CRUCIFERAE. Showy herbaceous plants grown for their umbel-like flower clusters. Good for bedding, borders, window boxes, etc., doing well in ordinary soil. Good for cutting. Do not over-fertilize, especially avoid excess nitrogen. Germinates in 1 - 3 weeks, and the annuals bloom in a short time.
—Iberis gibraltarica. (100) IBER-5. Packet: $2.50
5 grams: $15.00
'GIBRALTAR CANDYTUFT'. Produces a profusion of lilac or violet-rose flowers in early summer. Hardy evergreen perennial to 12". Spain, Morocco. Zone 6. Good in the rock garden. "Considered by some the most striking and showy of the perennial kinds."—L.H. Bailey. Germinates in 1 - 3 weeks, KNO3 helps.
IMPATIENS (im-PAY-shenz)
BALSAMINACEAE. A huge, widely-distributed genus of some 850 species, the garden kinds with showy flowers. Noted for the explosive pods, which eject the ripe seeds at a touch.
Impatiens Balsamina Varieties:
'GARDEN BALSAM', 'TOUCH-ME-NOT'. The popular annual to 1 - 2 feet, grown for its showy single or double flowers in a wide variety of colors - white, pink, red, lilac or yellow, either solid or spotted. Good for bedding. Easy from seed sown in spring to germinate in 1 - 3 weeks. Space 18". Any sandy garden soil, in light shade in hot areas, and give plenty of water. Tropical Asia. Cultivated since 1596.
—Impatiens Balsamina 'Camellia-Flowered Mix'. (400) IMPA-2CX. Packet: $2.50
Ounce: $7.50, 1/4 Pound: $15.00
Large fragrant double flowers in a nice range of colors from red, rose, bicolored, pink, and white, from July to frost. Hardy annual to 2 1/2 feet, doing well in shade with little care. A lovely old-fashioned annual, much nicer than the modern types.
INCARVILLEA (in-kar-VIL-ee-a)
BIGNONIACEAE. Asian herbs grown for their clusters of showy, funnel-shaped flowers. Easy in full sun and well-drained soil. Fairly hardy with winter protection. Sow as late as August or September for bloom the next year. Germinates in 1 - 3 weeks.
—Incarvillea Mairei. (25) INCA-16. Packet: $2.50
Large dark pink flowers to 4" across, held above the wrinkled foliage in May and June. Hardy perennial to 16". SW China. Zone 3 - 4. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks.
INULA (IN-yu-la)
COMPOSITAE. Showy Eastern Hemisphere perennials with daisy-like flowers and large basal leaves. Mostly hardy and easily grown. Best in full sun and does well in most soils.
—Inula Helenium. (100) INUL-9. Packet: $2.50
5 grams: $7.50
'ELECAMPANE'. Large yellow 4" wide flowers on a robust hardy perennial to 6 feet, with leaves up to 2 feet long. Europe. Zone 3. A valuable medicinal herb; rich in inulin. Germinates in 1 - 4 weeks.
IPOMOEA (i-po-MEE-a or i-po-MAY-a, or even i-po-MOY-a)
CONVOLVULACEAE. 'MORNING GLORY'. Showy vines, trailers, shrubs and trees, valued for their beautiful flowers. Most are quickly and easily grown, liking full sun and good soil and water, but many thrive and bloom quicker and more abundantly under poor conditions. The tubers of some may be over-wintered like Dahlias. Soak seed a few hours and any that do not swell should be lightly nicked. Germinates in 5 - 14 days, some up to 40 days. Seed long lived, some 50 years.
—Ipomoea alba: see Calonyction aculeatum.
—Ipomoea coccinea. (25) IPOM-10. Packet: $2.50
Click for photo »
'AMERICAN JASMINE', 'STAR GLORY'. Vivid scarlet 3/4" wide trumpets with yellow throats. Annual vine to 10 feet, with heart-shaped 6" leaves. E. U.S. Gives abundant bloom. Nick seed to germinate in 1 - 3 weeks. "A tiny elfin morning glory... a bright cheerful orange. Possible elf, fairy, or troll distribution vector."—D.L., South Carolina.
