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Redbirds In A Tree (Scrophularia)

Red Birds in a Tree is a rare perennial from the southern mountains of New Mexico and Arizona. It blooms all summer with spires of small red, white-lipped flowers that resemble a flock of red birds perched on a tree branch.
Zones5 - 10
Advantages
Easy To Grow
Attract Butterflies
Attract Hummingbirds
Bee Friendly
Rabbit Resistant
Native
Good For Cut Flowers
Good For Containers
Extended Bloom Time (more than 4 weeks)
Good Rockgarden Or Alpine Plant
Light Requirements
Full Sun
Morning Sun & Afternoon Shade
Annual Rainfall
10 to 20"
20 to 30"
30 to 40" (with care)
Mature Height36-48" tall
Mature Spread18" wide
Bloom TimeEarly summer to mid fall
ShippingShipping begins the week of February 22nd, 2021 Learn More…
SKUHC017810

USDA Hardiness Planting Zones

To determine if a plant is sufficiently cold hardy, the USDA created numbered zones indicating winter low temperatures; the lower the zone number the colder the winter.

  • If the coldest winter temperature expected in your area is -15°F (zone 5) then any plants rated zones 3-5 will survive the winter temperatures in your area.
  • If you live in very warm winter areas (zones 9-11) plants with zones 3-4 ratings are not recommended. The lack of freezing winter temperatures do not provide a time for winter dormancy (rest).

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SKU
HC017810
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1998 Green Thumb Award Winner + 2008 Plant Select Winner. 36-48" tall x 18" wide (seed propagated). Cookes Peak's pine-covered summit rises to over 8,400 feet, towering over the desert near Deming, NM. Looking south you see the panorama of Mexico and its vast expanse of the Chihuahuan desert. From Scrophularia's high altitude habitat of over 7,200 ft. on this mountain's slopes, Panayoti Kelaidis of the Denver Botanic Gardens collected the seed our stock plants were grown from. Scrophularia, a very rare Penstemon relative, is a garden treasure blooming from early summer through fall with long wands of white-lipped, cherry-red flowers. The dark green angular foliage is also quite handsome. The plant has a tall, informal habit and will lean over and intertwine with tall neighboring plants for support. Plant it next to Pitcher's Sage or 'Blue Fortune' Hyssop for this very reason. Very popular with the hummingbirds, too!
More Information
Associated SKUsHC017810
HC017809 (Plant - 5" Deep Pot)
HC014735 (Plant - 2.5" Pot) - Out of stock.
Common Name
Redbirds In A Tree
Botanical Name
Scrophularia macrantha
Zones
5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
Light Requirements
Full Sun, Morning Sun & Afternoon Shade
Flower Color
Red
Mature Height
36-48" tall
Mature Spread
18" wide
Bloom Time
Early summer to mid fall
Ships As
Potted Plant
Soil Type
Compost Enriched Garden Loam Soil
Soil Moisture
Drought Resistant / Waterwise
Amount Of Rain
10 to 20", 20 to 30", 30 to 40" (with care)
Advantages
Easy To Grow, Attract Butterflies, Attract Hummingbirds, Bee Friendly, Rabbit Resistant, Native, Good For Cut Flowers, Good For Containers, Extended Bloom Time (more than 4 weeks), Good Rockgarden Or Alpine Plant
Awards
Plant Select, Green Thumb
Ideal Region
West, Southwest, Pacific Northwest, Coastal California, Suitable Above 7000 ft
Planting Time
Spring / Summer, Fall
Ships To Canada
No
Planting Guides

Scrophularia macrantha (Red Birds in a Tree) is a long-blooming native wildflower that is easy-to-grow and provides ample nectar for hummingbirds. It's resistant to browsing rabbits.

Preferred growing conditions:

  1. Scophularia grows will in a wide range of soil types, but not clay.
  2. It should be mulched in dry climates with crushed gravel, pine needles and other non-water retentive mulch materials like crushed pecan shells. Avoid bark mulch and wood chips, as these can cause fungal disease in rainy conditions.
  3. Requires deep, regular watering in dry climates.
  4. Plant in full or part sun conditions. Afternoon shade is best in hotter climates. Full sun with regular irrigation is fine in moderately hot summer regions.
  5. Adding just a few handfuls of compost and Yum Yum Mix in the planting hole is enough. Avoid rich, highly -mended soil as this encourages rapid, soft growth and the plant will likely not make it through the winter.

Special comments:

  • Scrophularia is not a long lived perennial and gardeners should expect to replace old plants every 3 to 4 years. It is a star of the garden and well worth the investment.
  • Avoid chemical fertilizers and too much water, as this will cause the plant to grow quite large and floppy, reducing winter hardiness and shortening its lifespan in the garden.

Garden care:

  1. Fertilize Scrophularia just once in fall with Yum Yum Mix and Planters II
  2. To improve cold hardiness, leave plants standing through the winter and cut back the stems to a height of 2-3" inches in mid-spring.
View more Planting Guides, or download our complete Planting Guide for tips on caring for your plants when you receive your order, as well as planting instructions for Perennials, Spring-Planted Bulbs, Fall-Planted Bulbs, Cacti & Succulents, Xeric Plants and more.
Shipping
ZoneShipping Status
Zone 2Shipping begins the week of May 17th, 2021
Zone 3Shipping begins the week of May 17th, 2021
Zone 4Shipping begins the week of May 17th, 2021
Zone 5Shipping begins the week of April 26th, 2021
Zone 6Shipping begins the week of April 12th, 2021
Zone 7Shipping begins the week of March 22nd, 2021
Zone 8Shipping begins the week of March 1st, 2021
Zone 9Shipping begins the week of February 22nd, 2021
Zone 10Shipping begins the week of February 22nd, 2021

As soon as your order is placed you will receive a confirmation email. You will receive a second email the day your order ships telling you how it has been sent. Some perennials are shipped as potted plants, some as perennial roots packed in peat.  The ‘Plant Information’ section describes how that item will ship. All perennials and spring-planted bulbs are packaged to withstand shipping and are fully-guaranteed. Please open upon receipt and follow the instructions included.

Perennials and spring-planted bulbs are shipped at the proper planting time for your hardiness zone. Perennial and spring-planted bulb orders will arrive separately from seeds. If your order requires more than one shipment and all items are shipping to the same address, there is no additional shipping charge. See our shipping information page for approximate ship dates and more detailed information. If you have any questions, please call Customer Service toll-free at (800) 925-9387 or contact us by email.

Shipping Rates

Our shipping rates are calculated based on our actual average shipping costs. We do not seek to profit from shipping fees, so rest assured that our shipping rates reflect an average of what it costs to get our guaranteed products safely to your door.

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Over $100 15%

Canadian Shipping Charges

Merchandise Shipping
Charges
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Over $100 $39.95

We charge one low flat rate for shipping our products even if your order requires multiple shipments. If you have any questions, please call us at (800) 925-9387.

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