What is cassie?
By Chelsie Vandaveer
February 9, 2004
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The huisache or sweet acacia (Acacia farnesiana (L.) Willdenow) is a woody legume thought native to warm temperate or tropical America. The tree is now found in warm zones throughout the world. The small thorny tree is best known for "cassie", the sweet violet fragrance of the spherical inflorescences of tiny yellow flowers.
Sweet acacia probably spread because of its wonderful fragrance, but various cultures have found the tree and its products useful. Planted close together, the somewhat spindly trees and their short white thorns create a living fence and check erosion. But the trees also improve the soil; symbiotic bacteria associated with the roots fix atmospheric nitrogen for use by plants. Cut, the hard wood makes durable ground-contact fence posts.
Plant of the Week 02/02/2004
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Sweet Acacia (Acacia farnesiana (L.) Willdenow)
The huisache or sweet acacia is a small thorny tree in the Mimosa tribe of the Fabaceae, the legume family. There are over 800 species of Acacia in the world; various species are native to Africa, Australia, and the Americas. Sweet acacia is a plant with a mysterious past; it is thought native to warm temperate and tropical America, but the tree is now found on every continent with latitudes between 30 degrees N and 40 degrees S. No one is certain how the sweet acacia spread around the globe.
Plant of the Week 02/02/2004
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In Mexico and Central America, an ointment made of the flowers and rubbed on the forehead is reputed to relieve headaches. Powdered dried sweet acacia leaves sprinkled into wounds is said to aid healing. The unripe seed pods contain a gummy substance that is used in Java to mend broken crockery. In Cuba, the gum from the pods decocted (boiled with water) is a treatment for conjunctivitis (pink eye) and a gargle for sore throat. In India, twigs of sweet acacia are used as chew sticks, the wood fibers acting as a natural toothbrush and the gummy roots are chewed to alleviate sore throats.
"Cassie" is extracted by adding the macerated flowers to melted purified fats. The fats are strained and new flowers added until the fats are saturated with the fragrance. Once saturated, the fats are re-melted, strained, and cooled. This first extraction is called a concrete. In some cultures, the concrete is used as a pomade or dressing for hair.
If alcohol is mixed into the fats and allowed to stand for about a month at below freezing temperatures, the fragrance transfers to it. Distillation separates the fragrance from the alcohol. What is left is a dark yellow, greenish, or brown viscous liquid--cassie absolute, one of the scarcest ingredients in fine perfumes.
Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk has posted "Plants of Hawaii" including a page of images of sweet acacia, now a pest plant on the islands. To view the photographs taken by Forest and Kim Starr, click on the link:
http://www.hear.org/starr/hiplants/images/thumbnails/html/acacia_farnesiana.htm
Click on the thumbnails to enlarge the images.
(Compiled from: Hortus Third, Staff of Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium, New York State College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University, 1976; "Acacia farnesiana (L.) Willd.", John A. Parrotta, USDA Forest Service; and "Acacia farnesiana (L.) Willd." James A. Duke, Handbook of Energy Crops, unpublished, 1983)
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Unique Professionally Designed Gardens
Springhill Nursery®
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Mock Orange, Double
Spring Hill Nursery®
Superb, hardy ornamental shrub is loaded with large, fragrant, 2" white double blooms during late spring. Ideal 6-8' tall planting for privacy screen or background for flower beds.
Plant Double Mock Orange 10' apart.
18 - 24'' plants.
Philadelphus x virginalis 'Virginal'
Hardiness Zone: 4 - 8 (-20 degrees F)
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This Item Ships In The Spring
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Unique Characteristics: Wonderfully fragrant double blooms on tall stately plants. Ideal as a specimen planting or used to create a hedge.
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Angel Trumpet Collection
Spring Hill Nursery®
Spectacular in Bloom!
These vibrant beauties will brighten up any patio or deck all summer long with their unique trumpetlike flowers. Offered in double yellow, or deep purple and white, or select one of each and save. The dark green heart-shaped foliage sets off the gracefully swirled buds that will bloom nonstop. Unlike other angel’s trumpets, its blooms last for several days, not just a single day.
Delicioulsy fragrant, especially at night. Very easy to grow. In areas of frost, bring indoors as a houseplant during the winter. 2-4' tall. Datura Potted plants.
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Angel Trumpet Collection Ships In The Spring
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Magnolia, Royal Star
Spring Hill Nursery®
A fragrant first breath of spring! Popular for early blooming, Royal Star Magnolia produces silky pale pink buds that burst into magnificent double 3-5'' white stars. Cut branches are great in arrangements.
Trouble-free Japanese native, grows 8-20' tall. Space 10-15' apart.
Shipped in 4'' pot.
Magnolia stellata 'Royal Star'
Hardiness Zone: 4 - 9 (-20 degrees F)
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Royal Star Magnolia Ships In Both Spring And Fall
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Unique Characteristics: Popular for its early season bloom time. Add color to your landscape after a long winter's nap. Silky buds open up to reveal large white star-shaped blooms. Trouble free. Blooms are sometimes nipped by a late frost.
Additional Information: Dwarf mutant form of Magnolia kobus.
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Silk Tree
Spring Hill Nursery®
Like a scene from the South seas, this highl elegant tree offers a tropical look. But don’t be fooled—this tree is quite hardy. Brushlike flowers of delicate pink appear in midsummer complementing the decorative, finely cut foliage. Songbirds, bees and butterflies are all drawn to this tree.
Reaches 30-40' tall with a 20' spread. Shipped in 4'' pots.
Albizia julibrissin 'Rosea'
Zone 6 to 10.
