Mulberry Creek Herb Farm: Catalog/Mulberry Miniatures

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Herbs A-Z: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

We have assembled a selection of slow growing shrubs, groundcovers and trees (including hardy conifers) suited for G-Scale railroaders, faery gardens, rock gardens, troughs, miniature landscapes in pots or in ground and "Jar-Gems" (for strawberry jars). Many tolerate the harsh conditions between stepping stones & rock garden crevices.

To use this section, ignore the "Herbs A-Z" buttons above this line. Use instead the "1-2-3-4...." buttons at the bottom of this page.

Welcome to Mark's dream section. The smaller the plant is, the more he likes it. "I find these miniatures, so often overlooked and even walked on, absolutely fascinating. Why? Possibly as I mature in my plant tastes, the subtle details of these noble, slow growers are just as exciting as their substantial, bold, splashy counterparts. Certainly it has to do with no matter how many varieties I find, there are, literally, always room for more. And there's the fact that they are just darn cute, like the tiny doll furniture, that make you yearn to be just their size. I suppose I like the contrast with this weird world and my own sacred space, where everything is child-like perfection for my boys and me. No war, no hunger, and no weeds! Creating authentic miniature worlds, transport the artists and lucky participants."

We hope you enjoy these selections as much as we have reveled in collecting them.

Pieris, Little Heath Green

Pieris japonica 'Little Heath Green'

Cold Tolerance: Zone Zone 4-9
Light: P.Shade
Height: 12 x 15in.
Water: Normal-Wet
Soil: Organic-Loamy
Common Uses:Alpine Rockery, Bonsai, Garden Railroads, Miniature/Faery Garden, Shade

The standard ""Pieris"" shrub is an ornamental mainstay of the shade garden as is this 12-15 inch mini ""Mountain Andromeda"" version. Emerging foliage is red in the spring. Clusters of white flowers follow in climates that are warmer than Northern Ohio.
$ 6.29

Pilea, Trailing Blue Angel

Pilea sp.

Cold Tolerance: Zone 9a 9b-11
Light: P.Sun-P.Shade to P-Shade
Height: 1in. groundcover
Water: Normal Wet
Soil: Organic-Loamy
Common Uses:Jar-Gems"""""""" TM, Garden Railroads, Container, Groundcover, Houseplants, Miniature/Faery Garden, Ornamental, Shade

Blue with silver streaked leaves is an uncommon find. Tiny, rust red flowers accentuate its pea sized foliage especially as it trails down the sides of tropical, shade, faery gardens. Perhaps you need a fast perennial groundcover (hardy in Southern Florida and warmer). Treat as an annual in most of US. Easily trimmed & controlled.
$ 4.29

Plectranthus, Ernsts Baobab

Plectranthus ernstii

Cold Tolerance: Zone 9a 9b-11
Light: P.Shade-P.Sun to Shade
Height: 16in. x 16
Water: Dry-Normal
Soil: Sandy-Loamy
Flowers: Early Summer to Late Summer to Middle Summer
Common Uses:Jar-Gems"""""""" TM, Bonsai, Container, Houseplants, Miniature/Faery Garden, Ornamental, Topiary

That's not for sale."" We must have told 1,000 customers when they asked about our 6 year old ""Ernsts Baobab."" Yes, it bloomed all season with delicate white, snowflake flowers in 2"" clusters on top of fleshy, scalloped shaped, minty leaves, but the real eye-catcher is the large swollen tree truck at its base. It really looks like one of those African ""Baobab"" trees that gets all the monkeys & warthogs drunk in the nature films. Now these are for sale.
$ 5.29

Plectranthus, Ernsts Baobab 5 in.

