Mertensia paniculata -

Family:	Boraginaceae
Habit:	Perennial
Height:	0.75
Width:	0.6
Synonyms:
Range:	Western N. America - Hudson Bay to Alaska, south to Michigan, Nebraska, Idaho and Washington.

Mertensia paniculata () is a Perennial which grows to a height of 0.75m and a width of 0.6m . It has a hardness rating of 4.
Mertensia paniculata will flower in January. The flowers from this plant are hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and they are pollinated by

Soil Information

Mertensia paniculata will grow in light (sandy),medium (loamy),hard (clay) soil. It is / is important for the soil to be well drained.
The soil prefers the following PH / acid levels :
- pH of less than 6, Acidic soils
- pH between 6 and 8, Neutral soils
- pH greater than 8, Basic soils
Mertensia paniculata prefers soils

Ideal Planting Locations

Mertensia paniculata can grow in semi or areas with no shade.

Woods, moist meadows, damp thickets, wet cliffs, riverbanks, dry slopes and burn areas from the foothills to high elevations in the mountains[60, 172].

Planting places suited to this plant described below.

• Grows within a woodland garden
• Grows on a sunny edge
• Works within dappled Shade
• Can be planted in Cultivated Beds
• A bog garden plant

Cultivation Details

Easily grown in an ordinary garden soil with some shade[1, 111]. Prefers a deep moist but well-drained humus-rich soil in sun or semi-shade[200]. If the plant is cut down after flowering, it will normally produce another flush of flowers[233]. A very ornamental plant[233], it grows well in open woodland[200].

Edible Uses*

* See disclaimer
Edible Rating: 1/5
Flowers - raw[172]. Leaves - raw or cooked[172]. The leaves are rather hairy and are not so nice when eaten raw[172].

• Flowers -
• Leaves -

Medicinal Uses*

* See disclaimer
Medicinal Rating: 0/5
None known

Propagation

Seed - best sown in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe[1, 200]. Sow stored seed as early in the year as possible. Protect from direct sunlight[200]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Division, with care, in early spring or autumn[200].

Known Hazards

None known

Other Uses

None known

Cultivars

no recorded cultivars

References

Vascular Plants of the Pacific Northwest.
Hitchcock. C. L.
Author: Hitchcock. C. L.
Rating:
Publisher : A standard flora for Western N. America with lots of information on habitat etc. Five large volumes, it is not for the casual reader.
Date of Publication : 1955

The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Huxley. A.
Author: Huxley. A.
Rating:
Publisher : Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
Date of Publication : 1992

An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada
Britton. N. L. Brown. A.
Author: Britton. N. L. Brown. A.
Rating:
Publisher : Reprint of a 1913 Flora, but still a very useful book.
Date of Publication : 1970

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