New seeds and Glaucium flavum portrait

I’ve been busy preparing the garden and seedlings for the winter, so only two new species, both drought resistant, were added to the Seeds List this week.
Campanula alliariifolia – a vigorous and floriferous bellflower with large white flowers. I intend to grow it for the edge of the woodland beds.

Glaucium flavum, the Sea poppy, or Yellow horned poppy – a biennial or short-lived perennial for sunny, dry areas of the garden.

Glaucium flavum, sea poppy in wild habitat (Spain) showing mature fruits

And because there is a story behind the seeds of the horn poppy, a short portrait for it.
Glaucium flavum has a large geographical distribution from N. Africa to Europe and Caucasus, and it is also naturalized in other regions, but has become endangered in many of its native habitats on the shorelines and coastal cliffs of the Mediterranean and the Black Sea.

I had the occasion to see it growing wild years back, on the shorelines of the Mediterranean Sea in Cabo de Gata, Spain.
Glaucium flavum wild type displays rosettes of blue-grey, deeply sectate leaves covered in long, white hairs, an adaptation to the harsh, dry and windy conditions it grows in, like many other species that occur in the same habitat.

The flower stems are erect and bear bright, yellow flowers, which are followed by narrow, 20-30 cm long capsules – the ‘horns’ from the common name, horned poppy.

I collected a few seeds but didn’t try to germinate them for a few years thinking that due to the origin, it would have no chance of surviving in Ontario.

But two years ago I gave them a try during the winter sowing experiments time. The germination was easy, the seedlings grew well, and were successfully transplanted in the garden.

Winter came, then spring arrived and the rosettes were still OK; I even transplanted a couple (it forms a taproots, I recommend to plant it in the final location).

Glaucium flavum December 2022

Glaucium flavum

Glaucium flavum, 25 Sept. 2023

It started flowering in the summer and it continued sporadically into the fall. It grew taller and a bit more sprawling, as opposed to its mother-plant. This can be explained of course by the different climate here, with more rain during the summer, plus that it hasn’t been too hot this year and it wasn’t planted in pure sand.

Glaucium flavum is an interesting addition for a xeric garden, standing out the whole season due to its beautiful silvery foliage and bright, yellow flowers. Even if biennial, it is worth to repeat the sowing because it is very easy to grow, plus, it can also reseed by itself. In out climate although it formed many capsules, they didn’t contain too many seeds.

Propagation by seeds
It is easy to germinate after a few weeks of cold/moist stratification in the dark at 5-10 C; after the first signs of seedlings, bring the pot under the lights. Or you can germinate the seeds naturally outdoors by sowing in early spring (in our cold climate).

 

Glaucidium palmatum – experimenting on germination 2

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Glaucidium palmatum germination wrapping-up and latest seeds (jump to the end of article)

One of the orders this week asking for Glaucidium seeds, reminded me that I haven’t posted my latest adventures regarding Glaucidium germination. I’ll do it now as a final revision for the Germination page.

Glaucidium germinating seeds after GA3 treatment

Having a bit too many older seeds left (2 & 3 years old), last winter I decided to see how they would germinate using GA3. Two and 3 years old seeds are not considered really ‘old’ for most species, but it was good to clarify the matter.
I wrapped all seeds in moist paper towels imbibed with GA3 solution 1000 ppm and left them like that for 1 day (inside a Ziploc bag). After that, I transferred the seeds into other moist paper towels (water), inside a Ziploc bag and kept them on the kitchen countertop. There were too many seeds and I considered this to be the easiest one in order to see what happens.

After about a week, some seeds were starting to germinate (featured image, Feb. 6). Great, I said, I’ll have a pot with seedlings, which is fine. But things were starting to accelerate and by Feb. 13, ALL the seeds were germinating, with the roots growing at the speed of light!

What to do? How to throw them away?! I learned my lesson about keeping too many seedlings of the same species….Still, I potted them up crowding 10+ seeds/pot. They grew for a while like it’s their habit only with cotyledon leaves, and then somewhere in late March/April they started to become dormant (again their habit).  At this point the pots will not look very nice but we have to let them enter dormancy in a ‘normal’ way.

Glaucidium palmatum seedlings March 1, 2023

Glaucidium palmatum seedlings May 10, 2023

Glaucidium dormant seedlings; if you remove a bit of mix from the top, future growing buds are visible.

Sometimes, after a short dormancy, a few seedlings will start to grow the true leaf; it didn’t happen this time probably due to the lack of soil in pots. ‘Empty’ looking pots were kept relatively moist (but not wet) and in late spring they were put outdoors in a shaded location. At some point in late June, I had a look to see what’s happening – all was well: seedlings in happy dormancy.

