MichiganGardener.com | June 2015 | Michigan Gardener
31
www.PerennialResource.com
Knautia’s flowers tend to sparkle, due to their tiny white anthers.
Eric Hofley / Michigan Gardener
‘Thunder and Lightning’ is a new knautia variety that has leaves streaked with creamy white.
A knautia seed strain named ‘Melton Pastels’ (aka ‘Watercolours’) is available for those who like pink, salmon and lavender shades.
most gardeners prefer the rich burgundy, which fortunately, is the dominant color. A seed strain named ‘Melton Pastels’ (aka ‘Watercolours’) is available for those who like pink, salmon and lavender shades. The breakthrough variety ‘Mars Midget,’ a dwarf seed-grown strain, was introduced in 2002. This selection, with its compact, 16inch height and mounded habit, may help knautia achieve greater notoriety and more use in gardens. It retains the best qualities of the straight species—dark red color and long season of bloom—on a plant whose size and shape can be appreciated by more gardeners. Use it at the front or midsection of perennial beds, in rock gardens, and even in containers where its everblooming habit and striking wine-red color will be assets. The newest variety to hit the shelves is aptly named ‘Thunder and Lightning.’ The light green, lance-like leaves are streaked at-
age fertility and good drainage. It begins to bloom in June, generally the third or fourth week, and continues into summer and early fall. The flower stems, while not as long as those on the straight species, are still of sufficient length to make good cut flowers. Some gardeners have reported ‘Thunder and Lightning’ reverting to solid green, although the advertising for it describes the plant as “stable.” With variegated plants, it pays to be on the lookout for all-green reversions. If they occur (they are common in variegated sedums, for example), it is wise to dig the plant and divide it, separating the all-green part from the variegated. All-green parts are stronger (having more chlorophyll) and can potentially overtake the variegated portion. Because ‘Thunder and Lightning’ is a relatively new variety, the jury is still out on whether it will remain stable over the long haul. I, for one, am willing to risk it and find out!
www.PerennialResource.com
Knautia growing tips • Full sun to partial shade • Light-textured, well-drained soil • Low fertility, low moisture level • Good air flow; avoid low spots • Trim or prune plants as needed to maintain shape • Deadhead to avoid excessive selfsowing and increase flower production tractively with bolts of creamy-white, and the thunder is provided by the blood-red flower color that knautia is famous for. Another low grower at 15 to 18 inches tall, it is excellent at the front of the border and looks fantastic en masse. Like the other knautias, it wants a mostly sunny location with soil of only aver-
Companions for knautia Knautia—whether tall, short, or variegated—is an excellent mixer in the perennial garden. The dark red color, which tends toward purple, is easy to combine with colors on the cool end of the spectrum. It does not work as well with warm colors like scarletred, orange or golden yellow. The small, round flowers make good contrast with spiky blooms or those of more irregular shape—veronica, delphinium, lavender and lilies come to mind. Daisy-shaped flowers like coneflower, coreopsis and Shasta daisy would also make fine companions. Being long-bloomers themselves, these pink, pale yellow or white flowers, contrasted with the dark burgundy knautia, would create a harmonious garden scene lasting all summer long. Karen Bovio is the owner of Specialty Growers in Howell, MI.