Monday, February 15, 2010

Great Basin Natives Home Page



Great Basin Natives Home Page Some of the seeds that I planted since December are starting to come up. Black Sage, Artemisia nova, is showing tiny leaves at this time. The tiny seeds of the Fern Bush,Chamaebatiaria millefolium, are germinating nicely. It is a beautiful plant the looks good in all seasons. The aromatic leaves are fern like. Later in the summer white blossoms appear that attract all kinds of pollinators. In the fall there are brown seed heads at the top of green leafed stems. The green turns to a faded yellow in the early winter. Spring brings dark brown seed heads atop new green fern leaves. This drought tolerant shrub grows from two to four feet wide and two to four feet tall. After establishment, it survives on ten to twenty inches of water that falls from the sky. Nice plant for the back of the boarder or around the house in front of widows.

2 comments:

camissonia (Arleen) said...

The Fern Bush is so lovely when in full bloom. Here in California, I've only seen them once in the wilds in the Eastern Sierras. I planted one in my garden last fall, but it's still a baby at about 15 inches tall. I can't wait until it flowers and looks like yours!

Merrill and Carol Johnson said...

Thanks. My plants ten years old, and but did take about five years to look really good.