—Ipomoea hederacea. (25) IPOM-32. Packet: $2.50
10 grams: $7.50
Click for photo »
'IVY-LEAF MORNING GLORY'. Blue to pale purple 1 1/2 - 2" flowers, solitary or clustered. Showy hardy annual to 3 - 13 feet, with three-lobed leaves. Tropical America. An old fashioned garden flower, formerly much grown, with many varieties.
—Ipomoea leptophylla. (10) IPOM-48. Packet: $2.50
1/4 Ounce: $10.00, Ounce: $20.00
Click for photos »
'BUSH or TUMBLEWEED MORNING GLORY', 'MAN-OF-THE-EARTH'. Wine colored 3" flowers. Hardy perennial with bushy, upright stems to 4 feet. Narrow 5" leaves. Plains states. Zone 5. The enormous tuberous root, reaching the size and shape of a man's body, has been roasted and eaten as a famine food by plains Indians. Usually football sized, with tap root reaching water or bedrock. Nick seed to germinate in 1 - 2 weeks.
—Ipomoea magnusiana. (10) IPOM-51. Packet: $2.50
10 grams: $15.00
Click for photos »
Abundant dainty white 3/4" starry trumpets. Vigorous vine with divided leaves. Rarely-seen South African species. Nick seed.
—Ipomoea lobata: See Mina Lobata
—Ipomoea Nil 'Kikyo-Zaki Mix'. (10) IPOM-56K. Packet: $3.50
10 grams: $20.00, 50 grams: $75.00
Stunning morning glory mix from Japan. Masses of vivid star-shaped blooms in red, violet, and white, many semi-double, edged with white. Large flowers, 5 - 6" across. Hardy annual climber, flowering early and throughout the summer, a striking on any fence, wall, or trellis. Soak, nick hard ones, to germinate in 1 - 2 weeks.
—Ipomoea Nil 'Scarlett O'Hara'. (50) IPOM-56S. Packet: $2.50
25 grams: $6.00, 100 grams: $10.00
Showy dark wine red flowers profusely produced over a long period. Hardy annual vine to 10 feet or so, with large, heart-shaped leaves. Won the AAS Gold Medal in 1939. A wonderful old favorite. Soak, nick hard ones, germinates in 1 - 2 weeks.
—Ipomoea Nil 'Windmill Chocolate'. (10) IPOM-56WC. Packet: $2.50
10 grams: $12.00
Striking large chocolate-pink flowers with a prominent white star and a white edge. To 10 feet. Soak seed, nick hard ones, to germinate in 1 - 2 weeks.
—Ipomoea pubescens BK08518.9. (5) IPOM-61. Packet: $4.00
Photos and Info: http://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/taxa/index.php?taxon=3943
Caudex-forming vine with deep blue 2" flowers and silky trilobed leaves. From seed collected at 10,000 feet in Peru. The species ranges from Arizona to Argentina. Nick seed to germinate in 2 weeks. For more seeds and plants grown by plant-explorer Ben Kamm, including many Andean rarities, see his website at www.sacredsucculents.com
—Ipomoea purpurea 'Carnevale di Venezia'. (150) IPOM-64CV. Packet: $2.50
25 grams: $8.00, 100 grams: $20.00
Photos and info
Spectacular flowers of purple or pink striped white. Hardy annual to 15 feet. Very nice! Originally the 'Aomurasaki zyouhanten shibori' strain from Japan.
—Ipomoea purpurea 'Dacapo Light Blue'. (150) IPOM-64DLB. Packet: $2.50
25 grams: $8.00, 100 grams: $20.00
Beautiful pale blue flowers with a purple star and darker veins. Hardy annual to 15 feet.
—Ipomoea purpurea 'Grandpa Ott's'. (50) IPOM-64GO. Packet: $2.00
Ounce: $5.00, 1/4 Pound: $8.00, Pound: $16.00
Click for photo »
Beautiful deep purple flowers with a red star in the throat. Hardy annual to 15 feet, with heart-shaped leaves. This is the famous plant that triggered the creation of the Seed Saver's Exchange, when given to Kent Whealy by his wife Diane's grandfather, Baptist John Ott. Nick seed to germinate in 1 - 2 weeks.
—Ipomoea purpurea 'Hazelwood Blues'. (150) . IPOM-64HZ. Packet: $2.50
25 grams: $8.00, 100 grams: $20.00
White, lavender, and purple flowers, all with a dark star. Hardy annual to 15 feet.
—Ipomoea purpurea 'Split Second'. (25) IPOM-64SS. Packet: $2.50
5 grams: $10.00, 25 grams: $30.00 BULK OUT OF STOCK - packets are available
Fully double peony-like flowers in shades of pink and white. Unusual and striking! Nick seed.
—Ipomoea Quamoclit: see Quamoclit pennata.
Ipomoea tricolor Varieties: (=Ipomoea violacea)
Showy twining vines to 10 - 20 feet or more, with heart-shaped leaves and funnel-shaped flowers to 5 - 6" across. México. Tender perennial grown as an annual. Easily grown in any garden, but prefers a light, rich, sandy soil and a sheltered sunny spot. Pot-bound plants give a good display. Excellent pot plant in the greenhouse or sunny window. Soak seed, nick hard ones (about half), germinates in 1 - 2 weeks warm.
"One of the most beautiful of annual climbers."—L.H. Bailey.
—Ipomoea tricolor Flying Saucers. (100) IPOM-1FS. Packet: $2.50
Ounce: $7.50, 1/4 Pound: $20.00
Click for photo »
(These photos show the range of flower types that may be produced, ranging from heavily striped to almost no stripes, and resembling 'Blue Star' in the last photo)
White flowers with narrow blue stripes. An unusual old variety, almost lost. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks.
—Ipomoea tricolor 'Heavenly Blue'. (100) IPOM-1H. Packet: $2.50
Ounce: $6.00
Pound: $15.00
Click for photo »
(With Flying Saucers at bottom)'Clark's Earliest Heavenly Blue'. Pure sky blue shading to golden yellow in the throat. An old favorite, popular in rural areas for planting along roadside fences. Five pounds will plant a mile—a stupendous sight. A blend of Scarlet O'Hara, Pearly Gates and Heavenly Blue makes a patriotic red, white and blue display, a rural American tradition.
—Ipomoea tricolor 'Pearly Gates'. (50) IPOM-1P. Packet: $2.00
Ounce: $6.00, Pound: $30.00, 5 Pounds: $105.00
Pure white with a faint creamy sheen in the throat. AAS Silver Medal in 1942.
—Ipomoea tricolor 'Wedding Bells'. (10) IPOM-1WB. Packet: $3.00
Click for photo »
Beautiful large lavender flowers. Introduced by Darold Decker in 1962, who found it as a chance seedling in a field of Heavenly Blue. This variety was available until the mid 1980s, after which it nearly became extinct.
IRIS (EYE-ris)
IRIDACEAE. Popular showy perennials from rhizomes or bulb-like roots, and with interestingly-formed flowers in a wide array of colors and markings. Most are easily grown from seed, though some kinds take a while to germinate. They are very satisfying to start from seed - the sight of the tiny plants always makes me smile, as they are very appealing.
NEW—Iris chrysographes. (25) IRIS-42. Packet: $2.50
'GOLDVEIN' or 'BLACK IRIS'. Deep velvety purple violet flowers, almost black, with variable gold veining. Hardy rhizomatous perennial to 1 1/2 feet, with 1/2" wide leaves. China. Zone 4. Choice! Give seed 6 - 12 weeks cold to germinate in 1 - 3 months.
