Cool Plants

Canna 'Erebus'

Canna 'Erebus' is a medium sized aquatic cultivar. Each of this plant's stunning lance shaped leaves is the softest gray-green, edged subtly with a cream-colored pinstripe. These luminous 5-foot-tall plants are crowned with spires of delicate pink flowers with just a blush of salmon.This canna likes fertile soil, frequent feedings, and lots of water. Its rhizomes can be easily divided.

Nymphoides cristata

Also called crested snowflake, t his exotic lily-like aquatic was first described in 1798 from locations throughout SE China and Asia. Clusters of the showy 5-petaled white flowers hold a yellow center. Each flower is about 1/2" in diameter. Its petals are fused together along their margins, forming a crested appearance, hence the specific epithet cristata. Small clusters of tuberous roots form just below the floating leaves, but they are slender and tapered. Each new plant develops roots and leaves and in their turn, its own offspring, each of which continues the process until something happens to break it all up. In the full sun they produce a fine display with their contrasting red and green foliage, mixed with the numerous small white flowers. This plant prefers full sun to shade. These water lily-like plants are a perfect substitute for lilies in containers or small ponds.

Aponogeton distachyus

Water Hawthorne grows and blooms in the cool water from September until April. The flowers are held slightly above the mottled foliage that is oblong green. The undersides of the leaves are red in color. The flowers have a slight vanilla fragrance. This is an extremely easy aquatic to grow and provides some life for your pond during the winter months.

Oenanthe javanica

Water celery is a perennial herb with creeping stolons and long, threadlike, white rootlets. The deep green leaves, having an odor like carrot tops and resemble celery in shape and size. The tiny, white, fragrant flowers form in compound umbels of 10-25 blooms. It's chief feature is the colorful serrated leaves of cream, green, & pink, but in summer it also has small white carrot-flower umbrels. It grows to about six inches tall, sometimes more than a foot tall, with practically limitless spread via rhizomes. If it happens to spread to far, it is not difficult to pull from where it isn't wanted. It's hardy to about 15 degrees F. In mild climates can be at least partially evergreen. It prefers partial shade, but will tolerate morning sun.

Lovely as a garden ornamental, it also happens to be very good to eat. Try it fresh on salads or sandwiches, or cooked in soups or stuffings, or merely as an especially pretty garnish. Young leaves taste like a mild celery; older leaves are spicier & may be nicer steamed with vegetables than raw. Since it grows so vigorously, it's a good idea to really make the effort to use some of it in the kitchen.

The leaves can also be dried for later use as a tea, regarded in Malaysia & elsewhere as having medicinal antioxidant or health-tonic properties. Its curative value is mentioned in ancient or classical Chinese herbal texts.

Echinaceas

Eryngium

Sea Holly is a prickly plant in every feature-the leaves are prickly, the flower heads are surrounded by spreading, prickly floral bracts and the flower head itself is like a small Teazle. The beauty of this plant depends upon the blue-gray effect which it presents. They grow to a height of 3 feet and bloom from June to September. Sea Holly is most effective in mass plantings, and its uses as a cut flower are many. Eryngiums thrive best in full sun, in light, sandy loam. They withstand dry seasons well and when once established should not be moved often.

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