KIGN Introductions

Family:  Saxifragacea
Zone: 7 - 9
Natural Range: China
Soil:  Average to moist, humus rich
Light: Part shade, shade
Height:  6'
Bloom Time: June to July
Attracts:  Butterflies, Bees
Pest Resistance:  NA
Attributes: Deciduous.  Broadly elliptic leaves.  Tall flower stems held above the foliage with feathery, greenish white flowers. 
Notes: We came across this giant in South Western Sichuan growing with Rodgersia, Rhododendron, Arisaema. Native to forests and shaded ravines from 900-3200m.

Pot Size:  Medium Band Pot

Zone: 5 - 9
Natural Range: Himalayas
Soil:  Moist, humus rich
Light: Part shade, sun
Height: 12'
Attributes:  Deciduous.  Large fuzzy, oval leaves.  Pink flowers held above the leaves. 
Notes:  Leaves can reach more than 12" long.

Pot Size:  Quart Size Pot

Great Plant Picks

Zone: 6-9
Natural Range: China
Soil:  Moist, humus rich
Light: Part shade, sun
Height: 12'
Attributes:  Evergreen.  Large succulent foliage with tall spikes of purple flowers.  Foliage will turn red and purple if planted in more sun.
Notes:  Found growing at 3700m, growing in mas along streams and moist ponds as the dominant perennial.  Growing underneath Rhododendrons and Abies.

Pot Size:  1 Gallon Pot

Family:Orchidaceae
Zone: 7 - 9
Natural Range: China, Vietnam
Soil:  Average, humus rich
Light:  Part shade, sun
Height:  12"- 24"
Bloom Time:  June to August
Attributes:  Deciduous, Large creamy yellow flowers with orange back to petals, red spotted and deep yellow throat.
Notes:  Bletilla ochracea are not as cold hardy as Bletilla striata but they offer an attractive alternative color to the usual pinks.  Usually flowers a bit later than Bletilla striata. Plant next to rocks or mixed in the sunny perennial border.  When mature and settled into its spot, a plant can bloom for months.  Bletillas can be grown in a pot if kept cool but not too cool and a bit on the dryer side during the winter.

Pot Size:  4" Band Pot, Bare Root

Family:Orchidaceae
Zone: 7 - 9
Natural Range: Hybrid
Soil:  Average, humus rich
Light:  Part shade, sun
Height:  12"- 18"
Bloom Time:  July to August
Attributes:  Deciduous, White blushed pink flowers with bright yellow throat.  Darker pinkish terracotta pink buds and back of petals.
Notes:  First release of this KIGN Introduction.  Like other Bletilla ochracea they start to flower a bit later than B. striata.

Pot Size:  Small Band Pot, 4" Band Pot

Family:  Sapindaceae
Zone: 7 - 9
Natural Range: China
Soil:  Average, moist, humus rich
Light: part shade, sun
Height: 10' - 20'
Attributes: Evergreen tree or large shrub.  Greenish yellow flowers.  Attractive leaves with prominent yellow veining.  Dark purple-black fruit.
Notes:  From our Gansu collections.

Pot size:  1 Gallon Pot

Family:  Ranunculaceae
Zone: 6 - 9
Natural Range: China; Sichuan
Soil: Average to moist, humus rich well drained
Light: Part sun, sun
Height: 13'
Bloom Time: March to April
Pest Resistance:  Deer, Rabbit
Attributes: Deciduous.  Pinnate foliage.  Many white flowers in clusters of 2-5. 
Notes: A delightful and graceful species that is suitable for draping over bushes and smaller trees in the garden.  From our collections in Sichuan during our 2013 expedition.  Found growing scrambling through rhododendrons at 3600m elevation. 

Pot Size:  4" Band Pot

Pot Size:  Large Band Pot

Zone:  7 - 9
Natural Range:  Himalayas
Soil:  Average, humus rich
Light: Part shade
Height: 8'
Bloom Time: Spring
Attracts:  NA
Pest Resistance:  NA
Attributes:  Evergreen.  Variable, narrow to rounded, glossy green foliage.  Pink seed casings and orange fruit.
Notes:  Attractive species with delicate drooping fall fruit.

Pot Size:  6" Band Pot

Pot Size:  Medium Band Pot

Pot Size:  Large Band Pot

Family: Oleaceae
Zone:  4 - 9
Natural Range: Southwestern US into northern Mexico
Soil:  Average to dry, humus rich
Light:  Sun, part sun
Height:  10’
Bloom Time:  April to May
Attracts:  NA
Pest Resistance:  NA
Attributes:  Deciduous, small tree or shrub usually with simple leaves or some times with pinnate leaves.  Can have multiple trunks.  Silver-gray bark.  Foliage has a gray-green.  Bright yellow fall foliage.
Notes:From our collections outside of Moab.

