, surrounded by a green zone. a lovely species confused in cultivation but we seem to have the genuine article.

 

Codonopsis sp. ...................... PRICE 1@ $6.50

Not likely to be an un-described species you can sort this out once it flowers.

 

Codonopsis VINCAEFLORA SEE vine section

 

Conradina verticillata PRICE 1@ $8.00

The typical blue flowered form that Punnett has been growing since the dawn of time, he manages to keep it with no problem however, I find that unless I periodically propagate it I tend to lose it.

 

Conradina verticillata 'Snowflake'     PRICE 1@ $8.00

The rare and lovely white form of this Eastern American native, it resembles a small rosemary, with showy flowers. This is a choice plant that should be passed around; grow some, root a few cuttings, and give them away as Christmas presents to gardening friends.

 

Coluteocarpus vesicaria vesicaria PRICE 1@ $8.00

A monotypic genus in the brassicaciae endemic to the Caucasus, clustered heads of pinkish white flowers, these are from a jurasek collection.

 

Convallaria majalis fl. pl. PRICE 1@ $8.00

Langhammer brought us this long ago, we offered it once and it was so popular that it has taken us years to build back stock. The double flowered version is much slower to multiply than the single forms. I understand that there are gold edged and silver edged variegated forms in cultivation, if you grow either of these let us know, as for the streaky variegated form it just looks sickly and has nowhere near the charm of the double clone.

 

Convallaria majalis rosea PRICE 1@ $8.00

Another from Jim, rosea is definitely faster growing than Flora Plena but nothing like the straight species I divided plants in late summer once and they hated it, hard to believe you could croak lily of the valley, now we are more careful

 

Convolvulus sabatius .. PRICE 1@ $6.50

A showy species from the Mediterranean region with blue saucer flowers best in a dry wall or in a protected site, it is on the tender side some years it winters some it doesn’t.

 

Coreopsis alpina ALBA ... PRICE 1@ $6.50

A cute little white Coreopsis that we got from Siskiyou, destined to be very popular. 

 

Coreopsis 'Crčme Brulee' PRICE 1@ $8.00

A blooms selection that actually lives up to its hype, it essentially a larger flowered version of moonbeam, very long blooming and destined for greatness.

 

Coreopsis grandiflora Early Sunrise            PRICE 1@ $6.50

Compact with nonstop yellow flowers it is very neat and easy to please.

 

Coreopsis grandiflora Tequila Sunrise       PRICE 1@ $8.00

A nicely variegated version of the above, it gets rave reviews in our front perennial border, try it in combination with some of the new Echinacea.

 

Coreopsis lanceolata Sterntaller     PRICE 1@ $6.50

Virtually everblooming with yellow flowers having a central reddish brown eye ring.

 

Coreopsis pubescens 'Sunshine Superman'            PRICE 1@ $8.00

“Superman or Green Lantern ain’t got nothing on me, I can make like a turtle and dive for your purse in the sea”, dig out your old Donavan album and plant this sucker and then kick back and listen to Season of the Witch.

 

Coreopsis Rosea 'American Dream' PRICE 1@ $6.50

A good selection very free blooming with yellow centered clear pink daisies; rosea appreciates a moist site but will tolerate a wide range of garden conditions.

 

Coreopsis verticillata 'Golden Gain dwf'   PRICE 1@ $6.50

Dwarf threadleaf selection from Blooms with bright yellow flowers; lotsa hype but nice. 

 

Coreopsis verticillata 'Moonbeam' PRICE 1@ $6.50

probably the most popular Coreopsis and deservedly so, with soft muted yellow flowers produced in profusion all summer long, and neat mounds of threadlike leaves.

 

Coreopsis verticillata 'Zagreb' PRICE 1@ $6.50

A very free blooming species similar to Moonbeam but with brighter yellow flowers, it blooms all summer.

 

Cornus canadensis see woodland wildflowers

 

coronilla MINIMA ................ PRICE 1@ $6.50

Flat mats, gray leaves, and fragrant yellow pea like flowers in mid summer, a crownvetch, but a very fine one.

 

Cortaderia selloena pumila  PRICE 1@ $15.00

A dwarf, well actually it is pretty damn huge version of Pampas grass that is significantly hardier than the species, it is the only form that survives here long term.

 

Corydalis

A huge genus of with over 300 species that most taxonomists place in the Papaveraceae, some are bulbous, some are creeping woodlanders; the flower colors are intense, in virtually every visible wavelength and a few that only the Bumblebees can see. Most are easy to the point of being weedy, (they have explosively dehiscent seed that is intolerant of dry storage) although there are legendary rarities like Corydalis cashmiriana that border on the un-growable. The following offer offers but a glimpse of the wealth they have to offer.

