Funny how the words “Frost hardy at least into the mid to upper teens” sound completely different in the springtime, when summer is in the future and winter is so far away it’s not even a consideration. Read those same words in late August and it doesn’t sound like such a sure thing. I'm second guessing my decision to put it in the ground, which I did last May when I removed a strip of lawn...
It's grown a lot since then, as has the Euphorbia polychroma (and everything else in the area).
That mention of the mid to upper-teens comes from the Cistus Nursery description: "One of the largest and most frost hardy of the Australian fuschias, this 4-5' pyramidal shrub has dusty green, felted leaves replete with creamy pale undersides and is adorned with creamy flowers, ever so slightly blushed pink, from mid fall to mid spring. Frost hardy at least into the mid to upper teens °F, if not prolonged. It has been one of the most rewarding species in our garden where temperatures occasionally take a dive. All Correas make wonderful container specimens or front-porch plants that can be brought inside temporarily if temperatures plummet. Frost hardy to the bottom end of USDA zone 8."
And then there's this, from the Wiki: “Correa backhouseana is a species of flowering plant in the family Rutaceae. It is a coastal shrub, endemic to southern Australia. It grows up to 2 metres (6 ft 7 in) in height. The ovate leaves are up to 3 cm long and 2 cm wide and are glossy dark green on top and pale grey underneath. The drooping, tubular flowers are pale yellow-green to white in colour. The species was first formally described in 1834 by botanist William Jackson Hooker in The Journal of Botany. The type specimen was collected by English botanist and missionary James Backhouse at Cape Grim in Tasmania in 1833.”
Have you grown Correa backhouseana? I'd love to hear about your experiences if you have. Oh and next Friday (the last Friday of the month) is the wrap-up for any and all of your garden favorites for the month of August. Please come back then and share links/comments about plants that were the stars of your garden in the hot month of August!
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Wow it´s awesome! I can´t resist those buds and the little velvety leaves! I'm afraid I haven't grown it...its the first time I hear about it and am happy to meet it!
ReplyDeleteIt's a good one Lisa, I bet it would be happy in your garden.
DeleteNew to me but sure is a cool plant and if it blooms from fall to spring, yowsa!
ReplyDeleteI know right? That will be amazing.
DeleteThat really is attractive, even if the buds never do anything -- look great as-is!
ReplyDeleteHa, I thought the same thing Alan.
Deletejust seen this today after buying and planting today ..looking forward to winter with it now
DeleteI wonder if this would be fine in our garden, hmmmm.....
ReplyDeleteIf you find it will you buy it?
DeleteNew to me as well, but I like how it weaves through the other plants. Cool!
ReplyDeleteWell of course I think it's doing that because it has no choice (overplanted...).
DeleteLovely plant. I've seen Correa around, but not that one. The most common here is 'Ivory Bells', I think, which is half bankhousiana.
ReplyDeleteI know I've looked at a few Correa when I've been down California way but they are usually not listed as Zone 8.
DeleteI still haven't got one yet since I saw it at the nursery. Next time I go to that particular native nursery I'm getting one (or two) for sure!
ReplyDeleteI thought you didn't care for it?
DeleteNo, I liked it... but I had already paid for my shopping, and was going away to think about it. I liked the look of it in my photos (it was recommended for a shady spot) but I wasn't sure if I wanted it for the spot I had in mind. I haven't seen it again since, but then again I haven't been shopping for a while.
DeleteAs Hoover Boo mentioned, it's similar to 'Ivory Bells' - I grew one or the other (I couldn't definitively tell you which in retrospect) in my former, shady garden where the summer temperatures were a good 10F degrees cooler than they are here. It was vigorous and I'm sorry I left it behind, although I've had a spotty record with Correa in my current garden.
ReplyDeleteIt must have been hard to decide what to take with you.
DeleteThose buds are mighty cute, but oh, the leaves!
ReplyDeleteIndeed, they are pretty wonderful.
DeleteI haven't seen that beauty around the Phoenix area. Do you think they could survive the summer heat of the low Arizona desert?
ReplyDeleteI wish I could say Brian, it definitely hasn't seemed to mind out heat this summer - but there's a difference between our high 80's and 90's and your 100+ day after day.
DeleteTasmania is a pretty different climate than the American desert. Suspect needs water.
DeleteSounds exciting. Do you know if this variety of fuchsia is scented?
ReplyDeleteI don't, maybe after it blooms I will have a report.
DeleteAre you a secret Southerner, Danger? I swear I heard you just say "fixing to" (for "about to"), which is about as Southern as you can get. :-)
ReplyDeleteI hope you post again once it blooms!
ReplyDelete