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Unique Characteristics: Highly elegant tree with a somewhat tropical look, but it is actually quite hardy. Decorative, finely cut foliage and subtle pink flowers in mid summer.
Trees - Save $20 on $50 order
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Shell Plant, Climbing
Spring Hill Nursery®
A favorite of Thomas Jefferson! Fast-growing, twining vine attracts butterflies with fragrant flowers from mid-summer into fall. The 2'' blooms have upper petals that contort and bend backwards, with the elongated keel coiled in 4 or 5 spirals like a snail's shell. Climbing Shell Plants can even be grown in containers indoors and out. Grows 20-25' tall and spreads 2-3'. Space 5-6' apart.
Shipped in 3'' pot. Deer tend to avoid.
Vigna caracalla
Hardiness Zone: 9 - 10 ( 40 degrees F )
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This Item Ships In The Spring
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Unique Characteristics: An outstanding and exotic looking, fast growing vine that produces masses of fragrant flowers carried in bold clusters around strong 6" - 8" stems. The large, spiraling flowers are extremely attractive and create an on-going display all summer long. The flowers show up especially well set against the handsome mid-green foliage. This rare and unusual vine is ideal grown over a fence, trellis or arbor and can be used over lattice work to create shade for a deck or patio. It can even be grown in containers over a support. The most out-standing and floriferous member of this family. Totally unique.
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Hydrangea, All Summer Beauty
Spring Hill Nursery®
All the beauty and romance of other large flowered hydrangeas but so much more rewarding to grow! All Summer Beauty is covered with big, blooms of deep blue (in acid soil) or soft pink (in alkaline soil) from midsummer often until frost. Best of all, you can count on getting those fabulous blooms form on the current season’s growth- not on that of the previous year.
Therefore, harsh winters or late spring frosts are not a problem for this hydrangea! These handsome plants have large, glossy green leaves and grow 3-5’ tall with a similar spread- just right for mixed borders, foundation planting or a low-growing hedge. Sensational for long-lasting fresh and dried bouquets!
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Shipped in 3'' pot. Deer tend to avoid.
Hydrangea macrophylla 'All Summer Beauty'
This Item Ships In Both Spring And Fall
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Unique Characteristics: Large, bold flower heads. High flower count and long bloom period. Enjoy a deep sky blue in acidic soil or soft pink in more alkaline soil. Very hardy, great for more northern gardens because this variety flowers off the current season's growth where other 'mophead' varieties have flower buds form on previous year's growth. Harsh winters are not a problem for flower production. High flower count and long bloom period are its key points.
Flowering Shrubs - Save $20 on $50 order
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Naturalized Shade Garden
Springhill Nursery®
For tranquil beauty, there's nothing to compare with a naturalized garden in some shady spot—a display that feels as though Mother Nature herself had chosen a complementary selection of shade-loving plants. For this Naturalized Shade Garden, Spring Hill has combined 39 special plants which can transform any shady area of approx. 60 sq. ft. into an island of serene beauty—a blend of textures with inspiring touches of color.
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Included in this garden are three different varieties of hosta, which are delightful in combination with the arching fronds of hardy Ostrich Plume Fern. And for color, there are shade-loving plants which will be in bloom from spring well into late summer. All are easy to plant, and like a true naturalized garden, require only a minimum of care to provide years of charm and beauty. These coordinated plants can be arranged as a border, bed or to bring beauty to a north-facing corner or foundation - a place where you thought nothing except weeds would ever grow!
In this collection you will receive:
3 Ostrich Plume Ferns
1 Pink Bleeding Heart
15 Perennial Lily Bargain Bag
7 Daylily Bargain Bag
3 Mixed Monarda
1 Blue Hosta
1 Green and White Hosta
1 Royal Standard Hosta
1 Pink Dwarf Bleeding Heart
3 Chantreyland Violas
6 Lily-of-the-Valley
3 Forget-Me-Nots
3 Red Coral Bells
1 Garden equals 48 prime-quality plants
(A $151.85 Catalog Value.)
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This collection includes:
- Ostrich Plume Fern (3), Luxuriant, graceful fronds reach a length of 24-36'' long and are 18'' wide.
- Pink Bleeding Heart (1), Long, arching sprays drip with dozens of inflated pink heart-shaped flowers with dainty white tears.
- Perennial Lily Bargain Bag (15), Asiatic lily varieties produce rich colored blooms.
- Daylily Bargain Bag (7), The mainstay of the summer garden!
- Mixed Monarda (3), A delightful mixture of white, pink, purple and red flower heads adorn gardens and borders for weeks.
- Blue Hosta (1), Unusually large, blue-green leaves. Lavender blooms. This is a low maintenance ground cover.
- Green and White Hosta (1), Two-tone ornamental with lilac flowers grows 15-20'' tall. Is a low maintenance ground cover.
- Royal Standard Hosta (1), Shapely, lush foliage. Scented white flowers. Grows 24-30'' tall, 48'' across. Is a low maintenance ground cover.
- Pink Dwarf Bleeding Heart (1), Super-hardy, carefree plant is covered with pink pendant flowers spring through early summer, again in fall.
- Chantreyland Viola (3), "Everblooming" variety brings reliable rays of sunshine from early spring through summer.
- Lily-of-the-Valley (6), Clusters of fragrant white bells on 8-10'' stems appear in mid to late spring amid emerald-green leaves.
- Forget-Me-Nots (3), Decorative, low-growing perennial is loaded with hundreds of bright blue flowers.
- Red Coral Bells (3), Graceful 15-20'' spikes with crimson flowers above mounds of light foliage .
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