 

Corydalis bulbosa .......... PRICE 1@ $12.00

At least we think its bulbosa; this is confused with cava, bulbous purple ephemeral.

 

Corydalis decepiens ........ PRICE 1@ $8.00

a bulbous species; Zetterlund considers the name to be conspecific with C. solida ssp incisa, to add to the confusion there is a Dutch variety 'Decepiens', an improved early flowering purplish solida selection of obscure origin, ours are probably this one.

 

CORYDALIS elata ................ PRICE 1@ $12.00

A fairly new blue species out of S.W. Sichuan, similar to flexuosa it has preformed much better here; flexuosa mostly dies for us.

 

CORYDALIS EX DUFU TEMPLE PRICE 1@ $5.50

this came from a collection offered in the Scottish rock garden seed exchange. it is hardy here and has wonderful blue flowers in shades ranging from sky blue to purplish blue with sky blue forms predominate. it is very distinct and nothing like C. flexuosa Blue Panda. our original three plants have multiplied, and multiplied, and multiplied, the most wonderful weed you could possibly have. it blooms from spring continuously until November. seed explodes from Touch-Me-Not capsules at the slightest touch, making it lots of fun for kids but a bitch to collect; fortunately the ants will pick up the seeds and plant them for you. As far as we know all stock in the U.S. originated with us; recently plants have been offered as a cultivar of linstowiana, we don’t know what they grow as linstowiana but Zetterlund sent us seed from Gothenburg. From Heinrich we presume it to be the real thing and it is definitely different from Dufu, so much so that we can hardly believe they belong to the same species. Unlike linstowiana, Dufu is semi-tuberous and very cold hardy and permanent. a plant that is sure to become a classic, and we predict will largely replace C. lutea in the landscape - by brute force if necessary. everyone who sees it wants it, and you no longer need to kneel and beg to have one.

 

Corydalis leucanthema ‘silver spectre’ DJHC 752       PRICE 1@ $8.00

Slow growing it has taken us years to build up enough to offer, leucanthema is unique with silvery white blotches on the leaves hence the name ‘Silver Spectre’, and fragrant light lavender flowers with a deep purple lip. These date from Dan’s collections from a creek bank in Sichuan at 6400’ in 1996.

 

Corydalis lutea .................. PRICE 1@ $6.50

We haven’t offered this in a while, but it hitch hiked back into the garden on a Sinocalycanthus that Langhammer brought us, (be warned it is even more of a weed than Dufu) however it too blooms forever and is great from a landscape point of view. In any event, it is now loose in our Hosta garden and we have been potting up some of the excess, its just too pretty to throw on the compost pile.

 

Corydalis ochroleuca .. PRICE 1@ $6.50

The real thing, note the non-shiny seed (white forms of lutea have shiny seed), an easy long flowering species, like a cream flowered lutea. It occupies a place of prominence in the shade garden alongside the steps to the lower parking lot, Martin King and ‘Galen Gates from Chicago Botanic Garden saw it and at their urging we added it to our offerings for 2005.

 

Corydalis paczoskii ...... PRICE 1@ $12.00

Seed grown from Mojmir’s 2000 collections, these may flower for the first time this spring. This is a fantastic Corydalis and rarely available. Dry stored seed seldom germinates and when it does, they take forever to grow to any size.

 

CORYDALIS SOLIDA ................. PRICE 1@ $8.00

The classic early flowering bulbous Corydalis, it spends a great deal of time dormant but is incredibly showy when in flower, the tubers slowly multiplying by splitting in half, flowers can be anything from purple to red; these are un-flowered seedlings.

 

Corydalis solida 'Dieter Schacht' PRICE 1@ $12.00

From the Munich Botanic Garden ‘Dieter Schacht’ is similar to ‘Beth Evens’ but a better multiplier, scapes of soft pink flowers with a white flash on the spur; it remains a highly desirable clone.

 

Corydalis solida TRANSYLVANICA PRICE 1@ $12.00

This Romanian form of solida is a name of considerable confusion, see Zetterlund for details he goes on for pages, apparently many of the best clones including ‘George Baker’ are in the transylvanica group, expect some good colors from this batch.

 

Corydalis stenantha ..... PRICE 1@ $8.00

A new species out of China, it runs underground but is quite different from the flexuosa types, flowers are purple and outstanding; plants are large and vigorous and appear to be permanent in the garden. The name seems somewhat questionable but this is what we got it as and for now at least we can offer nothing better.

 

Corydalis wilsonii ............ PRICE 1@ $8.00

Spectacular silvery gray foliage and bright yellow flowers, it's one of the showiest species and puts lutea to shame but a bit tender and / or wet sensitive here and needs proper placement to survive outdoors, it will seed and weed like all the rest if happy.