Pot Size: 4" Band Pot

Pot Size:  1 Gallon Pot

Family: Iridaceae
Zone:6 - 9
Natural Range: China
Soil:  Moist, humus rich
Light: Sun, part sun
Height: 18"
Bloom Time:  May
Pest Resistance:  Deer, Rabbit
Attributes: Deciduous. Unknown flower color.  Deep blue to purple.
Notes:  These are from our collections in 2013 from Muli area in Sichuan Province.  Found growing at 3800m growing mixed with Rhododendron, Clethera, Sorbus, Abies, Larix.  To my surprise our seedlings are growing much more robust and better looking than what we saw in the wild.

Pot Size:  4" Band Pot

Family:Asparagaceae
Zone: 6 - 9
Natural Range: Himalayas
Soil:Average, humus rich
Light: Part shade, shade
Height: 8"
Pest Resistance: Deer
Bloom Time: July to September
Attributes:Evergreen, clumps of strap-like arching, glossy, dark green leaves.  Showy flowers above the foliage with large blue fruit.
Notes:Native to moderately high elevations in dense, moist woodlands.

Pot Size:  4" Band Pot

Family: Ericaceae
Zone:6 - 9
Natural Range: China
Soil:  Moist, humus rich, well drained
Light: Sun, part sun
Height: 10'
Bloom Time:  July
Attributes: Evergreen. Attractive purple late summer-winter foliage.  White flowers.  Cinnamon brown bark.
Notes: These are from our collections in 2013 from Guizhou Province. 

Pot Size:  1 Gallon Pot

Family:  Oxalidaceae
Zone: 6 - 10
Natural Range: Pacific Northwest
Soil:  Average, moist humus rich
Light: Shade, part sun
Height:  6"
Bloom Time: May to June
Attracts: Bees
Pest Resistance:  NA
Attributes: Evergreen.  Dark green leaves with light silver mottling.  Wine red underside of the leaf.  White flowers.
Notes: Great ground cover that will do well in deep shade and summer dry.

Pot Size:  4" Pot

Family:  Oxalidaceae
Zone: 6 - 10
Natural Range: Pacific Northwest
Soil:  Average, moist humus rich
Light: Shade, part sun
Height:  6"
Bloom Time: May to June
Attracts: Bees
Pest Resistance:  NA
Attributes: Evergreen.  Dark green leaves with silver mottling.  Deep pink flowers.
Notes: This form was introduced form northern California.  Growing beneath old growth Redwoods in deep rich duff.  Darker pink flowers and rich mottling.

Pot Size:  4" Pot

Family:  Melanthiaceae
Zone: 5 - 9
Natural Range: Hybrid
Soil:  Moist, humus rich
Light:  Part shade
Attributes:  Deciduous.  Paris polyphylla 'Heronswood Form' grows to 36"-40" tall has golden petals.  This form clumps up better than most other forms.  Paris sp. grows to more than 6' tall and never sends any additional offsets.  When pollinated the pods crack open revealing bright orange fruit.
Notes:  We have been crossing these two unique varieties both directions and have resulted in several years of good seedling crops.  These plants have not flowered yet and I imagine that it will still be a couple of years before flowering.  I am hoping that the offspring will result in a taller plant that offsets more readily. 

Pot Size:  4" Band Pot

Family:  Melanthiaceae
Zone: 5 - 9
Natural Range: Hybrid
Soil:  Moist, humus rich
Light:  Part shade
Attributes:  Deciduous.  Paris polyphylla 'Heronswood Form' grows to 36"-40" tall has golden petals.  This form clumps up better than most other forms.  Paris sp. grows to more than 6' tall and never sends any additional offsets.  When pollinated the pods crack open revealing bright orange fruit.
Notes:  We have been crossing these two unique varieties both directions and have resulted in several years of good seedling crops.  These plants have not flowered yet and I imagine that it will still be a couple of years before flowering.  I am hoping that the offspring will result in a taller plant that offsets more readily.

Pot Size:  4" Band Pot

Family:  Pinaceae
Zone: 5 - 10
Natural Range: California
Soil:  Moist, humus rich, well drained, drought tolerant
Light: sun, part sun
Height: 45'-100', much smaller in cultivation. 
Attributes:  Evergreen, long gray needles giving a ghostly appearance.   Massive, heavy symmetrical, dull brown, resinous cone.  Distinct look among Pines.
Notes:  Collected in Northern California along the Trinity River.

Pot Size:  Medium Band Pot

Family: Ericaceae
Zone:6 - 9
Natural Range: China; Sichuan, Hubei, Shaanxi, Gansu, Henan
Soil:  Moist, humus rich, well drained
Light: Sun, part sun
Height: 6' - 10'
Bloom Time:  May
Attributes: Evergreen. White or pale pink blushed, fragrant, funnel-shaped flowers.
Notes:  A very widespread species that also grows from relatively low elevation to high elevations.  These are from our collections in 2013 from Dragons Elbow Mountain in Sichuan Province.

