What’s next?

With most of the Hepatica seeds ‘out of the way’ (thank you!), we are preparing for the next wave of seeds that are best sown during the summer to ensure proper germination.

These are the Helleborus, maybe a new species this year -Pachyphragma macrophyllum, plus various native species like Sanguinaria canadensis, Asarum canadense, Erythronium grandiflorum and Jeffersonia diphylla.
All these species mature their seeds in mid to late June, and will be offered right away. I should also add to this group Pulsatilla styriaca, which in my experience also germinates best when sown fresh.

A short garden survey revealed seed pods on Helleborus ‘Cherry Blossoms’, Helleborus caucasicus, Helleborus purpurascens, Helleborus foetidus and few others H. x hybridus. Helleborus are easy to grow from seeds and start flowering in 3-4 years, your only worry will be having too many seedlings (not to mention the price of a potted plant at the garden centers nowadays!).

Helleborus caucasicus 2023

Helleborus x hybridus Cherry Blossoms

Helleborus purpurascens 2023

Helleborus x hybridus (2)

Helleborus ex. ‘Cherry Blossoms’ 1

Stay tuned…

From the flowering front, two nice surprises: Castilleja coccinea (Indian paintbrush) is flowering for first time in the garden (seeds were sown ‘in situ’), in sync with those in the wild. Sisyrinchium mucronatum (Needle tip blue eyed grass) is no surprise, but it has a nice flowering this year, and makes a nice pair with Castilleja just like in nature.

Castilleja coccinea garden, June 2023

Sisyrinchium mucronatum

The second flowering surprise is Delphinium nudicaule, the orange or canyon larkspur, hailing from the foothills and canyons of Sierra Nevada! Yes, it is possible. The seeds were offered in 2019, I probably sowed them in 2020/21, and here it is, flowering to the delight of the resident hummingbird and not only.
We only need to dare to grow plants from seeds!

Delphinium nudicaule flowering in June, 2023, SW Ontario

 

Out in the woods: Trillium grandiflorum and companions

A revised post from another year with some additions. The plants are just the same :) they only flower at slightly different times every spring, region & weather depending.

Do you need ideas about North American natives woodland species to introduce into your garden? Take a hike into the woods; nature is the best expert in providing answers ;)

Trillium grandiflorum, the large white trillium and some of its companions are in flower right now. This year (2023), they flower on the same time with: Jack-in-the-pulpits (Arisaema), Viola pubescens, Viola labradorica, Viola rostrata, Trillium erectum, baneberries (Actaea), Thalictrum dioicum, Polygala paucifolia and various sedges.
Hydrophyllum virginianum (Virginia waterleaf), Podophyllum peltatum (Mayflower) and False Solomons seal (Maianthemum racemosum) are in bud.  Most of the early spring flowering companion species like: wild ginger (Asarum), Sanguinaria canadensis, Erythronium americanum, Lonicera canadensis and Hepatica are already setting fruits.

You can read about all these native species and how to grow them from seeds in the Seeds Shop pages – SEEDS List.

Trillium grandiflorum and Caulophyllum giganteum

T. grandiflorum with Asarum canadense

Podophyllum peltatum, the Mayapple

T. grandiflorum with Tiarella cordifolia

T. grandilflorum, Uvularia grandiflora, Hepatica acutiloba

Trillium erectum with T. grandiflorum

Dryopteris marginalis, wood fern

Trillium grandiflorum and Maianthemum racemosum

Arisaema triphyllum

Uvularia grandiflora and Viola pubescens

Viola rostrata

Trillium and Polygala paucifolia

Notes for the Seeds Shop

  • Updates and new additions to the Seeds List will follow in late summer–early fall.
  • Some Corydalis seeds have been collected; they will be available at the same time with the first Hepatica seeds somewhere in June.
  • The collection of Hepatica seeds will most likely start at the end of the month/early June, and will be followed by Asarum canadense, Stylophorum diphyllum and towards end of June: Sanguinaria canadensis and Erythronium americanum (if possible to collect).
    The availability of these species will be announced. Their seeds germinate best when  sown right away.

 

Short garden walk

Just a few pictures for today. The collection of Corydalis seeds is on-going ;) and with the current heat wave it will be finished fast.
For the same reason, Paeonia japonica and Paeonia mascula are suddenly in flower and I’ll hand pollinate them to ensure the best outcome from seeds.

