The year of black plants
In the garden, the color black is not good news. Black leaves
killed by frost, black spot on roses, black sooty mold on lemons.
No, indeed, black means death or dying to garden plants.
So, right now, the garden buzz is all about a black plant that
is shaping up to be the hottest thing in the spring garden.
The year of black plants
In the garden, the color black is not good news. Black leaves killed by frost, black spot on roses, black sooty mold on lemons. No, indeed, black means death or dying to garden plants.
So, right now, the garden buzz is all about a black plant that is shaping up to be the hottest thing in the spring garden.
“Black Pearl” is an ornamental pepper with black foliage and tiny black peppers that are edible. It is the most interesting – certainly most unusual – plant among the All-America Selections winners for 2006.
Now, I hear you asking, Why would I want a plant that looks as black as an undertaker’s pocket? Silly. Black foliage is trendy, black flowers sought after, and black vegetables the new height in gardening.
Black Pearl turns more black as the summer season progresses. The plant branches, producing more clusters of black pearl-like shiny peppers. The plant grows taller and wider, developing into a black pyramid shape without pinching, pruning or grooming, according to AAS.
The leaves of Black Pearl start out green when grown indoors or in a greenhouse, but turn black in the sun. It is heat tolerant and requires minimum water and fertilizer. The black pearl-size peppers turn red as the plant matures.
A little warning here: Remember that small peppers are always hotter than big ones. And the peppers on Black Pearl are very small and extremely hot.
You won’t find Black Pearl available until spring, and then it will show up in seed catalogs such as Burpee, Stokes and Park Seed Co., and as bedding plants at the local nursery.
I could visualize Black Pearl as the centerpiece of a container, surrounded by annuals or small leafy vegetables. I could also visualize my husband saying, “That plant is dead” and trying to pull it out.
Besides black, what other colors are showing up in the new winning batch of All-America Selections? Violet is a showy color for “Evolution,” the newest salvia in which the 7-inch flower spikes are violet, distinctly different from blue.
The color purple appears in numerous forms. Among the AAS vegetables for 2006, a purple carrot, of all things, caught my interest. It’s called “Purple Haze,” a nice looking 12-inch-long purple carrot that has an orange center when cut. Eat it raw, because cooking dissolves the color.
AAS purple-flowering plants include “Supra Purple,” a new dianthus, and “Perfume Deep Purple,” a striking nicotiana.
If all that black and purple are a bit overwhelming, there is relief in “Zowie! Yellow Flame,” a zinnia with novel border pattern. This zinnia has a scarlet-rose center and yellow petal edges.
Award winning AAS flowers and vegetables are tested nationally for all-around performance. The best of the lot are rated AAS winners and show up in the market in time for spring gardening.
A Reader Wants to Know: I have six tree roses. I wonder about this every year. When is the best time to prune my roses? I live in Hollister. Usually my roses start to bud out and show some growth before I get around to pruning them. Should I just leave them and not prune late, or is it better to prune regardless? – Jack
Joan Says: Roses are pruned during the height – or depth – of their dormancy. In our region, that’s during the month of January. Our roses never truly go into full dormancy, which is why there are blooming roses and leaves left on our straggly bushes. Pick off all the leaves and any flowers that are hanging on. Prune heavily to provide new wood for this coming season’s growth.
It is better to prune late than not at all. Clean up the ground under the bushes, and spread a mulch to protect roots.