Pot Size:  4" Band Pot

Family: Ericaceae
Zone:6 - 9
Natural Range:China;NE Yunnan,SW Sichuan
Soil:  Moist, humus rich, well drained
Light: Sun, part sun
Height: 8' in ten years.
Bloom Time:  May to June
Attributes: Evergreen. Large, thick green leaves with cinnamon colored indumentum.  Trusses of 15-24 tubular-campanulate rose, pink, white or creamy white flowers with or without spotting.
Notes:  One of the best and hardiest of the big leaf Rhododendrons.

Pot Size: 2 Gallon Pot

Family: Ericaceae
Zone:6 - 9
Natural Range:China;NE Yunnan,SW Sichuan
Soil:  Moist, humus rich, well drained
Light: Sun, part sun
Height: 8' in ten years.
Bloom Time:  May to June
Attributes: Evergreen. Large, thick green leaves with cinnamon colored indumentum.  Trusses of 15-24 tubular-campanulate rose, pink, white or creamy white flowers with or without spotting.
Notes:  One of the best and hardiest of the big leaf Rhododendrons.  Collected around 3500m on the unexplored Bailingshan in SW Sichuan province.  Known in the area as Leach mountain, we soon found ourselves being relentlessly ambushed by every size of forest leach imaginable.  The trek turned out to be the longest non stop hike yet, between the fatigue of the trek and freezing rain and wind.  The local guide lost the trail and took us down the other side hiking through the night, we got back to the village the next morning.

Pot Size: 1 Gallon Pot

Family:  Anacardiaceae
Zone: 6 - 9
Natural Range: China
Soil:  Moist, humus rich
Light: part shade, sun
Height: 15-30 feet tall
Attributes:  Deciduous.  Bronze new growth turning green.  White underside of leaf.  Pubescent branches, dioecious flowers June, then turning brilliant scarlet in fall.
Notes:  Great new foliage.

Pot Size:  4" Band Pot

Rosa 'Imperial Cross' (Hybrid Chinese Rose)

Family:  Roseaceae
Zone: 7 - 9
Natural Range: Hybrid; Rosa wardii x moyesii
Soil:  Average, humus rich
Light: Sun, part sun
Height:  6' - 8'
Bloom Time: June to July
Attracts: Bees
Pest Resistance:  NA
Attributes: Deciduous.  Pink flowers with yellow center.  Attractive large red fruit fall and winter
Notes: Easy growing and attractive cross that works well in the naturalistic landscape.

Pot Size:  Medium Band Pot

Family:  Schisandraceae
Zone: 7 - 9
Natural Range: China
Soil:  Average, humus rich
Light: Sun, part shade
Height: 30'
Attracts:  NA
Attributes:  Deciduous vine.  Reddish orange mini-Magnolia-like flowers with dangling clusters of red fruit when pollinated.
Notes: In the wild Magnolia Vines are found growing in forests, thickets.

Pot Size:  Large Band Pot

Zone: 6 - 9
Natural Range: China
Family:  Rosaceae
Soil:  Moist, humus rich
Light: part shade, sun
Height: 20 feet tall
Attributes:  Deciduous.  Bright red-orange new growth with deeply pleated texture from leaf veining.  Large white flowers with green fruit, spotted brown and blushed with red when in more sun.  Nice structural branching.
Notes:  This species is tentatively ID as S. caloneura but seems distinct.  The fruit on this species is very hard, as a result they last well into fall and after the foliage has dropped.  Stunning fall foliage ranging from yellow to red.  We collected this form near the top of Fanjinshan at 2300 m.  It was a nice sunny day and the fall foliage was particularly nice with bright red coloration running the ridge-line.

Pot Size:  1 Gallon Pot

Family: Rosaceae
Zone:  6 - 9
Natural Range: China
Soil:  Moist, humus rich
Light:  Part shade, sun
Height:  20'
Attributes:  Deciduous.  Bright red-orange new growth with deeply pleated texture from leaf veining.  Large white flowers with green fruit, spotted brown and blushed with red when in more sun.  Nice structural branching.
Notes:  The fruit on this species is very hard, as a result they last well into fall and after the foliage has dropped.  Stunning fall foliage ranging from yellow to red.  We collected this form near the top of Leigongshan Mountain at 2100 m.  This day on our trip was cold wet and foggy making it quite difficult to see what was around but we managed to find some treasures.

Pot Size:  1 Gallon Pot

Family:Adoxaceae
Zone: 5 - 9
Natural Range: China
Soil:Average, humus rich
Light: Part shade, sun
Height: 8'
Pest Resistance: Deer
Bloom Time: April to May
Attributes:Deciduous shrub with white flowers and reddish orange fruit.  Red fall foliage.
Notes:From our collections in SW Sichuan.  Found growing with Rosa, Stachyurus, and Rhododendron.

Pot Size:  1 Gallon Pot

Family:Adoxaceae
Zone: 7 - 10
Natural Range: China
Soil:Average, humus rich
Light: Part shade, sun
Height: 10' - 15'
Pest Resistance: Deer
Bloom Time: May to June
Attributes:Evergreen shrub with large green leaves and white flowers followed by dark purple-black fruit.
Notes:From our collections in SW Sichuan.

Pot Size:  4" Band Pot