They like some shade. When they bloom, cut them back to the first node for repeat bloom, then cut the bloom stalk back to the base after the next blooms. In their favor, they're evergreen in zone 8. I think they're fond of acid soil, too. They're native to the southeastern USA. They also like dividing every 2-3 years or the fleshy roots will crowd each other out. You can take one teeny plant and by dividing, have a great long border edged with them very quickly. Nell

The black and black with orange Blister Beetles have been eating the leaves off of everything this year. Usually, its just the tomatoes, but this year with our drought, they are eating all leaves, even the English Ivy on our house! I pick them off and squish them. Fly spray killed the ones on the front porch that were eating the ivy off the pillars. Dang it! I've never seen them eat ivy before. Am finding them on nearly every plant and every flower. My hens won't eat them. YUCK! If I had guineas, they would disappear fast. When I had them before, they ate the heck out those black Blister Beetles - wasps too. I sprayed my Roma tomatoes with Liquid Sevin and it killed the Blister Beetles. They almost totally defoliated the plants though before I resorted to the Poison War. It got rid of the over population of grasshoppers too. Now they are at a manageable number. Mostly just little ones hopping about in the grass and native shrubs and the hens take care of them, if they can catch them, that is. But did you know that grasshopper poop is the best fertilizer in the world? I saw a documentary on them last year.

I saw a picture where they were sown around tall bearded irises. I thought it looked very nice so I wanted to try it. Now I just have to find out where I can buy the seeds. Has anyone ever grown these? How did it do for you? Marg

Someone on a different forum suggested I go out at night to see if whatever is eating my echinacea leaves is a "night-time" eater and sure enough, I saw something. Can someone tell me what this is and how I get rid of it?