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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Advertisement Email Story to a Friend April 27, 2006 A calla lily that goes by the name Paint it BLACK Dark plants can brighten a garden by providing a contrast to other flowers By DEAN FOSDICK The Associated Press NEW MARKET, Va. — When you want to be belle of the ball, what do you wear? Chances are, you wrap yourself in a stunning something done in basic black. Now move that eye-catching concept from ballroom to flower garden. Dark or black-appearing plants are making fashion statements of their own in residential properties across the nation. "Black is being used in nature by your more sophisticated gardeners," said Debbie Knitz, sales manager for Terra Nova Nurseries Inc., Tigard. "It brings more drama and more excitement to the garden." Black-appearing blooms are not, as you might imagine, drab and uninteresting. No wallflowers, these. Some are real lookers. Dark foliage plants are great choices for accenting borders, adding punch to containers, defining water and rock gardens. They make sensuous centerpieces, too. "Dark foliage plants — the darker the better — can evoke a number of different emotions," Knitz said. "A lot of that depends upon what you have them planted with. They need to be offset. They need to be companion-planted." Advertisement Terra Nova is promoting a distinctive black calla varietal in its current catalog. The German import is called Edge of Night and is said to be one of Europe's most popular cut flowers. "The dramatic richly colored 3-inch flowers resemble black velvet and add a new dimension to this popular group of plants," the Terra Nova horticulturists say in the catalog. "Black edges outline the glossy green, silver-flecked leaves and provide the perfect backdrop for the floral display. In colder regions, Edge of Night can also be moved indoors for winter-long enjoyment." No flower is truly, wholly black but the funnel-shaped Edge of Night bloom comes close, Knitz said. "You're probably looking at deep purple, dark red, burgundy or rich chocolate for what the industry calls 'black'," she said. "Many of these plants look black in the right color light. The more sun the better for bringing out the black." The Edge of Night varietal is part of a plant group commonly called "calla lilies," although it actually is a member of the water-loving arum lily family. Most callas flower in a creamy white but some have been hybridized to bloom in red, yellow, pink or black. A calla likes sun but not too much sun. It needs frequent watering and feeding with a balanced liquid fertilizer every couple of months. In colder climates, they do well as tender perennials, grown outside in summer and over-wintered indoors. For more consistent flowering, rest the rhizomes in a cool area 50 degrees for a month or so before repotting them in rich and moist but well-drained soil. If callas don't interest you, then consider some of these other dark-foliage plants: u Colocasia: Black Magic A moisture loving form of taro. It looks great when planted around ponds and water gardens. Oxalis: Ione Hecker. The so-called "shamrock plant," some of which produce deep purple leaves. Beware your choices, however. A few aggressive oxalis varieties are considered invasive. u Actaea: Black Negligee Lacy, purple-tinted foliage that develops fragrant white flowers. A good accent plant; one that can provide contrasting foliage in border plantings. u Geraniums: Also called Cranesbill. The Midnight Reiter is a semi-dwarf varietal with deep purple foliage and dark lilac flowers. u Roses: Black Magic, Black Beauty, Black Baccara. All are so deeply red that they appear almost black. Tulips: Black Diamond, Black Parrot, Queen of Night. Their names speak for themselves. Some other dark, nearly black plants to consider include iris Dark Vader, Superstition, pansies Bowles Black, dahlias Arabian Night, columbine Black Barlow, and daylilies Starling, Black Jack, among others. On the Net: For more about the calla Edge of Night, see the Terra Nova Nurseries Web site: www.terranovanurseries.com . Or visit the Virginia Tech Web site for more generic information about growing calla or arum lilies: www.ext.vt.edu/departments/envirohort/factsheets/cut/callali . html. You can contact Dean Fosdick at [email protected]. Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2006 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback www.bingo.com Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker Custom Build Computers Discount Hotel Reservations online casinos news Ashley Furniture HomeStore Send Flowers Southern Oregon Loans California Casinos GMAT Prep Windermere Van Vleet Sports Equipment Online Casino Reviews Online Bingo Entertainment Guide Online Casino Fundraisers Sudoku Online Casinos Canada Online Pharmacy Advertisement s Advertisement