Albert's Greenhouse

It's winter. It's cold outside. Time to sit by the fire, and see what the mailman brought us this year... This is the first of a series of short looks at some of the plant catalogs that arrived in January.

Catalog: Logee's ( Growers Since 1892 )
Cover Plant: Hoya lauterbachii $24.95
Paper: Thin, semi-glossy, 96 pgs, savaged by the post office
Pictures: Color Throughout

Selling Ice to Eskimos: Cyperis papyrus "Paper Plant" $9.95 /2.5" pot. This the same cyperis that is invading my lawn and broadcasting its seeds to the rest of the neighborhood?
Fastest Time from Box to Compost Heap: Strongylodon macrobotrys "Jade Vine" $18.95. Yes. But. It flowers about the time the vine gets to 30 feet, in my experience. And the only place that's happening in the US is Hawaii or South Florida. If they don't get a cold snap.
Cost of the Black Colocasia: $8.95 /2.5" pot
Cost of the Beefsteak Tomato: ( not offered ... they have a tree tomato for $10.95/2.5" pot )
Best Bet: Burbidgea schizocheila "Golden Brush Ginger" $8.95/2.5" pot

You have to hand it to them - the picture on page 3 showing a Hoya infloresence with each individual flower the same width as a person's hand is really something. On the other hand, I think that the majority of hoyas I've bought from these folks were mis-named. Not bad plants, you understand, just not the right names. They also claim it's their exclusive, but Bob Smoley's got it too... though at $35.00, and the often expensive Asiatica is offering it at $30.00.

It's a hefty catalog this year, with tons of bright pictures and some really good plants - excellent reading. On the other hand, even the least expensive ones are in miniscule 2.5" pots and hovering near a $10.00 price point. In my experience, Logee's packs and ships well, and the condition of the material is generally very good.

The Golden Brush Ginger, Burbidgea schizocheila, does extremely well for me every year and as a bonus its bright orange flowers open just in time for Halloween in my climate.