ORNAMENTAL PLANTS OF HORTICULTURE VALUE

Selection of perennials

Among 200 genera endemic to the FSU most are herbaceous plants, many with ornamental value, unknown in cultivation. Therefore, published plant descriptions mainly consider perennials. In contrast, there are about three thousands woody species in the flora. Many are widely distributed with some endemic to the FSU. Several workers have investigated the trees and shrubs of Russia and the references can be seen among recommended literature. The most completed work was joint project and seven-volume Trees and shrubs of the USSR (1949-1965) describes the woody species and cultivars introduced to the FSU. The editor of these publications, S. Sokolov (1965) gave the number 2,883 species of woody plants (including semi-woody shrubs) native to the FSU. Unknown to cultivation, a short list of the more horticulturally interesting trees and shrubs is given here, after perennial descriptions, and it indicates taxa that grow under extreme conditions.

Short descriptions of plants are arranged alphabetically by genera and species. The following list is of interest to scientists, plantsmen, experienced gardeners, landscape architects, and anyone interested in the introduction of new plants. All the plants included in the list have ornamental value and all have been cultivated in St. Petersburg at the Komarov Botanical Garden or elsewhere at other botanical gardens of the FSU; many have been studied by the author in the field. About 50 species from the FSU have been tested in the Miswest USA, mainly at the Chicago Botanic Garden. The seeds were collected in the Russian Far East, in the southern Siberia (Altay), in the Caucasus (Georgia). Plants belong to the different life forms and have shown different tolerance to the climate. Taprooted and rhizome plants do well in Chicago climate, among them evergreen Bergenia and deciduous Aconitum and Geranium. Some plants change their rhythm, thus Sanguisorba overwinter with green leaves, while in Siberia it is a decidouous plant. Most of the described species can be grown in USDA zone 4 regions, unless otherwise indicated. Species not mentioned by Bailey at al. (1976) in Hortus Third are noted as "new to cultivation", and many are. Geographical names follow the Times Atlas (1992), whenever possible. Latin scientific names follow Vascular plants of Russia and adjacent states (Czerepanov, 1995) and in most cases correspond to those in "The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening" (Huxley et al., 1992). When they differ, synonyms are given whenever possible, especially for the generic splits common in Russian literature, but unknown to gardeners in the West. Authorities for names of taxa follow Brummitt and Powell (1992), with just a few exceptions concomitantly with Latin transliterations of names (Charadze, not Kharadze) and accepted by Russians (Kom. not Komarov, Makino not Mak., Siebold not Sieb.).

Brief descriptions follow and include:

1. Latin name of the genus.
2. English (if any) name of the genus.
3. Family name.
4. Brief notes on the genus, and as it are represented in the flora of the FSU.
5. Latin name of the species.
6. Geographical distribution and habitat.
7. Short description of the plant, including growth stages, propagation methods and site requirements. All measurements were taken from plants under cultivation. The following abbreviations are employed:
   V - vegetative (growing) season
   Fl - flowering season
   Fr - fruiting season
   P - propagation
   Z - most appropriate USDA hardiness zone
   New - new to cultivation

The accompanying Recommended Literature provides further information for ornamental species native to the FSU.

List of families and genera

Alliaceae

Allium

Amaryllidaceae

Galanthus

Apiaceae

Angelica, Heracleum

Araceae

Arisaema, Arum

Asteraceae

Alfredia, Anthemis, Arnica, Artemisia, Aster, Centaurea, Cicerbita, Cladochaeta, Grossheimia, Jurinea, Jurinella, Leontopodium, Leucanthemus, Petasites, Pyrethrum, Senecio

Berberidaceae (inc. Podophyllaceae)

Epimedium, Plagiorhegma

Bignoniaceae

Incarvillea, Niedzwedzkia

Boraginaceae

Brunnera, Omphalodes

Brassicaceae

Aethionema, Arabis

Campanulaceae

Adenophora, Campanula, Gadellia, Ostrowskia, Platycodon

Caryophyllaceae

Cerastium, Dianthus, Gypsophila, Lychnis

Crassulaceae

Clementsia, Hylotelephium, Rhodiola, Rosularia, Sedum, Sempervivum

Euphorbiaceae

Euphorbia

Fabaceae

Astragalus, Chesneya, Lathyrus

Frankeniaceae

Frankenia

Gentianaceae

Gentiana

Geraniaceae

Geranium

Iridaceae

Crocus, Gladiolus, Iridodictyum, Iris, Juno

Lamiaceae

Meehania, Salvia, Stachys, Thymus

Liliaceae (s.l.)

Bellevalia, Colchicum, Eremurus, Erythronium, Fritillaria, Hemerocallis, Korolkowia, Lilium, Merendera, Muscari, Ornithogalum, Petilium, Pseudomuscari, Puschkinia, Rhinopetalum, Scilla, Tulipa

Morinaceae

Morina

Orchidaceae

Cypripedium

Paeoniaceae

Paeonia

Papaveraceae (incl. Fumariaceae)

Corydalis, Dicentra, Hylomecon, Papaver

Polygonaceae

Reynoutria

Plumbaginaceae

Acantholimon, Popoviolimon

Poaceae

Achnatherum, Molinia, Stipa

Primulaceae

Androsace, Cortusa, Cyclamen, Primula

Ranunculaceae

Aconitum, Anemonastrum, Anemone, Anemonoides, Aquilegia, Cimicifuga, Delphinium, Hegemone, Helleborus, Paraguilegia, Pulsatilla, Trollius

Rosaceae

Filipendula, Louiseania, Potentilla, Sanguisorba, Waldsteinia, Woronovia

Saxifragaceae

Astilbe, Bergenia, Saxifraga

Solanaceae

Physochlaina

Valerianaceae

Valeriana

Violaceae

Viola