You may remember this photo from a few weeks ago. It was in the post about the composed flowers. At the time, I was using the photo to illustrate various types of composite flowers, like the cone flowers shown.
Today, I am going to use those 2 same cone flowers to talk about epic failures in plant breeding, and why it is important for plants to be around awhile before you put them in your garden if you are attempting any type of longevity.
I suspect anyone who has planted any of the yellow cone flowers over the years knows exactly where I am going with this.
Needless to say, I didn’t plant either of these two cone flowers. I would never plant a white one–I don’t like them.
I might once have planted a purple one, but not in this garden. In this garden, I only planted yellow and harvest type colors. And you see what remains: purple and white.
I can tell you exactly what has happened. The same breeder that is dumping out all the strains of heuchera that are dying on you left and right is also dumping out poor seed quality cone flowers that revert to their parentage.
That breeder shall remain nameless. The plant world thinks he’s a big deal. I am not fooled.
Gardendaze 