COMPOSITAE. 'MARIGOLDS'. Well-known annuals and perennials grown for their showy flowers, attractive foliage, for flavoring and medicine, or nematode and weed control. Easily grown in ordinary well-drained soil and full sun. Keep flowers picked to keep bushy and prolong bloom. Sow where they are to stand or early indoors in pots. Germinates in about a week, some of the species taking up to 6 weeks.
—Tagetes filifolia. (100) TAGE-9. Packet: $2.50
'IRISH LACE'. Neat 6" mounds of bright emerald-green finely divided thread-like foliage with a pleasant sweet anise scent. Tiny white flowers in late summer and fall. México. Useful as edging. Self-sows. Used as flavoring. Germinates in 1 - 4 weeks.
—Tagetes patula 'Nematode Control'. (300) TAGE-19N. Packet: $2.00
Ounce: $5.00
1/4 pound: $11.00
Developed as natural control for nematodes, the small bright orange flowers bloom all summer while the roots are producing compounds that prevent hatching of nematode eggs. Grow as a cover crop, and till into the soil when done blooming. To 3 feet.
—Tagetes patula 'Red Cherry'. (300) TAGE-19RC. Packet: $2.00
Ounce: $5.00
1/4 pound: $11.00
'FRENCH MARIGOLD'. Eye-catching flowers, the petals are deep red above, golden yellow below. Blooms profusely for weeks. Hardy annual to 10", good for borders, containers, and planting among vegetables for pest control. Attracts beneficial insects.
TALINUM (ta-LIN-um)
PORTULACEAE. 'FAME FLOWER'. Small annuals and perennials with delicate flowers. Good in rock gardens, borders and as foliage plants. Most stand heat and drought. Most germinate readily in 6 - 20 days, though some may take up to 140 days.
—Talinum paniculatum. (=patens) (200) TALI-50. Packet: $2.50
Gram: $7.50 BULK OUT OF STOCK - packets are still available
'JEWELS OF OPAR'. Dainty pink five-petaled 1/2" flowers in airy 10" panicles. Half hardy perennial to 2 feet, with 3" somewhat succulent leaves, growing from a tuberous root. SE U.S. Best in sandy, well-drained soil. Leaves edible. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks.
"Sooner or later you're gonna hafta face up to them... the fact is, you know too much already... you're no ignoramus... you know what they're doing all over the world is terribly, terribly wrong!"—R. Crumb.
TAMARINDUS (ta-ma-RIN-dus)
LEGUMINOSAE. A single species. Zone 9.
—Tamarindus indica. (10) TAMA-1. Packet: $2.50
1/4 pound: $12.00
'TAMARIND'. Evergreen tropical tree with feathery pinnate foliage, and racemes of pale yellow flowers. Fast growing to 80 feet; slow if kept on the dry side. Good bee plant. The thick, 8" long pods are eaten throughout the tropics. They have a wonderful tart sweet flavor that blends with other fruits more subtly than lemon juice, The pods. are soaked in water an hour or two, when the husk and seeds can be easily removed. The pulp is then beaten smooth and added to fresh or cooking fruit. Superb with bland dried fruit like figs or pears. The pulp puree is a fine drink in water, with just a little sweetening added, as it is high in both natural sugar and acid. With longer soaking, the water becomes a refreshing drink, and the pulp becomes mild enough to use in applesauce cake, or as filling. Can be thickened with corn starch for a dessert sauce. Soak seed, nick hard ones, germinates in 2 - 4 weeks.
TANACETUM (TA-na-SEE-tum)
COMPOSITAE. Aromatic annuals and perennials grown for ornament, seasoning and medicine. Easy in most soils. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks and seed is viable 3 years.
