Public Service #7: A plant-list for Aspen

You well know those lectures where the speaker talks fast and slides stream by fast enough that by the time you've fallen in love with a plant and wiped the drool from your chin, you've not had time to take the name down.  Well, it happens to me all the time at least.  That is what this post is for- a list of the plant names, most important notes, and sources to acquire them.

This is a plant-list for attendees of the most recent lecture as of this morning:  Must-Have Xeric plants for the Roaring Fork Valley, (Which is Aspen, Basalt, and friends) hosted by the Center for Resource Conservation and the City of Aspen. (Thanks, ladies)

Thanks to all who attended, you were a riotous crowd.  I'm suprised they didn't kick us out of the library.

Pediocactus simpsonii,  the Mountain-Ball Cactus

Trees

Bristlecone pine: Pinus aristata

Wasatch/Bigtooth Maple: Acer grandidentatum

Shrubs

Golden Clove Currant: Ribes Aureum  {Sun/Shade. dry/moist}

Manzanitas!: Arctostaphylos x coloradoensis (example: "Panchito.") and A. patula {part sun/part dry}

Mahonia repens: CO native Oregon-grape  {Dry dry shade or sun.}

Curl-leaf Mountain Mahogany: Cercocarpus ledifolius  {snow-tough}

Mormon-tea: Ephedra viridis (Native green), Ephedra equisetina (Chinese blue), Ephedra  minima (Mini Tibetan)

Flowers

Pasque-Flowers: Pulsatilla vulgaris of Europe of P. patens of Colorado (example: Minturn, Boulder…)

Sufur-flower: Eriogonum umbellatum

Erigeron: All the Flea-banes...

Sun-daisy, Perky-Sue: Hymenoxys scaposa or H. caespitosa.  {Sun, med-dry} tireless bloom

Creeping Penstemons:  P. caespitosa, procumbens {of Crested Butte}, and P. crandallii.

Penstemons for Shade:  P. proceras and especially P. virens.

Viola corsica (Corsican Violet) {Shade. sun, moist-med-dryish, edible flowers}

Spurges: Euphorbia sp.  Elk and deerproof, but poisonous...

Artemisia sp.  Animal resistant, naitves are generally very dry.  

Lamb's ear: Stachys byzantina.  Sun/part-shade, animal resistant.

Humminbird trumpets:  Zauschneria sp.  {reblooming, SUN}

Globe-Mallow or Cowboy's delight:  Sphaeralcea coccinea. {Spreads, very dry.  Sun} S. monroana is bigger, not-spreading, and does rebloom.

Oddballs

Echium sp.  "Red Feathers."  Butterfly magnets, long-bloomers.

Thermopsis: Native or not: Golden-banners.  Tough, clumping, the native is aggressive.

Bukiniczia cabulica: A bienniel; order seed; It comes from either Mars or a Pakistani glacier!

Paintbrushes… Castilleja integra is easiest to establish.  Sow seed on disturbed, new soils and say a prayer.

Bulbs (Xeric by means of sleeping through summer)[available from Brent & Becky's Bulbs]

Wee blue things: Scilla/Chionodoxa/Puschkinia

Fritillaria: oftenlbs]

The heavenly snowdrops: Galanthus sp.  Why the heck does everyoen grow these!!!

"Species" or "Botanical" Tulips.  T. sylvestris, T. linifolia, T. tarda, T. dasystemon.

Grasses

Blue gramma: Boutelous gracilis.  Toothbrushy eyelashes.  Dry dry.

Lil'Bluestem: Schizachyrium scoparium.  Joseph's-technicolor-nothing compared to this.  Sun.

Cacti&Succulents

Sempervivums and Sedums- collect them all & try new flavors!

Sedum rupestre 'Angelina' is a classic, psychedellic "gateway succulent"

Flameflower: Talinum calycinum and friends.

Snowball Cactus: Escobaria sneedii/leei

Mountain-Ball cactus. Native basketball-sized.

Fragile Prickly-Pear or Potato Cactus.

Sources:

coldhardycactus.com

Timberline Gardens: Arvada, CO

Planted Earth: Carbondale, CO

Brent and Becky's Bulbs (VA mailorder/internet)

Chelsea Nursery, Clifton (Grand Junction), CO

LaPorte Ave. Nursery: Ft. Collins (Online or wholesale)

Sunscapes Rare Plant Nursery: Pueblo, CO (Online or wholelsale)

Alplains (Online or paper catalogue of seeds)

Western Native Seed (Online)