Various species are in flower now and it would be hard to name or show them all. Native and non-native, in harmonious combinations: Lathryus vernus in pink and violet which were shown many times, various Primula and Viola, Dicentra, Epimediums, Glaucidium…Trillium grandiflorum and Uvularia grandiflora.

A few, like Callianthemum coriandrifolium, Fritillaria collina and some Primula x polyantha of Violet Victorians strain are in flower for the first time; others are well known garden inhabitants. Helleborus purpurascens foliage has developed overnight (a very companion for ephemeral Corydalis) and Pulsatilla ex. styriaca pink is reflowering (only the seeds from the first wave will be collected).

Enjoy the spring colors!

Callianthemum coriandrifolium

Primula x polyantha ‘Violet Victorians’

Fritillaria collina

Helleborus purpurascens new foliage

Odontarrhena obtusifolia (syn. Allysum borzaeanum)

Pulsatilla ex. styriaca pink

Viola labradorica

Epimedium hybrid

Aristolochia steupii

Trillium grandiflorum

Primula veris ‘Sunset Shades’

Corydalis nobilis

 

More on Jeffersonia germination

Just a quick post to show the start of Jeffersonia germination. There were never leftover seeds of Jeffersonia until last year; the slightly larger seed quantity and early cold arrival in late fall of 2022 contributed to this (we know by now that moist packed seeds cannot be shipped when the temperatures fall too much below zero). So, the leftover seeds were kept in moist vermiculite in the fridge.

Pictures taken today: Jeffersonia dubia and Jeffersonia diphylla seeds showing emerging radicles of various sizes.

Jeffersonia dubia germination 2023

Jeffersonia diphylla germination

For those who purchased seeds last year – this should also happen in your pots, or they should be even more advanced. Don’t start scratching the pots! – it takes a while for the shoots to appear from the soil. First thing first – the roots!

It is always interesting to note how long various seeds kept in moist/cold stratification will ‘wait’ in the fridge before starting to germinate. Most species will start to show protruding radicles somewhere in March-April; others even later. Sometimes there is no germination until they are taken out of the fridge and places at warm temperatures.

Until Friday…

Corydalis 2023

We shouldn’t let the spring go by without admiring and talking about Corydalis species.
Last year’s drought coupled with an April brief surge of temperature resulted in a not so great display of Corydalis solida. Few other species, like Corydalis malkensis (in the featured image with Helleborus caucasicus) and Corydalis paczozkii weren’t bothered as much. Corydalis nobilis is just starting to flower now, as usual.

Every year has its lows and highs in term of flowers display. Even so, the colorful masses of spring Corydalis can hardly be equaled by other ephemeral species. There are a lot of pictures already uploaded on this website (scroll to the bottom of this writing for related posts) so just a few for this spring.

Corydalis paczoskii, 2023

Corydalis solida 2023

Corydalis cava fo. alba 2023

Those new to this website and to the ephemeral Corydalis species can read about Growing Corydalis solida & allies from seeds by clicking on the link.

There is always looking forward to growing more Corydalis species, and early spring is a good time to also boast about our seedlings, thanks to attentive friends :) These were all grown from fresh seeds following the same sowing recipe as described above.

Corydalis ambigua seedlings 2y

Corydalis turtschaninovii seedlings 2y

Corydalis vittae seedlings 1y

The following article about Corydalis ambigua, also remarks the similarity in the germination pattern between various bulbous Corydalis species of temperate climate regions (link) – Ecophysiology of seeds dormancy and germination in the mesic woodland herbaceous perennial Corydalis ambigua in Japan: Tetsuya Kondo, Nori Okubo, Taku Miura, Carol Baskin.
Even more, Corydalis nobilis, albeit not bulbous, also germinates in the same way. Remnant seeds in the fridge have their seedcoats split and would germinate if/when moved outside of the cold storage.

Regarding Corydalis offerings for this spring
I will try my best to collect some seeds, but because the flowering hasn’t been too great, at least for C. solida, the seeds  set will also be reduced. The same can be said about our native Hepatica species; the persistent drought of past years was reflected in poor flowering.
We can only know what and how many such seeds will be available towards the end of May.