In early fall I assumed responsibility for the crowded seedlings, removed all from pots and replanted some in a large rectangle container, and some in other pots. Next spring the seedlings will start growing true leaves and they really need more space.

It is always a wonder how during only a few months of active growth the cotyledon leaves can support the growth of such large rootlets!

Some seedlings were shared bareroot with a friend in the fall, and more will follow next year. I do not plan opening a nursery ;)

So, this is method 1 of germinating Glaucidium palmatum using GA3; easily done. Do not start the seeds too early in the winter like I did.

Glaucidium palmatum dormant seedlings, August, 2023 – bareroot to be transplanted; every group shows how many seedlings grew in a 4 in pot!

Method 2:

GA3 is not absolutely necessary – I posted on another occasion the picture below with the note “a picture is worth a thousand words”. You just need more time for all seeds to germinate.

Glaucidium palmatum 1 and 2 years-old seedlings

The image is self-explanatory: for seeds sown regularly in pots in late fall/winter – some will germinate in the first spring (after cold/moist stratification); the rest of the seeds will germinate only after a warm cycle/followed by cold  – ie. the second spring.

For this reason, you can observe seedlings with cotyledon leaves only and seedlings with the true leaf in the same pot. Do not prick out the germinated seeds in the first year!

In all cases, the seedlings can be repotted easily when dormant in bigger pots. In the 3th year they should be planted in the ground. All rhizomatous species grow much better when they have more space to grow their root system.

The only phase when Glaucidium young seedlings can be lost is during dormancy if they receive too much water (from rains or overwatering).
To avoid this, keep the pots in a box with a lid, close to the house under eavestrough, in a shaded cold frame, or use any other method that would prevent the pots from drying too much (and encourage you to overwater) or to be rained on a lot.

This concludes once and for all experimenting with Glaucidium seeds from various sources. My first experiments were done in 2014!  Nothing else remains to be said.

With or without GA3, Glaucidium seeds are not more difficult to germinate than other rhizomatous species; sometimes they require 2 years for complete germination = patience. You don’t even need super fresh seeds as according with a germination myth about Glaucidium.

Latest seeds:

Two easy to grow perennials: Polemonium caeruleum and Polemonium yezoense ex. ‘Purple Rain Strain’

Two a bit more challenging shrubs, best to be sown asap: Rosa rubrifolia (syn. R. glauca) and Sorbus scopulina var. cascadensis

Polemonium caeruleum

Rosa glauca

Sorbus scopulina var. cascadensis

 

 

 

 

 

Marvellous Gentiana

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There are a few seeds of Gentiana paradoxa hybrid to share this fall, so the time has come to talk about the marvelous group of so called fall Gentianas: Gentiana paradoxa, Gentiana septemfida and their hybrids.

On we go!

Gentiana paradoxa is an endemic species with limited distribution in the Western Caucasus region.
In some cases, pictures shown over the net as Gentiana paradoxa are in fact hybrids. This species cross-pollinates easily with Gentiana septemfida both in the wild and in the garden; and in fact, this is a good thing (https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:368636-1)

Records show that Gentiana paradoxa was named by Russian botanist Nikolai Michailovic Albov in 1894 from specimens collected on the calcareous slopes of Mt. Kherebet Mamdzyhkhara, Abkhazia at 1300 m altitude (various spellings, Mt. Mamdzyshkha).

The specific epithet “paradoxa” means is – “contrary to expectation, paradoxical, marvellous”. It is indeed a marvellous species, with upright stems up to 20-25 cm, linear or narrow lanceolate leaves arranged in whorls and single large, blue, fringed flowers at the top of the stems. A mature specimen is truly magnificent.

Gentiana paradoxa 2023

Gentiana paradoxa, October 2021

I was lucky to received wild collected seeds a few years ago, so the specimen shown here represents the true species. You can easily tell if a Gentiana paradoxa is pure species simply after the foliage, which in optimal conditions turns a beautiful yellow in late fall. Also, there are single flowers at the top of the stems, as opposed to clusters in G. septemfida.

Amazingly, it is not a difficult species in culture. Do not believe the wiki statement “However, it is not particularly easy to grow, requiring moist, well-drained, lime-free soil and a position in full sun.” As you can see, they didn’t do their homework well, like it often happens.

