What’s Coming Up In The Garden, 60: Culver’s root

 The wonderful extension agent Debbie Roos taught me that using something tall like Culver’s root is a good accent mixed into a native plant design, so I’ve incorporated this idea into the new pollinator bed. I’m so excited to see how it looks next spring and summer!

More info:

Bruso, George H. 

Veronicastrum virginicum

Veronicastrum virginicum (L.) Farw.

Culver's Root

Scrophulariaceae (Figwort Family)

Synonym(s): Leptandra virginica, Veronica virginica

USDA Symbol: vevi4

USDA Native Status: L48 (N), CAN (N)

The unbranched stems of Culver’s-root grow 2-6 ft. tall and are topped by several spikes of densely-clustered, tiny, white flowers. The total effect is candelabra-like. Narrowly oval, dark-green leaves are arranged in whorls around the stem. The common name was to honour Dr. Culver who prescribed the plant as an effective laxative. (Lamb/Rhynard) Dense, narrow, cylindrical, spike-like clusters of small, white, tubular flowers are at the top of an erect stem over whorled leaves. 

The genus name, a combination of Veronica and the suffix astrum (false), describes this plants resemblance to the Veronicas. It is the only species in the genus. It can be grown easily in wildflower gardens. The root contains a powerful emetic and cathartic.

Spotlight on Baloo

 I haven’t spotlighted the farm family lately, so thought I’d weave in a series doing this. Here’s Baloo, our Cardigan Welsh Corgi. He’s a security officer extraordinaire and has gradually become a solid citizen around the equines. Hello, Cody!

He’s a good pal to Clem and Bear, a very loving dog, and a fierce announcer of anything and everything happening around the farm. 

Thanks to my daughter for the photos. She’s now doing pet portraits! Feel free to contact me if you’d like to hire her. :)

What’s Coming Up In The Garden, 59: basil bee balm

 This really lovely bee balm is one of the new native species I’ve planted in the new pollinator bed. One of the plants had a few spent blooms left over from earlier in the summer and bees have already found it and foraged it, which means it should be a big hit next year.

More info:

Scientific Name:	Monarda clinopodia
Genus:	Monarda
Species Epithet:	clinopodia
Common Name:	Basil Bergamot, White Bergamot, Basil Beebalm
Plant Type	Herb/Wildflower
Life Cycle	Perennial
Plant Family	Lamiaceae (Mint Family)
Native/Alien:	NC Native
Size:	3-6 ft.
Bloom Color(s):	White, Pink
Light:	Sun - 6 or more hours of sun per day, Part Shade - 2 to 6 hours of sun per day
Soil Moisture:	Dry
Bloom Time:	May, June, July, August, September
Growing Area:	Mountains, Piedmont
Habitat Description:	Mesic, forested slopes (Weakley 2015). Common in NC Mountains, rare in Piedmont.
Leaf Arrangement:	Opposite
Leaf Retention:	Deciduous
Leaf Type:	Leaves veined, not needle-like or scale-like
Leaf Form:	Simple
Life Cycle:	Perennial
Wildlife Value:	Important for Wildlife
Landscape Value:	Recommended and Available
Plant

What’s Coming Up In The Garden, 58: Meehan’s Mint (+ a better shot of the gate decor)

 Grabbed a better photo today - I am loving seeing these beauties each time I drive into the farm gate.

This Meehan’s Mint is a ground-covering mint that I’ve put in the front of the shade bed. I’m hoping it will spread out and create a nice frontispiece to the mix in the long, slightly lanky shape of this native planting. 

More info:

Meehania cordata 

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Common Name: Meehan's mint 

Type: Herbaceous perennial

Family: Lamiaceae

Native Range: Eastern United States

Zone: 4 to 8

Height: 0.25 to 0.50 feet

Spread: 0.25 to 1.50 feet

Bloom Time: May to June

Bloom Description: Lavender blue

Sun: Part shade to full shade

Water: Medium

Maintenance: Low

Suggested Use: Naturalize

Flower: Showy

Tolerate: Heavy Shade

Garden locations

Culture

Best grown in rich, humusy, medium moisture, well-drained soils in part shade. Tolerates full sun as long as soils are kept uniformly moist. Also tolerates full shade. Stoloniferous but not too aggressive.

Noteworthy Characteristics

Meehania cordata, commonly called Meehan’s mint or creeping mint, is a stoloniferous, mat-forming mint that resembles in appearance the common lawn and garden weed known as gill-over-the-ground or ground ivy (Glechoma hederacea), but it does not exhibit the very aggressive tendencies of the latter. It is native from western Pennsylvania to North Carolina, Tennessee and Illinois, where it typically occurs in rich woods and wooded slopes. This is a low-growing perennial with trailing square stems and opposite broadly heart shaped green leaves (to 1” long) with crenate margins. Hooded, two-lipped, lavender blue flowers bloom in mid to late spring. Flowers (to 1” long) are somewhat large for the plant, appearing in upright 3-inch spikes on stems rising to 4-6” tall.

Genus name honors distinguished American horticulturist and editor Thomas Meehan (d. 1901).

Specific epithet means heart-shaped in reference to the leaves.

Problems

No serious insect or disease problems. Some susceptibility to slugs.

Garden Uses

Ground cover for shade gardens, woodland gardens or shady border areas.

Update on the Big Bay

 First, he received his first acupuncture treatment this morning and he loved it - much licking and chewing and then eyes closing as he went into the zen zone, plus much giving of thanks to his vet and to me after she left. I’m happy we have an additional supportive therapy to plug into his repertoire. 

The vet did her own pre-acupuncture exam and today he is weak on the right (vs the left on Friday) and she feels he has slight lameness going on in the left rear. But she trotted him out and there was no wobbling at all, so that was good for me to see, even if it did scare me a little.

He scanned well after the acupuncture and he’s already set to get another treatment in two weeks.

As this vet drove off the farm, I got the message from his other vet that the EPM test came back positive. He’ll start the treatment for that ASAP. 

I’m relieved to have a definitive diagnosis, and happy his two vets will confer and put everything together to get the best treatment plan possible as we move forward. He’s in good spirits, enjoying the attention, and mostly looks better than he did last week. He’s got chiro and hoof trim coming up so basically everything should be in good shape for him as we get rid of the protozoa!