Plum Pudding

MollyD · Post by **MollyD** » Apr 29, 2007 8:02 pm

I was at Walmart this afternoon (yet again) browsing their plants. They had a stack of the usual 'Palace Purple' but I sorted through them just in case and found one labelled 'Plum Pudding' . I looked at the picture and it seemed to match the plant. Now I'm no good at remembering details on plants I have at home. The ones labelled 'Palace Purple' looked the same as the lone'Plum Pudding'! Since I couldn't remember exactly what my 'Palace Purple' looked like I wasn't sure if they were Palace, or Plums mislabelled as Palace or if the Plum was labelled incorrectly. Anyhoot since it was under $5. I bought it. Once home I looked up pictures of both varieities and wow it was Plum Pudding I had! My own Palace Purple hasn't unfurled yet (has all new growth coming up from the ground) but I could see it was a different shade of purple too. I'm going back this week and see if I can get two more. I like them planted in groups of three if I can afford it. In the course of one week I've doubled my heucheras -

MollyD

caliloo · Post by **caliloo** » Apr 29, 2007 9:06 pm

Congrats!

I hope PP does well for you - mine is struggling a bit... but that could be because I keep moving it and it has never had a chance to establish

Alexa

MollyD · Post by **MollyD** » Apr 29, 2007 9:24 pm

Thanks Alexa! I do that a lot too if I'm not happy with the way plants look together or where they are I move them. Sometimes I think I should keep them in pots on wheels

I just sent an inquiry to Green Mountain Transplants to see about ordering a tray from them

Figure I could get enough for me and some to sell!

MollyD

MollyD · Post by **MollyD** » Apr 30, 2007 6:58 pm

Went back to Walmart today and they had put out more Plum Puddings so I bought two more. I like groupings of 3 when I can afford it. They make a striking impact. Walmart also had Purple Prince but really to me it looked just the way I remember Palace Purple did.
I found Lime Rickey and Marmalade at a local nursery. If I can't find them cheaper (or larger) I'll go back and get them at $12.99 Not bad when you consider no shipping but they weren't as large as Walmart's Plum Puddings which averaged about 12" + in height.

MollyD

maidofshade · Post by **maidofshade** » Apr 30, 2007 7:51 pm

It pays to snoop around--you never know what you can find at the box stores.

I have Plum Pudding and love it. I think I paid about 12.00 on sale for it last year. I went to a great nursery this weekend and picked up amber waves . 16.99 but it had multiple crowns so I got home and cut it into 3 nice size pieces. Couldn't find ones I didn't already have at Wally world cause they don't have perennials in yet. Got my fingers crossed. I love the search almost as much as the plants

MollyD · Post by **MollyD** » Apr 30, 2007 7:56 pm

I notice that all the Walmarts seem to do different things at different times. Mine already has it's perennials and annuals out. Tender stuff too.

Hope I can find some more bargains like that!! I'll have to remember about getting a big plant and dividing it up.

MollyD

maidofshade · Post by **maidofshade** » Apr 30, 2007 8:02 pm

I am such a scrounge sometimes. I always pull out about a half dozen and dig around in the pots looking for the ones with the most eyes(hosta) or crowns, or if it's annuals maybe 7 in a 6 pack!

I think it helps me justify what I shell out in a year for plants.

I saved my receipts so far but probably will be afraid to add them up come September

We went to a Walmart about 35 miles from here Saturday and you wouldn't believe the difference in the plants that they had. Must have a Much better grower cause even their trees were 2X the size of the ones here and 3.00 cheaper also--go figure.

newtohosta-no more · Post by **newtohosta-no more** » May 01, 2007 6:50 am

I've noticed that the box stores carry different merchandise depending on their location. I've seen people here online discuss what they found at their box stores and I have never even seen half of the stuff at mine!! I had to laugh at your comment , Maid. I also love the hunt, so to speak. And I will also pull just about every pot out and count the eyes to make sure I am getting the biggest and the bestest plant.

MollyD · Post by **MollyD** » May 01, 2007 8:59 am

Maid I do the same! My Paul gets irritated when I ask him to stand there and hold this as I'm burrowing through the plants

I can almost hear the huntsman's horn as I start looking!

Going to go look for those heucheras today and will swing back to that nursery as a last resort.
I'm sore all over from yesterdays weeding so this is garden "work" I can do today.

MollyD

MollyD · Post by **MollyD** » May 01, 2007 3:40 pm

Here's a followup. I went to Home Depot and they only had Purple Palace, then I went to a major nursery here and found oodles of heucheras! I came home with:
Chcolate Ruffles
Marmalade
Lime Rickey
Peach Flambe
Snow Angel

all were blooming size plants too. Peach Flambe was the priciest of the bunch while CR and SA were the least expensive.

I'm still looking for Caramel though.

MollyD

maidofshade · Post by **maidofshade** » May 01, 2007 9:18 pm

Lime Rickey is a goner for me

and too bad cause it sure was a

one! I moved it once when it started to decline into more sun but it must have been too late. Keep your eye on that one. (all i have left of it is the tag and a dried up root)

Nice score Molly...these are addicting as heck!!!!!!!!!!

