August 2023 - 28

CULTURE REPORT
PRODUCTION SEASONS
Spring and summer
CUSTOMER USE
Landscapes, rock gardens and groundcover
Silene
Carol Jean Series
Forget about ground cover, why
not focus on ground color?
BY JIM DEVEREUX
W
e have become
complacent with
ground cover that
supplies the landscape with little
more than taking space. Classic
options of ivy, pachysandra and the
like show little more than a green
mat that may fill a void but does
not provide interest.
Over the past several years Green
Fuse Botanicals has bred options
to break the " norm " in this dated
category. Beginning in the 2023-24
season, an all new program will
be available to the growers and
consumers throughout North
America with the Endless Ground
Color assortment. The emphasis
is clearly on " color. " The breeding
program set forth to provide zone
hardy ground covers that also
provide day-length neutral flowering
for the entire growing season.
The program includes a wide
range of genus from leucanthemum
'Carpet Angel' - the world's first
groundcover shasta and an AllAmerica
Selections winner - to the
gazania Sterling Silver series with
soft silver foliage and fully double
28
AUGUST 2023 GPNMAG.COM
blossoms that remain open through
the night. For this article, we will
focus on an extremely underutilized
perennial that performs coast
to coast - silene.
Silene is a genus of plant that
encompasses 900 species. Native
habitats range from high altitude
alpine climates to lowland swamps.
While it is predominantly found wild
in the Northern hemisphere, silene
is dispersed throughout the world.
Named after the Greek God of the
woodlands, silene has been used as
an ornamental as well as a culinary
ingredient for hundreds, if not
thousands of years. Its use as
a groundcover has just begun.
Green Fuse Botanicals has
introduced the silene Carol Jean
series into the Endless Ground
Color collection since it clearly
checks all the boxes of both grower
and consumer success. Available
in both a clear deep pink and
true white, the Carol Jean series
blooms profusely every single day
of the growing season. While it is
completely day-length neutral,
the Carol Jean series requires
NOTES
The Carol Jean series performs best in
high heat is day-length neutral and
requires no vernalization.
USDA HARDINESS ZONE
5-10
PROPAGATION
Silene unrooted cuttings will be delivered as
a single node and stem. The node must make
media contact in order to root. Media temperature
of 70 to 72° F and relative humidity above 85%
is ideal for consistency. K-IBA foliar may be used
to hasten rooting as the genus responds quite
well to the hormone. Time in propagation will
be 14 to 17 days. After this, it may be moved
to a cooler zone maintaining an average daily
temperature of 60° F.
FINISHING CULTURE
Silene prefers even moisture, severe dry down will
cause bud abortion. Maintain a pH of 6.2 to 7.2.
FERTILIZER REQUIREMENTS
100 to 125 ppm Nitrogen using a balanced
feed to maintain color of foliage. Include micro
element source as part of fertilizer solution. Soil
should be consistently moist for best performance
during the growing season and well drained
during winter cold temperatures. Calcium and
potassium based fertilizers are ideal for quality
plant growth.
TEMPERATURE REQUIREMENTS
Temperatures at 50° to 65° F at night and 65°
to 75° F during the day. Silene will tolerate a
wide range of temperatures and will grow well
in temperatures as high as 105° F. Cooler night
temperatures will delay flowering.
PINCHING REQUIREMENTS
The series is well-branched and naturally
compact but must be pinched once to break
apical dominance. Soft pinch rooted cuttings,
leaving 4 to 5 nodes at transplant or shortly after
transplanting into final containers.
GROWTH REGULATORS
High light levels are the best control of petiole
height. B-9 is the most economical PGR, spray at
1,500 to 2,500 ppm. They will respond to Bonzi
and Sumagic. Use at labeled rates.
PESTS/DISEASE
Spider mites, slugs, whiteflies and caterpillars
are common pests to watch for. Rhizoctonia and
pythium are of primary concern. Preventative
drenches/sprays are recommended for silene.
http://www.GPNMAG.COM
August 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of August 2023
