Lime rocks the garden Plant performs in sun or shade garden
Lime continues to rock the garden world. Just recently I told you about the new lime green version of the Jewels-of-Opar called Limon. And now there is a new Iresine, or beefsteak, plant called Blazin' Lime.
Iresine is in the Amaranthaceae family, meaning it is related to the Joseph's Coat, Gomphrena and Celosia. The Iresine is native to tropical areas of Brazil and Ecuador, and represents another great choice in colorful foliage for the landscape.
If you remember, Blazin' Rose hit big last year, and now the tropical-style garden can come alive with Blazin' Lime, which is lemon-lime and green. I say tropical-style garden, but believe me when I say it will work anywhere as long as it gets protection from the hot afternoon sun.
Blazin' Rose and Blazin' Lime are related to the old fashioned chicken gizzards of our grandparents' era. These grow much larger, however, almost resembling a coleus in stature. They are a little slower growing than coleus.
Blazin' Lime would be an incredible partner with bananas or the hot new Lime Zinger elephant ear. In the shade garden, combine them with hostas like Sum and Substance or almost any color of impatiens.
Ball FloraPlant is introducing Blazin' Lime and also a new coleus called Electric Lime. This coleus will electrify the shade or sun garden.
I am growing mine in several different areas to see how much sun it can take and I can say the choice is yours. In all areas the plant will perform like an award winner.
In one area, I have my Electric Lime coleus combined with the purple-leaved and purple-fruited Explosive Ember pepper. This makes an impressive combination planting.
In my backyard I have them in a fertile, organic rich bed with bananas, hot pink hydrangeas and the super new lavender Sunpatiens, the heat and sun tolerant New Guinea.
Don't be afraid to use Electric Lime in the flower garden with blue petunias like the Easy Wave Blue or the highly vigorous Suncatcher Sapphire petunia. It would also combine wonderfully with Prairie Sun rudbeckia for a breathtakingly bold display.
The last great new lime green plant I want to call your attention to is the Crystal Palace Gem geranium. Did you ever think you would grow a geranium and not even care if it ever bloomed? At least that's how I feel about it.
In our trials last year, it performed really well in extreme conditions. The leaves are a combination of dark green and wild lime. It has a mounding habit, and yes, it will bloom with dark red to magenta flowers.
But to be honest, I love it for the leaves. The rich vibrant lime green combines wonderfully in mixed containers or in the landscape. As you can guess, flowers in the blues and purples really show off the foliage of the Crystal Palace Gem. This one is being introduced by Fisher USA.
Geraniums are heavy feeders and many gardeners do not apply enough fertilizer to meet the plants' nutrient needs.
We can feed every two weeks with a water-soluble fertilizer like a 20-20-20, or apply a granular controlled-released fertilizer per formula recommendation.
I don't know how you feel about lime or chartreuse in the garden, but I love it and I will probably keep using it long after the trend ends.
Hopefully it won't.
