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December 2004 Telesonix jamesii November 2004 Ranunculus eschscholtzii October 2004 Crocus speciosus September 2004 Arenaria 'Wallowas' August 2004 Scilla autumnalis July 2004 Leontopodium souliei June 2004 Penstemon pinifolius May 2004 Draba rigida v. bryoides April 2004 Vitaliana primuliflora March 2004 Clematis hirsutissima February 2004 Lewisia pygmaea January 2004 Hymenoxis grandiflora Archive 2003 Archive 2002 Archive 2001 Archive 2000 Archive 1999 Archive 1998 Archive 1997

Plant of the Month September 2004 Arenaria 'Wallowas' by Iza Goroff Arenaria 'Wallowas' is of an unidentified species. Arenaria is a genus in the Caryophyllaceae, the Pink Family, the family also containing the horticultural genera Dianthus, Gypsophila, Lychnis, Paronychia, Petrocoptis, Petrorhagia, Sagina, Saponaria, Scleranthus, and Silene. The genus contains over 150 species, many useful in the rock garden. A few of these form polsters, buns, or even "vegetable sheep" which some species from the western USA form. Arenaria 'Wallowas' is named after the mountain range in Northeast Oregon where it was first collected. When it was first collected, Arenaria 'Wallowas' was thought to be "an extra congested form of Silene acaulis until the appearance of its rare, white flowers" (Siskiyou Rare Plant Nursery Catalog). Jim McPhail of Vancouver, British Columbia, when discussing a Dionysia, says "is really mucked up with flowers"; that is never a problem with this plant where flowers are rarely a problem! Arenaria 'Wallowas' is grown for its form alone, a humping tight mat of tiny leaves. Arenaria 'Wallowas' is fairly easily grown in a sunny, well drained site with a thick stone mulch. Since it has rarely flowered, seed is not available. Propagation is primarily by division.