Maianthemum racemosum
Jane McGary (Sun, 10 Jun 2018 11:31:18 PDT)

Kathleen mentioned Maianthemum racemosum about to flower. Those who
haven't kept up with the busy botanists may not recognize this as what
was known for a long time as Smilacina racemosa. The western American
subspecies (amplexicaulis) is rather different from the eastern American
one (the type of the species), and I think this is why it isn't as well
known as a garden subject. The western forms are larger and the
inflorescence both larger and more condensed; an eastern gardener to
whom I sent a sample some years ago was pleasantly surprised at the
difference. The flowers give off a strong fragrance of
lily-of-the-valley (Convallaria majalis, muguet des bois) and continue
to do so when cut. I think it's the very best garden plant native to our
Pacific Northwest area. After flowering it produces bright red fruits,
and the foliage is attractive long into the summer. I found an
especially robust form growing in a neighbor's Christmas-tree field and
kept it for the garden. Low-elevation forms are larger than those seen
higher in the mountains. There is another ex-Smilacina here, Maianthemum
stellatum, a small, pretty plant but perhaps too much of a spreader for
some gardeners; I grow it in a shrubbery. M. racemosum also increases by
rhizomes but they remain in a compact clump.

Incidentally, the Prosartes Kathleen also mentioned (2 species native
around here) was long known as Disporum.

Jane McGary, Portland, Oregon, USA

On 6/10/2018 7:45 AM, Kathleen Sayce wrote:

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