The ugliest flowers. lol!

party_music50 · Post by **party_music50** » Jun 23, 2007 8:36 am

Do you all leave the flowers on your heucheras? I do on most, some longer than others, but I think that Green Spice has got some of the ugliest flowers I've ever seen. For some reason, I just don't like looking at that heuchera when it's in flower and I want to chop them off. I noticed mine in FULL bloom last night, and my garden shears are getting *itchy*.

I might leave them a little while longer, just in case a hummingbird finds them attractive -- but I've only ever noticed my hummers going for the pink and coral flowers. (I don't have any red-flowering heuchs! what are some good ones?!)

renaldo75 · Post by **renaldo75** » Jun 24, 2007 1:20 pm

I know what you mean. I've got Green Spice & one of the purples with ugly flowers side by side. I can't stand them when they start blooming, but I never get around to cutting them off. And the attractive compactness of the clump seems to disappear when they start blooming too.

I haven't figured that out yet... For some reason, the leafy bracts on the flowers of Green Spice annoy me almost as much as the ugly flowers.

The only redeeming thing is that I did find one of the purple ones with its purple scape that had curved down & was laying over my White Wall Tire hosta in front of it. That actually looked pretty

& I got a pic of it. I'll have to find it & post it on here.

There are several of the Strawberry named hostas that have pretty flowers. So does Firefly. Usually the best flowered ones so far seem to be the ones with green foliage. I can't think of any of the purple ones that I have with impressive flowers. I have several silvery/green ones with pretty pink flowers though.

I saw a really

one at the Iowa Arboretum in full flower last year. The blooms on it were so large & full [2 or 3 times as large as normal heuchera flowers] on tall straight scapes that they looked like they would be an excellent cut flower as well as attracting hummingbirds. The bees were going crazy for it that day!! I think it had a Raspberry name. I'll have to look in that folder & find the pic & post it here. Unfortunately I've never seen that one for sale anywhere so I don't know if it is all that available.

party_music50 · Post by **party_music50** » Jun 25, 2007 12:34 am

haha! I agree with all of your observations.

Add to it that Green Spice seems to produce massive amounts of flowerspikes, and each spike's flower-cluster is HUGE relative to the size of the plant.

I will keep my eye out for Firefly and something with Raspberry in it. I think I saw that recently when checking for new heuchs.

The best flower I have is on my Bressingham Hybrid.... all-green leaves, but they do turn pretty colors in the autumn! and the flowers are deep coral. The hummers definitely go for it.

renaldo75 · Post by **renaldo75** » Jun 25, 2007 11:20 am

I guess I only thought I took the pic of the purple scape laying across White Wall Tire. I looked in every recent folder at least twice & never found it. I haven't looked for the Raspberry one yet. It might have been Raspberry Regal. Not positive though.

newtohosta-no more · Post by **newtohosta-no more** » Jun 25, 2007 7:47 pm

Ugly ,huh? Then maybe I shouldn't be sad that my Green Spice bit the dust?

party_music50 · Post by **party_music50** » Jun 25, 2007 9:40 pm

newtohosta: Only the *flowers* of Green Spice are ugly! The plant is knock-dead gorgeous! so yes, you should be sad.

renaldo, you took the photo... you just missed it in the pile when you were scanning thumbnails so hard. I've done that MANY times.

I cut a bouquet of flowers tonight with matricaria, coreopsis, sweet william, hosta leaves, and GREEN SPICE heuchera. lol!

impatience · Post by **impatience** » Jun 26, 2007 12:05 am

I have several Green Spice (divided one several times) and I have always just detested the flowers. I just walk by and snap them off below the leaves. They tend to be brittle and break easily-I don't pull because I discovered that part of the heuchera will be pulled off as well.

I agree that many heuchera have ugly flowers. I like the ones with clear white flowers or red\pink ones. Can't think of names at the moment.

renaldo75 · Post by **renaldo75** » Jun 26, 2007 2:27 am

No - I remembered thinking that I should get a pic of it, but then forgot to actually take it. I don't think I had the camera out with me when I saw it last week. I already have more than my share of senior moments even though I'm not quite there yet.

shadylanejewel · Post by **shadylanejewel** » Jun 26, 2007 11:32 am

Green Spice flowers are UGLY to me too. But evidently not to the humming birds, they dive bomb me to get to them when I'm working that section of the nursery.

Hosta12_Ia · Post by **Hosta12_Ia** » Jun 26, 2007 11:47 am

There are some that do have pretty flowers that I used to put into cut flowers I took into the house before we moved. Too bad someone doesn't come up with some of these cool new ones that also have nice flowers.
Jo