| Name | Papyrus |
| Genus/Species | Cyperus papyrus |
| Family | Cyperaceae |
| Type | Perennial grass |
| Origin | Africa |
| Use | Pond, swamp plant |
| Zones | 16, 17, 23, 24 |
| Sun | Full to partial |
| Water | Swamp plant, can take dry conditions as well |
| Soil | Any, originally grown in rich soil |
| Size | to 5 feet tall, as wide |
| Leaf | Star bust of slender 5" leaves at the top of a stalk |
| Flower | Brown cluster amidst star burst leaves at stalk top |
| Bloom | Year around |
| Seeds | Plentiful after bloom, reseeds very easily |
| Prune | Trim to control |
| Prop | Seeds, division |
| Danger | Invasive |
| Notes: | |
| Picture | |
| My notes | Cut and dried stems make great crafts |
| Return to Plant Page |
| Name | Pennyroyal |
| Genus/Species | Mentha pulegium |
| Family | Labiatae |
| Type | Perennial mint herb |
| Use | Ground cover, medicinal |
| Zones | 4 - 24 |
| Attract | Bees |
| Sun | Full sun to partial sun |
| Water | Plenty |
| Soil | Any |
| Size | 6" tall, 2 feet wide, creeping |
| Plant | Cool, moist area |
| Leaf | Wonderful fragrance |
| Flower | Small purple balls on stalks |
| Bloom | Summer |
| Seeds | Miniscule but prolific |
| Prune | Trim to control |
| Prop | Seeds, cuttings, division |
| Enemies | Snails, slugs |
| Danger | Poisonous in large qtys |
| Notes: | Very invasive |
| Does not deter ants | |
| Picture | |
| My notes | |
| Return to Plant Page |
| Name | Penstemon |
| Genus/Species | |
| Family | |
| Type | |
| Aka | |
| Origin | |
| General | |
| Hardy | |
| Use | |
| Zones | |
| Attract | |
| Sun | |
| Water | |
| Soil | |
| Size | |
| Plant | |
| Leaf | |
| Flower | |
| Bloom | |
| Seeds | |
| Feed | |
| Prune | |
| Prop | |
| Enemies | |
| Danger | |
| Notes: | |
| Picture | |
| My notes | Blackbird (dark purple in front east by steps Pink in middle of wild area Unknonw purple in fireplace side Ruby - front? |
| Return to Plant Page |
| Name | Pentas |
| Genus/Species | Pentas lanceolata |
| Family | Rubiaceae |
| Type | Perennial treated as annuals, evergreen shrub |
| Aka | Star Clusters |
| Origin | |
| General | |
| Hardy | |
| Use | |
| Zones | All |
| Attract | Bees, birds, hummingbird, butterflies |
| Sun | Full to partial sun outdoors, brightest light indoors |
| Water | Regular, do not overwater |
| Soil | |
| Size | |
| Plant | |
| Leaf | |
| Flower | Small clustered star shaped, pinks to purples, white |
| Bloom | All year |
| Seeds | Do not store well |
| Feed | |
| Prune | Clip spent flowers for new blooms |
| Prop | Seeds or cuttings |
| Enemies | |
| Danger | |
| Notes: | |
| Picture | |
| My notes | I have not yet managed to have one survive the winter |
| Return to Plant Page |
| Name | Perilla |
| Genus/Species | (Shiso) Perilla frutescens |
| Family | Labiatae |
| Type | Annual herb |
| Origin | Himalayas to East Asia |
| General | Cinnamon scented |
| Use | Lettuce, considered poisonous in volume Border plant Looks like Coleus (not) |
| Zones | All |
| Sun | Full to partial sun |
| Water | |
| Soil | |
| Size | 2-3 feet, 1 foot wide |
| Plant | Sturdy warm weather plant |
| Leaf | Green to purple |
| Flower | |
| Bloom | |
| Seeds | Self seeds readily |
| Feed | |
| Prune | |
| Prop | |
| Enemies | |
| Danger | |
| Notes: | |
| Picture | |
| My notes | |
| Return to Plant Page |
| Name | Persian Shield |
| Genus/Species | Strobilanthes dyerianus |
| Family | Acanthaceae |
| Type | Tender perennial |
| Aka | |
| Origin | |
| General | |
| Hardy | to 40 |
| Use | |
| Zones | |
| Attract | |
| Sun | Full to partial shade |
| Water | Plenty |
