Polygala chamaebuxus
is a diminutive and pretty little ground-hugger of a shrub with dainty, orchidlike flowers. Its sister,
P. chamaebuxus
var.
grandiflora
, is even prettier.
The plants are quite at home here, asking no more than good drainage and full sun (even that's negotiable).
Yet for truly pretty late-winter-blooming evergreens, they're surprisingly underused, and it could well be their bloom time that works against them. Even if the nurseries were chock-full of them, few gardeners would be browsing the tables to see them. They're also quite diminutive -- 4 inches high -- and more typically grown in rock gardens and troughs.
Yet plant these boxwoodlike bushlets in conspicuous places where their flighty blossoms can be seen -- whether at the edge of a shrub border, beneath dwarf rhodies or mixed with edging along the front walk -- and you're likely to be asked their name.
Polygala
did show up recently, at the Yard, Garden & Patio show Feb. 12-14 in a couple of the vignettes by members of the
, so maybe it's due for wider recognition.
GENUS:
Polygala
(sounds like Caligula)
SIZE: 4 to 6 inches by 2 feet
CARE: Plant in sun to part shade. Likes good drainage. Hardy to 0 degrees.
THUMBS UP: Early blooming; glossy evergreen mats
CHOICE POLYGALA
:
P. chamaebuxus
'Rhodoptera': Purplish pink/yellow flowers; smaller leaves than species P. calcarea. Choice, gentian-blue flowers; harder to find, less easy to please
P. chamaebuxus
'Kamniski': Rich purple/yellow flowers, larger and more robust form; to 10 inches
P. vayredae
: Most vivid coloring of all on smaller flowers; linear leaves
-- HGNW staff
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