Mulberry Creek Herb Farm: Catalog/Mulberry Miniatures

Mulberry Miniatures

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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.

Ivy, Adundance

Hedera helix 'Adundance'

Cold Tolerance: Zone 4b 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a
Light: Sun - P. Shade
Height: 1h x 4w inches
Water: Normal
Soil: Sandy-Loamy
Common Uses:Mini Groundcover, Spiller

This ivy is determined to stay small no matter how much you fertilize. Duck foot shaped, dark green foliage grow evenly spaced on serpentine slinking stems.

Ivy, Henrietta

Hedera helix 'Henrietta'

Cold Tolerance: Zone 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 9a 9b-11
Light: Sun-P.Shade to P.Shade-Shade
Height: 2in. x 12
Water: Normal
Soil: Organic-Loamy
Flowers: No
Common Uses:Jar-Gems"""""""" TM, Baskets, Groundcover, Miniature/Faery Garden, Shade, Topiary

I've yet to see a smaller, more heavily variegated ivy than ôHenrietta.ö Great as a houseplant & an easy miniature topiary standard. Perfect for faery gardens as Ivy stands for friendship. So add one to your garden and make friends with ôGod's littlest angels.ö

Ivy, Mini Anita

Hedera helix 'Anita'

Cold Tolerance: Zone 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 9a 9b-11
Light: Sun-P.Shade to P.Shade-Shade
Height: 2in. x 12
Water: Normal
Soil: Organic-Loamy
Flowers: No
Common Uses:Jar-Gems"""""""" TM, Baskets, Garden Railroads, Groundcover, Miniature/Faery Garden, Shade, Topiary

Precious, micro, maple-leaf foliage make a lush filler to any planting. Don't forget this faerie garden standard symbolizing friendshop & fidelity.

Jade, Bad-Hair-Day

Crassula muscosa (C. lycopodoides)

Cold Tolerance: Zone 8b 9a 9b-11
Light: Sun-P.Shade to Full Sun
Height: 6in. x 12in.
Water: Dry-Normal
Soil: Sandy-Loamy
Common Uses:Jar-Gems"""""""" TM, Garden Railroads, Bonsai, Container, Houseplants, Miniature/Faery Garden, Ornamental

Mark's common name may reveal his quirky sense of humor, but if you saw the haphazard growth pattern you'd chuckle and agree. It may be a slow growing jade only a weird plant collector could love, but if you're looking for a Southwest scene in container, ground or outdoor railroad set-up, here's your miniature saguaro cactus stand-in.

Jade, Tiger

Crassula picturata

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

Dime sized, shield shaped, dark green leaves spotted and striped in black, make a perfect background for the red flower buds which open a pale pink and white. Great houseplant in the north and ""Jar Gem"" during our growing season.

Jade, Tiny Bush

Monanthus subcrassicaulis

Cold Tolerance: Zone 8a 9a 9b-11
Light: Sun-P.Sun to P-Shade
Height: 4in. x 12
Water: Dry-Normal
Soil: Sandy-Loamy
Flowers: Middle Summer
Common Uses:Jar-Gems"""""""" TM, Container, Garden Railroads, Houseplants, Miniature/Faery Garden, Ornamental

Dark green, also black, 1/4 inch, miniature, ""pickle"" leaves form small bushes and are a great contrast in color next to ""Aeonium Variegated"" in your strawberry jar or shrub in a mini landscape.

Jasmine, World's Smallest

Jasminum parkeri

Cold Tolerance: Zone 6b 7a 7b 8a 9a 9b-11
Light: Sun-P.Shade to P-Shade
Height: 6in. x 18
Water: Wet-Normal
Soil: Organic
Flowers: Early Summer to Late Summer to Middle Summer
Common Uses:Bonsai, Container, Garden Railroads, Houseplants, Miniature/Faery Garden, Topiary

Popular for bonsai because with minimum care, it can easily be trained and also generously blooms in June with a mass of bright yellow, miniature trumpets. Look out! Tiny, dark green leaves form a wild tangled mass if left unpruned. Hardy to Zone 5, IF protected with a consistent layer of snow.

Jasmine, World's Smallest-2year

Jasminum parkeri

Cold Tolerance: Zone 6b 7a 7b 8a 9a 9b-11
Light: Sun-P.Shade to P-Shade
Height: 6in. x 18
Water: Wet-Normal
Soil: Organic
Common Uses:Bonsai, Container, Garden Railroads, Houseplants, Miniature/Faery Garden, Topiary

Jovibarba, Mini Hen & Chicks

Jovibarba hirta subsp. arenaria

Cold Tolerance: Zone 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a
Light: Sun – P. Sun
Height: 1h x 3w inches
Water: Normal
Soil: Sandy-Loamy
Common Uses:Mini Shrub, Drought Tolerant Alpine

Drought smart plants come in all sizes as witnessed by these clusters of “baby chicks,” each only 3/4” across. So in a miniature vegetable garden you could easily separate the clumps and plant the chicks to look like tiny rows of cabbage. Like many sedum like plants, cold weather prompts a red cast over this groundcover.

