WhatFinger


Daisy Family the second largest after Orchids

The Call of the Compositae



Compositae? Think the classic annual sunflower. Helianthus is but one of an estimated 22,000 species in some 1,600 genera. Indeed, this makes the Daisy Family the second largest after Orchids. Some of the very best for the flower garden originated in North America. The original species are increasingly hard to find in retail outlets since new selections are eagerly sought--and promoted--by an industry ever interested in increasing its profit margin. Species can not be patented but a new hybrids can, are and for some years thereafter yield a constant flow of royalties.
This at times can be a good thing. Monarda fistulosa, Wild Bergamot, and M. didyma, Bee Balm, are both subject to mildew attacks. Recent hybridizations have resulted in resistant cultivars becoming available to gardeners. Named after Nicolas Monardes (1493-1588), a Spanish botanist and physician, there are a dozen species of this mint family native to North America. For example, the medicinal M. citriodora, Lemon Mint, extends down from the southern. USA into Mexico bearing pink or white flowers. Purple Bergamot, M. media, grows naturally from Indiana to Ontario and further south in mountains, and despite its name, bears nearer red-purple blooms. On the other hand, new startling colour ranges of Echinacea purpurea, the popular Purple Coneflower, were greeted with unalloyed delight by the ornamental horticultural industry without the admission that these tend to be very short-lived perennials. Despite this effect, they commanded premium prices. The original from dry mid-West prairies, along with its relatives, E. angustifolia purple-pink rays and E. pallida whose rays are a pale pinkish-purple, would likely find a permanent place in the perennial border at considerably less cost. Michaelmas Daisies attained their name from their early fall flowering time, around 29th September, the feast day of Saint Michael the Archangel. Botanists know them as Aster novae-angliae, the New England Aster, and its cousin A. novi-belgii. In Latin, aster means a star, and these have been just that to hybridizers who have created many cultivars from these eastern North American natives. In translation, novae-angliae is New England, while novi-belgii becomes New York, from an old name. They belong to an enormous genus of 150 species that roam from Manitoba the Dakotas and Iowa to Atlantic Canada, south through America's mid-west and eastern states. Depending on species, they may be found in dry prairies, woods, damp areas, even coastal marshes. Since they belong to the vast Compositae family, the true petals form the centre of the flowers, usually yellow, surrounded by rays in purples, blues, pink, white and almost any shade in between. Blooming as they do late in the season they are invaluable additions to the perennial border.

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Unfortunately to other Compositae, Blanketflower, Gaillardia aristata (syn. G. grandiflora) and Sneezeweed, Helenium autumnale, have almost disappeared from garden centres as new selections have updated them. The perhaps unfortunately named Sneezeweed is now more often know as Helen's Flower in the trade. Helenium is said to be named after Helen of Troy since the flowers sprang from the ground where her tears fell; all the species come from central and eastern North America, however. Blanketflower though is from the Rocky Mountains and was named to honour Gaillard de Charentoneau, an 18th century French magistrate and patron of botany. Nature has been said to abhor contractions into reduced offerings, no less than in the case of that old garden favourite Coreopsis. Usually known by its scientific name since, like Sneezeweed, Tickseed is not particularly appealing. Coreopsis derives from Greek koris, bug or tick, and opsis, like or similar. Notwithstanding this, again like Helenium, the 100-plus species all come from the New World, many grown as ornamentals. The most well-known is Coreopsis lanceolata, Lance-leaved Coreopsis, a cheerful yellow from central North America that tolerates drought and poor soil with ease but will improve with better conditions. An old garden favourite is making a startling return thanks to its ability to withstand the harsh urban street plantings not far different from its native locales. Rudbeckia hirta, the Black-eyed Susan Coneflower, occupies dry fields, roadsides, open woods and waste ground from Manitoba through to Nova Scotia southwards with its bright yellow rays surrounding the black centre. Named to honour Olof Rudbeck the elder (1630-1702) associate of Linnaeus and the younger (1660-1740), Swedish physicians and botanists, and Latin hirta: with small hairs. There are about a dozen other North American species, most with yellow to orange inflorescences and ranging in height from a modest 30cm to three or more metres.

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Wes Porter -- Bio and Archives

Wes Porter is a horticultural consultant and writer based in Toronto. Wes has over 40 years of experience in both temperate and tropical horticulture from three continents.


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