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Plants beginning with 'C'
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Callisia fragrans is a tropical semi-epiphyte (grows mainly in trees, but will root in soil). Individual leaf rosettes may be 8" wide at the center stalk. Snaking out from the stalk are runners that trail as much as several feet to find a new place to root. Fragrant white globular flowers on upright spikes bloom in summer, then fade and lose their fragrance....then perk up and become fragrant again, then fade again, then perk up..... We have only had it flower once in the several years we've had it, but flowering or not, it's pretty spectacular in a hanging basket as a houseplant, althogh folks might mistake your apartment for a jungle treehouse in Hondouras. For mysterious reasons, 90% of the folks who buy this plant have Russian names. |
| Callistemons are native to Australia and are usually listed as hardy only in zones 9 and 10 in reference books, but growers in the south know that many are hardy in zone 8 and a few in zone 7. Their aptly-named bottlebrush flowers are typically bright crimson, but lesser-known species and hybrids may have green, yellow, pink, lavender, purple, or cream flowers. The plant stem grows through the center of the flower, and seed clusters form around the stem when the flowers fade, with the branch continuing to grow. The leaves are usually flat and needle-like on these evergreen shrubs. Callistemons bloom on the previous year's wood | |
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If we did have a photo, we'd put it here.
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Callistemon pallidus 'Eleanor' bears large purple brushes earlier in the year than most, typically May and June here in the Pacific Northwest. Cold hardy to at least 12F, but best against a south wall for plenty of heat. Blue-green needles on a 6' x 4' shrub. A selection by Xera Plants in Tualitin, Oregon. . |
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Callistemon
viridiflorus is a Green-Flowered Bottlebrush. This 6' shrub makes
a nice change from the more common crimson with its lime-green flowers.
Flowers in a pot more readily than most species. Leaves are short, blunt,
and dark green, growth is vigorous, and soggy soil is acceptable. |
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'Woodlanders
Hardy' is a Callistemon variety bred at Woodlanders Nursery in South
Carolina. It has arching stems 6-10' long, with narrow evergreen leaves,
tipped with crimson brushes beloved by hummingbirds and butterflies. Among
the hardiest of our Callistemons, to zone 7 |
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Calycanthus
occidentalis -- California
Allspice -- A
vigorous, spreading shrub to 10' with dark dusky-red flowers that fade
to brown at the tips. Flowers are unusually-shaped, with spreading petals
something like miniature water lilies, and clove-scented. Likes water
and often found along stream banks. Zones 6-9. |
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Campanula
cochlearifolia -- Fairy Thimbles -- Perfectly-named charming creeper
with tiny leaves and small bell-shaped slate-blue (some say violet) flowers.
A very attractive little plant for the rock garden or between pavers,
it is showy when in bloom, despite its small size. Hardy to zone 5. European
alpine areas. |
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Carex
grayi -- Morning
Star -- In
medieval times, a battle weapon consisting of a spiked ball on a chain
attached to a stick, was called a Morning Star, proving that irony had
been invented by then. It was also called a Mace, proving not much of
anything. This is a, grasslike plant growing 2-3' tall, with prominent
1" seed heads reminiscent of a Morning Star. It likes moist ground,
and will even grow in shallow water, but a moderately-watered border is
ok too. Takes either sun or moist shade, and is hardy enough to grow anywhere
in the US, except maybe parts of Alaska. The seed spikes are good in both
fresh and dry arrangements. |
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Cautleya
gracilis , sometimes called "hardy ginger", is very
rare in the US nursery trade, but a wonderful addition to the partly shaded
garden. It's a native of the eastern Himalayas, ranging to from India
to western China, living mainly in moist soil in the valleys, but sometimes
as an epiphyte in trees, where it roots in the leaf litter that accumulates
in forks. As its species name suggests, C. gracilis is a slender,
sparsely-leaved plant with the appearance of a miniature ginger. It grows
to as much as 2'. Bloom continues over a month or more, with each flower
lasting 3-5 days. Hardy to zone 7, it is deciduous and winter-dormant,
so can be overwintered in a cool, dark location in colder climates. |
