Epimedium seeds – Botanically Inclined

Summer seeds sale

You are invited to the summer sale of various species which germinate best when sowed right away.

Summer seeds sale from 29 June – July 15th

Helleborus caucasicus, Helleborus purpurascens, Helleborus x hybridus ‘Cherry Blossoms’, Helleborus x hybridus large purple, Helleborus foetidus plus Pulsatilla styriaca

*The first order for Helleborus seeds receives as gift seeds from a double flowered, purple Helleborus (no guarantee on the seedlings).

Helleborus ‘Cherry Blossom’

Helleborus purpurascens, a very early flowering species Helleborus

Helleborus caucasicus

Helleborus foetidus

Helleborus x hybridus large purple

Pulsatilla styriaca

Various North American native species with hydrophilic seeds are very fresh and cannot be placed in vermiculite right now; they will be sent in double packing (same like Hepatica seeds) and need to be sown right away upon receiving them. Some may be sent moist packed, depending on the date of the order.

Asarum canadense, Sanguinaria canadensis (special Canada Day price), Stylophorum diphyllum and Jeffersonia diphylla
As an early bird prize – a few pck. of Polygala paucifolia

Asarum canadense

Sanguinaria canadensis

Stylophorum diphyllum

Jeffersonia diphylla

Polygala paucifolia

Also available: Saruma henryi and something new for those looking to spice up their woodland garden.
Pachyphragma macrophyllum and Epimedium ‘Amber Queen’ (both in limited quantity)

Saruma henryi

Pachyphragma macrophyllum 2019

Epimedium ‘Amber Queen’

The inventory has also been replenished where possible: Viola canadensis, Viola labradorica, Lonicera canadensis, Pseudofumaria alba….seeds collections are going-on now. Any other species available in the inventory can be added to the orders now, but among those recommended for sowing during the summer-early fall are only Actaea ssp., Aralia, Liliums and the peonies (minus P. tenuifolia), Viburnum, Hydrophyllum (the seeds are not mature yet).

The Seeds List

No orders will be accepted after July 15 – until late August/September when we hope to have more species added for the first early fall Seeds list.

Thank you all and best wishes for an enjoyable summer!

* Canada Post enjoys an extended Canada Day holiday; all orders received will be prepared and ready for shipping on and after July 4^th.

June 29, 2023

Spring and fall

Propagation, Wildflowers of North America

Quite a few species that flowered in the spring are opening (or will do it shortly) their fruits to release the seeds.
The fall blooming Crocus species does the same thing. Interesting, isn’t it?

Many of these species are in the category I once called ‘notorious seeds defectors’ :-)
Hepatica, Corydalis & Pseudofumaria spp., Stylophorum spp., Helleborus, Asarum spp. (gingers), Saruma, Viola ssp., Epimediums, the recently added Dirca palustris and so on… (hover over pictures for the names)

Stylophorum diphyllum

Saruma henryi

Pseudofumaria alba

Epimedium fruits

Asarum canadense fruits

Dirca palustris

Stay tuned…

June 13, 2018

Friday’s seeds – Berberidaceae

Friday's Seed(s), Propagation

This Friday I indulge in one of my favourite plant families; say it out loud – Berberidaceae!

It is a large family and here I emphasize of course, the ornamental side of it. Many known and beloved garden perennials (usually for the woodland gardens) belong to this family: Epimediums, Vancouveria, Achlys, Podophyllums, Jeffersonia, Ranzania, Diphylleia and so on. From the woody species, Berberis and Mahonia are widely cultivated.

What else they have in common, seeds speaking and referring to the perennials, is the fact that in most cases, these are hydrophilic (i.e. do not tolerate desiccation) and so for optimum results they need to be sown fresh or kept in moist storage.
The pattern required for germination in most cases is WARM/COLD, sometimes with multiple cycles (see Caulophyllum).
Hover over pictures for names

Jeffersonia diphylla (L.)Pers.

Plagiorhegma dubium Maxim.

Dysosma versipellis

Two genera, Caulophyllum and Gymnospermium, present another rarely seen feature in Angiosperms, namely that the ovary walls burst open and the seeds develop and ripen in a ‘naked’ state (they look like fruits, but nonetheless are just seeds). Fascinating.

Gymnospermium altaicum (Pall.)Spach

Caulophyllum thalictroides (L.) Michx.

For more please see the newly published Berberidaceae page, the 10th in line!

I know seeds are boring (but how else can we obtain plants?), so here are few plant pictures, mostly to show species I don’t have seeds yet: Vancouveria hexandra, Achlys triphylla, a nice, fat Dysosma and a hybrid Epimedium raised from ‘Amber Queen’ seeds (hybrid). For others like Caulophyllum, Jeffersonia, Podophyllum…I already showed pictures many times and they are also featured in the Seeds shop.

Vancouveria hexandra, garden cultivated; the fruits and seeds are very close with those of Epimedium.

Achlys triphylla, Vanilla leaf (Deer foot) in wild habitat, Victoria Island, BC.

Dysosma versipellis (syn. Podophyllum versipelle) at Butchart Gardens, BC

Epimedium ex. ‘Amber Queen’, a 3-years old plant flowering in my garden (for Epimedium only hybrids will be obtained when growing from seeds)

Only one more picture, more for the purpose to emphasize the name that should be used for Jeffersonia dubia – guilty of charge myself; I’ll try to go the right way from now on.