From our perspective, both of us, 'Britt-Marie Crawford' and 'The Rocket', share a fundamental need for protection from the intense, scorching rays of the afternoon sun. Our large, tender leaves are highly susceptible to wilting and sunscald when exposed to such conditions. However, our tolerance for light differs slightly. I, 'The Rocket', with my more upright and narrower leaf structure, can handle a touch more morning sun or dappled light throughout the day. 'Britt-Marie Crawford', with her magnificent but broad, dark purple foliage that absorbs more heat, is even more sensitive. She will demand a shadier location to prevent her stunning leaves from becoming stressed, scorched, and losing their deep coloration.
This is the most critical aspect of our care and one where our needs are identical. We are both moisture-loving plants, hailing from stream banks and woodland areas. Our root systems are utterly intolerant of drought. We require consistently moist, even bog-like soil conditions to thrive. If our soil dries out, we will immediately signal our distress through dramatic wilting. While we may recover with a thorough watering, repeated stress will weaken us significantly, stunting our growth and making us susceptible to pests and diseases. Rich, humus-heavy soil that retains moisture is ideal for both of us.
Our physical forms dictate minor care considerations. I, 'The Rocket', grow as an upright clump with tall, rocket-like flower spikes and serrated, green leaves. My structure allows air to circulate more freely through my foliage. 'Britt-Marie Crawford' presents as a broader, lower clump of huge, nearly round, dark purple-black leaves. Her dense, ground-hugging foliage can create a humid microclimate at its base. This makes her slightly more vulnerable to slugs and snails, who seek refuge in the cool, damp shade beneath her magnificent leaves. A vigilant gardener might need to employ protective measures around her more so than around my more open structure.
Our flowering strategies are similar but our visual impact differs seasonally. We both send up flower spikes in mid to late summer. Mine, 'The Rocket', are tall spires of bright yellow flowers that shoot up dramatically above my green foliage. 'Britt-Marie Crawford' produces similar orange-yellow flowers, but they rise above a sea of stunning dark foliage, creating a more contrasting and perhaps dramatic display. As autumn approaches, I will begin to die back naturally. 'Britt-Marie Crawford', however, may offer a final spectacular show as the cold temperatures can intensify the purple and black hues of her leaves before dormancy.