Plectranthus ernstii

Cold Tolerance: Zone 9a 9b-11
Light: P.Shade-P.Sun to Shade
Height: 16in. x 16
Water: Dry-Normal
Soil: Sandy-Loamy
Common Uses:Jar-Gems"""""""" TM, Bonsai, Container, Houseplants, Miniature/Faery Garden, Ornamental, Topiary

Portulacaria, Mini Elephant

Portulacaria afra

Cold Tolerance: Zone 8b 9a 9b-11
Light: Full Sun to Sun-P.Sun
Height: 3ft. x 3ft.
Water: Dry-Normal
Soil: Sandy-Loamy
Common Uses:Jar-Gems"""""""" TM, Garden Railroads, Bonsai, Container, Houseplants, Miniature/Faery Garden, Ornamental

Compared to the ""Mini Variegated Portulacaria"" this clearly grows more erect and of course has solid green, succulent foliage. This is the better choice for dwarf trees. I suggest you add any ""Haworthia,"" a groundcover of ""Knawel Cushion"" and a ""Sweet Flag"" and you've got a sunny, tropical garden for indoors and out.
$ 4.79

Portulacaria, Mini Elephant 5 in.

Portulacaria afra

Portulacaria, Mini Variegated

Portulacaria afra 'Variegata'

Cold Tolerance: Zone 9a 9b-11
Light: Sun-P.Sun to P.Shade
Height: 3 x 3 Feet
Water: Dry-Normal
Soil: Sandy-Loamy
Flowers: Early Summer
Common Uses:, Alpine Rockery, Baskets, Garden Railroads, Houseplants, Miniature/Faery Garden, Topiary

Start with a red stemmed ""Jade Tree"" and substitute the foliage with creamy white edged leaves that look like large, flattened peas studded all around the red stems. Really colorful succulent, that takes on the tree position in a dish garden.
$ 4.79

Primrose, Cowslip

Primula veris

Cold Tolerance: Zone 4b 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a
Light: P.Shade-Shade to Shade
Height: 3in. x 4
Water: Wet-Normal
Soil: Organic
Flowers: Early Spring to Late Spring to Middle Spring
Common Uses:Bedding Plant, Container, Groundcover, Medicinal, Miniature/Faery Garden, Ornamental, Shade

An English native full of myth, folklore and medicinal tradition with a rosette of dark green leaves look similar to florist primrose, but the yellow flower cluster is born on the end of an 8"" stalk. We apply mulch over soil to retain moisture.
$ 4.29

Primrose, Gold Lace

Primula elatior-Hydrid 'Gold Lace'

Cold Tolerance: Zone 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a
Light: P.Shade-Shade to Shade
Height: 3in. x 4
Water: Normal
Soil: Organic
Flowers: Early Spring to Late Spring to Middle Spring
Common Uses:Bedding Plant, Groundcover, Miniature/Faery Garden, Ornamental, Shade

This is the antique variety from England that so long ago inspired the ""Primrose Fairie"" by Cicely M. Barker. The dark red flowers have a beautiful golden, picotee (outside) edge to all the petals. Faeries are shy, but you know they'll appreciate it.
$ 4.29

Primrose, Wanda

Primula X juliae

Cold Tolerance: Zone 4b 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a
Light: P.Shade-Shade to Shade
Height: 2in. x 4
Water: Normal
Soil: Organic
Flowers: Early Spring to Late Spring to Late Winter to Middle Spring
Common Uses:Bedding Plant, Groundcover, Miniature/Faery Garden, Ornamental, Shade

'Wanda' is among the first flowers of spring, exploding with a fuchsia fury. It is the perfect companion with daffodils, keeping them company their entire blooming season! We consider it the toughest, hardiest primrose there is, by its behavior in our open fields. Don't have large shady areas? Just plant it on the north side of any shrub and divide clumps every year after flowers have finish.
$ 4.29

Privet, Mini Lemon Beauty

Lonicera nitida 'Lemon Beauty'

Cold Tolerance: Zone 7a 7b 8a 9a 9b-11
Light: P.Shade-Shade to P.Shade
Height: 3 x3 Feet
Water: Normal
Soil: Organic-Loamy,Sandy
Common Uses:Bonsai, Houseplants, Miniature/Faery Garden, Ornamental, Topiary

Distinction among other species and unusual beauty is what marks this ""Privet"" and all other additions we select annually. ""Lemon Beauty"" is a larger leaved version of ""Mini Yellow Privet."" The contrast of a brownish plum stem to green centered, lime to lemon yellow edged foliage is more dramatic, lending itself to outstanding mini topiaries, mini hedge rows or bonsai specimens.
$ 5.29

Privet, Mini Yellow

Lonicera nitida 'Baggescen's Gold'