Kenilworth Ivy, Mini

Cymbalaria muralis 'Nana'

Cold Tolerance: Zone 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 9a 9b-11
Light: Sun-P.Shade to Full Sun
Height: 3in.x 18
Water: Wet-Normal
Soil: Organic-Loamy
Flowers: Early Summer to Late Spring to Late Summer to Middle Summer
Common Uses:Garden Railroads, Groundcover, Miniature/Faery Garden, Ornamental, Shade, Walk About

All summer, pale pink, miniature snapdragon flowers prance over tiny, ivy-leaved, bright green foliage. Don't be fooled by its delicate appearance- it's a tough, ground-hugging, politely spreading groundcover, but, the more sun it gets, the more water it wants.

Knawel Cushion

Scleranthus biflorus ssp.uniflorus

Cold Tolerance: Zone 6b 7a 7b 8a 9a 9b-11
Light: Full Sun to P.Sun
Height: 1in. x 12in. wide
Water: Normal
Soil: Sandy
Flowers: Early Summer
Common Uses:Alpine Rockery, Garden Railroads, Groundcover, Miniature/Faery Garden, Walk About

Designing miniature gardens always requires a groundcover and none hugs the soil lower. Consider these packed, moss like cushions that resemble a shrunken ""Irish Moss,"" but are far more tolerant of sunny and dry conditions. Has nearly invisible white flowers in early summer. Transforms into hay colored mounds each winter. This will grow almost anywhere, under any condition. Try it with ""Lady's Mantle, Alpine"" like a miniature rhubarb and ""Moujean Tea"" & ""Myrtle, Variegated"" (as trees).

Lady's Mantle, Dwarf Red-Stem

Alchemilla erythropoda

Cold Tolerance: Zone 4b 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 9a
Light: Sun-P.Sun to Full Sun
Height: 5in. x 12
Water: Normal
Soil: Sandy-Loamy
Flowers: Early Summer
Common Uses:Alpine Rockery, Bedding Plant, Borders, Garden Railroads, Groundcover, Miniature/Faery Garden, Ornamental

Here a 3” version that grows about the size of “Alpine Lady’s Mantle” but has more of the typical leaves, except they are very blue-green and have rhubarb red stems. Confused yet, well suffice to say that this one looks very unique and makes a great addition to an afternoon shady faery garden, trough, or alpine garden.

Ladys Mantle, Alpine

Alchemilla alpina

Cold Tolerance: Zone 4b 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 9a
Light: Sun-P.Sun to Full Sun
Height: 4in. x 12
Water: Normal
Soil: Sandy-Loamy
Common Uses:Alpine Rockery

This miniature version of the popular traditional herb has a silvery edge that collects morning dew, appearing like tiny jewels. Magical rock and faery garden plant that is comfortable under almost any other plant. After flowering, it continues to look great without the “cat-sat-in-the-middle” look.

Leptospermum / Tea Tree, Dwarf

Leptospermum scoparium

Cold Tolerance: Zone 8a 9a 9b-11
Light: Sun - P. Sun
Height: 12 x 12 inches
Water: Normal
Soil: Sandy-Loamy
Common Uses:Mini Tree, Bonsai

What's prettier, the deep pink buds or semi double, very pale pink flowers which appear mostly in the winter and sporadically all summer? Enjoy it as a tree in the garden railroad, then turn bonsai artist, reserving a space for it on the winter windowsill.

Limomium, Tiny Sea Statice

Limonium dictiocladum

Cold Tolerance: Zone 6b 7a 7b 8a 9a
Light: Full Sun to Sun-P.Sun
Height: 3in. x 3in. wide
Water: Normal
Soil: Sandy-Loamy
Flowers: Early Fall to Early Summer to Late Summer to Middle Summer
Common Uses:Alpine Rockery, Garden Railroads, Miniature/Faery Garden

Remember those frothy filler flowers paired with a bouquet of roses? You will freak as you witness, from these tiny mounds of spoon shaped leaves, an eruption of 2"" tall sprays of miniature ""Sea Statice"" lavender flowers.

