COMPOSITAE. Showy Eurasian hardy perennials grown for their bold foliage and bright summer flowers. Easily grown in moist soil and full sun or part shade. Germinates in about 2 - 3 weeks.
—Ligularia dentata 'Midnight Lady'. (10) LIGU-7M. Packet: $2.50
Compact purple-bronze foliage, almost black in spring, and holds color well in summer. Golden flowers on strong stems to 3 feet. Zone 3.
LIGUSTICUM (li-GUS-ti-kum)
UMBELLIFERAE. Circumboreal perennials with white flowers in umbels.
—Ligusticum scoticum. (25) LIGT-22. Packet: $4.00
Gram: $7.50
'SCOT'S LOVAGE'. Umbels of white flowers on deep purple stems to 20" tall, in June to August. Hardy perennial with dark green glossy foliage. Europe and N. America. Zone 3. Good cut flowers. Young shoots eaten in salads or as a potherb. Seed needs oscillating temperatures, or is multi-cycle.
LILIUM (LI-lee-um)
LILIACEAE. 'LILY'. Noble flowers, unequalled in their beauty, grace, and magnificence. Native to widely varying conditions, most are easily grown in a light or sandy soil, and only a few species have strict requirements. Most dislike lime, and like good drainage. They do best if mulched heavily in cold climates. Growing lilies from seed is a rewarding undertaking, and are easy if the correct germination method is followed. Most will bloom in 3 - 4 years. Seed viable 2 years; 5 years if kept very dry.
NEW—Lilium Aurelian and Trumpet Hybrids. (20) LILY-AT. Packet: $2.50
A nice mix of open sunburst Aurelians and long Trumpets, in various shades and scents. Good landscaping lilies as they bloom in late summer after the Asiatics stop. Germinates in 4 - 6 weeks.
—Lilium candidum. (10) LILY-15. Packet: $2.50
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'MADONNA LILY'. Fragrant pure white funnel-shaped 3" flowers with golden anthers, in racemes of 5 to 20 in late June. To 4 - 6 feet. S. Europe. Seed germinates readily, in about 3 - 8 weeks or so. It appears in 5000 year old Cretan frescoes, and has been cultivated since at least 1500 BCE for the scent of the flowers, a thousand pounds of blooms yielding under a pound of essence.
—Lilium Henryi. (20) LILY-40. Packet: $2.50
Bright orange 3 - 4" flowers with recurved petals spotted brown, with dark orange anthers, in August. Four to 20 blooms per plant. Striking hardy lily to 4 - 8 feet, best in part shade. China. Zone 5. Nice! Root germinates in 5 - 20 weeks warm.
—Lilium Mackliniae 'Naga Form'. (15) LILY-56N. Packet: $2.50
'MANIPUR LILY'. Large nodding deep rose flowers in summer. Hardy bulb to 3 feet. NE India. Zone 6. Irregular, root germinates in 2 - 12 weeks.
—Lilium philippinense. (50) LILY-84. Packet: $2.50
Gram: $7.50
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Large fragrant 10" funnel-shaped flowers in July. To 3 feet. Philippines. Zone 8. Germinates readily in 3 - 6 weeks at warm temperatures, grows and blooms quickly.
—Lilium regale. (10) LILY-95. Packet: $2.50
Gram: $7.50
5 grams: $20.00
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'ROYAL or REGAL LILY'. Large fragrant trumpet shaped 6" white flowers with canary-yellow throat, and flushed lilac to purple outside. One to 7 per plant, in July to August. To 2 - 6 feet tall. W. China. Zone 4. Germinates in 2 - 11 weeks without pretreatment. "Have had them bloom in 18 months from seed started in late December."—Bertrand. "Deliciously fragrant... One of the most beautiful of all known lilies, the exquisite blending of tints and colors forming a charming contrast with the rich, deep green foliage. Highly recommended... hardy, strong growing and permanent as far North as Boston."—J. H. Tilton.
—Lilium Washingtonianum. (10) LILY-126. Packet: $2.50
'SHASTA LILY'. Deliciously fragrant white 2 1/2 - 4" blooms tinged and dotted with reddish purple or lilac inside, and purple outside, in racemes of 2 - 20 in late June and July. To 4 - 6 feet. California hillsides. Zone 4. Needs good drainage and dry rest in summer, dislikes rich soil. Sow April to June, to germinate in 2 - 5 months, top growth the next spring. "Sierra sister of the 'Redwood Lily', in fragrance and beauty."—M. Tallman.
