ORNAMENTAL PLANTS OF HORTICULTURE VALUE

Selection of perennials

About 250 species in all continents except Australia. In the FSU about 40 species, some of which are of decorative value.

V. alliariifolia Adams

Caucasus (all regions, except southern Transcaucasus), Balkan Peninsula (Greece), Anatolia and northern Iran. Meadows, edges and clearings in forests, tall herb community, 1,900-2,300 m.

Plant 85-110 cm, with thick rugose rhizome. Basal leaves long-petiolate, cordate or ovate-cordate, 15-50 cm x 5-25 cm. Upper stem leaves smaller, sessile. Pink or white minute flowers are numerous in spreading cyme. V - early spring to late autumn. Fl - July. Fr - August-September. P - by seed. Plant in groups. Does well in partial shade. Z 3. New.

V. kassarica Charadze & Kapell.

Caucasus (the Greater Caucasus). On rocky slopes, gravelly soil in subalpine zones.

Rhizome thin, branched. Stems erect, numerous, 15-30 cm. Leaves pinnate, 6-11 cm long with long petioles, in rosette. Stem leaves 1-2 pairs, sessile, with lanceolate leaflets. Flowers in apical inflorescence 3.5-5.5 cm diam. Individual flowers small, pink, or white-pink. V - early spring to late autumn. Fl - July in the mountains, May in Tbilisi. Fr - August-September. P - by seed and division. Good for the rock garden and flower beds. Prefers a sunny place, shade-tolerant. Requires well-drained soil. Z 5. New.