—Iris foetidissima. (20) IRIS-77. Packet: $2.50
10 grams: $7.50
Click for photo »
'GLADWYN', 'ROAST BEEF PLANT'. Purple-lilac to yellowish flowers in May to July, followed by pods which split to show attractive orange-red seeds, good in dried arrangements. Half-hardy perennial to 2 feet. Western Europe. Best in moist semi-shade, but stands dryness well. When bruised, the foliage has a scent at a distance of hot roast beef. Used medicinally. Give seed warm/cold/warm.
—Iris graminea. (10) IRIS-96. Packet: $2.50
Fragrant violet-purple 3" flowers in early summer, with a fruity scent. Hardy perennial to 16", forming dense clumps of narrow, grass-like leaves. Spain to Russia. Zone 5. Nick and prechill.
—Iris missouriensis. (100) IRIS-167. Packet: $2.50
Ounce: $8.00
'WESTERN BLUE FLAG'. Bright lilac-blue flowers with darker purple veins, on slender stems to 2 feet. Pale green, finely ribbed 1 1/2 foot leaves. Moist places, West Coast to the Plains. Germinates in 10 - 11 weeks at cool temperatures, and best with light. First described by the Lewis and Clark expedition. Although this is a California native, it has been banned here as a weed by the extremists.
—Iris orientalis. (20) IRIS-172. Packet: $2.50
Large 4" white flowers with yellow centers in spring and summer. Hardy rhizomatous perennial to 3 feet. Turkey. Zone 5.
—Iris pumila Wild Form. (20) IRIS-182. Packet: $2.50
Click for photos »
'DWARF IRIS'. Deep blue fragrant flowers ranging to yellow, in spring, on tiny plants to only 8" tall. Europe to Russia. Zone 4. Nice!
—Iris sibirica Mixed. (50) IRIS-191X. Packet: $2.50
Ounce: $10.00, 1/4 Pound: $30.00 BULK OUT OF STOCK - packets are available
A nice mix of blue, purple, white and red. Germinates in 1 - 4 months warm, prechill may help.
—Iris tenax. (25) IRIS-281. Packet: $2.50
5 grams: $7.50
Click for photo »
Lilac to lavender-blue flowers. Rhizomatous perennial to 14" or so. Eastern Oregon and Washington. Zone 7. The leaves produce a strong fiber that was used by the Indians to make ropes for snaring elk. Soak overnight and give 2 - 3 weeks prechill to germinate at cool temperatures.
—Iris tenax Blue & Purple. (25) IRIS-281P. Packet: $2.50
10 grams: $7.50
A nice form with blue and purple flowers. Hardy rhizomatous perennial to 14". Pacific Northwest. Zone 5. Soak overnight and give 2 - 3 weeks prechill to germinate at cool temperatures.
—Iris versicolor 'Kermesina'. (10) IRIS-252K. Packet: $2.50
Striking wine-magenta flowers with white markings, in June. Hardy perennial to 2 1/2 feet. Zone 3. Prechill 8 weeks to germinate in 2 - 6 weeks or so.
ISOPLEXIS (eye-so-PLEX-is)
SCROPHULARIACEAE. Several showy sub-shrubs from the Canary Islands and Madeira. Good in California.
—Isoplexis isabelliana. (100) ISOPL-8. Packet: $3.00
'CANARY FOXGLOVE'. Large orange-red flowers in long spikes. Small evergreen shrub to 5 feet, with narrow leaves. Canary Islands. Zone 8. Considered endangered. Germinates in 2 - 6 weeks, needs light.
IXIOLIRION (ix-ee-o-LEER-ee-on)
AMARYLLIDACEAE. Asian bulbs and perennials.
NEW—Ixiolirion tataricum. (25) IXIO-10. Packet: $2.50
Click for photo »
'SIBERIAN LILY'. Pale blue 1 1/2" lily-like flowers in spring and summer. Hardy bulb to 18", with narrow grass-like leaves. Central Asia. Zone 3. Best with a dry summer. Germinates at cool to cold temperatures, in 1 - 3 months with stragglers.
