Plant Gardens 101

Phlox family
Polemoniaceae
Ip-po-mop’sis. Herbs mostly native in w. North America, with one species in Argentina.

Description
Leaves to 2 in. (5 cm) long, dissected into linear segments, on erect stems. Corolla generally tubular; calyx 5-lobed.

How to Grow  
Easy to grow in well-drained soil but will tolerate dryness. Where winters are mild, sow seeds in fall. Elsewhere, plant in spring after danger of hard frost is past. Established plants may naturalize. The species below prefer cool weather.

Ipomopsis aggregata
Skyrocket . To 2 ft. (60 cm) high. Flowers trumpet-shaped, 1 in. (2.5 cm) long, fragrant, fiery red, golden yellow, pink, whitish, or red with yellow mottling, in a long cluster. W. North America. Also sold as Gilia aggregata . Half-hardy biennial grown as a hardy annual.

Ipomopsis rubra
Standing Cypress . Usually 2-3 ft. (60-90 cm) high in garden, but can reach 6 ft. (1.8 m) high. Flowers very showy, tubelike, 2 in. (5 cm) long, scarlet outside, yellow with red dots inside, in a narrow panicle. S. U.S. Biennial grown as a half-hardy annual.