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Welcome to my zone 9a habitat garden near Houston, Texas.

Monday, October 1, 2012

Does this look white to you?

When we visited the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in the fall a couple of years ago, I was particularly impressed with the white mistflower that was in bloom then. The reason that I was impressed was that it seemed that every white bloom on the plant had a butterfly hanging on it! It was obviously a butterfly magnet plant and I needed one for my garden.

On a trip to the Antique Rose Emporium this past spring, I bought a plant that was labeled as white mistflower and installed in my garden and waited for its white blooms and the hordes of butterflies to appear. Instead, this is what I got.

Well, it is a mistflower and it is pretty, but it certainly isn't white!

Not even from this angle does it look white!

Which just goes to prove, I guess, that even when you purchase from the most reputable of vendors, there's always the possibility that a plant has been mislabeled. Perhaps the lesson is that if you want a particular color, you should purchase the plant when it is in bloom. That way you won't be disappointed.

You know, I think it's about time I paid Arbor Gate a visit once again. While the mistflowers are in bloom.

2 comments:

  1. I have several plants in my garden that are not the color promised. An Althea that is a great bloomer(lavender) is not the Althea I thought I was buying according to the label(red).The so called Hot Lips Greggii turned out to be plain old red, which of course is ok, but still not as advertised.

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    Replies
    1. It happens and it's best, I find, just to learn to love the plant.

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