MollyD · Post by **MollyD** » May 02, 2007 8:30 am

Thanks Maid!
I planted LR where it will get shade at mid-day but some otherwise. Do you think that's too much sun for it? I only bought the one just in case.

I'm still looking for Caramel and ....well you know how that goes. Now compared to hostas and daylilies these guys are very affordable!

MollyD

maidofshade · Post by **maidofshade** » May 02, 2007 7:13 pm

I think I lost it to rot...I had it in some pretty heavy soil and lots of shade...I wanted the color to glow but it got smaller and droopier then I moved it into lighter soil and more sun but it was probably too late.
Anyone else have trouble or luck with this one? Chime in please

Cheryl

MollyD · Post by **MollyD** » May 02, 2007 9:20 pm

we have a frost warning gor tonight so since these guys just got planted I threw sheets over them. A little extra protection just in case.
That Lime Rickey is startling! I passed right by it at the nursery because they had it displayed with some bright yellow daisy things. Rickey blended right in with them. Then they told me where it was and I could see how breathtaking the color was.
I found that Marmalade and Peach Flambe are very similar except that PF is a shade more intense. Chocolate Ruffles really is brown! In the photos it looks purplish but in person it really is a warm chocolate color.

MollyD

Brenda · Post by **Brenda** » May 08, 2007 3:58 am

I saw plum pudding and palace purple at our Walmart. Almost stopped looking and then a tag caught my eye. Low and behold, found chocolate ruffles at Walmart. I already had one but I paid a fortune for it a few years ago and couldn't pass up the opportunity to get a 2nd one for $6. I may go back and grab another plum pudding too.

It seems like everyone made it through the winter. Both of my lime rickey's came back, as did peach flambe, sparkling burgundy, gypsy dancer, marmalade and gingerale (new for last year). Obsidian is still a stunner.

Sitting in the house waiting to be planted are Paris, Rave On, Fireworks and Cinnabar Silver (plus chocolate ruffles).

I also have my eye on midnight rose (found it at one of the box store garden centres), caramel and a couple from whose name escape me right now. The list will grow though as I haven't been to the major nurseries and I have been informed I need to add a 3rd tier to the beds where most of the heuchera are planted. Won't get any arguements from me!

Brenda

MollyD · Post by **MollyD** » May 08, 2007 6:45 am

Hi Brenda,

I bought that Plum Pudding at Walmart and one thing I found was that although Walmart offers big plants they don't seem to have a strong root system. Mine is next to several recent purchases made at other nurseries and while they're all fine the Wally world plant keeps wilting unless I water it daily. Maybe this is a result of the conditions under which their plants are grown?
Just thought I'd let you know. I have Chocolate Ruffles (not Wally World's) and it's a stunner! I love that warm chocolate coloring it has!!
Obsidian is on order. Can't wait to see it.

MollyD

eastwood2007 · Post by **eastwood2007** » May 08, 2007 10:08 am

Molly, have you taken the plant out of the pot and checked the root system? Sounds like it may be root bound and therefore pot won't hold enough water to sustain it...

MollyD · Post by **MollyD** » May 08, 2007 10:29 am

Charla,

I take all my plants out of the pots and plant them in the ground. All had what appeared to be good root systems. I always tease them out to avoid a root bound problem.

Thanks!
MollyD

Brenda · Post by **Brenda** » May 09, 2007 1:04 am

Thanks MollyD. I will keep an eye on it. I have never had a problem with the heuchera I have bought from Walmart in the past. I usually manage to find a couple there early in the season. I saw silver scrolls this morning at a different one. I already have chocolate ruffles, but couldn't pass up a second one for that price

. I also have silver scrolls as well, but managed to leave that one there.

2 years ago, I found lime rickey and another one at Walmart (Plus many other plants). Somehow, they had a whole skid of terranova plants (don't usually see those at the walmarts here in Canada). I grabbed a lime rickey and called my aunt who also loves heuchs and hostas. Loaded up a cart in between her wants and mine. Went back the nest day to get one more lime rickey to put in a container and pretty much the entire rack was empty! Managed to find one more lime rickey somone had stuck on a different rack. Haven't found a find like that since. Even better, someone had priced them the same as the other $5.67 plants

. Considering lime rickey was selling for $15-20 everywhere else.......

I will keep an eye on the chocolate ruffles though.

Brenda

MollyD · Post by **MollyD** » May 09, 2007 8:20 am

Can't blame you for grabbing them at those prices! I'd grab two Chocolate Ruffles if they came my way and I already have one! Such a lovely thing it is.
Up to now I haven't seen any heucheras at our Walmart except for Palace Purple which I may end up getting at least one of. Mine seems to have vanished in my move here. I thought I saw it last year but it's nowhere to be found now. What I thought was it turned out to be an astilbe. I thought the leaves were unsually slender!
Anyway at those prices it's worth nursing them along if you have to. I got my Lime Rickey at a good local nursery for $12.99 It seems healthy though I've spotted two leaves with a light brown shading on them. Is that from too much sun? The walnut they're under hasn't leafed out yet. Walnuts are usually one of the last trees to leaf out I'm afraid. Another negative for them.

MollyD