Centranthus ruber, also called red Valerian
From Payne's in spring 2020
Expectations:
Let this dry out between waterings. Wants hot, dry, alkaline soil.There's a great article here from the Santa Fe Botanical Garden on this plant.
There are large impressive colonies of this at Dancing Ground Park.
Experiences:
I took out the struggling stand of fulgida black-eyed Susans in the potting bench curve and put in a Jupiter's Beard.
It will be full, tall, need little water, and it will have a presence in front of the wall all spring and summer that the black-eyed Susans didn't.
The soft red flowers are long lasting and look good with the gray blue lambsear in front of it.
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| 2023 |
In 2023, after 3 years, it is still a small plant -- it will get much, much bigger, but it does have some upright presence already.
I need something small and bulky in front of it to support it from leaning out too much. The clump of white tipped iris blades is gone now.
I'm not crazy about the rose pink flower color, but this is an easy to grow plant and should do well.