Varieties this flower farmer will never grow again
I’m always on the hunt for filler or foliage. Since we don’t have much in perennials yet (and live in the high desert), having enough foliage is my biggest struggle. This is especially true in spring. The eucalyptus isn’t ready yet; scented geraniums are still trying to kick it into gear, and the only raspberries ready are the thorny kinds… For the most part, the foliage and filler we use in our products are all annually grown, outside of some thornless berries and mint.
In my hunt for greenery, I have tried quite a few different varieties. Unfortunately, not every variety we try is a winner. Some are even incredibly dangerous, even for the grower.
Here are four varieties we won’t (purposely) grow again, along with what we substituted them with!
Can you spy the dangerous beauty?
Sweet Annie (Artemisia Annual)
Sweet Annie got on my list to try because I wanted a different greenery and bonus points! It’s an excellent wreath component!
After growing it one season… the scent was pleasant and intense, but I was expecting that. What I wasn’t expecting and the real problem was its pollen! It turns out that my family and I are all incredibly allergic to it. Between nonstop sneezing and even headaches, I decided it wasn’t worth ourselves having an allergic reaction, let alone a customer. Also, letting it go to seed can be pretty invasive. Anytime I see a volunteer, it gets ripped out immediately.
Instead of Sweet Annie, I prefer to grow upright amaranth, millet, eucalyptus, currant tomatoes, and an increased amount of scented geranium as my go-to for later summer.
Snow on the Mountain, Euphorbia (Euphorbia marginata)
This particular variety breaks my heart that it didn’t work out. Snow on the mountain oozes a milky-latex substance. I grew it (knowing the potential risks), and it ruined my entire week.
Even handling with gloves, I got one of the worst reactions of my life! My face looked sunburnt, and it looked like Botox had gone wrong. I ultimately was so sick from working with snow on the mountain getting injured: I canceled that I couldn’t risk anyone else all orders for the week and slept for two days, hiding from the sun for four.
I am incredibly thankful I rarely used the variety, and no one else was injured.
After that experience, this is one crop that I will never sell to any customers or grow again. From time to time, we still get volunteers who get immediately ripped out. In my opinion, a plant is too dangerous for commercial use, which is incredibly disappointing because it is a gorgeous foliage with an amazing vaseper that is easy to grow and life that is su came on earlier in the season. Ultimately, though, it is not worth the risk.
Instead of growing snow-on-the-mountain, I decided to raise more bupleurum, which I even love when the little yellow flowers begin to go to seed, along with more bells of Ireland, giant rattle poppies, seeded cress, and seeded orach to bring in more green when needed earlier in the season.
Bouquet Dill
Bouquet dill is beautiful. It can be easily direct-sown in cooler temperatures, fills a bouquet fast, and has a great vase life…
I have two problems with bouquet dill: the smell and the fact that it’s a breeding ground for aphids.
I’m not anti-pickle; I love a good dill pickle, but it belongs in Grandma’s potato salad, not in a bouquet of beautiful blooms. Bouquet dill is also an incredible self-sower. One year, we had our sweet pea row infiltrated by volunteer dill, one of the worst smell combinations.
Instead of growing bouquet dill, I prefer to grow White Select (Ammi Majus), Green Mist (Ammi Visnaga), and Chocolate Lace Flower (Daucus Carota). Dill is grown as an herb more for cucumber season.
Apple of peru in bouquets with little munch holes taken out.
Apple of Peru
Once again, I was hunting for some lavish greenery, which Apple of Peru definitely provides! My downside is that too many bugs love to nom the leaves, which doesn’t look great, and it is an incredibly invasive variety. I haven’t planted any Apple in Peru in three years, er need yet I have more than I could ev everywhere! That’s not horrible, but you get tired of ripping it out. I have also had mixed results from our customers: some enjoy it, others feel ripped and think it looks “weedy.” To make this variety even more of a hot topic, my husband, Graham, thinks it’s an excellent filler. He forbids me to rip out certain plants. We have agreed to disagree, and by this… I rip them out when he’s unsuspecting.
If you have grown Apple of Peru, help us settle the debate and tell us what you think! Do you love it? Do your customers love it?
I’d instead grow tomatillos and currant tomatoes, where their leaves are much less munched on. I also adore mountain mint and my thornless raspberry foliage.
There you have it- my four varieties I won’t grow (on purpose) again, along with varieties that I prefer to grow instead. After several years of flower farming,t-winning having a few novarieties for us doesn’t seem too terrible!
Especially when it comes to varieties that can cause an allergic reaction, thoroughly research the possible adverse reactions along with your liability for someone’s injury.
Could you tell me in the comments which varieties have been axed from your crop plan and why?
Until next time, we are looking forward to helping you hand blooms soon!
- Jessica & Graham