Date: Fri, 31 Jan 2003 09:52:03 -0500
Reply-To: BB for Hummingbirds and Gardening for them in the Southeast <HUMNET-L@LISTSERV.LSU.EDU>

Subject: Re: [HUMNET-L] Plants that survived the freeze

> From: CarrieandDavid Dortch <downbythebay@MCHSI.COM>
> Date: 2003/01/29 Wed AM 09:08:25 EST
> To: HUMNET-L@LISTSERV.LSU.EDU
> Subject: [HUMNET-L] Plants that survived the freeze
>
> I have a plant called Calamintha coccinea that was unfazed by the freeze.
It still has blooms on it. The only mitigating factor is that it was very
close to the house. However the thermometer that read 20 degrees was in the
same area, also close to the house. Our neighbors thermometer that was 15
feet from their house read 16 degrees at the same time mine said 20.
>
> I believe that this little plant is a native, and is extremely drought
tolerant as well? Any reflections on experience with this plant would be
appreciated.
>
> David Dortch

David,

You lucky dog. I've tried unsuccessfully to grow Calamintha coccinea
several times over the years. Congratulations on getting one to live in
your garden. You must live in a deep sand area.

A little info on this horticultural all-but-unknown: Native to deep sandy
areas of the Southeast Gulf Coast and Florida, Calamintha coccinea is a
member of family Lamiaceae, or the Mint family. Salvias are also members
of this family. It was once botanically classified as a Satureja, and some
other genus I cant recall at present.

It grows luxuriantly in soils comprised mostly of white beach sand. It
seems to be t associated with coastal Live Oak/yaupon/palmetto plant
communities, and grows as a dappled shade understory sub-shrub. I suspect
it is dependent on some kind of soil microorganism occurring in this plant
community. Bloom season is pretty long---from mid-summer through most of
winter, depending on degree of cold. When is peak bloom? Not sure---but
I've seen it going strong as late as October.

How far inland does it occur naturally? I've seen one isloted plant
growing along I-10 east of Mobile Bay. It grows extensively in the
woodlands around Foley, Alabama, and environs. That's, what, 20 miles from
the beach?

This plant is heavily visited by both Ruby-throated Hummingbirds and by
butterflies. I've seen it seething with Sulphurs. It's been pretty
intriguing to me because of its nativity, its late bloom, its
coldhardiness, and its great beauty.

MiriamLDavey
BatonRougeLA

 

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Date: Fri, 31 Jan 2003 20:57:55 -0500
Reply-To: BB for Hummingbirds and Gardening for them in the Southeast <HUMNET-L@LISTSERV.LSU.EDU>

Subject: Re: [HUMNET-L] Red Basil ( Calamintha coccinea )

Good Evenin' Humnet,
Found this interesting ... it's from a friend in the Gulf Breeze, Fl. area
who is a master gardener devoted to native plants and runs a small nursery
too. I asked her take on Red basil ( Calamintha coccinea ).

Peggy Siegert
Slidell, La.

<< Peg ... it's a prolific native in this area ( reseeds massively in sandy
wooded areas ... there must be 5000 plants close to my house < G > ) and
they are just recently having success in tissue culture making it more
likely to get into the commercial end of the native plant business .

Red basil ( Calamintha coccinea ) appears similar to salvia greggii and s.
greggii blooms much longer than the Calamintha coccinea which only blooms
in the fall here . It doesn't transplant well and that's why the efforts
have been spent on tissue culture but I don't see it as a really desirable
plant to replace more efficient hummer bloomers . It's also a very rangy
plant ... you rarely see one that makes a big splash of color . >>

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X-Priority: 3 (Normal)
Date: Fri, 31 Jan 2003 15:33:19 -0600
Reply-To: BB for Hummingbirds and Gardening for them in the Southeast <HUMNET-L@LISTSERV.LSU.EDU>
Subject: [HUMNET-L] Red Basil

There has been a little interest in the plants that I had that survived the
freeze. This lady is aware of them, and sells them. Her nursery name is
Biophilia, and here is a link: Its located midway between Pensacola, Gulf
Shores, and Fairhope. She deals exclusively in native species.

http://www.biophilia.net/

David Dortch
Fairhope AL

Red Basil is one of my favorite plants. Where on earth did you get a flat
of it? I didn't know it was commercially available around here. I do have
a few of them in the greenhouse in $4, $5, and $6 pots. I know at least
one is blooming with a few blossoms. They aren't big plants, of course.
Did your potted Red Basil survive the freeze unprotected? How big were the
pots? That plant is not well known. I'm impressed that you know the Latin
name. There are several scientific synonyms, but Calamintha coccinea seems
the most acceptable, at least according to the Atlas of Florida Vascular
Plants http://www.plantatlas.usf.edu/