Cold Tolerance: Zone 7a 7b 8a 9a 9b-11
Light: Sun-P.Sun to P.Shade
Height: 3 x 3 Feet
Water: Normal
Soil: Organic-Loamy Sandy
Flowers: No
Common Uses:Bonsai, Garden Railroads, Hedges/Shrubs, Miniature/Faery Garden, Ornamental, Topiary

One look at this small sized privet and I imagine an English hedge outlining a slighty shaded faery garden. 3/8"" golden-yellow leaves share space on this very branchy plant. Although it can grow to 3 feet, it does so slowly and is easily pruned. Use as a bonsai, shrub, small tree in railroad gardens or around a down-sized, backyard cloister garden.
$ 4.79

Privet, Mini Yellow Topiary

Lonicera nitida 'Baggescen's Gold'

Cold Tolerance: Zone 7a 7b 8a 9a 9b-11
Light: Sun-P.Sun to P.Shade
Height: 3 x 3 Feet
Water: Normal
Soil: Organic-Loamy Sandy
Common Uses:Garden Railroads,

Ptilotrichum \ Tiny Shrub Alyssum

Ptilotrichum (Alyssum) spinosum

Cold Tolerance: Zone 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 9a
Light: Full Sun to P.Sun
Height: 12x12in.
Water: Dry-Normal
Soil: Sandy
Flowers: Early Summer to Late Spring
Common Uses:Alpine Rockery, Borders, Garden Railroads, Miniature/Faery Garden, Ornamental

Related to the bedding plant white alyssum, with the same white flowers, but the similarity ends there. Its thyme-sized, silvery gray leaves form a shrubby mound or can be shaped into a mini tree. The fun (for you sadist) is that the previous year's flowers become this year's prickly spines. RXR gardeners will get a kick out of this native of the Southern France to Spain region.
$ 5.29

Putatoria, Pink Trumpet Bush

Putatoria calibrica

Cold Tolerance: Zone 6b 7a 7b 8a 8b
Light: Sun-P.Sun to Full Sun
Height: 4in. x 12in. wide
Water: Normal
Soil: Sandy-Loamy
Flowers: Early Fall to Early Summer to Late Summer to Middle Summer
Common Uses:Container, Groundcover, Miniature/Faery Garden, Ornamental

It looks like it can endure the intense heat of its native Mediterranean but NOT the extreme cold of an Ohio Winter. Tight clusters of loud, pink trumpets dominate over this low, spreading green shrub, Spring through Summer.

$ 4.79

Ragged Robbin, Dwarf

Lychnis flos-cuculi 'Nana'

Cold Tolerance: Zone 4b 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 9a
Light: Sun-P.Shade to Sun-P.Shade
Height: 2in. x 4
Water: Dry-Normal
Soil: Sandy
Flowers: Early Summer to Late Spring to Middle Spring
Common Uses:Alpine Rockery, Bedding Plant, Borders, Groundcover, Miniature/Faery Garden, Ornamental

This Cicely Mary Barker faerie plant is a curious miniature with twisting, tough, shiny, dark green leaves that form a weird-looking, tight mound complete with bright pink, ragged edged flowers in spring. Lewis and Clark were intrigued by this too.
$ 4.29

Rosularia, White

Rosularia sedoides

Cold Tolerance: Zone 6b 7a 7b 8a 9a 9b-11
Light: Sun-P.Sun to Shade
Height: 2in. x 12
Water: Dry-Normal
Soil: Sandy-Loamy
Flowers: Early Fall to Late Summer
Common Uses:Jar-Gems"""""""" TM, Borders, Groundcover, Miniature/Faery Garden, Ornamental

The soft light green rosettes with white flowers are tougher than they look. As we write this and the last snow just melted after -5 degrees, these are still looking great. They look more like a ""Hen & Chick"" then the Sedums to which they are related. Great for mini landscapes too.
$ 4.79

RXR Solution

Remember to use plastic lawn edging along sections of railroad track to prevent root creeping ground covers from invading tracks. This will elimate the need to use herbicides.

Sedge, Mini Chocolate-Leaf

Carex buchmanii

Cold Tolerance: Zone 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 9a 9b-11
Light: P.Shade-P.Sun to Full Sun
Height: 2in. x 6in. across
Water: Wet-Normal
Soil: Organic
Flowers: Middle Summer
Common Uses:Alpine Rockery, Bonsai, Garden Railroads, Groundcover, Miniature/Faery Garden, Ornamental, Shade, Walk About

Looking for a shade loving miniature grass for a Southwest theme railroad garden? All aboard! Rich chocolate to olive green leaves become darker chocolate color if sitied in a sunnier spot. Forms thick, tufty mounds, spreading very slowly. Frankly, it is best to dig and divide them to encourage or speed up the process of spreading, if desired. Typically rated as Zone 7, but likes our -18 winters.
$ 4.29

Sedum Amber Glow

Sedum adolphii 'Golden Glow'

Cold Tolerance: Zone 8a 8b 9a 9b-11
Light: Full Sun to Sun-P.Sun
Height: 24in. x 24in.
Water: Dry-Normal
Soil: Sandy-Well Drained
Flowers: Early Summer
Common Uses:Jar-Gems"""""""" TM, Baskets, Container, Ornamental

Huge contrasts can be found even in collections of the same genus. Take ""Sedums."" Plump, skinny, gold, pink, purple, thyme-like and in 'Amber Glow's case, green turning glowing red (as the temp. rises), are just a few foliar examples. Winter flowers, seen indoors in Ohio, are pure white. You'll never be bored with a ""Sedum"" collection.
$ 4.29

Sedum Golden Glow 5in.+

Sedum adolphii 'Golden Glow'

Cold Tolerance: Zone 8a 8b 9a 9b-12
Light: Full Sun to Sun-P.Sun
Height: 24in. x 24in.
Water: Dry-Normal
Soil: Sandy-Well Drained
Flowers: Early Summer
Common Uses:Jar-Gems"""""""" TM, Baskets, Container, Ornamental

Sedum, Blue Crested

Sedum reflexum 'Monstrosum Cristatum'

Cold Tolerance: Zone 4a 4b 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 9a 9b-11
Light: Full Sun to P.Sun
Height: 4in. x 8in. across
Water: Dry-Normal
Soil: Sandy-Well Drained
Flowers: Late Summer
Common Uses:Jar-Gems"""""""" TM, Alpine Rockery, Container, Groundcover, Houseplants, Miniature/Faery Garden

Blue needled leaves pop out from around stems much like a Japanese fam. Cristata or Monstrosa are the names used to describe these weird looking mutations. Ever seen 'Fain-Tail Willow""? Well that is one example. Great dish gardens, ""Jar Gem"", and Southwest desert theme railroad gardens. We are still learning its hardiness and real name.
$ 4.29

Sedum, Blue Rosette Mini

Sedum 'pachyclados'

Cold Tolerance: Zone 4a 4b 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 9a 9b-11
Light: Full Sun to P.Sun
Water: Dry-Normal
Soil: Sandy-Well Drained
Flowers: Middle Summer
Common Uses:Jar-Gems"""""""" TM, Alpine Rockery, Container, Garden Railroads, Groundcover, Miniature/Faery Garden, Ornamental

Rosette of powder blue leaves that remind us of the ""Moss Saxifrages,"" partner well with rosy-peach, summer flowers. Leaves are tightly packed on top of one another, forming bonsai- like pads. Sedums are the queen of all ""Jar Gem"" ^TM or rockeries. ""Arrowhead Alpine"" reports that this one is from Pakistan.
$ 4.29

Sedum, Blue Spruce

Sedum reflexum 'Blue Spruce'

Cold Tolerance: Zone 4a 4b 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 9a 9b-11
Light: Full Sun to P.Sun
Height: 4in. x 12in. across
Water: Dry-Normal
Soil: Sandy-Well Drained
Flowers: Middle Summer
Common Uses:Jar-Gems"""""""" TM, Alpine Rockery, Container, Groundcover, Miniature/Faery Garden, Ornamental

Course textured groundcover sedum, with very blue (spruce colored), 1/2"" long, needle-like foliage complement yellow flowers in summer. Any sedum, upright or ground hugging make a superior Jar Gem addition.
$ 4.29

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