Bizarre Botanicals: How to Grow String-of-Hearts, Jack-in-the-Pulpit, Panda Ginger, and Other Weird and Wonderful Plants

Paula Gross, Larry Mellichamp

Timber Press, Oct 13, 2010 - Gardening - 284 pages

Gardeners love tulips, lilies, and pansies—the common, but beautiful, plants found in the average garden. But there are realms in the plant world far beyond these familiar favorites. In Bizarre Botanicals, plant experts Larry Mellichamp and Paula Gross take readers on a curious botanical journey of weirdly wonderful plants that can be grown at home.

Bizarre Botanicals features over 75 astonishing plants that have extraordinary abilities—from pyrotechnic spores that can burst into flame when ignited to flowers that lure insects to their deaths. Each plant profile includes essential care and cultivation information. A difficulty scale alerts gardeners to how easy (or difficult) it is to grow the plant at home.

There’s no reason to forsake lilies and petunias. But after reading Bizarre Botanicals, gardeners will want to take a walk on the weird side and try a few of these peculiar plants for themselves.   

Contents

• Foreword: 9
• Preface and Acknowledgments: 11
• Introduction: 15
• 1 Carnivorous Plants: 31
• 2 Ferns and Fern Allies: 65
• 3 Flamboyant Flowers and BricaBract: 85
• 4 Love Plants: 117
• 5 Odd Inflorescences: 133
• 6 Weird Leaves: 151
• 7 The Plant Zoo: 167
• 8 Prickly Plants: 191
• 9 Orchids: 209
• 10 Succulents: 239
• Hardiness Zone Temperatures: 274
• Bibliography: 275
• Index: 279

About the author

Paula Gross is the assistant director of the University of North Carolina Charlotte Botanical Gardens. She has a masters in horticulture from the University of Georgia, and teaches courses on horticulture and plant identification. In addition, she writes a periodic column on horticultural issues and provides information on gardening questions.

Larry Mellichamp teaches botany at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and was director of the University’s botanical gardens. He has appeared regularly in various media and received several teaching awards including the B. W. Wells Award from the North Carolina Native Plant Society and the Tom Dodd Jr. Award of Excellence.

Bibliographic information

• Title: Bizarre Botanicals: How to Grow String-of-Hearts, Jack-in-the-Pulpit, Panda Ginger, and Other Weird and Wonderful Plants
• Authors: Paula Gross, Larry Mellichamp
• Edition: illustrated
• Publisher: Timber Press, 2010
• ISBN: 1604690763, 9781604690767
• Length: 284 pages
• Subjects: Gardening / Ornamental Plants; Nature / Plants / General; Science / Life Sciences / Botany