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Cautleya
lutea Technically, the name for this species is Cautleya gracilis
and it is the same as the plant above. Although it looks very different,
taxonomists say it is just a form of C. gracilis. To avoid confusion,
we've used it's old name, C. lutea. This form has maroon leaf undersides
and maroon bracts. It's very showy, and even rarer than the green form
above. |
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Ceanothus gloriosus -- Pt. Reyes Creeper -- A groundcover native to California, with blue flowers, sometimes called Mountain Lilac. Rare, found mostly at the spectacular Pt. Reyes National Seashore. Good in coastal climates, it won't take direct afternoon sun inland. A tough, dark green spreader with glossy leaves to 1-2'. Though Ceanothus is famous as deer food, they don't like this one much, especially if you lay off the fertilizer and minimize summer water. Zones 8-10. |
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Cestrum
nocturnum -- Night-Blooming Jasmine -- Not a true Jasmine, but
a tropical evergreen scrambling shrub of the family Solanaceae (tomato/potato/eggplant
family) famous for the delicate perfume emanating from its greenish-yellow
flowers from midsummer through autumn. Grows to 8-10' tall and nearly
as wide, with long, pendulous branches that become thick and heavy with
blossoms. We cut branches from the specimen in the greenhouse and bring
them in the house, where they continue to provide evening fragrance for
a surprisingly long time. Zone 10 or greenhouse, so we've always believed,
although more than one nursery now say it will take 15F as a dieback perennial.
A native of the West Indies. |
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Cestrum
newellii -- Red Cestrum -- Very nice deep red flowers on a shrub
that can reach 8-10' and stay evergreen in warm climates, but only 3-5'
in colder ones, dying back to the roots in zones 7&8, but root-hardy
there when mulched. It's vigorous and free-blooming, so well worth growing
in the colder zones as a dieback perennial. Not as strongly scented as
the other Cestrums listed, but prettier. Grow them all! |
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Cestrum
parqui -- Willow-leaved Jasmine -- Another of the hardiest of
the "night-blooming Jasmines", this one should take zone 8 winters,
and maybe zone 7 as well, though its size will stay somewhere between
herbaceous perrennial and small shrub in the colder parts of its range,
not the large one that it becomes in the subtropics. Cestrums tend to
produce lots of flowers; this one does that, but it does so over a much
longer period than most. In the greenhouse, we have bloom on 4 in. tall
plants in mid March, and expect prolific bloom until frost. Flowers are
inch-long trumpets produced in large terminal and axillary cymes. They
are dark gold in bud, opening to pale gold. Native to Chile. |
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Chamaecereus
sylvestrii -- Peanut Cactus -- In parts of Mexico, the cheery
red blossoms of this little cactus can be seen decorating many a windowsill.
Though only a few inches tall, it's a fast grower that makes clumps, its
long, narrow arms coming to look like a bucket of snakes. The little spines
are not very vicious, making this cactus a favorite of children. Zone
10 or houseplant. Originally from Argentina. |
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Chenomeles
'Texas Scarlet' We admit Flowering Quince isn't very rare
or unusual, but it is a fine plant that deserves its long tenure in American
gardens. Being from Asia, it's technically exotic, and not much flowers
earlier than Quince. This is a cross between C. japonica and C.
speciosa that has a compact, spreading habit to perhaps 4'. Tomato-red
flowers, and plenty of them., in early spring, both before and with the
leaves. As I write on March 4, it's beginning to bloom. Zone 5. |
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Chasmanthe bicolor -- Winter-growing South African corm related to Gladiolus. They bear double ranks of arching, tubular flowers on tall stems. Since they're winter growers, they need to be grown in a climate no colder than zone 9, or in a greenhouse. In nature, Chasmanthes grow in wet spots on rocky outcrops, where they form small colonies. They prefer sun, but will adapt to partial shade. This genus of 3 species is part of the Cape Flora, a group of plants that live around the cape and nowhere else on earth. This is an early bloomer, with dark vermillion and yellow tubular flowers on 3' spikes. From the Southwest Cape.
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Chasmanthium
latifolium -- River Oats -- A loosely tufted, slowly spreading
perennial grass to 3', with long, broadly lance-shaped, arching leaves.
