Succulents and More™

Lava flows look forbidding. You’d think nothing could grow on lava. But on the eastern side of Hawaii, which is blessed with abundant rainfall, we saw ferns, especially the Asian sword fern ( Nephrolepis brownii ), and even ʻōhiʻa lehua trees ( Metrosideros polymorpha ) growing right out the lava. Things are different here in the northwestern corner of the island, which is significantly more arid. The only things you see growing in the lava fields are grasses, especially fountain grass ( Pennisetum setaceum ). Most of you are familiar with it and may even grow it in your own garden. It’s native to East Africa, the Middle East and Southwest Asia and was introduced to the island of Hawaii in the early 20th century. It’s an attractive grass, especially when in bloom, but here on Hawaii it’s a big problem. It grows quickly, both in dry and wet areas, and crowds out other plants. In addition, it’s very flammable and poses a major fire threat in dry areas, and at the same time it can survi...

In yesterday’s post I wrote about a surprising encounter in Brookings, Oregon with Chilean rhubarb, Gunnera tinctoria , also known as “dinosaur food” because of its primeval look. On our explorations of the beaches around Brookings we encountered another category of plants that are equally reminiscent of the age of dinosaurs: horsetail rushes, also known as snake grass or puzzle grass. In the banks adjoining the creeks that flow into the ocean, the horsetail rushes ( Equisetum ) are often the dominant species. Scouring rush ( Equisetum hyemale ) is a well-known ornamental and frequently sold in nurseries and garden centers. Native to moist forests and stream banks throughout the temperate regions of North America and Eurasia (and naturalized in Australia and New Zealand), it can easily become invasive if not controlled. I love its minimalistic, archaic look and have one growing in a container next in our backyard. I was excited to find one growing in the wild. Scouring rush ( ...

Last weekend’s gardening chores included planting a variegated periwinkle ( Vinca minor ‘Illumination’) in the ground near a clumping bamboo ( Borinda papyrifera ). The idea was to let the vinca fill in the bare spots near the bamboo. Even when not in bloom this is a beautiful groundcover, and I was excited to have found it. Vinca minor ‘Illumination’ However, several readers expressed concern about vinca’s aggressive growth so I decided to do some research to confirm that I had made the right decision. I didn’t take long before I realized that I probably had not . The Internet is full of horror stories about vinca. Apparently it has the ability to engulf and smother everything in its path. Since it competes aggressively for water and nutrients, it simply starves other plants that might get in its way. While I do take what I read online with a grain salt, enough doubt was raised in my mind that I decided to dig up my Vinca minor ‘Illumination’ and instead put it in a bowl in t...