| Soil | |
| Size | 24" x 36" |
| Plant | |
| Leaf | Purple |
| Flower | Purple |
| Bloom | Late spring, early summer |
| Seeds | |
| Feed | |
| Prune | Pinch to increase |
| Prop | Cuttings |
| Enemies | |
| Danger | |
| Notes: | |
| Picture | http://davesgarden.com/pdb/go/516/index.html |
| My notes | |
| Return to Plant Page |
| Name | Pineapple Flower |
| Genus/Species | Eucomis |
| Family | Liliaceae |
| Type | Perennial from bulb |
| Origin | Tropical southern Africa |
| General | Unusual looking |
| Hardy | If ground freezes, protect with mulch |
| Use | |
| Zones | 4 - 9, 14 - 24 |
| Attract | |
| Sun | Full sun or light shade |
| Water | Regular water during growth and bloom |
| Soil | Rich soil, plenty of humus |
| Size | to 2 feet |
| Leaf | Thick spikes, light green |
| Flower | Spike of 1/2" long white yelow flowers, lovely scent |
| Bloom | Summer |
| Seeds | Purple seed capsules |
| Plant | In fall 4-6" deep, 1 foot apart in ground In pots, set tips just below surface |
| Feed | |
| Prop | |
| Enemies | |
| Danger | |
| Notes: | Repot every year in new soil mix |
| Picture | |
| My notes | |
| Return to Plant Page |
| Name | Poppy California |
| Genus/Species | Papaveraceae californica Eschscholzia |
| Family | Papaveraceae |
| Type | Perennial |
| Origin | California, Oregon |
| Use | Natural landscaping |
| Zones | 1 - 24 |
| Attract | Bees, birds to seed |
| Sun | Full |
| Water | Plenty, tolerates little |
| Soil | Any |
| Size | 2' x 2' |
| Leaf | Gray green finely divided |
| Flower | Bright orange to 2" |
| Bloom | Spring to fall |
| Seeds | Plentiful from pods after flower |
| Pick after fully formed, they explode when completely brown | |
| Prune | Trim to control and for repeat bloom |
| Prop | Seeds |
| Scatter seeds on ground - these do not transplant well | |
| Notes: | Planted one row which grew to 4 feet deep |
| Looks messy after bloom | |
| Picture | |
| My notes | |
| Return to Plant Page |
| Name | Pyrethropsis gayana |
| Genus/Species | Chrysanthemum gayanum OR Pyrethropsis gayana OR Leucanthemum hosmariensis |
| Family | Asterceae |
| Type | Perennial shrub |
| Aka | |
| Origin | Morocco or Algeria |
| General | Woody shrub |
| Hardy | |
| Use | Naturalizing landscaping |
| Zones | 14-24 |
| Sun | Full to partial sun |
| Water | Little water |
| Soil | |
| Size | 1 1/2" tall, 4' wide |
| Plant | |
| Leaf | Lacy gray foilage |
| Flower | 1 1/2" pink daisy like a Shasta, pink with dark centers |
| Bloom | Late winter, early spring |
| Seeds | |
| Feed | |
| Notes: | |
| Picture | |
| My notes | |
| Return to Plant Page |
| Name | Pyrethrum |
| Genus/Species | Herbal pyretheum is Chrysanth. cinerarii folium |
| Family | Asteraceae |
| Type | Perennial herb |
| General | Insecticide pyretheum |
| Not to be confused with Painted Daisy, or Chrysanthemum coccineum Tanacetum coccineum Pyretheum roseum |
|
| Use | Insect spray, deters mites, aphids, lead hoppers |
| Zones | All zones |
| Sun | Full sun or partial sun |
| Water | Moderate to plenty |
| Soil | Any |
| Size | 3' x 3' |
| Plant | Coarse leafy bush |
| Leaf | Bright green daisy like leaves |
| Flower | White button daisy with yellow centers |
| Bloom | Spring to summer |
| Blooms second year | |
| Growth | Slow |
| Seeds | Plentiful from flowers |
| Feed | None |
| Prune | Trim to control |
| Prop | Seed, cuttings, division |
| Enemies | |
| Danger | |
| Notes: | Requires hot summer weather for full growth and display |
| Picture | |
| My notes | Pyretheum insecticide made from this plant. |
| Return to Plant Page |