[MPWG] Native Spotlight from Washington Gardener: Indian Pink (SPIGELIA MARILANDICA)

De Angelis, Patricia patricia_deangelis at fws.gov
Wed Jul 8 09:55:06 CDT 2015


>>Pardon cross posting but this native plant is also medicinal: It's root
is used as a vermifuge (de-wormer!).<<

Native Spotlight from Washington Gardener Magazine
(the publication for MD, DC, and VA area gardeners)
Wednesday, June 10, 2015

Guest Blog by Rachel Shaw

Spigelia marilandica, common name Indian Pink or Pink Root, is a handsome
addition to the native plant garden. Mine are planted in shade next to
White Turtlehead (Chelone glabra) and two years after planting are filling
in nicely. They are blooming now, and having just read that the blooming
season can be extended by removing spent flowers, I went out to do so and
found that most dead blooms had obligingly dropped off without my help. I
also learned recently from reading Rick Dark and Doug Tallamy’s The Living
Landscape that Spigelia’s seeds are dehiscent, propelling the seed capsules
some distance to start new seedlings. I haven’t seen this kind of spread
yet, but I expect I will, as much of what I grow manages to get itself
spread to other parts of the yard.

Spigelia is said to be very attractive to hummingbirds. Again something I
haven’t observed yet in my own yard, but between it and the Cardinal Flower
(Lobelia cardinalis) growing nearby, I’m on the lookout. Even if it had no
other obvious benefit than its beautiful and unusual flower, I would still
be delighted to have added this native to my own small landscape.

See the blog:
http://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2015/06/native-spotlight-indian-pink.html

About the author:
Rachel Shaw focuses on vegetable gardening and growing native plants in her
small yard in Rockville, Maryland. She blogs at
http://hummingbirdway.blogspot.com/.

More information about Washington Gardener magazine:

Kathy Jentz
Editor/Publisher
Washington Gardener Magazine
826 Philadelphia Ave.
Silver Spring MD 20910
301-588-6894
WGardenermag at aol.com
www.WashingtonGardener.com

Follow us on:
http://twitter.com/WDCGardener
facebook.com/WashingtonGardenerMagazine
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