In late summer and fall, it produces open, oat-like seed heads whose weight
causes the spikes to droop and bounce in the wind. These may be used for
dry arrangements if cut before they mature to bronze. Full sun or part
shade in zones 5-9. |
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Chlorophytum
nepalense -- This relative of the spider plant is rare in cultivation,
native to the Himalayas and China. It has quite narrow green leaves, often
with a lighter-colored stripe down the middle, and small, star-shaped
white flowers with yellow beaks. Flower spikes may be anywhere from 1-3'
tall. No one seems to have good data on hardiness, but it's grown in the
UK, so we can say zone 9 and probably lower. |
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X Chitalpa tashkentensis -- An intergeneric hybrid between the Southern Catalpa, Catalpa bignonioides, and the Desert Willow, Chilopsis linearis. The hybrid was made in Tashkent, a part of the former Soviet Union, hence Tashkentensis (the suffix -ensis or -ense indicates place of origin, or at least the place it was first described.) This is a spectacularly-flowering shrub or small tree, 15-30', with willow-like leaves. The Chilopsis parent provides some tolerance to heat and drought, while the Catalpa parent provides hardiness to around -15F. Flowering is profuse from late spring through fall. A fast-growing tree, this can quickly become a certerpiece for yard or patio. |
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Convallaria
majalis 'Rosea' -- Pink Lily of the Valley --A charming pink version
of this well-loved American native. Fragrant, early-blooming, easy to
naturalize, and hardy in zones 3-8. Variable shades of pink. |
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Corokia cotoneaster -- Wire Net Bush, Skeleton Bush-- Distinctive Australian shrub with contorted, dark-colored, zig-zag branches and tiny leaves that are deep green on top and silver underneath. Small, bright yellow flowers in spring are followerd by red fruits. Sparse foliage and unusual branching structure make this a great specimen plant in a sunny, dry location or in a planter. 6-8' tall and as wide. Zones 8-10 |
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Corokia cotoneaster 'Little Prince' -- A dwarf variety of the above, to just 3-4' and not quite as wide. By the way, don't let the species name fool you. This is a Corokia, not a Cotoneaster. If your name is Doug MacArthur, you're related to other people named MacArthur, not to other people named Doug
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Corokia
x virgata 'Sunsprite' A very different Corokia from C. cotoneaster,
this hybrid does have slightly contorted branches and sparse foliage,
but has much larger leaves that are splashed with yellow, cream, and sage
green. To 5'x3' in a location protected from hot afternoon sun, it's hardy
to between 10 and 15 degrees F. Showy specimen or container plant with
good drainage. |
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Cortaderia sellowiana 'Icalma' -- Dwarf Pampas Grass -- The familiar Pampas Grass is very large, up to 10', hardy only to zone 7, and blooms in September. But this dwarf variety grows to 3-4', is hardy in zone 6, and blooms in July. It's a perennial clumper that should not be cut back in spring. |
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| Cotula -- Brass Buttons -- These small New Zealand groundcovers are adaptable to a wide range of situations, including rockeries, between pavers, bonsai understory, and hanging baskets. The small leaves of most species are reminiscent of tiny ferns, and provide a variety of textures and even a decent range of color. Flowers are mostly inconspicuous, but scaled for a miniature landcape. Most are reasonably cold-hardy, and this is aided by mulching with evergreen branches. Cotulas are very under-utilized in the US. Some Cotulas are synonymous with Leptinella. | |
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Cotula
filifolia -- Very finely filigreed, bright green, fernlike foliage.
The delicate texture is punctuated by tiny white button flowers in summer. |
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Cotula
pyrethrifolia -- Finely-textured foliage that still manages to
be coarser than C. filifolia, partly because the leaflets are more
widely separated on the stem. |
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Cotula
rotundifolia --This is a most unusal leaf for the genus, being
undivided and almost succulent, with serrations around the edges of the
round leaf. The result is a completely different texture in a groundcover.