Gentiana septemfida

Gentiana septemfida

It is a more commonly cultivated species and also with a larger geographical distribution: from N. & E. Türkiye to N. Iran, overlapping with Gentiana paradoxa in the Transcaucasus region. It grows from the upper forest to the alpine zones. It was first described from the alpine region of eastern Caucasus. (https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:368901-1)

The flowering stems have a trailing habit with ovoid, ovoid-lanceolate or lanceolate leaves and blue flowers usually in crowded clusters at the top of the stems. There are rare forms mentioned having only one or 2-3 flowers (f. uniflora and f. pauciflora). There are other differences from G. paradoxa flower-wise, but there is no need to go into more botanical details.

Gentiana paradoxa x septemfida hybrids

These two beautiful species easily hybridize in the wild when growing in the same area and also in the garden. The seedlings will display intermediate characters in various degrees, as well as the foliage, flowers and flowering time! By looking at my hybrid clump (a bunch of seedlings were planted together), they tend to take mainly after Gentiana septemfida, flowers and habit wise, having trailing flowering stems.

Gentiana paradoxa hybrid August

Gentiana paradoxa hybrid

Gentiana paradoxa hybrid, Sept. 17

However, flowering time wise they take more after Gentiana paradoxa, all starting to flower in the first part of August and lasting into September. A Gentiana septemfida, which I also have in the garden, flowers much earlier, in mid-July.

The nr. of flowers/cluster vary, some with up to 8-10 flowers! Something similar goes around under the name of G. paradoxa hybrid ‘Blue Herald’. With Gentiana paradoxa raised from wild collected seeds growing nearby, the possibilities of even more beautiful hybrids are endless. They are going to be the result of a double cross with Gentiana paradoxa!

There is just one problem: the results of pollination were quite poor, both in true Gentiana paradoxa and the hybrids, signaling a limited self-pollination or maybe a lack of enough pollinators. Careful selecting is necessary in order to separate the good seeds.

Gentiana paradoxa hybrid seeds selection. A very small number of good seeds were formed, considering the large number of flowers

Growing these species and their hybrids from seeds

Gentiana paradoxa hybrid seedlings – picture just taken; they were transferred in a bigger pot as a bunch in late summer. Next spring, a delicate division of the seedlings will be done in individual pots.

These beautiful late summer/early fall flowering gentian species and their hybrids are very easy to grow from seeds and they are also quite adaptable as garden plants.

Why doesn’t this phenomenon happen more often?! They deserve a medal of merit especially for enduring well our hot & humid summers!

The seeds germinate in the spring after cold-moist stratification. I usually sow in late fall and leave the pots outdoors over the winter (with some protection, boxes under the snow, cold frame…).  In the first season, the seedlings don’t grow a lot, but then they will make a leap forward.
GA3 treatment is also an option if you want to start them in early spring indoors (beware the elongation of the seedlings though).

The few seeds of last year were sown, and with more plants around, hopefully the pollination and harvest of good seeds may increase. Plus, the more marvelous gentiana plants in the garden, the better!

On we go!
Gentiana paradoxa hybrids
Back in stock
Parnassia glauca
Delphinium exaltatum

The SEEDs LIST

Happy Thanksgiving to all Canadian customers!

Seeds & Printer

The printer went out of order as of yesterday afternoon unfortunately; just when you need it most…
So, for a limited time the seeds packets will arrive at destinations with hand written labels. I think it is better to go on like this than to delay the shipping of orders at this time of the year. Thank you for your understanding!

The latest seeds collected:

Maianthemum racemosum, False Solomon’s seal – probably the last offering of the season from the moist-packed seeds category.
Other species from the wild side – Desmodium nudiflorum, Naked flowered tick-trefoil and the Running strawberry- bush, Euonymus obovatus.

Thanks to a very generous donor, there are also more species peonies seeds in stock! Beside the regular offerings (usually low in stock) there is also  a new, lovely white form of Paeonia anomala ssp. veitchii.
For most peonies that first need a warm/moist stratification period, it is a bit late for regular sowing in our climate. For those new to growing peonies from seeds I’ve updated a bit this former article: Growing peonies from seeds.

 The Seed List

Enjoy the fall flowers & colors and get inspired!

Euonymus obovatus

Aralia nudicaulis and Uvularia

Symphyotrichum cordifolium

Solidago caesia, wreath goldenrod

Anemone virginiana

Ilex verticillata

Arisaema amurense

Arisaema amurense-dark form seeds are in stock. What other better occasion to talk a bit about it? Truth is, I had this post half prepared since last year, so it came in handy.

