Quick Question & Answer

Q

Could you please tell me the name of this plant? The colour of the leaves is beautiful. Mari Rennie, Dreghorn, Ayrshire

A

It is Cimicifuga simplex ‘Brunette’, a tall and stately variety, it makes a splendid focal point, especially with Japanese golden grass.

Other varieties include ‘Elstead’, whose buds are purple tinted, ‘Braunlaub’, prized for its dark green leaves and ‘White Pearl’ whose pale green foliage foils white flowers.

Q

What is attacking my bay tree?

Janet Copeland (via email)

A

I suspect that caterpillars have been busy chewing and shredding the bay leaves.

The best way to control them is to spray with BugClear for Fruit & Veg. It will effectively eradicate the pest and your bay’s leaves can be used in cooking the following day.

Q

I would like some help identifying these purple flowering plants. I cannot remember if I grew them from seed but they have been flowering happily all summer.

Shiela Smith (via email)

A

The plant is the annual sage (Salvia horminum). It is grown from seed, which is easy to do as you can sow the seed directly in the soil where you would like the plants to flower.

They don’t need much extra care and, as you have discovered, they provide great reward for little effort!