Tends to Spread

Written by Lynn Pitts

Like fortune cookies, the cryptic phrases on plant labels require some interpretation. For the clueless gardener, Mrs. P is here to decode the tag notes. No question that it’s important to read labels to get a sense of what conditions a plant will thrive in, and how big it ultimately will get. However, infatuated gardeners tend to ignore the latter. They take the Scarlett O’Hara approach and say they’ll think about it tomorrow. It’s actually quite important to know how to translate the very minimal instructions on a plant label. Herewith, then, is my guide.

Blooms spring through fall. If it’s a perennial, let me know about it, because I have never run into such a creature.

Needs well-drained soil. Your work is cut out for you. Order mountains of compost before planting.

Moist but well-drained soil. Unknown substance in Bakersfield.

Keep soil evenly moist. Someone’s idea of a joke after July 4.

Ground cover. Be on guard; it’s a spreader and fine if you really need ground cover for your back 40. But it can be a take-over artist in a normal size yard.

Tends to spread. Wholesale growers hate to admit this so if they put it on a plant label, believe it. Likewise, run; don’t walk away from offers of free divisions of ornamental strawberry, ice plants, trailing African daisy, Snow-in-Summer, and ivy. Bamboo is another spreader and the adjective “rampant” does not nearly capture its wanton running wild ways.

Prefers poor soil. This explains why hollyhocks, nasturtiums, and California poppies do poorly in your garden but seem to flourish growing out of cracks in the sidewalk.

Dwarf form. Just means it’s smaller than the species. It could still be 12 to 18 feet high.

Grows 8 feet in one season. Oh, boy, is that scary or what? Do you really want or need a monster in your yard? The Empress Tree (Paulownia tomentosa) comes to mind. Growing quickly to 50 feet tall (with a 50 foot spread), this tree is not, repeat not, for the average 5,000 to 10,000 square foot residential lot. Yes, the trumpet shaped flowers in spring are beautiful and intensely fragrant, but that is its only saving grace.

Otherwise it’s a mess. Big seed capsules and giant elephant ear-sized leaves fall constantly to smother your yard. Trust me, this tree is, like the Ray Price song, an “Invitation to the Blues.”

Grows 5 feet by 5 feet. Woe to those of us who ignore the horizontal dimension. Pretty soon, we’ll have a bully in that 3-foot-wide-space and this plant will oppress all comers.

Plant 24 inches apart. Hard to do when you have bare space, and the plants are teeny tiny. But this is another term to pay attention to when planting perennials. Annual flowers are OK being planted cheek by jowl, in my opinion.

Sun or light shade. In Bakersfield? Are they kidding? What this term really means is do not plant in full sun, especially hot western sun. Just the words “light shade” means dappled shade is the most plant-friendly exposure. And it must belong to those mythic people who have well-drained soil.

Continuous bloom. If it’s a rose, this generally means repeat bloom. It will bloom, rest and gather strength, and have other successive bursts of bloom. In other words, it will bloom in waves rather than continuously.

Acid soil. If you live in England, you’ll have acid soil. If you live in Bakersfield, your soil will be more alkaline on the pH scale. Acid soil is most common where it rains a whole lot. Our measly five inches a season does not qualify as an acid soil maker. You can add sulfur, compost, manure, and acid fertilizers, such as Mir Acid. Another option for growing plants that need acid soil (camellias, rhododendrons, and azaleas for example) is to plant them in containers or raised beds filled with soil mix for acid-lovers. This is not to dissuade you, just to let you be aware that some plants will do better in acid soil.

Disease resistant. Not a guarantee.

I have proof.

Hardy to 30 degrees. Not hardy.

None of the above is meant to disparage all plant labels; it’s good to use them as a guide and understand that they’re only part of the real story.

Oh, I almost forgot to share something with you that I found interesting. On these lazy summer days, I like to sit on the patio and catch up on reading while my tower mister sprays coolness. One book I’ve just finished, The Secret Lives of Somerset Maugham, had an interesting side story. Maugham was an avid gardener and lived most of his life in the south of France at his house, Villa Mauresque.

Known for serving guests delicious food from his garden, a great “specialite de la maison” was an avocado ice cream. This rich concoction of mashed avocado, Barbados rum, sugar, and cream was offered on hot summer evenings. The avocados were picked from trees grown from baby trees which Maugham had smuggled back in his golf bag from California. They are believed to be the first avocados to be grown in France. Who knew? In the event you’d like to try something different, here’s a recipe from my friend, Georgia, whose family has grown avocados, commercially, for almost 100 years.

Avocado Ice Cream

• 2 ripe avocados (approximately 1 1/4 cups)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 2 to 4 tbsp. dark rum
• 2 tsp. vanilla

In a food processor, combine above ingredients and whiz for two minutes, until mixture is very smooth and you can’t feel any grains of sugar in it. Chill for up to 24 hours if not using right away. Pour into ice cream maker and freeze according to directions. Store in an airtight container in the freezer. It’s delicious topped with toasted, chopped pistachios...or hot fudge.

Article appeared in our 27-3 Issue - August 2010