IN THE YARD: Columbines, Garden Club and plant doctor
The LSU AgCenter has been evaluating columbines in the landscape the last four years at its Hammond Research Station.
Look for the Swan series for cool weather planting. The series is a Louisiana Super Plant, propagated by seed, that offers a variety of color. Columbine is a perennial that’s normally treated as an annual in Louisiana.
Plant in mid to late fall for eight weeks of flowers in March through early to mid-May, said horticulturist Allen Owings.
Along with the familiar yellow or golden columbines from Texas, varieties in the Swan series are blue white, burgundy white, pink yellow, red white, rose white, violet white, white and yellow.
“A notable feature of the flowers are the long spurs that extend behind the petals,” said horticulturist Dan Gill. “These claw-like spurs reminded people of the claws of eagles, and that’s how this plant got the Latin name Aquilegia – which is derived from the Latin for eagle (aquila). The common name – columbine – is derived from the Latin name for another bird, the pigeon or dove (columba).
“Louisiana Voodoo,” is the theme of this year’s Baton Rouge Garden Club’s show, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at The Garden Center, 7950 Independence Blvd.
The public is invited to view winners of the judged portion of the show held earlier in the day. Admission and finger food is free.
The plant doctor is in: Nick Singh, LSU AgCenter plant pathologist with the Plant Diagnostic Center, will answer questions and offer free plant diagnostics from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Lowe’s Garden Center, Siegen Marketplace.
Bring in samples or photos of your sick plants, lawn problems and garden pests.
Ed Cullen
Advocate staff writer