Hardiness uncertain, probably zone 8, possibly 7. |
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Crinum
amoenum is a riverbank species to 18" with large heads of
spidery, white, perfumed flowers with purple anthers. Narrow strap leaves
are somewhat channeled. Hailing from the Himalayan foothills, its hardiness
estimates range from zone 7b to 9, but the large bulb is easily overwintered
under cover in cold climates. |
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Crinum
powellii 'Alba' is the real deal for
a Crinum, large, showy, fragrant, and free-blooming, and it's also hardy
to zone 7. The flowers are white, a rarer form than the usual pink, with
up to 10-15 in an umbel. Height is usually listed as 3', but 5' tall plants
with equal spread are possible. We offer blooming-size bulbs the size
of oranges. |
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Curculigo
capitulata, Palm Grass, is the smaller and hardier of the two
species we offer. Although frost tender, it will resprout from the rhizome
in warm climates where the ground does not freeze. The spikes of yellow
flowers at the base of this plant are showier than those of C. orchidoides,
and the foliage somewhat less grand, but still reaching 3' long. Curculigo orchidoides, Orchid Palm, pictured at the top of the page, has long, arching, strongly ribbed leaves that may reach 8' long with age. However, the plant is sensitive to container size, and so can easily be kept smaller. The butter-yellow flowers at the base of the plant can occur anytime of year under the right conditions. With or without bloom, it is a very dramatic house palm.
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Cymbalaria
muralis -- Kennilwortth Ivy -- A charming plant useful in a rock
garden, as a groundcover, in a hanging basket, or trailing over a bank.
Kidney-shaped leaves are reminiscent of hepatica, but very small, to 1/2".
In summer, tiny lilac-tinged flowers are produced in abundance. The species
epithet muralis means "of walls", and this species is especially
good at trailing out of small dirt pockets in rock walls.Will take a moderate
amount of sun, or deep shade, and is hardy to zone 4. Also called Ivy-leaved
Toadflax, it is originally from Italy, and was a staple of old English
gardens, but is somewhat overlooked today. |
| The family Cyperaceae is a large group of grasslike herbaceous plants that includes 70 genera and about 4000 species usually found in wetlands. The genus for which the family is named is Cyperus, (pronounced sy PEAR us) and several of the species in that genus are commonly known as Papyrus (pa PIE rus). These plants are mainly found in tropical and subtropical areas of Africa, Asia, and South America, with just a few species in temperate regions. Where they are not hardy, which is most of the US, they make good houseplants and pond plants that are overwintered indoors. | |
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Cyperus
alternifolius, sometimes called Umbrella Papyrus, is an
old-fashioned houseplant that is due for a revival. Its tall, upright
habit is very dramatic in a narrow space and, although naturally a water
plant, requires only moderate watering indoors. The terminal umbrella
of narrow leaves is adorned with flowers and seed heads from time to time,
and although these are not colorful, they are attractive. This plant will
grow to 5' or more, given a large enough pot and ample water and fertilizer,
but can be kept smaller if desired. Zone 9. |
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Cyperus
alternifolius gracilis, Sparkler Grass, is like the above, but
much smaller, growing to about 18", and with narrower leaves and
stems. It's a nice pond plant that is less overwhelming than its larger
cousin, and good paired with the similarly-sized C. haspan, below. Zone
9. |
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Cyperus
diffusus is sometimes called Dwarf Papyrus, though that
could refer to other plants as well. It is a rather squat plant, to about
a foot tall, with leaves that are broader even than C. alternifolius.
This species seems not so fond of water as the others, but it is vigorous
in a moist situation. It is very apt to flower in the unspectacular but
attractive manner of Cyperus, and is a good companion to its variegated
version, below. Zone 10 |
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Cyperus
diffusus variegatus is a very pretty
variegated form that has such light green foliage that it can appear white.
It shares the predisposition to flower with its green cousin above, its
broad leaves, and some, but not all, of that plant's vigor. Zone 10 |
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Cyperus
haspan is called Pygmy Egyptian Papyrus. It's form is similar
to the giant C. papyrus, except that its leaves don't droop. It grows
to about 18" and is the perfect companion to C. alternifolius gracilis,
above. Zone 9. |
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Cyrtanthus
mackenii -- Ifafa Lily -- Deciduous, perennial South African Amaryllis
relative with long, narrow, arching flower tubes on 12" spikes. Narrow,
arching leaves to 12". Flowers are pale yellow to light orange, and
fragrant. Zones 9-10. |
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