Arisaema amurense is a cold hardy species with a large geographically distribution on the East coast of Asia: China North-Central, China Southeast, Inner Mongolia, Khabarovsk, Korea, Manchuria, Primorye and Sakhalin. (https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:85565-1)

Just like our native Jack in the pulpit, it comes in a wide range of forms regarding the height, spathe color and leaf size.
Mature, flowering plants have leaves with 5 folioles and usually the flowers are green striped with white; seeds of this form were offered a few years ago.

The inside of the flowers can also be brownish green or purple green with white stripes. Usually they are held on short stalks below or among the foliage.

The mother-plant of this form was grown from ORG&HP seedex, and the seeds were donated under the name of A. triphyllum ssp. quinatum (which anyway is tender and can’t be grown in our zone 5-6 climate). Most probably that it still goes in various garden circles under the wrong name.

Arisaema amurense dark striped form

Arisaema amurense dark form

The seedlings first develop a leaf with only 3 folioles, sometimes even the 2 years old plants. A flowering size mature plant has the typical 5-foliolate leaf, which you can see in the picture below. It is quite different than A. triphyllum ssp. quinatum: the folioles are broadly ovate in shape and can be slightly serrated on the margins.

Arisaema amurense leaf. In our climate, Arisaema amurense is the first Arisaema species to emerge from the ground, even earlier than our native Jack in the pulpit. This is a very cold hardy species, so if you are looking to expand your Arisaema garden ‘repertoire’ do not be afraid to give it a try.

The fruits on my plant develop an orange color at maturity, as opposed with A. triphyllum which turns deep, shiny red but maybe it cannot be generalized. I have a plate showing the differences in fruit color: Arisaema triphyllum, Arisaema amurense and Arisaema flavum (another hardy species, easy to grow from seeds). The seeds are similar, size and shape wise.

Arisaema amurense is very easy to grow from seeds. The seeds germinate at room temperature, so it can be started indoors in early spring or outdoors in late spring.
10-15 seeds are quite perfect for sowing a 3-4 inch pot in which to leave the seedlings grow for at least 2 years before planting the tubers in the ground. Arisaema seedlings do not need pricking out, reason why always sow the seeds in a slightly larger pot in which to have room to grow for 2-3 years (or transfer the little tubers when dormant in a new pot).

As garden companions use various species that also enjoy a part-shaded location, in a rich garden soil: Saruma henryi, Hydrastis canadensis, Aristolochia, Glaucidium palmatum, Epimedium, Helleborus, Podophyllum, Hepatica, Brunnera….to mention just a few.

It might start forming a colony if it likes the place but sharing Arisaema tubers with other Arisaema enthusiasts is always fun to do!

Back in stock

It seems that ‘explorers’ of the Seed List  are already finding some of the species I had the intention to announce on Friday. For this reason, a ‘back in stock’ post today, before they get out of stock ;) Unfortunately, the inventory is always short for some species.

North American native species back in stock:
 Dodecatheon hendersonii
Gillenia trifoliata
Ipomopsis aggregata
Monardella odoratissima
Spigelia marilandica

Species from various corners of the world:
Iris tectorum ‘Album’
Gentiana dahurica
Swertia perennis
Ziziphora clinopodioides

!Wait until Friday if you are also interested in Arisaema amurense – dark form!

Spigelia marilandica

Ziziphora clinopodioides

Iris tectorum ‘Album’

Ipomopsis aggregata

Swertia perennis

Fingers crossed for a long, nice fall for various species to be able to mature their seeds: Amphicarpaea bracteata, Delphinium exaltatum, Parnassia glauca, Ipomopsis rubra, Iris domestica…plus few other ‘good things’ still in flower like: Allium pseudojaponicum and  Gentiana paradoxa hybrid.

Next week we will also know more about Maianthemum racemosum, Symplocarpus foetidus and Disporum uniflorum – probably the last moist packed seeds offerings for the season. Meanwhile, there are still various species left in stock from this category, but do not wait for too long.

BotanyCa early fall Seeds List

The Seeds Shop is open for orders!

The early fall Seeds List has been updated as much as possible, with an emphasis on the moist packed seeds. Other species that may be available later have been marked; but the success of fruits/seeds collecting cannot be a sure thing!
Please read the notes with various announcements from the top of the List before ordering; as well the Shipping & Delivery page, otherwise you may not be able to place orders.
Everyone will notice that the Shipping and Handling rates have remained the same. I gave up on the idea of this ever becoming a profitable endeavour, but we must continue to grow plants from seeds!

Available Helleborus species; Hydrastis canadensis – moist packed seeds; Hydrophyllum canadense – may become available later.