—Lilium Western Hybrids. (25) LILY-WH. Packet: $2.50
5 grams: $15.00
Hybrids of Lilium columbianum, Kellogii, pardalinum, Parryi, and parvum.
LINARIA (li-NAR-ee-a)
SCROPHULARICEAE. Easily grown annuals and perennials with snapdragon-like flowers in many colors. Good for cutting. Full sun to part shade, making the best display planted in masses.
—Linaria aeruginea 'Neon Lights'. (100) LINA-4N. Packet: $2.50
Brilliant mix of bicolored 1" flowers—pink or violet with purple, yellow with orange, white with red, in clusters May to August. Hardy spreading perennial to 8", with attractive, narrow bluish-green foliage. Spain and Portugal. Zone 5. Blooms the first year. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks.
—Linaria maroccana Fairy Bouquet. (10,000) LINA-22F. Packet: $2.50
Ounce: $6.00
1/4 Pound: $20.00
'MOROCCAN TOADFLAX'. Bright 1/2" flowers resembling miniature snapdragons, in shades of purple, red, yellow, blue, lavender, pink, salmon, etc., with contrasting throats and long pointed spurs. Blooms abundantly in summer. Compact hardy annual to 8 - 12", with narrow leaves. Morocco. Excellent for bedding and cut flowers. Space 6". Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks warm.
—Linaria maroccana 'Northern Lights'. (10,000) LINA-22N. Packet: $2.00
Ounce: $6.00
1/4 Pound: $18.00
A fine mixture of bright 1/2" flowers in more red shades than 'Fairy Bouquet', and also taller, reaching 2 feet tall. Good for cutting. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks.
—Linaria purpurea 'Canon J. Went'. (250) LINA-30C. Packet: $2.50
Clear rose-pink 1/3" flowers in long spikes in July to October. Hardy perennial to 2 1/2 feet, with narrow leaves. S. Europe. Zone 5. The flowers last well in water. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks.
—Linaria triornithophora. (100) LINA-44. Packet: $2.50
'THREE-BIRDS TOADFLAX'. Large 1 1/2 inch long pink to mauve flowers with orange palate and long spurs, in groups of three. Hardy Perennial to 30 inches with narrow, whorled grey-green leaves. Spain, Portugal. Zone 7. Germinates in 15 days and flowers in 19 weeks. "A handsome and interesting plant, rarely seen in American gardens."—Bailey.
"The junk way to more junk."—W. Burroughs.
LINUM (LI-num)
LINACEAE. Annuals, perennials, and shrubs, with attractive five-petaled flowers in various colors. Easily grown in full sun, the perennials often blooming the first season. Most soils, good to naturalize. All germinate in 1 - 3 weeks unless noted.
—Linum flavum. (100) LINM-14. Packet: $2.50
'GOLDEN FLAX'. Large bright clear yellow inch wide flowers borne profusely in summer. Hardy perennial to 1 foot. Europe. Zone 4. Germinates in 1 - 8 weeks.
—Linum grandiflorum 'Rubrum'. (500) LINM-16. Packet $2.00
Ounce: $6.00
1/4 Pound: $12.00
'SCARLET FLAX'. Brilliant scarlet inch-wide flowers with a silky sheen, blooming all summer till frost. Hardy annual to 14", with narrow leaves. N. Africa. Easily grown, producing a nice effect in masses. Self sows but not weedy. Germinates in 1 - 3 weeks.
—Linum grandiflorum 'Salmon'. (750) LINM-16S. Packet: $2.50
25 grams: $7.50
Salmon-pink inch-wide flowers with brick red centers, blooming all summer till frost. Hardy annual to 1 - 2 feet, blooms 8 weeks from seed.
LIQUIDAMBAR (lik-wid-AM-bar)
HAMAMELIDACEAE. 'SWEET GUM'. Highly ornamental deciduous trees of N. America and Asia. Valued for their brilliant autumn coloring, timber and aromatic gum. Easy from seed.
—Liquidambar Styraciflua. (50) LIQU-2. Packet: $2.50
'SWEET GUM'. Large, star-shaped 5 - 7 lobed 7" leaves turn brilliant crimson in fall. Tall tree to 50 - 150 feet. Inch wide spiky fruit balls. Connecticut to Nicaragua. Valued street and shade tree. Germinates readily in 2 - 4 weeks, stragglers up to 10 weeks. The sweet aromatic gum is chewed and used medicinally. Produces a fine wood and the seeds are eaten by birds. "Unsurpassed in the brilliancy of autumnal colors..."—Sargent. Zone 5.