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Impossible Gardening: Hot, Dry, Clay Soil, Part Shade-Part I

© Diana Pederson

Last week I introduced this series by describing the growing conditions of two of my perennial beds. Remember the impossible combination of conditions I faced: hot, dry, clay soil, noon-time sun only. Let's begin looking at plants that not only grow here but continue to thrive.

Echinacea

Echinacea is commonly called "purple cone flower" which is a misnomer because it can be pink, magenta, white or purple. This is a coarse looking plant so I like to grow it with shasta daisies in front of it to hide the lower stems. The ray flowers (petals) surround a prickly, dark brown, thick center. The ray flowers may curve downward. Overall, the plant is about 3-4 ft. tall although shorter varieties are sometimes available. Coneflowers flower the second year from seed. Although, references say they can be divided, I've had poor luck doing this since the clay is so difficult to dig in and the roots are usually mangled in the process. This plant blooms from mid-summer until frost.

This is a common American wildflower that has long been used in herbal medicine by Native Americans and others. I leave the dark brown seed heads for the birds during the fall and winter. Cut old stems back to the ground in early spring. [Plants may be purchased at most garden centers selling perennials. If you want to grow it from seed, you may order it from almost any seed or herb catalog. Species generally found are Echinacea purpurea, E. angustifolia, E. pallida.]

Chrysanthemum x superbum

Many people do not realize that Shasta daisies are in the Chrysanthemum genus. Shasta daisies have an interesting history. One of American's earliest horticulturists, Luther Burbank developed this variety from several Chrysanthemum species: C. maximum, C. leucanthemum, and C. nipponicum. It was named for Shasta, California. They are most frequently referred to as Crysanthemum maximum in the garden center trade.

Shastas are tall perennials which have a thick, scalloped shaped leaf. The foliage is dark green. The daisylike flowers normally have white-cream colored ray flowers surrounding the yellow disc flowers on stems up to 3 feet tall. The plants need no special care and thrive in my dry, clay soil. They are easily propagated by dividing the clumps in early spring or growing them from seed (2 years for flowering). I cut them back after the initial flush of bloom in early summer and may get light bloom over the rest of the season. As the picture above shows, I use them in front of my cone flowers.

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