I will continue with plant portraits and seeds announcements throughout the fall. Sowing-wise we should concentrate on those species that require sowing right away like:

ALL Moist Packed seeds! – written in green (they cannot be shipped in the winter); please remain aware of dubious on-line offers in this regard.
Paeonia and Helleborus species
Lilium species
the newly offered Streptopus species
Actaea, Aralia, Hydrophyllum, Ilex , Cornus

We remain committed to only collecting a small quantity of seeds from the wild areas, and only from well-established populations. Therefore, we have to be less wasteful and learn how to make due with less. I am sure that sometimes packets with seeds remain forgotten in some drawer… Like in the previous years, species with limited seeds in the stock can only be ordered as 1 pck./person. All the other species, at least for the beginning of the season, can be purchased in max. 2 pck. /person.

Many thanks, as always, to those few friends who generously contribute with seeds, enriching our Shop offerings.

Without further ado – To the seeds and sowing! Thank you all!
It is a continuous learning and rewarding experience like no other.

 

 

About Luetkea pectinata

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Luetkea pectinata, Partridgefoot, is an endemic plant of Western North America, in alpine and subalpine areas, extending from Alaska, Yukon, British Columbia, and east into Northwest Territories, Alberta, Idaho, and Montana, as well as South into Washington, Oregon and California. Apparently it is a common plant in BC, in alpine and subalpine zones, but not everyone has the chance to reach these places so I thought a plant portrait would be useful.

The partridge foot, is a ground hugging, evergreen sub-shrub forming extensive mats along rocky slopes, in meadows of moist open coniferous forest at subalpine and alpine level, where the snow cover usually start melting late toward early summer.
It is stoloniferous, reason why in favorable locations it can cover large areas, to an extent hard to imagine, until one sees it. You will also notice in pictures that with the help of stolons, it can easily populate the surface of large boulders, if it finds a thin layer of substrate to grow on, or it will grow in the boulders crevices.
It is also found growing in heathlands associations with Phyllodoce empetrifolia and Cassiope mertensiana, which is a good hint about the type of substrate it requires (pictures taken in Revelstoke area and Glacier National Park).

Luetkea pectinata meadow with Phyllodoce empetriformis

Luetkea pectinata with Antennaria lanata in an alpine meadow

Luetkea pectinata growth habit, stolons

Seeds will be offered (in limited quantity) in the fall Seeds List, so take hints for cultivation from this information. We always need to try to emulate the natural growing conditions, especially for species growing at high elevations. It would make for an excellent crevice plant in a moist rockery.

The species was first collected in Sitka, Alaska and the genus Luetkea, with its only species L. pectinata, commemorates the early 1800s German-Russian military man and Arctic explorer with the name of Friedrich Benjamin Graff von Lutke (or Fydor Petrovich Litke), who charted the Alaskan coast in 1827.

Luetkea pectinata, Partridge foot, in flower in late July, Revelstoke area, BC

The common name Partridge foot, alludes to the fan-shaped leaves which are crowded in tick tufts, and upon a superficial look, one can think it resembles at a Saxifraga. However, the genus belongs to the rose family (Rosaceae, more specifically related with Spiraea). Some sources also call it Alaska Spiraea. Also, the specific epithet ‘pectinata’ alludes to the foliage, meaning ‘scalloped’ in Latin.

The flowers are white-creamy on dense, elongated clusters about 10 cm high, and later capsule-like, aggregate of follicles develop, which take a red color close to maturation; same it happens with the foliage, especially in exposed situations. The late summer/fall red coloration during fruiting enhances its appeal.

The dry follicles will open in late summer to release the fine, linear seeds about 3 mm long.
By the aspect of growing mats, it seems that its main propagation in the wild is happening by stolons.

Propagation: cuttings/detaching rosettes would be the easiest way to go, but we only have the option of growing it from seeds. According with various sources, the seeds will germinate at room temperature, without any need of cold stratification, which is good news. The seeds being very fine, we have to sow superficial and top up the pot with fine gravel or other such substrate to prevent the seeds desiccation. Use a very porous mix by adding perlite to a regular sowing mix, and keep evenly moist.

Another method I mentioned often for fine, small seeds is to enclose the pot in a plastic bag until the germination starts, then use the bag as a sort of coverall until the seedlings gain strength.
And of course, we can use the dome trays that many people found very handy. I never use heating mats for seeds germination, although they are often mentioned in various protocols, so I think they are not really necessary.