April tasks

Greetings to all and welcome to the busiest and most beautiful time of the year: SPRING!
We have waited, waited some more, we have prepared and now we don’t know what to start doing first.

For us seeds growers the priorities are: transplanting and acclimating the indoor seedlings AND  – yes, sowing more seeds!

Phacelia sericea, Ipomopsis rubra, Dianthus deltoides and other seedlings acclimating outdoors

Plus, keep an eye on the fall/winter sowings because many species will start to germinate at this time (newly germinated: Eremogone capillaris, Delphinium andersonii, Hepatica, Corydalis, Erythronium….)

Someone wrote to me once that he couldn’t buy certain warm germinating species because he doesn’t have indoor lights :-)

People have been growing plants from seeds long before the indoor lighting systems came into being!
Maybe there is this wrong perception because most plant addicts use them to pleasantly pass the winter time and get a jump on growing.

Otherwise, the time to normally sow the fast, easy germinating species in Northern Hemisphere is right now! Sow the seeds in pots outdoors and they will germinate with the raise in temperatures; or sow indoors and put the pots outside after the seeds have germinated (keep them protected from heavy rains, usually the space underneath the house’s eaves is a good place).

Also, various species, especially annuals and those resenting transplanting can be ‘direct’ sown in the ground. I have just sowed the other day a few more Papaver species (which are short lived) and sprinkled some Sedum atratum seeds in the rockery.

The Seeds Shop is open offering plenty of species that do not need a cold period for germination: Acinos, Draba, Dianthus, Gypsophila, Edraianthus, Silene, Papaver….to mention just a few. Watch for few new species in the Seeds List, like Rhodiola rhodantha, Silene turgida and Phacelia sericea. Just sow and watch them grow!

Also, the Lilium and Paeonia sections have been updated with the remaining seeds in stock (best to be sown in July/August when the Shop may be closed for fall Seeds List preparation).

In truth, the sowing never ends…in between, we stop to admire the result of our work :) with an emphasis on Helleborus, all seeds-growns!

Helleborus purpurascens, a very early flowering species Helleborus

Helleborus caucasicus

Helleborus x hybridus (3)

Helleborus ex. ‘Cherry Blossoms’ 1

Helleborus x hybridus (2)

Helleborus x hybridus (4)

Pulsatilla ex. styriaca pink

Jeffersonia dubia 2023

Pachyphragma macrophyllum

 * Fresh Helleborus seeds are provided every year, when possible. When sown during the summer (in August-Sept. at the latest), they will promptly germinate in the next spring. Your only worry will be what to do with so many seedlings!

 

Easter flowers 2023

The rainy periods seem to have come to an end, just in time for Easter celebrations; the Orthodox Easter follows next week.

Indoor grown seedlings need to be gradually acclimatized outdoors: Silene turgida, Phacelia sericea, Gypsophila cerastioides and others.

We are told that the night temperatures will remain above zero next week; some garden cleaning becomes urgent for the locations where the Corydalis, Claytonia, Hepatica, Helleborus,  and other early spring species are starting to grow & flower.

Also, it is a good time to start acclimatizing the indoor produced seedlings. Plus, the two-years old seedlings overwintered outdoors are starting to grow…

Enjoy the spring flowers and keep an eye on slugs, they are voracious at this time. The stage of growth and flowering can be noticed in the images below, so it is impossible to say what Corydalis seeds or others will be available later.

Happy Easter to all celebrating, with a message of peace, joy, hope and happiness!

Adonis ramosa 2023

Helleborus purpurascens 2023

Helleborus caucasicus 2023

Primula sibthorpii

Pulsatilla styriaca

Hepatica japonica ‘Cerise’

Paeonia japonica

Corydalis malkensis 2023

Helleborus x hybridus 2023

 

Similarity

Today was a good day to watch the seedlings grow instead of looking out the window. At this time many seedlings are starting to show their ‘true face’ and you can tell, in some cases, that the name on the label don’t match it.

The cute seedlings of Phyteuma cf. nigrum are next to those of Campanula rotundifolia, and I was thinking once again how similar many seedlings of species from the Campanula family are (in their first stages).

