My back up heat is named Kobi and he operates on Moist & Meaty.
I have a kerosene heater in the greenhouse I thought I would use but it won't stay lit and I am a little afraid of them indoors anyway. I should have thought ahead and bought new wicks. The humidity in the greenhouse ruins them. If it is colder tonight and I lose power again I will have to abandon ship.

Below are some photos of foliage in my garden. How many can you identify with the correct genus and species? Two points for the correct genus, a bonus point if you can add the species. The most correct answers will choose from a selection of seed prizes. Two places will take prizes; player with most points picks first, runner up picks second. Hint: I offered some of these in the swap. I'll wait until Monday morning to check the guesses.

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7.


My driveway is at least a quarter of a mile long and I can't see the main road from the top, so when I heard scrapers go by I walked down to see what had changed since I checked it yesterday. More snow had fallen, but the road is not looking as daunting as before. What looks like a brown briar patch at the bottom of my driveway is a thicket of Japanese Quince that was in full bloom on New Year's day. What a difference a couple of weeks make.

#1 Nigella damascena
#2 Ligularia
#3 Solanum uporo
#4 Hibiscus ferrugineus
#5 Milkweed
#6 Senna marilandica
#7 ???

#1
#2Petasites japonicus 'Variegatus' (Variegated Butterbur)
#3 A Shrub Nightshade (Solanum robustum) leaf
#4 Ornamental Plant Empress Tree
#5 common milkweed
#6
#7 Ipomoea nil Marshmallow Seeds - Marshmallow Japanese Morning Glory- Vine, Creeper, Climber

1-cosmos bipinnatus
2-petasites japonica variegata
3-solanum quitoense
4-helianthus annus
5-nicotiana rustica
6-senna alata
7-aristolochia fimbriata

1--Cosmos bipinnatus
2--Petasites japonica variegatus
3--Solanum quitoense
4--Salvia subrotunda
5--Asclepias syriaca
6--Senna marilandica
7--Ipomoea balatas 'Emerald Splash'

1. Cosmos bipinnatus
2. Petasites japonica variegatus
3. Solanum sisymbriifolium
4. Salvia coccinea
5. Asclepias curassavica
6. Senna marilandica
7. Ipomoea balatas

#1 - Ipomopsis rubra
#2 - Petasites japonicus 'Variegatus' (next to Hosta 'Blue Mammoth')
#3 - Solanum quitoense
#4 - Salvia rubescens (likely the subspecies dolichotrix)
#5 - Asclepias syriaca
#6 - Senna marilandica
#7 - Dioscorea polystachya 'Variegata' (synonym - Dioscorea batatas)

Danita pointed out that in my seed swap list I had the wrong photo. I've grown a lot of thorny Solanum's and I must have mixed them up when I posted those photos in my list. Since I gave you the clue that some of the game photos are from plants I offered in the swap it is only fair that I give everyone the answer, just in case anyone used my swap list as a reference. Everyone will get three points for number three, Solanum quitoense. You don't have to go back and change your answer, I'll count it for everyone. So sorry for the confusion and thanks Danita.
You are all such great sports! After this game if anyone has one they would like to post I'll supply the prize, just let me know.

Yay! Thank you Alana!! I look forward to growing the Salvia Summer Jewel Lavender seeds! They are beautiful.

Yay I get 3 points!!! I don't know any of them

Littlecheryl said:Yay I get 3 points!!! I don't know any of them

Bluespiral - My avatar is "Peaches N' Dreams" Hollyhock. Sorry, just getting a chance to catch up on the threads.

Alana -- Lol. I have to admit that I was a little confused about #3. When I first saw it, I thought "Easy. Naranjilla." But then when I was looking at the list of seeds you had offered, I saw that your picture with similar leaves was listed as "Solanum sisymbriifolium," so I went with that.

You all did a great job of guessing; just amazing. I would have a much harder time identifying plants from your gardens.

Here are the correct answers:
1. Ipomopsis rubra
2. Petasites japonicus 'Variegatus' (next to Hosta 'Blue Mammoth')
3. Solanum quitoense
4. Salvia gravida
5. Asclepias syriaca
6. Senna marilandica
7. Dioscorea polystachya 'Variegata' (synonym - Dioscorea batatas)

Danita wins with 27 points. She guessed every genus and every species except species for number 4.
Runner up is Duane with 17 points.
Danita you select first from this list, then Duane.

Zinnia, Cupcakes Cream-8 seeds commercial 2015


Agastache aurantiaca 'Kiowa Sunset' 10 seeds commercial 2014
Hummingbird Mint (Agastache aurantiaca 'Kiowa Sunset')

Convolvulus cantabricus, 4 seeds commercial 2014
http://www.stridvall.se/flower...

Ipomoea palmata, 6 seeds, 2015
http://banana-tree.com/index.p...

Ipomoea imperati, 4 seeds, reliable trader 2014
http://www.wildflower.org/plan...

Halogaris erecta, 10 seeds. I grew this in 2015 but did not collect seeds. These are from 2014.
http://pepiniere-roche-saint-l...

Ipomoea ochracea, 10 seeds, 2014 vigorous grower. I had to start early in greenhouse and bring back into green house in fall before it bloomed. I don't know if that is it's habit or if I kept it too well fed.
Yellow Morning Glory (Ipomoea ochracea)

Geum magellanicum syn Geum quellyon, 10 seeds, commercial 2015
Geum quellyon

Congrats Danita and Duane!

Alan you have such awesome seeds!! I guess I'll be shopping again

Waiting for Danita

Sorry for the wait, Duane!

Yippee!
The Convolvulus cantabricus looks pretty adorable so I think that I'll try that, please. Thank You!

Ahhh, S. gravida! As a Salvia geek, I'm miffed at myself for not getting that one. By the way, how is it performing? Do you get any blooms before winter or does it just bloom in the greenhouse?

I'm amazed at how much the S. gravida leaves look like those of Salvia rubescens subsp. dolichotrix. (The leaves on subsp. dolichotrix look very different from another subspecies of Salvia rubescens with the silvery leaves.) Check out the photos in the links below. Now, I know it says "Salvia orthostachys" but Salvia rubescens subsp. dolichotrix was mistakenly distributed in Europe under that name for many years. The real Salvia orthostachys looks noticeably different.

http://laurent.renault.edb.fre...
http://laurent.renault.edb.fre...
http://laurent.renault.edb.fre...

Thanks for the fun, Alana!!!

I think I'll try the Agastache aurantiaca 'Kiowa Sunset' . Thanks so much, Alana !