—Tanacetum Balsamita. (=Chrysanthemum Balsamita) (100) TANA-2. Packet: $2.50
'COSTMARY', 'ALECOST'. Sweet, minty-balsamic scented leaves and tiny white and yellow daisies. Hardy perennial to 2 - 3 feet. W. Asia. Zone 3 or 4. Easy in a dry, warm place. The sweet balsamic leaves are put into salads, made into a pleasant tea, were used to flavor ale, and were placed among linens and in potpourris. Medicinal. Germinates in a week.
TARAXACUM (ta-RAX-a-kum)
COMPOSITAE. North Hemisphere plants with rosettes of leaves and attractive flowers. The rock garden types need well-drained gravelly soil.
—Taraxacum pseudoroseum. (25) TARA-72. Packet: $4.00
'PINK DANDELION'. Beautiful pink flowers shading to apricot centers, in summer. Hardy perennial to 1 foot. Central Asia. Zone 3. Early bloom. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks.
"Every living object has individuality."—L. H. Bailey.
TEUCRIUM (TOO-kree-um)
LABIATAE. Ornamental summer-blooming perennials and tiny shrubs grown in the border and rock garden. Many are aromatic and medicinal. Tough plants, standing poor, rocky soil and drought.
—Teucrium Chamaedrys. (50) TEUC-10. Packet: $2.50
Gram: $8.00
'GERMANDER'. Showy rosy pink 3/4" flowers in loose spikes on a hardy compact rhizomatous shrublet to 1 foot tall, With 3/4" leaves. Europe. Zone 4. Attracts bees. The flowers have been likened to miniature orchids. Medicinal. Germinates in 2 - 3 weeks.
—Teucrium hyrcanicum. (250) TEUC-15. Packet: $2.50
Gram: $7.50
Click for photo »
Showy dense 4 - 12" spikes of red-purple flowers in summer. Hardy perennial to 2 1/2 feet, with downy green leaves. W. Asia. Zone 5. Germinates in 1 week.
—Teucrium Marum. (250) TEUC-16. Packet: $2.50
Gram: $7.50
5 grams: $25.00
Click for photo »
CAT THYME'. Aromatic shrublet to 18", with large, purplish-pink 1 - 3" flowers and tiny fragrant leaves. Mediterranean. Zone 9. Strongly attracts cats. My barn cats go crazy for this and pester me when I'm filling packets. Give GA-3 to germinate in 1 - 2 weeks.
NEW—Teucrium Polium. (50) TEUC-64. Packet: $2.50
'GOLDEN GERMANDER'. White to yellow flowers in summer. Low mounding shrublet to 6". Mediterranean. Zone 6. Germinates in 2 weeks and up.
"The law, in its majestic equality, forbids the rich as well as the poor to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal bread."—A. France.
THYMBRA (THEEM-bra)
LABIATAE. Several low aromatic shrubs.
—Thymbra spicata. (50) THYB-12. Packet: $2.50
5 grams: $10.00
'ZA'ATAR HOMMAR', 'SPIKED THYME'. Dark pink 1/2" flowers in 4" spikes in spring and summer. Small shrub to 1 foot, with narrow inch-long leaves. Greece to Israel. Zone 8. Likes full sun and dry areas. Has a delicious oregano/thyme flavor, and is used in making za'atar, an essential Middle Eastern condiment. Young shoots added to herb cheese in Turkey. Medicinal, reduces cholesterol and is liver-protecting. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks warm.
Article on the cholesterol-reducer, antioxidant and liver protective effects:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19703547
THYMUS (TI-mus or THY-mus)
LABIATAE. 'THYME'. Aromatic tiny shrubs or perennials, several hundred Eurasian species. Good in the rock garden, for edging, groundcover and fragrance. Easily grown in full sun and well-drained soil, doing well in dry, rocky places. The classification of the cultivated kinds is totally confused. Germinates in 5 - 87 days at cool to warm temperatures. Seed viable 2 - 7 years.
—Thymus capitatus. (500) THYM-6. Packet: $2.50
Gram: $7.50
'ZA'ATAR FARSI'. Strongly aromatic perennial with compact heads of pink flowers. Mediterranean. Zone 7. Said to be the strongest thyme, much used in cookery. Germinates in 1 - 3 weeks.
