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:

Strawflower

This is strawflower. Formerly called Bracteantha bracteata, the current scientific name of strawflower is Xerochrysum bracteatum. This is an Asteraceae plant, as it appears to be, but it only has disk flowers. What appear to be ray flowers are not flowers but papery involucral bracts.

Link to involucral bracts:


Pictures taken Nov. 23, 2009.

Link to Xerochrysum bracteatum:

Link to Xerochrysum bracteatum:

Link to strawflower:

Clearout time

The Horticulture gardens were mostly cleared out for the winter last Tuesday Nov. 24. There are now just a few things growing there and of course the trees are still there.

Signet Marigold

This is Signet Marigold, Tagetes tenuifolia 'Lemon Gem'

Picture taken November 13, 2009.

Link to Tagetes tenuifolia:

Link to Tagetes tenuifolia:

Link to Tagetes:

Cold-hardy banana

The Musa basjoo banana was just today taken inside. Here is a picture of it a few days ago, November 2, 2009. It is tough enough to stand a few days of Indiana November. Notice the ensete had been taken away before this.

Link to this Musa basjoo this summer:

Link to earlier post on ensete:

Miscanthus sinensis

A few varieties of Miscanthus sinensis ornamental grass can be viewed at Purdue Horticulture Gardens. The picture shows Maiden grass, Miscanthus sinensis 'Gracillimus', November 2, 2009.

Other Miscanthus plantings nearby are:

Zebra grass, Miscanthus sinensis 'Zebrinus'
Eulalia grass, Miscanthus sinensis 'Yaku Jima'
Striped Eulalia grass, Miscanthus sinensis 'Variegatus'

Link to Miscanthus sinensis:

Link to Miscanthus sinensis:

Link to Miscanthus sinensis 'Gracillimus':

Link to future post on Miscanthus sinensis:

Senecio cineraria

This is Senecio cineraria 'Silver Dust', also called Dusty Miller. Picture taken November 2, 2009.

Link to Senecio cineraria:

Link to Senecio cineraria:

Link to Senecio cineraria:

Link to Senecio cineraria in its native habitat:

Silver Dichondra

This is Silver Dichondra, (Dichondra argentea 'Silver Falls'). It's in the morning-glory family (Convolvulaceae).

Link to Dichondra argentea 'Silver Falls':

Link to Dichondra argentea 'Silver Falls':

Link to Dichondra argentea:


This dichondra is spreading out of where it was planted and is rooting into the mulch of the footpath.

Link to spreading dichondra:

Pictures taken November 2, 2009.