Malpighia / Barbados Cherry

Malpighia paniculata

Cold Tolerance: Zone 8a 9a 9b-11
Light: Sun – P. Sun
Height: 16 x 16 inches
Water: Normal
Soil: Sandy-Loamy
Common Uses:Mini Tree, Bonsai

We haven't seen the 3/8” cherry fruit yet we know it exists as we have witnessed the delicate pink flowers, which are made up of triangular petals and erect, yellow stamen. Google malpighia paniculata and you will see an amazing bonsai tree.

Mimulus / Monkeywort Tiny

Mimulus minimus

Cold Tolerance: Zone 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a
Light: Sun-P.Sun / Wet
Height: 2h x 4w inches
Water: Normal
Soil: Sandy-Loamy
Common Uses:Mini Shrub

Mimulus minimus. Say that five times. You know the yellow trumpets on the large, annual flowers so take that image and shrink it, but keep the “blooms all summer” part. Although we list this as a hardy perennial, it acts more like a self-sowing annual but the most important tip is to keep it watered. Forget that once or twice and you've got singed edges.

Mint Bush, Alpine

Prostanthera cuneata

Cold Tolerance: Zone 8a 9a 9b-11
Light: Sun – P. Sun
Height: 4h x 6w inches
Water: Normal
Soil: Sandy-Loamy
Common Uses:Mini Tree

This Australian native inspires a project for next winter. After you've enjoyed its bright green, slightly minty leaves and tiny white orchid flowers (a little imagination here) this summer, try shaping it into a tree that you've situated by itself or in a miniature, winter, windowsill faery garden.

Mitchella / Patridge Berry

Mitchella repens

Cold Tolerance: Zone 4b 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a
Light: Shade - P. Sun
Height: 1/2h X 6w inches
Water: Normal
Soil: Sandy-Loamy
Common Uses:Groundcover

Squaw vine, its common name is what drew us to this medicinal miniature resembling a mini vinca vine. Native American women made a tea from the slightly evergreen flavored leaves and berries during childbirth. The shiny, dark evergreen foliage and white flowers are nice but it's the red berries that really show up in a shady garden or even a terrarium.

Mondo Grass, Dwarf

Ophiopogon japonicum 'Nana'

Cold Tolerance: Zone 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 9a 9b-11
Light: Shade Only to P.Shade-Sun
Height: 2in. x 4
Water: Wet-Normal
Soil: Organic
Flowers: Late Summer
Common Uses:Bonsai, Garden Railroads, Groundcover, Miniature/Faery Garden, Ornamental, Shade

Dark green, grassy leaves form tight little ""humocks"" that are often planted under ones favorite bonsai tree. This tough, cooperative little guy with white tinted, lavender flowers in summer is quite popular among railroaders who use it as mini pampas grass. Rare lavender flower spikes that produce the most amazing sapphire colored mini ""easter eggs"" shaped fruits.

Mondo Grass, White Sparkler

Ophiopogon chingii 'Sparkler'

Cold Tolerance: Zone 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a
Light: P. Shade - P. Sun
Height: 2h x 5w inches
Water: Normal
Soil: Sandy-Loamy
Common Uses:Mini Shrub

A delicate and fine leaved "Mondo Grass" with pure white flower spikes throughout the year. Utilize this as a miniature "Pampas Grass" in a miniature garden setting. Every setting needs the linear, contrasting foliage of a grass.

Monkeywort, Creeping Blue

Lindernia grandiflora

Cold Tolerance: Zone 8a 9a 9b-11
Light: P.Shade-P.Sun
Height: 1in. groundcover
Water: Wet-Normal
Soil: Organic
Flowers: Early Fall to Early Spring to Early Summer to Late Spring to L
Common Uses:Baskets, Groundcover, Garden Railroads, Miniature/Faery Garden, Ornamental, Shade, Walk About

Go bananas over the dark blue and white flowers that never quit blooming above glossy green, heart shaped leaves. The flowers remind me of a miniature Mimulus. Although it is a tropical groundcover that loves the heat, we have found it be very compact and rather slow to spread. It just wants to flower. Great for mini landscapes or zone 8 and warmer, rainforest, railroad gardens. A Florida native.

Mulberry, Dwarf Red

Morus rubra 'Nana'

Cold Tolerance: Zone 4b 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 9a 9b-11
Light: Full Sun to Sun-P.Sun
Height: 16in. x 16in. wide
Water: Dry-Normal
Soil: Sandy-Loamy
Common Uses:Alpine Rockery, Garden Railroads,

Myosotis, Alpine Forget-Me-Nots

Myosotis alpina

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

Unforgettable 1-1/2 in. x 1/2 in. green leaves set the stage for baby blue flowers that turn pink as they age, mid Spring.