Luetkea pectinata seeds and fruits aspect; 1 mm grid

You can read detailed propagation protocols for it and other related species (see also Vaccinium membranaceum ;) here: https://www.fs.usda.gov/t-d/pubs/htmlpubs/htm06232815/page19.htm

The reason this species is rarely seen in cultivation, at least in Canada, is probably due to the difficulty of establishing the seedlings. Probably SW Ontario location is too dry to grow it, but those in up-north regions, BC and Eastern provinces, should have better chances to cultivate this beautiful native wildflower.
We won’t know until we give it a try!

Shop & seeds

As previously announced, the Seeds Shop is currently closed for orders until further notice – Please respect this announcement posted all over the website!

The off-selling period allows me to collect, clean and process the seeds, write the material to be uploaded on the website, update/delete previous offerings, research seeds germination requirements, not to mention attending to all the other technicalities related to the website.
In order to produce a new Fall Seeds List, some time off is necessary.

 

Thank you for your understanding!

Latest seeds collected: Uvularia grandiflora, Lonicera dioica, Lonicera hirsuta and Clintonia borealis.

Early August Seeds updates

Start your wish list and be ready for the late summer Shop re-opening!
Various species should have priority for late summer sowing, requiring a slightly warm cycle before the cold one (winter) for best germination.
From this category, just collected and in the process of cleaning/sorting out:

Hydrastis canadensis
Paeonia officinalis (+ few other peonies will be ready soon)

Wild collections:

Erythronium grandiflorum
Streptopus amplexifolius – dark fruit form

Erythronium grandiflorum in habitat

Streptopus amplexifolius – dark fruit

I have had good results by sowing previously collected Eryhtronium grandiflorum seeds directly in the ground, and I recommend this method now, especially for those not very experienced in growing bulbous species from seeds, like myself :)

What else? Incarvillea delavayi, Gladiolus tenuis and Salvia austriaca from the garden; Anemone (Pulsatilla) occidentalis, Erigeron peregrinus and Leptarrhena pyrolifolia (Leatherleaf saxifrage) – wild, to mention just a few.
Until next…

From the working bench: seeds collecting

The seeds collecting is in high drive nowadays. For some species, all fruits mature and are collected at the same time, for others it is an on-going process.

BotanyCa seeds, clockwise: Dianthus carthusianorum, Centaurea jankae, Penstemon saxosorum, Aristolochia steupii, Paeonia veitchii, Actaea x ludovici (only for show) and Trillium grandiflorum (capsules just about to release the seeds, which will be moist packed right away)

When collecting fruits & seeds of the dry type (capsules, achenes…) either for yourself or for trading with friends and various seeds exchanges, always use paper holders, envelopes, any other type of paper-made envelopes and my favorites: coffee filters!
They are absorbent and you can easily write on them. Fold them neatly to form a nice envelope when collecting and/or leave them open later for the fruits/seeds to dry out. I also use them for temporarily holding fleshy fruits until the seeds get cleaned out.

Even the most dry-looking fruits will still hold moisture for a while, so even when collecting in paper envelopes in the garden/wild, always transfer and spread them on larger surfaces for a few weeks, before sorting out the seeds and placing them in the holding envelopes (paper or glassine).

Glassine envelopes hold moisture and are not good for keeping freshly collected fruits/seeds!

So, buy yourself a large batch of coffee filters, if you don’t already have them, and start collecting seeds!

 

Summertime capsules

A reminder that the Seeds Shop will close on July 15th for the summer – and reopen in late August/September!

I have just collected new fruits from the garden. And, it is equally exciting to have them as it was to see the new flowers, or maybe even more!? Just because it brings the possibility of even more flowers. It also gives the occasion to observe the fruit types & dehiscence patterns.

The fruits I am going to show belong to ‘catch them if you can’ category: dehiscent capsules that open suddenly to release the seeds, which are often equipped with appendages/coated in substances that attract ants, or they have a certain morphology which allows a quick dispersal.

The little Cyclamen coum, flowered for the first time at the end of March! This is a naturally early hardy-flowering Cyclamen species. The flowering stems will coiled down after the flowers fade, and if pollinated, round capsules will develop. If you miss the right moment when the capsules open, the seeds will be carried away by ants (or other insects). One tell-tale sign is that they became soft right before opening.

Cyclamen coum March 30

Cyclamen coum seeds July 5

In May I proudly shown a Castilleja coccinea, Indian paintbrush starting to flower; a little success with this hemiparasitic species. The fruits, also dehiscent capsules, start to mature gradually on the flowering stems as the flowering goes on. After opening, the seeds are easily dispersed due to the particular honeycomb pattern of the seed coat outer layer; more on this here: Gone with the wind

Castilleja coccinea mid- May

Castilleja cocinea June 29

Castilleja coccinea seeds July 5

In mid-June, I also had the chance to collect snowdrop seeds (Galanthus). If pollination is successful, large fleshy capsules develop; they start turning yellow just before opening to release the seeds, which are equipped with very large elaiosomes and are carried away fast by ants. It is good to collect and sow these seeds in a proper way, when possible.

Galanthus seeds, June 12

Crocus banaticus October 2022

Crocus banaticus seeds June 10, 2023

Another interesting case is that of the fall flowering Crocus species (Crocus sativus, C. speciosus, C. banaticus – shown in the gallery…).  Around mid-June is the time when they will ‘display’ their seeds, if any – it is quite a phenomenon. These Crocuses are flowering in late fall and shortly after that the winter arrives; so, what happens? The thing is that these flowers have an inferior, subterranean ovary with only the showy part of the flowers above the surface. The fertilization is actually happening underground, and later in the spring the capsules emerge above ground (in very simplistic terms). After a while, they mature and split open to release the precious seeds.

Look around your garden this summer and not only at the flowers. There are always various plants setting seeds; collect a few for the seeds exchanges offered by your local Horticultural Society.

On BotanyCa seeds and costs

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We will soon mark the beginning of the summer seeds season with various Helleborus, Asarum canadense, Sanguinaria, Jeffersonia diphylla, Stylophorum diphyllum, and few other species.
The summer sale begins tomorrow, June 29 – lasting until July 15. Another post will follow with more details.

The costs have greatly increased for everything lately and I know that everyone is trying to keep their expenses low, especially on non-essential items.
For those species collected in the wild and the moist packed seeds there may be small cost increases in the fall, depending also on the quantity of seeds available, but otherwise the seeds prices on BotanyCa Shop will remain affordable for everyone and in line with our initial goal: that more people are able to find good quality & affordable seeds for many species, especially of North American native plants.

It is troubling to find on the web offerings of seeds for various native species at what I would call ‘speculative’ costs, especially for species with hydrophilic seeds which we all know by now will germinate poorly, or not at all, if kept dry (a subject which has been emphasized a lot on this blog, some would say maybe in excess). Many NA spring wildflowers are included in this  category actually.

I will not name names, but this is going on since last year, so everyone should know that there are various Etsy sellers and no less an Ontario based! Seed company asking, for example:

21.76 CAD for 10 seeds of Uvularia grandiflora, respectively
6.99 CAD for 5 seeds of Uvularia grandiflora

One can also purchase 10 seeds of “GREAT WHITE TRILLIUM Grandiflorum” for 7.99 CAD and
Asarum canadense 10 s – 7 CAD

Never mind that these species have hydrophilic seeds, all will be well if you “Obtain a planting container that has holes in the bottom for excess water to drain….”

I pondered if to write about this or not, but the thought of people being scammed by unscrupulous sellers, resulted in this rather unpleasant post. Plus, there is one more angle to this….

That’s all I’ll say ‘in public’, and I would like to emphasize, once again, that our seeds are intended for gardeners and small size specialized plant nurseries, and not for reselling!
Therefore, starting this year, in the eventuality that I consider necessary, we’ll reserve the right to refuse certain orders.

Spread the word about this situation, as a favor to your friends and all other people thinking to purchase seeds of native species this season and stay tuned…

Growing Helleborus from seeds

This is yet another subject that I have written about here and there; time to have all info in one place for the Germination page.

First, to emphasize again that all Helleborus are great additions to the garden: cold-hardy, reliable flowering, most are drought resistant, a variety of flower colors, evergreen foliage, plus long lived. Quite an impressive list, isn’t it?! Ah, forgot to say that they are rabbit proof, which is very important for many of us.

Considering perennial plants in general, the most ‘perennial’ among them are the Helleborus and garden peonies.  It happens that they are also the most ‘worry free’ plants when planted in the right location; coincidence?!

Back to the seeds: they mature around mid-June and belong to the category ‘catch them if you can’. Even if you walk around the garden every day, they can still take you by surprise, reason why it is best to use organza bags for capture.

Some will still ‘escape’, fall on the ground and by next spring you will be presented with many ‘baby’ Hellebore seedlings. I missed to collect the seeds from the large, purple Helleborus last year and this spring there was a carpet of seedlings underneath it! Luckily, that I found an adopting parent for them :) otherwise they would have been wasted.

This is just to emphasize that Helleborus seeds germinate easily and in high percentage – when sown at the right time!  i.e. in the summer (or fall depending on the region/country you live in).

Reason for this is that Helleborus is a member of the Ranunculaceae family (like Hepatica, Aconitum…).
All these species share the same seed characteristic: when the seeds are ripe, the embryos are immature. Germination can happen only after the embryos reach a mature stage, requiring specific temperature cycles, usually a sequence of warm/cold moist periods.

Helleborus self sown seedlings close to the mother plant

Helleborus x hybridus large, purple seedlings transplanted at cotyledon stage

Helleborus x hybridus large, purple true seedlings a few weeks later

Direct sowing
We imitate nature with this well- known sowing method:  work in a fresh layer of good soil mix in the area where you want to sow (close to other plants or you can have a special garden bed for sowings), press the seeds in the soil, add a bit more soil on top and water well. That’s it.

Considering that during the summer we cannot count on rain too often, you will have to water the sowing area, otherwise do not expect any germination!

Somewhere in the spring the seedlings appear. Grow them in place for one season or more (depending on space), then move them to the desired location. They can also be transplanted at a very early stage (cotyledon stage) if needed; I did it many times and it works well.

Sowing in pots

If you have just a few seeds it is best to maximize your chances and sow in pots.
Sow the seeds like for any other species (I only recommend using a bit taller pots), and keep the pots in part-shaded or shaded location; water as needed and protect from critters. For the winter, either place the pots in a cold frame, or ‘plant’ them in the ground – an easy method for ‘winter storage’ about which we discussed many times.

Over the years I sowed various Helleborus seeds until September and they have germinated well in the spring. It means that the warm/moist period from September-late fall was long enough for the seeds requirement (embryo growth); followed afterwards by the cold/moist period (winter). Of course that this will vary depending on your location/region and where you keep the pots. In some cases sowing the seeds even later in the fall may be OK. In most parts of Canada by early November winter can arrive, reason why sowing later than September may not be a good decision.

Buying/Receiving seeds from seeds exchanges in ‘out of sowing optimal time’.
Choices are:
– Sow in pots and be patient, allowing them to naturally undergo the warm/cold periods required for germination; it may take 2+ years and certainly the germination won’t be 100%.
– Begin controlled stratification in moist vermiculite/bags: first a warm period of about  2 months (room temperature is OK) then place the bags in the fridge and keep an eye for the germination.

Yes, when grown from seeds most Helleborus cultivars or species will not all come true to the mother-plants, but the fast flowering allows selecting the best specimens, not to mention the very nice surprises that often wait for us!
They do delight us with their flowers in the spring and seem to remain in flower forever, but I really appreciate the most their foliage, so I will end the post with a picture of Helleborus purpurascens ex. Carpathian Mts. taken this month and the pot of seeds starting to germinate in 2015 (a bit of topsoil was removed to ‘see’ the seeds germinating). They turned out really nice!

Helleborus purpurascens ex. Carpathian Mts., June 2023

Helleborus purpurascens ex. Carpathian Mts.seedlings 2015

Flowers & seeds of June

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Sanguinaria canadensis (bloodroot), first seeds of 2023

It is already mid-June, wow! This is the time when various spring flowering species start to mature their seeds; soon there will be a wave of native species seeds one after another starting with Sanguinaria canadensis, Asarum canadense, Stylophorum diphyllum, and Jeffersonia diphylla…to mention just a few.

Various other species mature their fruits gradually, and also the collecting is done in the same way. For most Viola species, Silene pusilla, Saxifraga cuneifolia, Capnoides sempervirens…this involves seeds collecting every day now. Plus, Helleborus caucasicus seeds are being captured by organza bags, and others will follow shortly.

As soon as there is a larger batch of species collected, there will be another call for seeds, probably in late June – stay tuned.

The regulars of June garden are in flower now: Dictamnus albus, Baptisia australis, Clematis integrifolia, various Dianthus, Salvia, Aconitum moldavicum, with Asphodeline lutea in top bloom. While we all rejoiced in few rainy days, it was not very inducing for taking many new pictures. There are also new garden friends this year, like Glaucium aurantiacum and Gladiolus tenuis.

Silene pusilla

Aconitum moldavicum

Incarvillea delavayi

Paronychia cephalotes

Glaucium aurantiacum

Gladiolus tenuis

This is also a good time for planting 2 years-old seedlings of various bulbous species in the ground, as they enter their summer rest period.

Erythronium sibiricum 2 years-old tubers before planting in the ground

Species like Corydalis solida and allies, Erythronium, Fritillaria, Adonis, Crocus species, Galanthus…you can plant them in the ground after the second year of growth. They can also be grown further in pots, but honestly, I have obtained better results for  such species with this method then by growing them longer in pots. The Canadian plant trade is lacking diversity for these species, so what can we do?

We grow from seeds!

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