The seeds being from a seeds exchange, it is impossible to tell for sure that what I am growing is indeed a Phyteuma nigrum. It could be any other Phyteuma species given that they are not easy to ID. But in any case, it is something from the Campanula family :)

Phyteuma cf. nigrum seedlings

Camp. rotundifolia seedlings

Campanula persicifolia – dwarf cultivar seedlings

Next to Apiaceae: Lomatium sandbergii is starting to germinate (after 2 months of cold stratification). In a couple of weeks the seedlings will be similar with those of Phlojodicarpus villosus. These are for sure what their names implies because the source is known.

Lomatium sandbergii seedlings

Phlojodicarpus villosus seedlings

Things are even more difficult within certain genera. Let’s take Draba for example: look at them – they are all Drabas. I am sure about 2 of them (from my own mother-plants). The other two, I won’t write the names to avoid the confusion, may not be true to names and will need careful ID later. At this stage the leaves are showing all characteristic of the species. If they don’t match, we have to wait for the flowers and sometimes even for the fruits! for correct identification. So, we have Draba #1 and #2 for now…

Draba haynaldii seedlings

Draba dedeana seedlings

Draba #1 2023

Draba #2 2023

The same goes for many other genera. Can you tell what Aquilegia you are growing from seeds in early stages? (unless it is very particular, like Aquilegia scopulorum in the feature image, + that I know the source).

Besides showing more seedlings (true images with seedlings are not easy to find), the message of this post is: please take time to confirm/identify your grown-from-seeds plants at the flowering time (before placing a final label close to them).
Always take into account that “to err is human” and that particularly species received from seeds exchanges could be wrongly identified.

Hepatica page

The subpage with Hepatica names and coll. numbers has been updated.

For H. acutiloba, there is just one new addition: a light pink maiden form with multipetal tendency, called ‘Maiden Blush’. The cross pollination is made easier in this case, by only having to brush pollen from another Hepatica on the stigma. There is also a new, pink addition on the Intermediate forms subpage page.

The Hepatica page (top right menu) has a dropdown menu, where you can choose one from the 6 subpages. Small updates have been done to the other subpages as well. I encourage all customers who purchased seeds in the previous years (and not only) to have a look, especially at the Seeds & Germination and Transplanting subpages. I know that everyone awaits with impatience to see the newly germinating seedlings this spring, including myself (keep in mind that sometimes we have to wait one more year though).

BotanyCa Hepatica page

BotanyCa – Hepatica subpages

For those not familiar with them, Hepatica species are among the first spring flowers in the Northern Hemisphere. The flower buds are formed in the previous year and lay in waiting for the spring warm up and the first rays of sunshine. Of course there is much more to know and learn about the queens of the woodlands.

We are all prepared now for the new Hepatica season :)
From the garden spots reached by the sun the first Hepatica japonica and Hepatica transsilvanica flowers are already greeting us.

 

 

The thought of bloom – Hepatica americana names

The melting of the snow in some areas brought to light a few Hepatica leaves in the garden. Among a small pile of pots and containers, the first buds of various seedlings and Hepatica japonica are trying to reach for the sun.

Coincidentally, I am working to update the Hepatica pages, especially assigning collection numbers or names to worthy specimens. The page is not entirely redone yet, but I know that almost everyone is thinking about flowers now, so it is nice to review a few of them :)

Collection numbers and/or names must be kept for records and future references. I am of the opinion that, for genera displaying a large variability like Hepatica, not every single plant must be named. But there are a few ‘special’ ones standing out from the crowd.

I present the newly named Hepatica americana for now, before I am done with all updatings:

Hepatica americana offered as fo. diversiloba in 2022 was named ‘Harlequin’. There is no formal name published/accepted for fo. diversiloba, plus there may be others with different flowers. On this single specimen, besides the leaves with extra lobes, the flowers are variously colored: white or pink or white with pink flushes.

Hepatica americana ‘Harlequin’

Hepatica americana ‘Harlequin’ foliage

Hepatica americana deep purple of last year was named ‘Purplelicious’. The gorgeous Hepatica americana multipetal white, also a 2022 offering, was named ‘Mihail’.

