G is for Gunneras

In a poll, Suite101.com readers were given the choice of 5 different perennials beginning with the letter G (Gaura, Gentiana, Geum, Geranium and Gunnera). They chose Gunnera as the perennial they would like to know more about, so that's the subject of this article. Click here to see the results of the G poll

Gunneras!
They're so huge and impressive, a trademark of moist garden spots in mild temperate regions. Most casual onlookers are entranced by their sheer enormity, massive leaves with prickly leaf veins and even pricklier stems. The flowers are a show in themselves. The lime-green flowers turn into red seeds, This rise in huge conical clusters on stems to 6 feet tall. A single flower stalk can weigh up to 20 pounds, and once a gunnera reaches maturity, this acheivement is not a rarity at all.

One thing all Gunneras have in common is their love of moist soils. In the wild they grow at waters edge and in bogs. As for Gunneras sisters and brothers, there are none. Gunneras are in the family Gunneraceae, and they're the only ones in it. For a while they were classed in other families including Saxifragaceae.

Where are Gunneras From?
The genus Gunnera has many members, most of which you have probably never heard of, and they are all, except one, from below the equator. This is called an antarctic distribution, but I find that term a little confusing because they are not from the antarctic continent. Most of the species occur in South America and New Zealand but there are some from Australia, Hawaii, Africa and South-East Asia as well.

Designing with Gunneras
Gunneras are most usually seen at the edge of a water feature, and rightly so -- they are happiest there. However, a small water feature can be quickly over-run by the burgeoning mass of even a single Gunnera.

Islanders - Large water features sometimes feature an island. This is a great place to stick a gunnera. They look fabulous from a distance!

Prehistory - Giant-leaved Gunneras can lend a prehistoric air to a garden. This picture from Strybing Botanical Garden in San Francisco is an excellent example of a modern primitive garden.

Meadowy Bogs - Any wet spot in the garden can sport a Gunnera. They sop up lots of water though, so be aware that the surrounding landscape may need more water after a gunnera has been planted.

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