[pbs] Correction re: Allium tanguticum (sic) "Summer Skies"
Antennaria at aol.com
Antennaria at aol.com
Thu Mar 13 22:03:47 EST 2003
In a recent PBS posting, I recalled a story of careless, perhaps even willful
misrepresentation of a couple hybrid Alliums by the infamous Blackthorne
Gardens nursery, a business that became defunct decades ago. It seems I got
a couple facts wrong in my recounting of the story. The errors were brought
to my attention by the wholesale grower in Oregon referenced in the story.
I'm grateful that he contacted me and brought the issue to my attention, I
apologize for any distress this may have caused him, and I'm happy to set the
record straight.
1. The second of the two hybrids mentioned in my message; Allium tanguticum
(sic) "Summer Skies", also originated from Blackthorne garden as did the
first cultivar mentioned; A. tanguticum (sic) "Blue Skies". The Oregon
grower DID NOT hybridize and name "Summer Skies". I think I was very clear
however, in my first message, that the grower tried to set the nomenclature
straight in his dealings with the mail order nursery, but the nursery chose
to ignore the correction and to continue selling under the wrong name.
2. The second of the two hybrids, is actually named "Summer Beauty", not
"Summer Skies" as I erroneously recollected. Had there not been a foot of
rock hard frozen snow outside, I could've run out into the yard and checked
labels rather than depend on memory.
The Oregon grower goes on to say:
=========================
"Whether or not Blue Skies is "an insipid and inferior form of
Allium senescens" is a matter of personal opinion. Maybe using "blue"
in the name is misleading, but then I didn't name it. True, it isn't
blue, but I find it to be a decent landscape plant. "
=========================
True enough the foliage clumps produced by Allium senescens ssp. montanum
'Blue Skies' and 'Summer Beauty' are indeed attractive with neat, shiny green
strap leaves
. But then again, that's a feature of the species and almost all forms of
the species have such handsome foliage, and are thus useful as landscape
plants. But many forms of Allium senescens ssp. montanum have bright, rich
pink or rose flowers, in larger heads and on shorter stockier stems, and are
far superior to Blue Skies' and 'Summer Beauty'. Thus is remains my personal
opinion that the flowers, on 'Blue Skies' particularly, are a dull, washed
out, insipid pale pinkish-lilac.
Recapping a few facts:
================
a) Allium senescens ssp. montanum is no longer the valid name for the
European representation of senescens based on a recent taxonomic revision...
the early name Allium lusitanicum has been reinstated as the correct name.
b) Allium tanguticum is a slim bulbous species with red-purple flowers, and
is not in cultivation to the best of my knowledge.
c) 'Blue Skies' and 'Summer Beauty' are poor forms of Allium lusitanicum,
not tanguticum as so often labeled.
d) Neither 'Blue Skies' and 'Summer Beauty' is anything close to being blue
flowered, but the do make nice foliage clumps.
Mark McDonough Pepperell, Massachusetts, United States
antennaria at aol.com "New England" USDA Zone 5
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