Hepatica americana ‘Purplelicious’ 2021

Hepatica americana ‘Mihail’

To review a couple of ‘old’ ones:

Hepatica americana ‘Apple Blossoms’ (offered for a couple of years as H. americana white-pink flares).
And the now famous Hepatica americana ‘#1’. Few seedlings flowered last spring resembling well the mother-plant :)

Hepatica americana ‘Apple Blossoms’

Hepatica americana ‘Apple Blossoms’

Hepatica americana ‘#1’

Hepatica americana ‘#1’ seedlings, 2022

! There is no guarantee that Hepatica seeds will be collected/available this spring (late May-June), because I intend to do more controlled pollinations and make re-arrangements in the Hepatica collection. It all depends very much on the weather.!

HWT remainder

I had a look at what I was writing in March a few years ago, and in a few years it was about the Hot water treatment. I usually do a few species using this easy germination technique in March; it is a good time for a remainder.

Astragalus purshii ssp. tinctus seeds

If you have species from the Fabaceae family that you want to try, most of them are easy to germinate using the hot water treatment (HWT). The seeds have a simple physical dormancy, but their very hard seedcoats inhibit the water imbibition, which is crucial for the germination initiation. See all the links below.

This time, I will be trying the new Astragalus purshii ssp. tinctus (Woolly-pod milkvetch); it is hard to resist the woolly foliage aspect, plus a redo for Hedysarum grandiflorum, which I had, and it even flowered before I had the unfortunate idea to move it to a ‘better’ place… Most of these species do not enjoy transplanting, regardless if young or mature plants.

Continuing the sowing: in hot water
Updates for the hot water treatment
FAQ – hot water treatment
HWT

Garden wise, it is snowing, again…Despite this, more and more snowdrops tired of waiting for the spring are flowering (or trying to do so).

March & August

March marks the arrival of spring in many regions of the world. Here, the arrival of more snow…True that there are few snowdrops in flower – partially under the snow!
However, no matter how much snow is falling, the daylight is getting longer, new seeds are germinating, and the seedling are growing :)

Not so long ago, I gave an update on Jurinea germination; right now the seedlings are already pricked out. Same goes for Polygala major and Ipomopsis rubra. Various others will follow shortly.

Jurinea mollis seedlings

Polygala major seedlings

Sanguisorba canadensis seedlings

Glaucidium palmatum seedlings – first stage growth with cotyledon leaves

The last experiment with older Glaucidium seeds have gone extremely well and now I am looking at 10 pots with seedlings! I didn’t have the heart to throw away the germinated seeds. I am sure ‘adoptive parents’ will be found.

I never want to hear again about Glaucidium seeds being hard to germinate…

Note: Some of the seedlings will remain at the cotyledon stage during the first year, and some will put up true leaves. They are best NOT to be pricked out; keep them growing well as long as possible because during this time they mostly ‘work’ on growing their roots. At some point the cotyledon leaves will vanish (the seedlings are not dead!). After a short ‘pause’, some will grow true leaves, some may wait until late in the season or next year.

 

Remembering the last year garden –

Last time we started to remember August 2022, with Eupatorium & the solitary wasps. Other species to note from August, this time on the disappointing side, Sanguisorba canadensis, Canadian Burnet, which had an outstanding flowering, but alas, no seeds were formed. But do not despair, from a stash of older seeds, a few have germinated and I will try to add another plant with a different genotype to the mix. I don’t understand why this lovely, native species (in Eastern Canada) is not cultivated more, and/or seeds collected.

From the featured top picture, we have the positive side with the hybrid Gentiana paradoxa x septemfida smiling. There were even a few seeds (for friends), hopefully more will be available this fall. Most likely there is cross pollination with a true Gentiana paradoxa which is growing nearby, but even so, for the better. It is a great Gentiana to have for late summer flowering. The hybrids are very vigorous and take well our hot & humid summers.

For those feeling blue – don’t forget this is a great time to start indoor various easy to germinate species. Time will fly taking care of the seedlings and when spring arrives they will be large enough for outdoor acclimation. Plus, you won’t start roaming the garden centers with a hungry heart  ;)

Eupatorium & solitary wasps

Continuing the last year’s review – the first picture from the August folder is a Waist-threaded wasp feeding on Eupatorium perfoliatum. It seems that the Common Boneset is a powerful attractant of various solitary wasps, besides other pollinators. Last summer I started to do a little ‘inventory’; I missed a few but there is always the next summer!

For those already cringing at the word ‘wasp’ – there are many species of solitary wasps native to Ontario and elsewhere, which do not have an aggressive behaviour and serve an important role as pollinators. Plus, they also contribute to reducing the populations of various caterpillars, spiders, and other not so beneficial insects from your garden!

They are not easy to identify at species level, but at least they can be assigned to a particular genus within a family or subfamily (https://ncipmhort.cfans.umn.edu/bees#sectionb, http://www.toronto-wildlife.com/Insects/Bees_Wasps/Wasps/wasps.html ). For example, the large group of Threaded-waist wasps (with narrow or threadlike waists) are very easy to recognize. They are typically large in size and prey on various insects and spiders.

The Threaded-waist wasps belong to the larger group of so called mud daubers (Specidae, Crabronidae); the name is used because they all build their nests from mud. Mud daubers capture and place paralyzed spiders or caterpillars in the nest cells as food for their young.

Great Golden Digger Wasp on Eupatorium perfoliatum

Sand wasp on Eupatorium

Five banded Thynnid Wasp on Eupatorium

Grass Carrying wasp on Eupatorium

Waist-threaded wasp August 1, Eupatorium

Wasp or bee – no ID

Others like the Grass-carrying wasps (Isodontia), prefer to lay their eggs in nests above ground (hollow plant stems, abandoned galleries and other similar locations). Females carry blades of grass to their nests to prepare the brood cells where they also place ‘tranquilized’ tree crickets wrapped in grass for the future larvae to feed on: more cool pictures.

Along with these wasps, there is a whole micro-ecosystem built around the Boneset tiny, fragrant flowers: lie-in-wait predators like praying spiders and ambush bugs, bumblebees, butterflies, sweat bees and many others.
It is a fascinating spectacle!

Bumblebee

Ambush bug on Eupatorium

Spider on Eupatorium

Following the food chain, many birds and small mammals prey on the adult wasps too, and other insects can parasitize the wasps ground nests and/or eating their eggs, larvae or the spiders placed there as food.

We rarely think about the impact a single plant has on the garden ecosystem, don’t we?!

 

Remembering July & seedlings

Just a few highlights for a cold and icy Friday, provided by the ‘not so small’ inhabitants of the garden. In the sunny, dry side there are always Delphinium fissum, Delphinium albiflorum and Crocosmia, Centaurea orientalis; in part-shade, a couple of Aconitums and Acanthus hungaricus, plus the first time flowering last summer – Angelica capitellata. Towards the wet side (wet – sort of speaking) Eupatorium perfoliatum and Zigadenus elegans ssp. glaucus (this one has increased in size quite nicely).

Delphinium albiflorum, July 2022

Delphinium fissum

Angelica capitellata, Ranger’s button

Zigadenus elegans ssp. glaucus, July 2022

All these species are great pollinator plants with a long flowering time, extended into August. Ipomopsis rubra has been missing from the garden last summer and I’m taking ‘action’.

The ‘germinator’ starts to green up at the moment. From the tried and tested: Ipomopsis rubra, Polygala major, Draba haynaldii. From the new & easy to try for the rockery: Arabis androsacea, Gypsophila cerastioides, Silene turgida and few others.

Ipomopsis rubra, Feb. 17, 2023

Polygala major seedlings, 2023

Draba haynaldii, 2023

Gypsophila cerastioides, 2023

With GA3: Gentiana asclepiadea – excellent germination (see how to prepare a GA3 solution: here).

Gentiana asclepiadea seedlings, Feb. 17, 2023

Also a few seeds of Aquilegia scopulorum and Aquilegia flavescens already sowed last year. When you have a few precious seeds, follow nature’s example and germinate them in successive years; if accidents happen with the seedlings in one year, you get a second chance.

The indoor sowing has only begun!

 

 

Ready, start, go – 2023!

Early to mid- February is a good time for us, in cold Northern Hemisphere regions, to start seeds under indoor lighting. This way, by late April-May the seedlings can be acclimatized outdoors, and in some cases planted in the ground during the summer (fast growing species). Gaining 2-3 month of growth for our short season is a big plus!

This is an update of a 2022 post with few updates; also posted it in the Germination page now.

I have written about indoor sowing with other occasions, but a reminder is always good.
‘Warm germinators’ is the term used in the BotanyCa catalogue to describe the dry seeds that will germinate at room temperature (+/- 17-21C) after a certain period of time (a few days to a few weeks).

Many species will germinate easily after a regular sowing, others require various treatments before sowing in order to germinate at warm.

I think it is a very good method especially for various rockery species which benefit from being planted in the ground at a young stage (various Arenaria, Bukiniczia, Campanula, Dianthus, Draba, Edraianthus Silene, Anthemis, Hedysarum, Oxytropis, Papaver species).
When started in February, they can be ready for planting in the ground by June; some may even produce a flower or two!

Draba haynaldii seedlings by April

What treatments are used for various species, when starting them indoors?
Acid gibberellic treatment – an easy way to prepare a solution: Here
Hot water treatment for species with hard seedcoats: Here
Soaking and nicking the seeds, as well for hard seedcoats: Here
More advice for sowing small/fine seeds: Here

With so many light systems available nowadays, it is worth to try sowing and growing indoors a few species. It is most rewarding and also therapeutic to grow something new during the winter months!  Start with just 4-6 species if you are new at this. They will be perfect for a small trial-out ‘rock container’ planting in the summer.

You know the concept of going to do the grocery when you are not hungry, right? Your ‘plants budget’ will certainly improve when the garden centers start offering perennials in late spring!

*It can happen that species given as ‘warm germinators’ to not ‘comply’ to the rule, and vice-versa, ‘cold germinators’ starting to germinate at room temperature. Every year there is a new surprise. The source of seeds: wild coll. versus garden coll., growing conditions of the mother-plants and other factors, all can influence the germination pattern.
If a known ‘warm germinator’ refuses to comply, move the pot in cold location for 3-4 weeks (fridge OK) and then return it to room temperature. No matter what, it is best to keep your pots for 2-3 years if possible; some seeds can enter a second dormancy and will need multiple alternate cycles of cold/warm for germination.

Silene suecica germinated seeds

Anthemis carpatica, Dianthus nardiformis seedlings

Ziziphora clinopodioides seedlings

Hypericum prolificum seedlings

What can we start indoors?

Glaucidium palmatum (older) seeds germination after GA3 treatment, Feb. 13, 2023.

The list below is not exclusive and it only contains cold hardy genera/species that I have personally germinated over the years at room temperature. I made notes for the species that I have started using GA3 (by habit, otherwise use cold/moist stratification) and those that will germinate best and faster if using a HWT (hot water treatment).

I recently included in the list Glaucidium palmatum – I just treated older seeds (2018/2019) with GA3 and there is almost 100% germination! It is not a fast growing species, but easy to germinate; the same goes for Podophyllum hexandrum.
Some of the species can be found in the SEEDS LIST.

Acinos alpinus
Allium thunbergii and few other Allium
Aquilegia species (with GA3)
Amphicarpaea
Arenaria
Arabis species
Androsace some species
Anthemis carpatica and other Anthemis species
Arisaema triphyllum and other Arisaema
Artemisia
Astragalus (HWT)
Asphodeline lutea, A. taurica
Aster alpinus
Aurinia saxatilis
Baptisia australis (HWT)
Berkheya purpurea
Bukiniczia cabulica

Campanula (C. rotundifolia, bellidifolia, persicifolia, carpatica…)
Caragana (HWT)
Carlina acaulis
Calycanthus floridus (nicking)
Centaurea triumfettii, C. orientalis, Centaurea jankae
Cerastium alpinum ssp. lanatum
Cercis canadensis
Cirsium canum, Cirsium edule
Clematis alpina and other Clematis (some slow to germinate)

Draba, most species
Delphinium grandiflorum and other Delphinium species
Dianthus nardiformis
Dianthus superbus ssp. sajanensis, most other Dianthus species

Echinops crispus and other Echinops
Edraianthus graminifolius and other Edraianthus (not all species though)
Erinus alpinus
Erigeron spp.
Gypsophila spp.
Glaucidium palmatum (with GA3)

Hedysarum (HWT)
Hieracium lanatum

Ipomopsis
Iris dichotoma
Iris domestica

Incarvillea

Jurinea mollis
Kernera saxatilis
Lathyrus (HWT)
Lilium formosanum var.pricei
Linaria spp.
Lychnis ssp.

