I Was Given Flower Seeds By A Gentleman Who Could…
Jenetta Asked
I was given flower seeds by a gentleman who could not tell me their name. Both grow quite big; one has a huge white bloom that looks like a wedding bell, and it has a prickly ball that is filled with seed. I have been told it is an old-fashioned morning glory. The other has rows of blooms starting with white petals, then light pink, then darker pink; they have small pea pods filled with seed, and I have been told it is a spider plant.
The Gardener’s Answer
Hi, Jenetta: From what you have described the first plant sounds like an angel’s trumpet, also known as brugmansia. This tropical plant produces large bell- or trumpet-shaped flowers that open in the evening. They are scented and are usually found in white but also available in peach/pink or yellow. This is a plant that will need to be over-wintered indoors in Kentucky. It should be brought inside before the first frost. Place it in a sunny room and cut back on your watering and fertilizing. It will not likely produce new blooms indoors but it will after it goes back outside next May. All parts of this plant are poisonous so be careful if you have pets. The second seed that was given to you is another tropical called cleome, commonly known as spider plant. This annual can reach 36-48 inches tall, providing color and interest to the summer garden. Most Kentucky gardeners would say once you plant these seeds you will always have volunteers that come up each summer. These plants have stickers so be careful when handling them. You can collect and save seed from this sun-loving annual.
