Lavatera

Discussion in 'Outdoor Tropicals' started by vicarious1, Jun 22, 2009.

  1. vicarious1

    vicarious1 Active Member 10 Years

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    Location:
    Burnaby North on a slope facing south & a view :-)
    Hi I thought I have some growing (I thought) in my garden and BUT they are Perennial.
    As Lavatera are Annuals so what are the Perrenials I am growing ( as per pictures)

    I bought some by seed and got some from a member here and it seems the pink ones are Annuals "Lavatera Loveliness" as the seed bag says)
    Are they or not ? Can they grow in pots outdoors as I did I need to have something growing tall and bushy next to a standing up feature in the center as all our Rosed died.
    We have intermittent tal double sunflowers that grow up to 4m like last year.
     

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  2. The Hollyberry Lady

    The Hollyberry Lady New Member

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    Location:
    London, Ontario, Canada (Zone 5b)
    Yup, those look like lavatera to me - maybe some seeds from the previous year's growings, germinated!

    I have been told before that certain plants were not perennial, and that I'd never see them back again, but then did! Either through seeds germinating, or the 'dead' plant itself, sending up new shoots.

    : O

    They are a lovely color, I must say. I have 'silvercup', that has bright pink challices. They are said to be the brightest of all the mallows. I grew them one year inside as well, over winter, and they bloomed like crazy!

    Your seedlings look great, Vicarious1. Thanks for showing us those lovely blooms.

    ; )
     
    Last edited: Jun 22, 2009
  3. vicarious1

    vicarious1 Active Member 10 Years

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    mmmmh Inspiring... Ok yes well I guess its from seeds or something as it is in the same area .So you thing if I want this to be a REPEAT thing I should grow them IN THE GROUND
    I must say I want something that will DO IT SELF gardening up there as it looks nice but is a pain to get up and down without stepping on something;-) last time I tipped backwards trying to grab a stand and fell and fell further into the firepit onto a 100$ stainless steel lantern and broke all its glass walls ..:-) it looked very funny from seen from others I was told ...
    like ABSAILING without a rope hahah lucky myself I broke nothing but in my mind in the few seconds going backwards I imagined somethign drastic at the end ...haha
    Actually I got " Lavatera SILVERCUP" from "A lady I met here on the forum " :-) and two of the seeds are sprouting now FINALLY:-).
     
  4. The Hollyberry Lady

    The Hollyberry Lady New Member

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    Location:
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    Here's what I need to know...

    Are you saying that the lavatera in the 1st and 2nd picture was growing in the area last season, and now a new plant has sprung up this year, too?

    You have very mild winter's in B.C also, so maybe the plant never died over the colder months. Very interesting.

    So you have 'silvercup' do you? What a nice and incredibly sweet lady to share with you! LoL, hahahaha.

    ; )
     
  5. vicarious1

    vicarious1 Active Member 10 Years

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    Hello Yes that is it . It was in the same place and it grew again even bigger and stronger and we had a VERY VERY HARSH winter with -15C -17C and 75cm snow for nearly a month ( unusual)
    BLACK HOLLIHOCK you recommend to grow in a planter or in the ground . the sedding is about 4inch tall and needs a home a.s.a.p
     
  6. The Hollyberry Lady

    The Hollyberry Lady New Member

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    Put it in the ground if you want to see it grow to it's full potential - it should return every year for you. Black hollyhock is so cool - a unique contrast next to other colors.

    I am inclined to believe that your lavatera never died, and that is why it returned. Or that certain varieties of lavatera are perennial - that one is kinda special, so I wouldn't be surprised.

    Phlox can be annual, as well as some perennial types too, and I am thinking lavatera must be the same. That type you have there could very well be a perennial.

    At any rate - lucky you!

    : )
     
  7. bedixon

    bedixon Active Member

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    re lavatera, we have a several years old "tree", just coming into bloom now - we're also in BC. There must be perennial lavatera as well as annual types. This one gets severely cut back each year after flowering, and will grow back several feet of branches covered in blossoms the following season. At this point it has quite a thick "trunk". If we don't cut it back it gets wild and lanky and huge. It sure is a focal point when in full bloom.
     
  8. The Hollyberry Lady

    The Hollyberry Lady New Member

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    Thanks for validating what I kinda thought too, Bedixon.

    Also Vicarious1 - you can grow hollyhock in a pot, but they do get very tall! You need a strong, heavy, deep pot, that won't blow over. A sheltered postion would be best for the hollyhock in a container, and it may require staking as well.

    : )
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Feb 16, 2010
  9. vicarious1

    vicarious1 Active Member 10 Years

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    Marvelous I look forward to growing one. Can we see a picture of yours...that sounds visually Yummy :-).
    We have a full south wall in the back yard> Last year I had 22 Sunflowers NICE but boring so now I want to sort of mix and contrast.. staking is not a problem ...Thats where I want something different and NOT only sunflowers.
    As the Hollyhock is ANNUAL (right?) It does not have to survive
    BUT if seeds fall, will they grow new Hollyhocks next year by themselves
    That would be wonderful!! Than I will grow them in the soil.
     

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  10. The Hollyberry Lady

    The Hollyberry Lady New Member

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    Oh my goodness, yes you will see a hollyhock every year - many times, more than one!!!

    : O

    Here's some further information...

     
  11. The Hollyberry Lady

    The Hollyberry Lady New Member

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    By the way, Vicarious1...

    "The Watchman" a dark maroon heirloom hollyhock, they refer to in the quote, is the same black variety you have! It is such a dark maroon color, that it appears black!

    This is the type I sent you. Cool, huh?

    : )
     
  12. The Hollyberry Lady

    The Hollyberry Lady New Member

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    more information on your 'watchman' type hollyhock, Vicarious1...

     
  13. vicarious1

    vicarious1 Active Member 10 Years

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    Location:
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    yes that why I think it will be STANDING out between the green of the sunflowers and the yellow and violets of my center piece that's on the photo I uploaded.. WILL it reseed itself or not ?
    I somehow like my pots they add geometry to this elevated bed ...and allow me to move things around in case it does not look perfect..Do you think several Lavaterra as per pictuer is too much for one pot ?
     
  14. vicarious1

    vicarious1 Active Member 10 Years

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    Location:
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    ooooh this tells a lot ... very long tap roots etc MAY bloom 1st year ( my god not only leafy greenery!!) but tells me POTS no no and if I am correct tells me will grow again next year . Correct me anyone if I am wrong I am working on a perrenial garden to stop running to the nursery for flowers..
    Monticello estate I saw on TV mindblowinglyu beautiful the man was such a great great gardener ... naturally he had a few hands to help him !
    Thanks for all these info. I have taken some photos of them and it is NOT easy to take photos of such dark flowers another reason I want them so I can try and try some more AT home and not in a hurry in a communal garden. Thanks again.
     
  15. kaspian

    kaspian Active Member 10 Years

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    Location:
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    I think it's possible that these are a close relative, Malva sylvestris, which is a perennial. But I believe all the perennial members of this clan tend to be short-lived, so it's never a bad move to collect seeds, or just allow the plants to seed themselves around a bit.
     
  16. vicarious1

    vicarious1 Active Member 10 Years

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    Location:
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    Thank yo Kaspian YES THAT is it
    http://www.perennials.com/seeplant.html?item=1.350.200
    Hail to the one who sees clear ;-) So I am lucky I get a striped and a non striped one... :-)and all from a little cutting from my neigbor two years ago in ONE (striped) color only :-)
     

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