I haven't raised any self set seed from China Doll, Kippy, but it has been used as seed parent so they should germinate. John Bagnasco has released some cute polys from it as well as a few others which are rather nice. Wild Dancer is a bullet proof rose from J&P containing it. I have used Pride of Oakland, a China Doll offspring, which I like very much. One of my seedlings from Pride of Oakland is the one recently named for Anne Belovich. Try them, you could raise some fun things. Grandmother's Hat never set a lot of seed for me until last year when it looked like a fruit plant. I raised a bunch of them which are still in the seed table waiting for "rain" before being transplanted. It was rather surprising how they separated themselves by diseases. One remained healthy from the start and appears to be the most vigorous of the lot. The others weren't as strong off the line but are catching up, cleaning up as they mature. They should provide some interesting results! Good luck with them. Kim

I found this thread as I was looking for info regarding the tamarisk because I'm reading a book called "The Silver Chalice" and they were mentioned there. I have a tendency towards "fictitious gardening" (my name for it); plants discussed/mentioned in novels I love are the ones I enjoy finding to plant when we move to the country. (I'm in south eastern Pennsylvania, USA.) After reading the comments by info_npss_sk_CA and aipc_programdirector_gmail_com, I'm rather confused. Both claim that this is an invasive species, which, from what I understand doesn't necessarily mean that one would witness that plant taking over and driving others out over the course of one or two growing seasons because the tamarix (scientific name for the tamarisk /saltcedar) doesn't just have the ability to replace your other plants or take over your yard; it also monopolizes available water in the soil while salinizing that same soil. These effects aren't necessarily something you are going to see from your house or while standing next to it. Nor does the fact that you have seen it locally or purchased it locally negate that. As the information regarding these plants is easily accessible to everyone here in this thread, (even a brief search online using any of the three most common names for these plants yielded quite a few sites outlining why this species is on the invasive lists of Canada and the United States of America) I am confused as to why everyone besides the two folks I mentioned appear to have ignored this information. I understand enjoying the challenge of cultivation (especially with a "new-to-you" plant) as well as the enjoyment one can derive from the fruits of one's labor, but this plant comes with long-term effects that may not only replace native species (it appears to have been introduced as an ornamental plant around the 1880's) but can also increase the frequency and intensity of fires and floods. I understand that someone may think that planting only one will not have much effect on the ecosystem, but it does because you can bet that you are not the only one who has purchased and planted one, and every plant purchased increases the demand for another to be ordered and local garden stores (as opposed to big-box centers) grow locally. I'm simply confused as to how this doesn't seem to be taken seriously despite being explicitly explained, in addition to a link being provided so that nobody even has to bother taking the initiative and searching themselves. I've bookmarked this page so that later today I can return and add links. I'm on my phone and am not sure how to copy and paste them. (We've had the phones a couple of months but generally don't use the Internet beyond emails or occasionally limited and very basic social media, so I'm not sure how to do certain things.) Thank you for reading. I would appreciate it if anyone can help me understand.

I have a nice little row of them growing along the side of my house. I planted them last fall so they are in their first summer. They only made it to about four feet tall this year but they are a six footer so I'm expecting them to be much bigger next year. Right now they are covered with buds and will probably bloom heavily in a week or two. They are planted in sand slightly amended. They like good drainage and once established should be moderately drought tolerant. They are hardy from zone 4-9. They kind of remind me of baptisia in that they have one gorgeous flush of bloom but the foliage looks great all growing season. Adele

It definitely has the one at the upper part of the stem, and I think it had one towards the base? It was cut when i bought it so it's hard to tell I've read that the cuttings taken above a Y will grow as more of a bush since it's function from the mother plant was to "bush out" I don't mind sacrificing flowers this first year if shaping needs to start early