On Mon, 30 Apr 2007 09:23:01 -0700, William Rose wrote:

Thanks for the follow up. A facultative - obligatory question though.
Just because a plant grows in full sunlight, does that mean that it
can't grow in partial shade? I realize that this represents a spectrum
of possibilities but I think you get my meaning. If I'm just being dense
again, please point it out.

Most plants that prefer full sun can grow in partial sun, but they'll be
depauperate, bloom and fruit poorly. They're just not getting enough
sunlight to photosynthesize enough for their needs. How much is "enough
to grow on" really has to be determined experimentally. Nevertheless,
I've never seen flax growing in an area with only three hours of full sun.

I'm on a slope and, I've just added sand to the garden to help with
drainage. I do live in a rain forest but the summers are bone dry in
California. As I see it, if I can run a railway track through my garden
I still have a shot at it:-)

That might help... by the time you get the railbed in, you may have opened
up enough room for the sun to penetrate more of the day. g

With "rainforest, California, zone 9", I suspect you're on the N California
coast. Linum usitatissimum has been recorded as naturalized there, so
that one is probably quite possible with enough light and soil and water
it likes. Plantago psyllium is not recorded in California, though the similar
P. indica has been found on the south coast. General rule with weedy plants,
imho, is that if they've carried around by humans for awhile as "useful",
they'll probably have naturalized if they truly like an area.

Or as my old major prof used to say, "Seed's cheap. Try it.
The worst you can be is disappointed". But if you've got a position with
better sunlight, you've got a better chance.

Kay


Kay