 

Coryphantha vivipara var buoflama    PRICE 1@ $8.00

Barrels are densely covered in black tipped white spines, it is nearly extinct due to over collecting for the manufacture of fake fireplace logs: just kidding it may have more to do with the yellow pink and peach flowers. This is one of the best hardy barrel cacti.

 

cosmos atrosanguinea . PRICE 1@ $8.00

Deep blackish purple chocolate scented flowers, what more could you want? Well a trifle more hardiness wouldn’t break my heart.

 

Cotula minor .......................... PRICE 1@ $5.50

Rather rare in cultivation although it has recently been making the rounds, flat mats of miniature ferny foliage, a New Zealander with little yellow button flowers, one of the best Cotula species we have seen.

 

Cotyledon orbiculare. PRICE 1@ $24.00

Spectacular looking with big gray fleshy round leaves with a reddish edge and brilliant orange red flowers on meter high plants. Halda collected this up high in the Drakensburg back in the mid 90’s, it probably is the most cold hardy form in cultivation although it melted outside for Dick and Tony; it may be great out west. In terms of floral display and foliage effect, no other succulent we grow even comes close.

 

Crassula coralina ............ PRICE 1@ $5.50

Neatly four ranked fat fleshy leaves covered in a white warty skin forming a dense congested cushion if grown hard.

 

Crassula LYCOPODIOIDES (muscosa) PRICE 1@ $5.50

This does indeed look a bit like a club moss with stems of imbricated fleshy leaves like a square rat’s tail branching to form a weird coral like growth, it’s South African and tender.

 

Crassula peploides ......... PRICE 1@ $5.50

We got this one from RMRP many years ago the damn thing just never dies, an aggressive mat with small white flowers, hardy here.

 

Croomia pauciflora ....... PRICE 1@ $24.00

An exceedingly rare stoloniferus woodlander native to a handful of sites in Alabama and Georgia with a few other scattered old records. It is nowhere common and I suspect most gardeners have never heard of it. Some botanists place it in its own family the Croomiaciae although Cronquist lumps it into the Stemonacaea. For such a rare thing, it has proven reasonably growable, and besides being rare as hell, it also is a good-looking plant with attractive smilax like foliage. We are delighted to be able to spread it around a bit, to some other good growers.

 

Cryptantha confertiflora PRICE 1@ $6.50

Ratko collections from the Long Valley Caldera near Mono at 6070’ shimmering tufts of silvery green lanceolate leaves arise from a woody rootstock, coiled clusters of spectacular long tubed yellow flowers ya gotta love these little western borages.

 

Cunila origanioides ex Gasconade MO             PRICE 1@ $15.00

Grown primarily for the frost flowers, weird ribbon-like frozen sculptures of sap that sort of extrude from the crown of the plant when conditions are just right. The physics of this is interesting, does it extrude supercooled? There are some fantastic photos of this on the web and this really has to be seen.

 

Cymbalaria aequitriloba PRICE 1@ $5.50

The smallest of the Cymbalarias we grow, this came from John Hargrove at H & H Botanicals; flowers are very tiny but intensely colored and actually quite showy. It is most civilized and lacks the tendency to cannibalize neighboring plants.

 

Cymbalaria murialis alba COMPACTA     PRICE 1@ $5.50

Compact white flowered form more suitable to a rock garden.

 

Cymbalaria murialis globosa ROSEUM             PRICE 1@ $5.50

As above but with pink flowers, these are extremely popular selling plants at the nursery, they bloom for extended periods and look cute in a pot.

 

Cymbidium goeringii ....... PRICE 1@ $19.00

One of the few hardy Cymbidiums Dick grew this Japanese species outside without protection for years, not only is it hardy its fairly easy and relatively large flowered, hey rip out one of those ugly clumps of Hosta and replace it with a touch of class.

 

Cymopterus longilobatus ex wy PRICE 1@ $8.00

A weird little western carrot with incredibly anise scented glossy foliage and umbels of yellow flowers on short stems. I suspect this will prove a magnet for butterflies in the black swallowtail group, why munch parsley when you can eat Cymopterus and make your scent horns really overpowering. (Touch them lightly on the back and they magically become erect, mmm, ever so soft, just like the skin around… better stop before this becomes too erotic)

 

Cynara scolymus ................ PRICE 1@ $6.50

known only in cultivation and growing to 5’, it has been cultivated for ages; this is a showy form of the common artichoke. if you get sick of it in the garden rip it’s heart out and serve it for dinner.

 

Cynoglossum nervosum PRICE 1@ $8.00

One of the most perennial species from Kashmir and Pakistan, with sandpaper textured basal leaves, the flowering stems arise to almost 3' and bear numerous azure blue forget me not flowers.

 

Cynoglossum officianale PRICE 1@ $8.00

Native to Europe and western Asia with dark purplish blue flowers and hirsute plants, it is short lived but persists well in the garden via self-sowing.