Hollyhock with rust

This hollyhock plant (Alcea rosea) is still green in December.

Link to Alcea rosea:


These hollyhock leaves have a dazzling display of hollyhock rust. Those are the orange spots on the leaves. Hollyhocks typically get rust on them but these are particularly beautiful. Who needs flowers when you get gorgeous rust like this?

The above two pictures were taken December 1, 2009.

Here is a closer look at one of the rusted hollyhock leaves seen above. Rust doesn't seem to hurt the plant any.

Here is an even closer look at the hollyhock rust teliospores on the leaf. They are the rust species Puccinia malvacearum. They will only grow when they land on another hollyhock leaf or a plant closely related to hollyhock.

Last two pictures were taken December 2, 2009.

Link to teliospores:

Link to Puccinia malvacearum:

Pachysandra terminalis

This is Pachysandra terminalis 'Variegata', sometimes called Japanese spurge. Calling it spurge is somewhat of a misnomer, as it is not in the spurge plant family (Euphorbiaceae) but rather in the boxwood family (Buxaceae). There is a Pachysandra that is native to parts of Indiana, that is Pachysandra procumbens.

Pictures taken November 28, 2009.

Link to Pachysandra:

Link to Pachysandra terminalis:

Link to Pachysandra terminalis:

Link to Pachysandra in Lafayette:

Oregon Grapeholly

This is Oregon Grapeholly, Mahonia aquifolium, at Purdue Horticulture Gardens. Picture taken November 28, 2009.

Link to Oregon Grapeholly:

Link to Mahonia aquifolium:

Yellow Foxglove

This is yellow foxglove, Digitalis grandiflora. This plant is located close to where the other foxgloves were earlier this spring. Digitalis grandiflora is native to mountains of western Europe, particularly the Alps. Picture taken November 26, 2009.

Link to Digitalis grandiflora:

Link to Digitalis grandiflora:

Link to Digitalis:

Link to post on strawberry foxglove, Digitalis x mertonensis:

Link to post on common foxglove, Digitalis purpurea:

Yucca

These are Yucca filamentosa.

Pictures taken November 24, 2009.

There are occasional Yucca filamentosa plants growing wild in Indiana, normally as escapes from gardens and cemeteries.

Charles Deam reports in Deam's Flora of an early account of Yucca in Indiana: "In the original Coblentz edition of "Travels in the Interior of North America" published in 1839-41, Prince Maximilian writes of his travels from Owensville, Gibson County to Vincennes, on June 10, 1834, as follows: 'The region on the other side (north side of the White River, which he crossed in the vicinity of what is now known as Hazelton) changes considerably; and here appears in a now again sandy soil nearly the same plants as are found in the sandy soil and the prairies of St. Louis, with the addition of a few new ones, a fire-colored lily (Lilium catesbaei), the great-flowered lady slipper (Cypripedium spectabile), a species of Yucca, and many others.' It is not known what species Maximilian saw. It may have been (Yucca filamentosa) or Yucca glauca Nutt. both of which may have at that time extended up the Mississippi Valley into Indiana"

Link to Yucca filamentosa:

Link to Yucca filamentosa:

Dead nettle

This is spotted dead nettle, Lamium maculatum 'Pink Chablis'. Dead nettle is a cool season plant, and a native of Europe. The dead nettle pictured here is a commercial cultivar intended for planting, but the non-spotted kind of dead nettle (Lamium purpureum) is a very common weed that probably grows in your garden anyway.

Picture taken November 23, 2009.

Link to Lamium maculatum 'Pink Chablis':

Link to post about Lamium:

There are two places in Purdue Horticulture gardens where this is growing. This spot is beneath the old hawthorn tree.

Link to previous post on hawthorn tree:

Arum italicum and tuberous begonia

This is Arum italicum with tuberous Begonia (Begonia x tuberhybrida 'Nonstop Deep Salmon')

Picture taken Nov. 23, 2009.

Link to Arum italicum:

Link to Arum italicum:

Not to be eaten, Arum italicum contains calcium oxalate like its American relative, Jack-in-the-pulpit:

Link to calcium oxalate in Arum italicum:

Link to Begonia x tuberhybrida:

Another cultivar of tuberous begonia is Kimjongilia.

Link to Kimjongilia: