Going native: to each its place

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I am not among the people who say that we should grow only native species in our gardens. I think it is extreme and unrealistic. Not all native species are easy to grow and adaptable to garden cultivation. You have to study them first in their wild habitats, understand their needs and determine if these needs can be met in a garden situation. There are many factors involved.

But it is true that everyone can accommodate quite a few of them, and not just because they are hardy and good for pollinators (so are many others), but mainly because they adapt wonderfully in so called ‘difficult locations’ which resemble their native habitat.

To cut a long story short, I was facing a steep slope underneath an old spruce; the soil, or what was left of it, wouldn’t allow digging decent planting holes. The area gets sun in the spring and it becomes more shaded in the summer.
Trying to establish native species on it made sense; entirely. And starting with young plants grown from seeds also made sense: they establish much easier.

This is one part of the area right now: Asarum canadense and Maianthemum stellatum are 3 years old. There are various few smaller seedlings which don’t show and few young Trilliums.  With the backbones in place, I will also directly sow other seeds in late fall; particularly Thalictrum dioicum for its fine texture.

Asarum canadense and Maianthemum stellatum

Lower down, a small patch with Anemone quinquefolia, Hepatica americana – more to be added.

Anemone quinquefolia and Hepatica americana

On the reverse side, there is another small area where water pools temporarily due to a terrain depression and clayish subsoil. I’ve tried a few things which never performed well. Then I switched to Primula mistassinica, Viola nephrophyla, Sisyrinchium montanum, Parnassia, and all is well (the area still ‘under construction’, Viola nephrophylla in the featured image).

It all makes sense.

 

 

Viola jooi

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A picture with Viola jooi from last week to keep us going through another cold & rainy day.
Viola joy!

Viola jooi, the Transilvanian violet: an acaulescent, limestone loving species, endemic of the Carpathian Mts. (Romania, Ukraine); a new population was also described from NE Serbia

Hepatica americana colors

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The colder than usual spring this year (2019) has had one advantage: both Hepatica acutiloba and Hepatica americana have remained much longer in flower which allowed me to have a better look at various populations from which I collect seeds.
I followed few previously known specimens from buds to full flowering and then to fading; this allowed me to understand more about their colors in particular.

I mentioned before that most populations of Hepatica americana where I collect seeds are not blue, there is a fair amount of purple; in ‘real’ they are in the blue-violet range (from pastel to pure). I also never liked to use the ‘pink’ name because none are really pink. Light/pastel blue flowered plants are present only in mixed populations.

Last year I postpone it but I finally made the chart seen above (using the RGB palette) which will be used from now on when talking about Hepatica americana/ and H. acutiloba flowers colors.

Hepatica americana typical for the population where seeds are collected

One phenomenon of this spring was that some plants I knew perfectly as being white, flowered with tinges of pink.
It seems that the amount of antocyanins in flowers varies with the temperature, increasing with the cold weather; this is known to happen to other species as well.

Hepatica americana multipetal white 2018

Hepatica americana multipetal white 2019

Also, in some cases there can be quite a dramatic change from bud to full flowering color – see the transition in H. americana offered as deep pink in 2018; ‘deep pink’ for sure didn’t described it well.
The buds when they open are actually deep violet and then the color fades as the flowers open. First I thought I was looking at a wrong plant, if not for my label! During flowering the color changes gradually.

Hepatica americana deep pink 2018

Hepatica americana deep pink 2019, buds

Hepatica americana deep pink end of flowering 2019

Enjoy the flowers pictures, and a new finding with larger than usual flowers. What color is it? Use the chart.

Hepatica americana multipetal large

Hepatica americana ‘Spring Dawn’

 

Thursday with Sanguinaria canadensis seedlings

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A change in the Friday’s seedlings routine.

In late fall I sowed Sanguinaria canadensis seeds directly in the ground in the idea to show how easy is to do it (like for many native species – take note if you have a large woodland garden/for naturalizations projects). To avoid disturbance by the squirrels, I sowed them underneath the leaves of an old Yucca glauca.

Sanguinaria canadensis seedlings

Sowed and forgotten. I found them the other day when preparing to dig out the old Yucca.

In the fall I forgot that the old Yucca was scheduled to be dug out this spring….

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Yucca was removed and the seedlings replanted.
Happy ending.

 

Friday’s seedlings: Streptopus amplexifolius

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Quick Fridays seedlings with Streptopus amplexifolius, the clasping twistedstalk, a wonderful and rarely cultivated woodlander.
The seeds were collected last year in SE BC in the Lizards Range in mid – August and sowed in early September (they spent the winter outdoors).

Streptopus amplexifolius seedlings; looks like it germinates in waves

I suspect that those who purchased and sowed the seeds during the winter/early spring, will have to wait until next spring for germination, just like various propagation protocols suggests (germination in the second year after sowing).

Time is of the essence for sowing in most cases…

Umbrellas

Umbrellas are in high demand this spring in many regions.
Podophyllum are especially well prepared for these events; always delightful to see them appearing either in the woods or in the garden.

Podophyllum peltatum, our native Mayapple, it is the first one to show up and grows very fast. Here they are: one picture taken in the woods and one in the garden.

Podophyllum peltatum, woods

Podophyllum peltatum, garden

Podophyllum hexandrum (syn. Sinopodophyllum), the Himalayan mayapple follows closely, with the seedlings which have been in the cold frames more advanced.

Podophyllum hexandrum seedlings

Podophyllum hexandrum, garden

And, after growing them from seeds,  we can also rejoice in Chinese umbrellas :) (Podophyllum or Dysosma). The seedlings Chinese Podophyllums have their ‘umbrellas’ fully open because they were grown in the garage starting early spring.

Podophyllum pleianthum planted in the ground last year will even flower!

Podophyllum versipelle hybrid seedlings

Podophyllum pleianthum, garden

They are all so very easy to grow from seeds!

 

Spring beauties I: Claytonia and Lindera

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Besides Hepatica, quite a few other spring beauties are in flower right now.

Claytonia virginica

The one which literally bears this common name: Claytonia virginica, is a short lived ephemeral. After enchanting us with its cheerful flowers it will retreat in the ground for the rest of the season.
It certainly needs a long beauty sleep!
Others though, will remain and provide beauty, shade, shelter and food for the wildlife until late fall.

Among the first native shrubs to flower in our woodlands is Lindera benzoin, the Northern spicebush.

If hiking in the woods at this time (in the wetter sides) and notice a yellow tinge among the otherwise bare trees branches, then it is Lindera (reason why another common name is forsythia of the wilds). It usually grows as an understory small tree/large shrub on bottomland woodlands and river edges.

Lindera benzoin it is one of the first native shrubs/small tree to flower in the spring; it can be grown in a partly shaded location as a large specimen (by planting few plants together) or in small groups for larger woodland gardens

The yellow flowers which appear in small ‘bunches’ (female/males plants) are a sign of the long awaited spring and very useful to the early pollinators!

Lindera puts its best show in early fall when the foliage turns yellow; wonderful background for the shiny red, abundant fruits (female and male plants need to grow together). They provide food for countless birds but are always in great abundance and some will be left to be admired.

Lindera benzoin, September

Lindera benzoin, fall

The fleshy part of the fruits was/it is chopped and utilized as an allspice (hence the name). The foliage is also aromatic and the leaves and twigs were used to prepare a tea. Not least important, the Spicebush is a favourite larval host for the beautiful Spicebush swallowtail and Promethea silkmoth!

About fruits, seeds and germination:

The seeds are hydrophilic and need to be sown right after collecting or kept moist. After a period of cold/moist stratification they will germinate promptly in the spring (see the post: A late arrival – Lindera benzoin seedlings).

Lindera benzoin fruits & seeds

Hepatica acutiloba pastel mix explained

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Last spring I stumbled upon a most beautiful Hepatica acutiloba population I called pastel mix based on the fact that, on a relatively small area, many plants with various flower colours were growing together: white, light pink, pink striped and lilac/light-purple.
Because the specimens are mixed it would be almost impossible to collect seeds individually, and even so, would they come completely true from seeds? Maybe not. Reason why it was offered as the ‘pastel mix’.

Hepatica acutiloba pastel mix population

In the rush and excitement of the spring I only wrote a short post about it. I also forgot to mention that most of them are fragrant, especially those with pink & white flowers. There are also a few specimens showing a tendency to form multipetal flowers.

Quite a few people took advantage and purchased seeds (moist packed and at a good price too!) but still, some remained and germinated in the Ziploc bags by late winter. Excellent germination!

Hepatica acutiloba (H. americana too) most often appear growing in deciduous woods as localized populations. Sometimes you can walk for hours in frustration not to find one plant.
These grouped populations are most likely the result of the way seeds are dispersed by ants (not at long distances), and/or the fact that others will germinate falling close to the mother plants.
Rarely all the plants are of the same colour; also the foliage and flowers can be variable (width/numbers of the tepals, lobes length and shape).


This is good. It means genetic diversity and the fact that in successive generations more interesting forms are bound to appear.
So, don’t be shy to grow from seeds plants of this population. You may never know what you will see flowering 3-4 years later! Anything similar with these would be desirable (click to open the gallery):

Proof of the genetic variability – walking a bit further in the same area the other day, a specimen with light purple, star-like flowers showed up!

Hepatica acutiloba ‘Purple Star’ (it needed a name :)

Hepatica acutiloba page has been updated  (see there another H. acutiloba that was in need of a name).

Double Friday’s seedlings – Calochortus leichtlinii

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Not many seedlings remain under lights indoors at this time; most were taken out for acclimation.
Calochortus leichtlinii was taken out from the fridge late and this are the seedlings after about 1 week under lights. I learned my lesson and sow it thin since it will grow in the same pot for 2 years.

Calochortus leichtlinii seedlings

As opposed to C. tolmiei, not all C. leichtlinii seeds will emerge radicles at cold, so just go ahead and sow the seeds after about 2 months of cold/moist stratification.

There will be more seeds towards the fall.

Watch out for: Corydalis, Hepatica, Jeffersonia….

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There is an innate sync between species emergence/flowering and their seeds germination. For most spring flowering species the seeds start to germinate around the time the mature plants are flowering/ emerge from the ground.
It is almost sure to happen in case of a mother plant and its seeds sown in the same location: for example, when Corydalis solida starts flowering in my garden, at the same time the seeds are germinating; always.  

Differences are more pronounced depending where (climate/location) and how the seeds were sowed.

Hepatica acutiloba- pastel mix seeds just starting to germinate

In any case, Hepatica seeds sown outdoors are also germinating (some forms), at the same time when the mother plants are starting, better said trying to flower.

It is impossible to sow all Hepatica forms offered in the shop, but I couldn’t abstain to sow the beautiful H. acutiloba – pastel mix found last spring.
(Hepatica americana and H. acutiloba – white are also germinated).

I also noticed young plants of Jeffersonia diphylla (3 years old) and Jeffersonia dubia (2 years old) starting to grow; the seeds should follow soon…

Jeffersonia diphylla 3 years old, planted in the ground

Jeffersonia dubia 2 years old

Conclusion: watch out for your sowings because many seeds should start to germinate soon (if not already): Asarum, Corydalis nobilis, Podophyllum, Claytonia, Stylophorum, Maianthemum, Caulophyllum (2+ years)…to mention just a few talking about the moist packed seeds!

Keep the sowings watered and don’t start digging into the pots looking for the seedlings – the emerging cotyledons are very delicate; be patient!

And of course a Happy Easter to all celebrating!

Friday’s seedlings – skunk cabbage

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Same of the readers may remember that last fall there was a little ‘accident’ with some of the skunk cabbage seeds: they have started to germinate unexpectedly in the moist vermiculite in October (without a cold period – Friday’s-germinated-seeds).
I was planning to return them to their muddy place but cold weather settled in very early, so they remained planted in a pot in the garage.

Symplocarpus foetidus emerging in early spring (in the dark, reason why a bit etiolated)

Spring came, and it is time to take them back to live with their parents. The roots are not too long yet and it’s just a matter of sticking them into the mud.

I can show on a picture from another year what’s the size of the seedlings roots right now.
They are not fast growers, that’s for sure!

Friday’s seedlings – this & that

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A bit of everything today from the indoors seedlings; the outdoors sowings usually start to germinate with the increase of temperatures in late April/May.

Just pricked out: Thermopsis villosa (syn. T. caroliniana, Carolina lupine).
I thought to give it a try this year with the hot water method. Super-easy, some seeds will even start to germinate in the water if you forget about them ;). Rarely seen in the gardens: why? A beautiful leguminous species with yellow lupine-like inflorescences.

The time has also come to prick out the Bukiniczia cabulica seedlings – this is the size when I’ll do it (about 1 month old).

Bukiniczia cabulica seedlings (seeds sown on March 1st)

Update on Erythronium grandiflorum: which is germinating  under lights. The conditions are not ideal because it is a bit too warm and the seedlings start growing too fast and elongate (the sowings outdoors will grow better).

Erythronium grandiflorum seedlings (warm/cold cycles, seeds kept moist)

Until next, a picture with an unexpectedly green apparition in the garden, at a time when only few Crocus and snowdrops are flowering: Papaver bracteatum (seeds sown in the garden last summer). We’ll talk more about poppies and direct sowing in the ground soon.

Papaver bracteatum (April 3, 2019)

 

Warm or cold?

This is the question….Delphinium nudicaule and Iris suaveolens B17Dob make an odd pair for a post but the germination info has to be updated  for both.

Delphinium nudicaule: I wrongly assumed it would be a warm germinator last fall; sorry about this.
My little pot sat under the lights for a few weeks with no action. What to do now? There are two options:

  1. Keep the pot outdoors in your pile of all others 2+ years germinators (I have quite a few of them).
  2. If you don’t have such a pile, place it in the fridge (enclosed in a plastic bag/box to avoid desiccation).

    Cold-moist stratification provided in the fridge

Usually I would do the first and let nature take its course but being a new species for the shop and without reliable info, I want to see precisely how much cold it needs. It went in the fridge as of April 1st (together with few other species).

If you go the ‘fridge way’ don’t forge to mark the date and to open the bag and check the pots periodically.

 

Iris suaveolens B17Dob (offered in the fall/winter of 2017)

With some Irises it is more complicated: many species won’t germinate simply because they have very hard seed coats. Cold/warm cycles will wear down the seed coat and allow the water imbibition and emergence of the radicle. But this doesn’t mean that the species ‘requires’ a cold period, i.e. has a physiological dormancy; often the lines are blurred.

Although I sowed my seeds in early fall (2017), they didn’t germinate in the spring of last year (2018). I don’t know if they will germinate this spring either. All I know is that the seeds are good (viable) and like in the case of many Iris species, it is the hard seed coat that delays the germination.

In late January I tried the ‘forced method’ recommended for aril irises on a small sample of Iris suaveolens B17Dob – not having experience, I destroyed most seeds but one I got right and it’s enough to prove the point: the seeds have a very hard tegument but otherwise it would be a warm germinator (probably like many others). You can open the link to read about this method: http://files.srgc.net/general/ForcedArilIrisGermination.pdf
Remains to see how long it will take for the seeds sown outdoors to germinate.

Conclusion: I emphasize again the advice that gets sent with all seeds orders: “keep your pots for at least 2(3) years”.
It can happen that even species known to germinate at warm or cold will decide not to do it. The collection site/region/mother-plant and few other factors can influence the patterns of the germination.

 

Friday’s seedlings – Aquilegia

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Every year I sow a few Aquilegia species indoors to give them a bit of extra growth time. New species, some to repeat, there are always plenty of seeds to choose from. It is always good to go back to basics.

1. Aquilegia canadensis – short form: I need a new one; last year I put the spade through it by mistake.

2. Aquilegia fragrans: time to see how a fragrant Aquilegia actually smells (old seeds from a seedex).

3. Aquilegia chaplinei: young plants have been devoured last year by the columbine sawfly, twice! This is a lovely dwarf version of A. chrysantha, with delicate bluish-green foliage and yellow flowers with extremely long spurs. I love long spurred Aquilegias!

4. Aquilegia vitalii: from few remaining old seeds; I have a young plant outdoors but who knows after this harsh winter…..

There are also a few A. scopulorum seedlings; I never seem to have enough plants to be able to offer seeds and it’s a pity (Alien vs. Predators).
Last year I grew A. alpina again and A. olympica so there should be a lot of new blues this summer. Not that I can complain, Aquilegia nigricans does a fine job in this regard.

Note: keep your eyes open for the columbine sawfly (Pristiphora rufipes) in late spring.
Last year I had the unfortunate occasion to discover that the larvae, which look like green caterpillars, can consume the entire foliage of one plant in a blink of an eye!
They are hard to notice being green but not difficult to pick up by hand if noticed on time (spraying with insecticidal soap should also work if necessary).
Also, do not believe there is only one generation/year like they say; it depends on the climate.

Contractile roots – a journey to the center of the earth?

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The repotting of Chinese Podophyllums and Roscoea always brings to mind the contractile roots, and Jules Verne’s story ;) It is time to talk about them.

So, what’s with these contractile roots?
Many species from various families and growing in a whole range of habitats are equipped with such roots. By contracting they pull down the plant at the depth considered optimal by the species.

They particularly play a role in good plant anchorage. Also, for many bulbous/tuberous and rhizomatous species they adjust the depth of these organs in the ground where they will be protected from extreme temperatures/drought; another function is to protect the apical buds from being destroyed.

As soon as possible the Podophyllum shown below will be planted out; I felt sorry seeing the long contractile roots circled at the bottom of the container. I have to give it the freedom to go deep down in the ground.

Podophyllum delavayi (syn. Dysosma) grown in a large container – notice the contractile roots, most often they have a cord-like appearance and are unbranched. Imagine how much deeper they would have like to go if planted in the ground!

Roscoea cautleyoides – purple form

It is my opinion that these roots also have a practical implication in regards to planting.

Over the years I noticed that all the Arisaema sp. and Roscoea I planted in the ground in early summer did fine, even if some species are not considered truly hardy for the zone 5. I am sure this is because they had time to go deep down to their desired depth before the cold season started.

Planting too late means that the roots won’t have time to settle at the proper depth, with a possible negative outcome.
Many times we attribute the loss of plants to the fact that they are not hardy, or the drainage wasn’t good enough, and so on….

Conclusion: plant your Roscoea, Chinese Podophyllums and Arisaema species in the ground as soon as possible and no later than June I would say (in a cold, continental climate); if not possible, keep them in pots and wait until next year.
Also, do not grow them in pots longer than necessary, they like to go in exploration towards the center of the earth!

 

Another practical implication when growing these species from seeds: use taller pots, even the young seedlings like to have space for ‘deep’ exploration; it’s in their nature.

Few other Roscoea tubers pictures – the invasion of the Roscoea? :0

* All plants shown in the pictures have been grown from seeds.

You may also want to read – Hunker Down and Hold On: Contractile Roots Give Skunk Cabbage Another Special Trait.

Notes on Erythronium germination II

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An update to the first notes on Erythronium germination from Feb. 9.

Erythronium grandiflorum seeds have started to germinate in moist storage (fridge) last week; they were kept moist through a warm, then cold cycle. I have another pot sown outdoors in late summer; a small sample of seeds was kept on purpose in the fridge to note the germination start.

Erythronium grandiflorum (Glacier lily) germination start (mid March, in the fridge)

And this is how the Erythronium americanum seedlings look right now (under indoor lights). Those who sowed the seeds outdoors should expect the seedlings in late March/April, depending on the weather (they will have a more natural look like in the featured image).

Erythronium americanum (Trout lily) seedlings March 2019 (germinated indoors reason why a bit elongated)

Spring must be coming! And, as usual, it will be fast and furious.
So, I will let you know now what will happen next with the Erythronium seedlings.
They will keep growing for a few months (water well, may use a diluted fertilizer). As some point, they’ll decide to go dormant. Don’t be scared, it is normal. When you notice the foliage starting to yellow, reduce the watering. Keep your pot in a shaded location (cover with a mesh to deter critters from digging, if this applies) and water only once in a while.

You can see in the plate how one year old tubers may look more or less, depending how well you grow them (mine were crowded in the pot).
I made this plate one year ago to show the similarity between the tubers and the seeds (size and shape wise). Interesting, isn’t it?

You can keep raising them in pots for a couple of more years and then plant them in the garden.
I personally plant them out after just one season in pot; nature can take its course after that. The only other Erythronium species I raised from fresh seeds, E. dens-canis, follows the same pattern.

That’s all I know to share about Erythronium germination for now. But there is so much more to learn about Erythronium and it’s easily done. Anyone can read and/or download Ian Young’s e-book: Erythroniums in Cultivation. Find it here: http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=15212.0

 

 

Notes on Erythronium germination I (from February 9, 2019)

Just a note for those who purchased Erythronium americanum seeds last year (that was a nice crop) – the seeds kept in moist storage at cold (fridge) are germinating! Luckily that I had to look for other moist packed seeds for an order.
Depending where you are, temperature wise, this may be happening in your pot right now! Exciting :)

Erythronium americanum germinating seeds Feb.9 2019

E. grandiflorum seeds are looking OK but no signs of germination yet, after all they were collected much later than E. americanum. I’ll keep you posted.
More sowing to do….