Colorado highlights Plant Select choices

Colorado State University and the Denver Botanic Gardens have released the 2008 Plant Select recommendations: Mongolian Bells clematis, seven-son flower, Little Trudy catnip, red birds in a tree, Blue Velvet and Northern Lights pansy and Saint Theresa seedless grape.

Plant Select choices are best suited for growing in Colorado’s high plains and intermountain regions.

Clematis Mongolian Bells was introduced from Mongolia by Harlan Hamernik of Bluebird Nursery. It’s a compact form (up to 14 inches high and 15 inches wide) available in pink, white, lavender and blue. It’s hardy in USDA Hardiness Zones 3-9, flowers from May to September and grows in full sun to part shade.

Heptacodium miconioides (seven-son flower) is a lush, large shrub or small tree with peeling bark. It produces masses of fragrant white flowers in late summer and cherry-red sepals in fall. It’s hardy in Zones 4-9 and grows best in full sun to part shade.

Nepeta ‘Psfike’ (Little Trudy catnip) is a hybrid catnip selected at Little Valley Wholesale Nursery for its distinctive serrated, silvery foliage and long season of lavender flowers. It is the most compact catnip cultivar growing up to 10 inches high and 16 inches wide. It’s hardy in Zones 4-9. It flowers from April to October.

Scrophularia macrantha (red birds in a tree) was introduced in 1996 by High Country Gardens. It produces crimson tubular flowers from May to frost. It’s hardy in Zones 4-9. It grows up to 36 inches high and 18 inches wide.

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For more: Pat Hayward, Plant Select, (970) 481-3429; www.plantselect.org.

June 2008