NEW—Thymus fragrantissimus. (100) THYM-9. Packet: $2.50
'ORANGE-SCENTED THYME'. Pink flowers in summer. Low hardy perennial to 10", with a nice orange scent. Zone 6. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks.
—Thymus longiflorus. (100) THYM-15. Packet: $2.50
Purple-pink tubular flowers in heads. Hardy perennial to 8", with aromatic, narrow grey foliage. Spain. Zone 5. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks.
—Thymus Mastichina. (125) THYM-16. Packet: $3.00 OUT OF STOCK
'MASTIC THYME', 'SPANISH MARJORAM'. Aromatic shrublet to 6 - 12", with round heads of tiny white flowers and small green leaves. Spain and Portugal. Zone 6. Used for seasoning.
—Thymus praecox. (250) THYM-18. Packet: $2.50 OUT OF STOCK - CROP FAILURE
'CREEPING THYME'. Dense heads of pink flowers in summer, held above low mats of tiny leaves. Europe. Zone 4. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks.
—Thymus pulegioides. (500) THYM-20. Packet: $2.50
1/4 Ounce: $7.50
Ounce: $18.00
'MOTHER OF THYME'. Tiny mauve 1/4" flowers in heads on a hardy fragrant dwarf shrublet to 4 - 14" tall, with tiny leaves. Europe. Zone 4. Attracts bees and makes a nice ground cover. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks.
—Thymus vulgaris 'German Winter'. (1000) THYM-24W. Packet: $2.50
1/4 Ounce: $7.50
Ounce: $15.00
1/4 Pound: $50.00
Broad-leaved variety which can stand frost.
'GARDEN THYME'. Tiny lilac or purplish flowers on a small shrublet to 6 - 15" tall. Western Mediterranean. Zone 7. A popular culinary herb and much valued for edging. Excellent in soups, stews, sausages stuffings, herb vinegars, baked goods, etc. Good honey plant. Valued since ancient times as a powerful medicine, it is mentioned by Pliny, Virgil and others. Thymol, from the oil, is antiseptic and a powerful miticide. Crushed thyme sprinkled in beehives kills varroa mites, and soaked in olive oil is the best remedy for ear mites in pets; superior to commercial remedies. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks.
"The earth belongs to the living, not the dead."—Thomas Jefferson.
TITHONIA (ti-THO-nee-a)
COMPOSITAE. 'MEXICAN SUNFLOWER'. Showy robust tender annuals and perennials from tropical America, grown for their large, sunflower-like flowers. Good in the greenhouse and in the back border in California and the South. Heat and drought resistant, but needs good drainage. Good in poor soil and full sun. Best sown indoors 6 - 8 weeks before last frost. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks. Space 24".
—Tithonia speciosa 'Torch'. (50) TITH-22T. Packet: $2.00
Ounce: $6.00
1/4 Pound: $12.00
'MEXICAN SUNFLOWER'. Brilliant orange 3 - 4" wide flowers on tall, vigorous plants to 4 feet. Large, bold, often 3-lobed velvety leaves. Central America. Blooms July to frost, excellent for cutting. Drought resistant, good in desert gardens.
TOLMIEA (TOL-mee-a)
SAXIFRAGACEAE. A single species.
—Tolmiea Menziesii. (500) TOLM-1. Packet: $2.50
Gram: $7.50
5 grams: $15.00
Click for photo »
'PIGGYBACK PLANT', 'THOUSAND MOTHERS', 'YOUTH-ON-AGE'. Small reddish-brown flowers in airy 6 - 10" spikes on 1 - 2 foot stems in May and June. Large lobed 4" leaves form a new plant at the leaf-stem. Shade-loving perennial from the moist Pacific coast. Zone 6. Good ground cover in shade, or as a hanging basket houseplant. Germinates in 1 - 4 months warm.