"All substances are poisons; there is none which is not a poison. The right dose differentiates a poison and a remedy."—Paracelsus (1493 - 1541)
JABOROSA (ha-bor-O-sa)
SOLANACEAE. South American perennial herbs with bell-shaped or tubular flowers and basal leaves. Some contain medicinally-interesting withanolides.
—Jaborosa sativa. (=Trechonaetes sativa) (50) JABO-22. Packet: $2.50
10 grams: $7.50
Click for photo »
Very unusual hardy herbaceous evergreen scrambler with clustered small flowers followed by flat green 3/4" berries. Odd wavy-edged leaves. South America. The flowers have a bad scent and attract flies for pollination. Weird! A 'must-have' plant for the truly adventurous! Use GA-3 to give high germination in 2 - 4 weeks. One of my favorite plants.
JALTOMATA (hal-to-MA-ta)
SOLANACEAE. Bushy plants from the warm regions of the Americas, some with beautiful flowers or edible berries. Thomas Mione's Jaltomata Home Page with lots of beautiful pictures and information.
—Jaltomata sinuosa BK14515.4. (50) JALT-22. Packet: $4.00
'AGUAYMANTU'. White flowers with purple-blushed centers, followed by edible orange 1/2" fruits with a sweet flavor. Fuzzy sprawler to 6 - 24" tall. Peru, at 8000 feet. Possible Incan agricultural relict. Germinates best with GA-3 in 2 - 4 weeks. For more seeds and plants grown by plant-explorer Ben Kamm, including many Andean rarities, see his website at www.sacredsucculents.com
JATROPHA (ja-TRO-fa)
EUPHORBIACEAE. Over a hundred species of tropical herbs, shrubs and trees native to the tropics of both hemispheres. Good in warm regions and the greenhouse in sandy loam.
—Jatropha multifida. (5) JATR-28. Packet: $3.00
50 seed: $25.00
Click for photo »
'CORAL PLANT'. Bright coral-red flowers in clusters above striking, foot-wide, deeply palmate leaves with lacy edges. Shrub or tree to 10 - 20 feet. Tropical America. Zone 10. Good tub plant in the greenhouse. Sap said to have been used as 'liquid band-aid'. Germinates in 3 - 5 weeks warm.
JUNIPERUS (ju-NIP-er-us)
CUPRESSACEAE. Valuable attractive evergreens with scale-like or needle-like leaves, ranging from tall trees to trailing shrubs. Tough, drought resistant and adaptable to a wide range of climates from the arctic to the sub-tropics. The low kinds are good ground cover on banks and in the rock garden. Good hedge and windbreak material. They produce valuable close-grained aromatic wood, some yield aromatic oil for medicine and flavoring and some have edible fruits. Untreated seed may germinate the second or third year. Most kinds benefit from 30 - 120 days cold treatment, followed by germination in 20 - 60 days or more. Cool temperatures best; avoid warmth. Plant in sandy soil and hold pots over several years. Seed long-lived; lots have given 51% when 21 years old, and 17% at 45 years old. They require patience but are very rewarding and satisfying to grow from seed.
—Juniperus chinensis. (25) JUNI-5. Packet: $2.50
'CHINESE JUNIPER'. Tree or shrub to 60 feet, with scale-like leaves and brown to blue-green fruits. NE Asia. Zone 4. A fine species.
—Juniperus virginiana. (100) JUNI-48. Packet: $2.50
Ounce: $12.00
'EASTERN RED CEDAR', 'PENCIL CEDAR'. Tree to 30 - 100 feet, with needle-like foliage and 1/4" blue-black berries. Maine to Florida. Zone 3. The fragrant, insect-repellent wood is used for cedar chests and pencils, the volatile oil for scenting soaps and in perfumery. Give 30 - 120 days cold treatment to germinate in 20 - 70 days.
KITAIBELIA (ki-tai-BEE-lee-a)
MALVACEAE. A single species of the Danube.
