Enter Drawing for Arisaema Tuber

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April 2, 2010    Hello, again. On this week's radio show, I talk about something for spring color we often overlook. Also, we're having a drawing for some Asian Jack-in-the-pulpit tubers that I started from seeds over a year ago. They are about the size of marbles, and could bloom a year from planting. Arisaema fargesii is hardy to Zone 6, but I grow mine in pots. With things like floods - one so far on the island garden, and two near misses -- it is safer to grow these precious plants in containers. For winter, I let the potting soil dry out and store the dormant tubers, pot and all, in a cool (about 50 degrees F), dry place. Dry is more important than cold. Red-y for Spring        By the time the crocus are blooming beneath the old magnolia tree in New Jersey, another early sign of spring has already spread from the Hudson River to the foothills of the Appalachian mountains where my garden grows. It begins close to New York City as a reddish haze on either side of the highway -- and progresses over the next weeks until Route 80 is lined with crimson, coral, and apricot. The color comes from the flowers of the American red maple, Acer rubrum.         We don't think of maple tree flowers as being ornamental, but look close up at your Japanese varieties in early spring. Their flowers are charming. But the abundance of the red maple buds and blossoms make for a vivid show -- even from a speeding car. A young tree can produce up to 100,000 seeds, while an older, larger tree may bear up to one million. Unlike many maples with seeds that drop in the fall and must go through a winter before germinating, the red maple's will sprout in the summer - soon after their winged samaras fall to the ground.         The red maple is one of the most widespread of all trees in North America. They grow as far north as Nova Scotia, west to Minnesota, south to Oklahoma and eastern Texas, and southeast to the Florida everglades. Its most dense range is along the Atlantic coast. In total, its continuous range is some 1,600 miles, and is native to all regions of the Eastern half of the United States. Such a widespread distribution leads to variable genotypes within the species, and for growers, opportunities to make selections for various parts of the country, and most of all, for fall color (see list below).         As you might expect, the red maple accepts a wide range of soil types, elevations, moisture and even pH - probably more than any other forest tree. Red maples can grow on the top of mountainous ridges on southwest-facing slopes to peat bogs and swamps - giving rise to one common name, swamp maple. Its tolerance of poor soil and moist situations is one reason it is common along the highway where it takes up residence in drainage ditches by the side of the road.   Some Red Maple Varieties to Look for: 'Armstrong' is columnar in shape 'Autumn Blaze' - long-lasting autumn color 'Autumn Flame' - a popular selection for bright color 'Autumn Spire' - columnar choice for far northern gardens 'Bowhall' - orange fall color 'Columnare' - tall column with orange to deep red color in fall 'October Glory' - bestseller -- it can be sold out at nurseries. Brilliant fall color. 'Red Sunset' - vigorous, drought tolerant, good color and popular 'Scarlet Sentinel' - fastigiate growth, yellow-orange to red-orange autumn color 'Schlesingeri' - fast growing, reddish purple color 'Shade King' - also a fast grower, this one has red to orange leaves Arisaema fargesii drawing for tubers          Like many gardeners, I am starting plants from seeds, now. Some of the seeds have been purchased; others were collected from my own plants. For instance, I am sowing the gigantic Ricinus communis 'Zanzibariensis', a castor bean, for my friend, the artist Ricky Boscarino who likes his plants big. This annual can grow to nine feet in one summer. You can see from the first seed leaves (1, below) how big this plant is going to be. I bought my seeds from J. L. Hudson, Seedsman.         Another plant I've sown is one of my favorite Jack-in-the-pulpits, Arisaema fargesii. I harvested seeds from the club of berries formed by fertilized flowers (2). Chemicals in the fruit keep the seeds from sprouting in the wrong place at the wrong time. So, outdoors, these seeds will sprout in spring. Once cleaned of fruit, indoors, however, they will germinate in about three week (3).        I have a handful of little tubers to give to listeners to Ken Druse - REAL DIRT and readers of the newsletter. Send an e-mail to kendruserealdirt@yahoo.com with your name and address, and we'll put you in the big, floppy garden hat for the drawing. I'll send little tubers to the winners. The dealine for entries is April 12th.         More information on growing these gorgeous flowers (4) is also on Friday's show www.kendruserealdirt.com. Please visit our underwriter: Song Sparrow Farm and Nursery -- mail order purveyors of rare and unusual plants.

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