The Persnickety Plantsman

by Kelly D. Norris

I’ve been called a plant bigot, or sometimes more kindly a plant snob. I’m told my taste in plants is esoteric and beyond that of what most gardeners are interested in. Yet when I tell stories about my plants in lectures that I give, the audience is entranced by such unusual plants not readily seen. I’ve gotten murmurs of approval at the mention of elegant fall bloomers like Autumn crocus (Colchicum autumnale) and meadow beauty (Rhexia virginica). I’ve seen inquisitive nods when I talk about the cool Corydalis I picked up from a rare bulb connoisseur last fall. Allan Armitage said, rather portentously, that behind every great plant lies an even better story. Our world is full of marvelous, fascinating, chlorophyll-possessing creatures, some of which are privileged enough to make into our gardens. Shouldn’t we be eager for the quest to bring more to a wider audience?

I think so. Without ranting about the history of horticulture in 20th century America, I think it is fair to draw attention to such classic examples like Hemerocallis and Hosta. Present-day gardeners roll their eyes about now. But seriously, hostas were once an esoteric plant by some standards. They were collector items. Obscure plants trickled in from corners of Asia and it wasn’t until such hosta giants like Frances Williams and Alex Summers got in the game that progress was made. Summers along with co-founder Eunice Fisher got together with other hosta fanatics in 1968 to form the American Hosta Society which continues to this day to be the largest international organization promoting what has become one of America’s favorite perennials. Hosta lovers come by the dozen and all are proud owners of growing collections. But this bustle of activity wouldn’t have been a reality had these champions not taken up the cause for a genus they saw promise and future in.

The two daylily favorites at the turn-of-the-century were hands down Hemerocallis fulva (ye’ old orange daylily, turned ditch weed) and Hemerocallis lilasphodelus (lemon daylily). But American innovators like A.B. Stout, for whom the American Hemerocallis Society’s top honor is named after, were determined to take this hardworking perennial to new heights. Seeds from Asian selections poured in and his crosses easily numbered 50,000. His arduous efforts and vigilant records produced nearly 100 cultivars, a meager morsel compared to the nearly 50,000 unique cultivars registered today with the AHS founded in 1946.

Amongst this history lies a message I would impart upon my sharp-worded friends. The esoteric plants of yesteryear have risen to pinnacle heights in our modern era of gardening only because a few individuals found joy in researching, breeding, corresponding, and organizing on their behalf. These plants are collector’s items today only for opposite reasons. Gardeners find their earthly calling amongst these and other “collector” genera like irises, peonies, and daffodils. But what about groups of plants not so widely known?  Have you heard of the desert spectacles like Mariposa lilies (Calochortus) also known as the American tulip? What about the fawn lilies (Erythronium)? Both are bulbous plants of American origin and exist in great diversity in the wild. They can be grown in gardens but not a lot of information is abound about their culture nor are they well disseminated in gardening commerce. Online resources are far more abundant than those in print (hint, hint).

Maybe I am a little caught up in the clouds. Maybe weird, unheard of plants like those mentioned will never catch on. But maybe, if we take time to look a little ahead and catch a glimpse of the future, we might see them popping up all over. Maybe even in your own backyard. GG

Kelly D. Norris is Farm Manager at Rainbow Iris Farm and is working on his undergraduate degree at Iowa State University in Horticulture.  Check out his blog the E-Garden Almanac at http://e-gardenalmanac.blogspot.com or email him at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .