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A fine old cultivar that has grown vigorously with me in various gardens over many years. Writing in the Journal of the Royal Horticultural Society, Rebecca Dunbar says: "This is a fine and popular old cultivar with richly coloured red and green leaves. Originating from the Earl of Morton's Surrey garden in 1943, it is thought to be a cross between S. 'Ornatum' and a large form of S. tectorum. Rosettes of this cultivar have been known to grow up to 20cm (8in) across." Given an Award of Merit when shown by the Earl of Morton in July 1958, the write-up in the Bulletin ofthe AGS says: "This striking plant occcurred about 15 years ago in the garden of the exhbitor and is thought to be a hybrid of SS. tectorum giganteum and 'ornatum' (of gardens, itself a hybrid origin). The specimen shown consisted of a single rosette, measuring 9 inches across, composed of leaves 4 inches long by 1 inch wide, with hairy margins. The leaves were dark red in colour for most of their length, generally becoming pale green towards, and including , the tips; whilst the lower leaves were tipped with red. The thick leafy, flowering stem measured 17 inches in height and bore a large branched cyme carrying in all about 700 flowers, each branch which was pale green and very hairy, bearing approximately 15 flowers, 1 1/4 inches in diameter, with reddish pink petals edged with hairs. Like S. tectorum, S. 'Commander Hay' will form a single extra large rosette if all side rosettes are regularly removed. It is an extremely decorative plant suitable either for the rockery or for a pan." |
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| 28th May 2005 | ||
