Melanie Palmer, curator of the Durango Botanic Gardens conducted a survey of our docents to choose the plant of the year for 2021 and 2022. Here is her report on our Docents' Plant of the Year.  Click on images below to enlarge.

      For 2021, Docents chose a perennial grass, Undaunted Ruby Muhly, Muhlenbergia reverchonii ‘PUND01S’, which has been a star in the Dryland Mesa section of the Demonstration Garden for years and is now lighting up the Elevation Grass Collection. This grass is a drought tolerant and cold hardy (to Zone 5) bunch grass that requires little maintenance except cutting back in early spring and periodic division every 5 years or so. The soft green foliage in the spring and early summer is followed by the stunning pink halo of bloom, breathtaking when backlit by autumn sunlight. One of North America’s most beautiful native grasses, it was brought into the Plant Select program in 2014. (Photo by Melanie Palmer)

     The Docents’ Choice for 2022 is the ‘Midnight Marvel’ Rose Mallow, a hardy hibiscus that is in its third season.  Slow to leaf out in the spring, it makes up for lost time in late summer when it is covered with deep red blooms. Although each flower lasts only a day or two, the plant puts out an abundance of flowers, which stand out against the purple-black foliage. Best flower production is in full sun, but the plant will tolerate some shade.  It is best to enrich the soil with some organic matter.  It will do well with average moisture but will even tolerate wet soils. Our experience with deer resistance has been mixed.  (Photo by Springhill Nurseries)

PREVIOUS DOCENTS’ CHOICE WINNERS

2020:  Hummingbird Trumpet Mint, Monardella macrantha ‘Marian Sampson’

2019:  Kintzley’s Ghost, Lonicera reticulata

2018:  Hopflower Oregano, Origanum libanoticum

2017:  Coral Canyon Twinspur, Diascia integerrima

2016:  Mojave Sage, Salvia pachyphylla

2015:  Hot Wings Maple, Acer tataricum, ‘GarAnn’

2014:  Horned Poppy, Glaucium acutidentatum