Plants I'm Growing--First Blooms: Peruvian Verbena, Salvia Cacalifolia, (2010)

First blooms yesterday, May 11, on the Peruvian verbena in the garden. I love the this tall, sturdy plant (Verbena bonariensis) that puts up with just about anything. It can grow to over six feet tall--taller than me. It's an ideal plant in many ways--it's carefree, doesn't need a lot of water, easy to root from cuttings, self-sowing, and pretty. Peruvian verbena bloomed on April 21 in 2009, considerably earlier than this year. A year according to this plant was thus 386 days.

Salvia cacalifolia also bloomed today (May 12). This is a pretty blue salvia that dies back with the frost each year but always makes a strong comeback. This plant bloomed on May 9 in 2009, for a year of 369 days.

Pyracantha also bloomed today, as did Silene dioica, or red campion--although the flowers are more pink than red. I don't have older records for either plant and I can't remember the Pyracantha variety, although I remember that the one in the garden here is unusual--rather different from the type with bright orange berries that is common around town.