Mertensia longiflora
Taxonomy and growth
- Family
- Boraginaceae
- Genus
- Mertensia
- Life cycle
- perennial
- Height
- 0.35 m
- Flower type
- hermaphrodite
Uses
Edible uses
Flowers - raw[3]. Leaves - raw or cooked[3]. The leaves are rather hairy and are not so nice when eaten raw[3].
- Plant part
- Flowers
- Plant part
- Leaves
Environment
- Range
- Western N. America - British Columbia to California.
- Habitat
- Open or lightly shaded places in plains and foothills, often with sagebrush or ponderosa pine, occasionally to 1500 metres[5].
- Light
- full sun
- Shade tolerance
- light shade
- Water
- moderate
- Hardiness
- Zone 3+
- Soil textures
- sandy, loamy, clay
- Soil pH
- acid, neutral, alkaline
- Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
- No
- Drought
- intolerant
Propagation
Seed - best sown in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe[1][4]. Sow stored seed as early in the year as possible. Protect from direct sunlight[4]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Division, with care, in early spring or autumn[4].
Cultivation
Easily grown in an ordinary garden soil with some shade[1][2].
References
F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00
Sanders. T. W. Popular Hardy Perennials. Collingridge 1926-00-00
Schofield. J. J. Discovering Wild Plants - Alaska, W. Canada and the Northwest.
Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Hitchcock. C. L. Vascular Plants of the Pacific Northwest. University of Washington Press 1955-00-00