—Kitaibelia vitifolia. (25) KITA-12. Packet: $2.50
Gram: $7.50
Large white 2" mallow-like flowers, sometimes rose. Bold hardy perennial to 8 feet, with 8" lobed leaves. Zone 4. Easy in ordinary soil, full sun. Blooms July to October. Germinates in 2 - 3 weeks warm. Some lots need light nicking.
KNAUTIA (NOW-tee-a)
DIPSACEAE. Hardy annual and perennial Eurasian herbs closely related to Scabiosa. Long-stalked heads of lilac, yellow or purple flowers. They are nice wildflowers for the border or wild garden. Some species are grown for medicinal use. They prefer a light soil in a sunny place, flowering from July on.
—Knautia macedonica 'Melton's Pastels'. (10) KNAU-34M. Packet: $2.50
Gram: $7.50
Pastel shades of pink, wine red, salmon, and light blue flowers in dense heads, June to September. Hardy perennial to 4 feet, with attractive divided foliage. Central Europe. Zone 5. Germinates in 1 - 4 weeks.
KNIPHOFIA (nip-HOH-fee-a)
LILIACEAE. 'TORCH LILY', 'RED-HOT-POKER'. Showy perennials from thick roots. Red and yellow tubular flowers in dense spikes. Some of the most striking fall flowering plants. Clumps of grass-like leaves. Hardy to Zone 6; in severe climates, dig roots. Likes well-drained sunny spots. Easy from seed, germinates in 2 - 3 weeks. Started early indoors they may bloom the first season.
—Kniphofia Uvaria 'Royal Castle O.P. Hybrids'. (100) KNIP-24R. Packet: $2.50
10 grams: $15.00
Flowers in red, orange and yellow shades in dense 10" spikes. To 2 - 5 feet. South Africa. Zone 5. This is a fine European strain. Germinates in 2 - 3 weeks.
KOELREUTERIA (kel-ROO-ter-EE-a)
SAPINDACEAE. 'GOLDEN RAIN TREE'. Ornamental trees of China and Japan, valued for their yellow summer bloom and decorative, colorful, clustered pods. They are good lawn and street trees for full sun. Easy from seed which needs nicking, and will germinate in 2 - 4 weeks, or sow un-nicked seed in fall. Seed half-life about 10 years.
NEW—Koelreuteria paniculata nana. (25) KOEL-6N. Packet: $2.50
Ounce: $7.50, 1/4 pound: $25.00
'DWARF GOLDEN RAINTREE'. Yellow 1/2" flowers in 18" panicles in summer, followed by attractive inflated pods. Small shrub or tree to only 6 - 12 feet tall. Discovered in Korea in 1985. Zone 5. Comes 95% true. Nick seed to germinate in 2 -4 weeks. Three months prechill may help.
KOLKWITZIA (KOLK-vitz-EE-a)
CAPRIFOLIACEAE. A single showy species.
—Kolkwitzia amabilis. (50) KOLK-4. Packet: $2.50
1/4 Ounce: $12.00
'BEAUTY-BUSH'. Masses of bell-shaped 1/2" pink flowers with yellow throats, in May and June, followed by attractive pinkish-brown fruits. Graceful arching deciduous shrub to 15 feet, with grey-green 3" leaves and peeling bark. Central China. Zone 4. Germinates in 2 - 4 weeks or so.
KOSTELETZKYA (kos-te-LETCH-kya)
MALVACEAE. Widespread mallows.
—Kosteletzkya virginica. (10) KOST-25. Packet: $3.00
Photos: http://www.malvaceae.info/Genera/Kosteletzkya/gallery.html
Info: http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/2744/
Photos and info: http://www.alabamaplants.com/Pinkalt/Kosteletzkya_virginica_page.html
'SEASHORE MALLOW'. Large light pink hibiscus-like 3" flowers with yellow stripes, in summer to fall. Hardy perennial to 3 - 5 feet, with triangular leaves. Coastal marshes, E. N. America. Zone 5. Soak, nick hard ones, to germinate in 1 - 3 weeks.