Irish eyes are smiling today, although some likely are bloodshot.
St. Patrick’s Day celebrations — many commencing last week — force people outside.
For some, it’s to take in a parade. For others, it’s to escape throngs of partygoers pushing the capacity limit at Irish-themed pubs.
March 17 festivities honoring Ireland’s patron saint ignite spring fever with an explosion of green in an otherwise brown, late-winter landscape.
Back in the Ole’ Sod, it doesn’t take St. Patrick’s Day to ignite spring fever. In a real sense, Ireland enjoys spring-like weather all year round — at least by our standards.
The average yearly temperature in Ireland is 49 degrees, which is comparable to Michigan. Unlike Michigan, winter temperatures there rarely dip below 20 degrees Fahrenheit. In summer, temperatures rarely climb into the 80s. The highest summertime temperature recorded in Ireland was 91 degrees. Compare that with most of southern Michigan, which saw temperatures exceed 90 degrees on more than 30 days last year.
Thanks to the moderating effect of the Gulf Stream, Irish winters are relatively mild. In terms of rainfall, eastern Ireland receives between 29 and 39 inches of rain each year, while the western half logs between 39 and 49 inches. Compare that to Grand Rapids, with an annual precipitation average of 37 inches, or Detroit, at 33 inches.
Most of Ireland is in Zone 7 on the plant hardiness scale. The hardiness zone is a geographically designated area in which plants are capable of growing based on ability to withstand minimum temperatures. Most of Michigan is in hardiness Zone 5, meaning plants rated to grow here should be able to withstand minimum temperatures of minus 10 to minus 15 degrees.
Despite mild weather, there isn’t a terribly large number of plants native to Ireland, at least when compared with other European countries, largely because Ireland was covered by ice up until about 13,000 years ago.
Most of its native vegetation is grassland, heath and bogs. Heath, marked by shallow peat soil with a higher mineral content, supports bracken, bilberry and several types of heather. Bogs, as you might suspect, are almost pure sphagnum peat moss and support grasses and sedges.
There are more than 3,500 forms of fungi, nearly 1,000 forms of lichen and more than 500 types of mosses in Ireland. Native plants that made their way to American landscapes include wood anemone, periwinkle, shepherd’s purse, ferns, primrose, holly and yew.
Trees growing on both sides of the pond include ash, aspen, birch and Scots pine.
A taste of Ireland
While plants wired for the milder climate of Ireland likely won’t flourish here, myriad plants reflecting an Irish theme are suited for Michigan. We’re not talking about standard-bearers like shamrocks or clover. The list includes annuals and perennials, fruits and vegetables — some in name only.
Here’s a sampling:
Crocosmia “Emily McKenzie” — a florist-grade flower with bronze foliage, yellow-orange flowers and maroon markings. Blooms August through September, hardy to zero degrees.
Envy zinnia — Yes, it’s a stretch, but the green, 3-inch double and semi-double blooms sure remind you of Ireland. This annual flower is grown from seed and reaches 30 inches tall.
Green-flowered Amaranthus — Again, it’s the green. Light-green foliage with bright green plumes mark this annual flower that can be started inside by seed. It reaches between three and five feet tall.
Morning glory “Scarlet O’Hara” — Yes, it’s a morning glory — and the flowers are red. But it does have an Irish name — sort of.
Rudbeckia “Irish eyes” — This strain of the beloved black-eyed Susan is a perennial well-suited for Michigan gardens. It grows 30 inches tall and two feet wide. While the flowers are yellow, its foliage is green.
Bells of Ireland — This perennial favorite is grown as an annual. Spires of green, bell-shaped blooms add interest to any garden, and they’re easy to grow. Plants reach between 24 and 32 inches tall. It is shade tolerant and grows in most soils.
Irish cobbler potato — Whether it’s from Ireland is open for debate. But it is a fast-growing potato that matures early and has superior taste. It’s been a staple in my garden for years.
Emerald okra — Again, it’s not something you’d associate with Ireland, other than the reference to green. This particular cultivar produces thick-walled, round and slender fruit that matures in 55 days. Plants grow between five and eight feet tall and pods are between 6 and 8 inches long at harvest.
Emerald delight zucchini — The “emerald” title pushes this garden staple to the front of the line. Easy to grow by seed, dark-green fruit with a mild flavor begin arriving after 55 days. Its open growing habit makes emerald easier to spot before it becomes the size of a baseball bat.
Depending on the degree of celebrating, your head might feel like it’s been battered with a baseball bat. Don’t blame the zucchini — it’s still out of season.