New in garden centers this year are a couple of Ladybirds. When you see the name Ladybird associated with a plant, you can assume a few things: native DNA, great for the environment and most likely tough as nails.
Such is the case for Ladybird Lemonade and Ladybird Sunglow, two new hybrid Calylophus varieties. More than likely you are wondering: What is that “Calylophus” word? It’s the botanical name for Texas Primrose, which is about as Ladybird-deserving as a bluebonnet.
Indeed, it is an all star with bees, birds and butterflies, and it’s hardly ever on Bambi’s menu. Given the right conditions, these are known to be perennials in zones 8a to 10b. As might be expected, a plant native to Texas is not going to be a bog plant. These two jewels of the plant world are about as tough as it gets.
They get about 8 inches tall with an outward spread of 20 inches. The Ladybird Lemonade is a glorious pastel yellow, which is a most sought-after color by the garden club ladies. The Lady Bird Sunglow is a more intensely saturated yellow, but not the least bit gaudy for older sensitive eyes.