Erythranthe guttata
Matthiola
Minuartia, most species
Monarda
Oxytropis (HWT)
Odontarrhena obtusifolia
Papaver species
Paronychia
Phyteuma orbiculare and other Phyteuma species
Platycodon
Podophyllum hexandrum (with GA3)
Polemonium
Potentilla (most species)

Primula japonica and other Primula spp. (some exceptions)
Pulsatilla vulgaris, other species, hybrids,
Rhododendron species
Roscoea species
Ruta graveolens

Salvia, various species
Sedum ssp. and Sempervivums
Silene species
Scabiosa caucasica, other Scabiosa spp.
Scutellaria pontica
Symphyandra
Syneilesis (if the seeds are good!)

Thermopsis (HWT)
Thalictrum cf. foetidum, few others  (with GA3)
Thymus species
Viola – some species

 

Wash your pots (best practice for indoor sowing), prepare a sowing mix, labels, the seeds and then go! Start first with those species which take longer to germinate (or unknown) and leave the very fast germinators for early March (for example Papaver, Silene species).
Are you ready? Start sowing – the winter will be over in a blink of an eye and our gardens in bloom again :)

Aurinia saxatilis

Edraianthus graminifolius, Aurinia

Aquilegia canadensis ‘Little Lanterns’

Delphinium grandiflorum

Cirsium canum

Dianthus arenarius ssp. bohemicus

Phyteuma scheuchzeri flower detail

Dianthus moravicus

Papaver chakassicum

Erinus alpinus purple

Scutellaria pontica

Lilium formosanum var. pricei

You can also find more ‘warm germinators’ by checking out the Germination guide of the Ontario Rock Garden & HP Society page: Here

Remembering June (2)

Towards the end of June it was not only very dry, but also super hot, much to the dislike of quite a few species. Others, which by their nature enjoy such conditions, were not bothered at all (Salvia daghestanica, Veronica oltensis in the featured image). Also, Centaurea jankae, the subject of a plant portrait a little while ago, flowered non-stop from June until late fall.

So, we will retreat on the part-shaded sides of the garden to have a look at a few Arisaemas, Roscoea and companion plants.

Arisaema flavum is one of the most easy to grow species, and while not an overly showy species, it will become a ‘fixture’ of the garden; something that you can always count on to be there, quietly doing its thing. Arisaema candidissimum also flowered well. After it was tried in a container for a few years it was planted in the ground (in two locations). Why bother with containers? Arisaema ciliatum var. liubaense made a short apparition and in protest to the weather went dormant sooner than usual.

Arisaema flavum

Arisaema candidissimum

Arisaema ciliatum var. liubaense

Arisaema consanguineum

Newly in ‘town’ in 2022 was the Eastern NA native Arisaema dracontium, the green dragon. This is a threatened or vulnerable species in many regions of Eastern USA, and a rare sight in Eastern Canada (I have never encounter it).
The bad thing is that some people confuse it with Pinellia pedatisecta (a Chinese species), and worst of all, tubers of the latter are exchanged between gardeners as such. Many Pinellia species have a ‘weedy’ tendency.

It is not hard to distinguish them when in flower – see explanations; there are other more subtle differences (also for fruits/seeds), but the main idea is: do not share tubers unless you are sure what species you have!

Speaking of native species suitable for part-shade, the not often grown, Triosteum aurantiacum, the horse gentian, flowered and even produced a few fruits! In a shaded, overcrowded corner, Vancouveria hexandra always competes for space with Viola canadensis and others.

The more exotic Roscoea cautleyoides also starts flowering in late June. Similar to most Arisaemas, it emerges late from the ground, and thus it needs careful positioning close to more early growing species. Due to the high temperatures, the flowers were short lived, despite being part-shaded; otherwise they are not difficult to grow.

Triosteum aurantiacum, 2022

Viola canadensis, Vancouveria

Roscoea cautleyoides, 2022

I wanted to also show by comparison the Jeffersonia species capsules & seeds, which both mature in June but this post it’s getting to long. Until the next one…