ASK THE GARDENERS. Q & A

November 1, 1988

Q We are trying to identify a plant that came up at my sister's place last summer, which also came up again this year. It had long, pendulous clusters of tiny pink flowers, which bend over among large leaves. Her neighbors told her it was called ``Kiss me over the garden gate.''

We have searched seed catalogs and can find nothing resembling the name or photo we took of the plant. Can you help us find seeds? Several of our friends would like some as well. R.M.B., Elmira, N.Y.

The flower is Polygonum (po-LIG-a-num) orientale. It is sometimes called Prince's Plume. It self-sows, so once you have it on your property it will continue to reappear unless seeds are destroyed.

It is an old-fashioned annual, with many myths connected to it.

When we were children we were told that any young lady who laid it under her pillow would soon get a marriage proposal from a handsome ``prince charming.''

We find it listed in J.L. Hudson, Seedsman, PO Box 1058, Redwood City, CA 94064.

Q Years ago, we grew hot peppers that were called Cow Horn peppers. They were between 10 and 12 inches long and up to two inches around. They looked something like the Hungarian wax pepper - but larger and with a curve at the end.

They were great for eating raw or French-fried. Can you tell where to get seeds? E.H., Naples, Fla.

We have checked all the considerable number of seed catalogs in our files and cannot find Cow Horn.

Have any other Monitor readers ever heard of it? We would be glad to know of a source. Monitor readers are wonderfully helpful.

If you have a garden question, send it along with a self-addressed, stamped envelope, to the Garden Page, The Christian Science Monitor, One Norway St., Boston, MA 02115.