Friday’s seeds & plant portrait: Eriophorum virginicum

I am very happy to notice that more people are willing to grow species listed in the Grasses & related genera category, which contains various grasses per se and sedges, most of them unrepresented in our gardens for no good reason.

Eriophorum virginicum on the shoreline of Lake Huron, ON.

Eriophorum virginicum, Tawny cottongrass, Rusty cottongrass, or Hare’s Tail cottongrass has been added, mostly by mistake, from my desire to use a few seedheads in a vase.
The whitish fluffy seeds-heads, contrasting with the first fall colors of surrounding landscapes are always very attractive. Of course, I should have known better…. they disintegrate easily at maturity.

So, those with possibilities, meaning a wet area (which doesn’t have to be very large) and acidic substrate, have something new to grow and add to their collection of native plants.

The scientific name of the genus Eriophorum derives from the Greek words erion (cotton or wool) and phoros (bearing). The common name is a reference to the cottony nature of the fruiting heads.
All species have +/- the same cotton-like fruiting heads and they are mostly white color. In case of the Tawny cottongrass they are brownish-yellow in color (at full maturity).

Tawny cottongrass can be found in open areas in bogs, conifer swamps, low, wet depressions on rocks, wet meadows.
This species is easily distinguished from other North American Eriophorum species because it is flowering and fruiting later in the season; the spikelets are usually maturing in August and have a rather brownish color. There are of course other methods of ID, but we can keep it simple in this case.

It is a sedge, with slender, grass-like leaves; rhizomatous. The fruiting heads are covered with a cottony mass, and the fruits are 3-angled, brown to black achenes with silky, tawny, hair-like bristles longer than the achenes; one of those situations when the fruits are commonly called seeds. The hairs help with the distribution by wind or water.

Eriophorum virginicum fruithead and achenes

Besides their ornamental fruitheads, Eriophorum species also have wildlife value, with the foliage consumed by many small and large mammals and various birds feeding on their seeds.
There are also reports of consumption by Indigenous People of the young stem bases and the roots of the Slender Cotton-grass, E. gracile (raw or cooked).
Also, the seeds hairs have been used to make candle wicks and for stuffing pillows.

 

First seedlings of 2025

Paeonia obovata seedlings (seeds sown in early fall 2023)

The first post of the new year, talking about the first, prematurely ‘born’ seedlings of 2025.
Paeonia obovata (seeds sown in 2023) has started to grow in the garage (I took various outdoor pots in the garage in late December: Cold alert). It is not an ideal situation but they cannot be taken back outdoors now.

More correctly to say, these are the ‘first shoots’ instead of ‘seedlings’ because as we know, most Paeonia species are hypogeal germinators.

Meaning, the rootlets grow ‘quietly’ first during a +/- warm period (you won’t see anything above the pot/ground) and in the next season (after a cold period/winter) the shoots start growing. So, we don’t have a ‘complete’ germination (roots and shoots) in one year: Growing peonies from seeds.

In this case, the growth of the rootlets didn’t happen in the first ‘warm’ period of fall 2023 as expected.
This can be from various reasons: temp. too high or to low in late summer/fall, not long enough warm period; maybe I left the pot too dry, and who knows what else… Theoretically, the shoots should have started to grow in the spring of 2024. Seeds of Paeonia veitchii-white form and Paeonia mascula ssp. arietina, sown at the same time in 2023, should also start to germinate this year.

Paeonia japonica seedlings, April 2018

Nothing is very ‘precise’ when it comes to seeds germination. We know this very well.

What else can be learned is that for most species peonies shoots start growing at relatively low temperatures (around 8C in my garage). If not in the garage, the growth would have started outdoors in very early spring.

I first noticed this in 2018, when I found the first shoots of Paeonia japonica while opening the cold frame in early April. Worth mentioning that it was a late spring and all pots were slightly frozen at the top at the time.

Paeonia japonica, April 2023

This keeps in line with the very early emergence of the majority mature peonies in the garden. Most often they appear in late March-early April, when only snowdrops, some Corydalis Crocus and few Hepatica may be flowering. The beautiful red- or purple-colored early shoots will always make us worry when late frosts are expected. Luckily, they always prove to be very cold hardy!

Looking back at the many plants I’ve grown from seeds over the years, the peonies have been among the most satisfying. Maybe on the same place with the hellebores and Epimediums.
They are all not only gorgeous, but resilient, long-lived perennials that require very little care over the years. We are rewarded with beautiful foliage from early spring to fall (winter), amazing flowering plus attractive fruits in case of peonies!

It is understandable why I decided to sow more seeds; I only have a late flowering, dwarf form of P. obovata, shown in the feature image. The more the better!

Happy New Year!

Thank you for your support in 2024! A happy & bright 2025 with peace, love and happiness!

Year’s end

Concentrating to process the current orders as fast as possible, I’ve missed the usual Friday posting.

There were also a few new species to be announced, so I’ve prepared the files for uploading. What better way to end the year than announcing the latest additions to the Seeds List!

Previously announced: Campanula alpina and Pulsatilla alpina.

Also, two new Penstemon species: Penstemon gracilis and Penstemon palmeri.

Good things come to those who wait, so a few seeds pck. of Gentiana paradoxa hybrid are also available.

Last, Veratrum nigrum seeds, that recently arrived from a friend.
The  commonly called False Black Hellebore (never understood why, the foliage doesn’t resemble a hellebore) is not often grown from seeds, and for good reason: like many other rhizomatous species it is slow to grow and reach flowering age.
On the other hand, it is not something found at the garden centres, so those with a ‘collector’ strike, may choose to go via propagating it from seeds.

True, you will have to wait a few years to witness the impressive, tall flowering stems covered in myriads of star-shaped blackish flowers, but rosettes with large, pleated leaves are very ornamental in themselves.

Like all other Veratrum species, V. nigrum is both a toxic and medicinal plant. The rhizomes are poisonous if ingested.
Traditionally powdered rhizomes were used to treat various ailments, particularly for high blood pressure, epilepsy…it would be much more to say on this subject. Also reported to have insecticidal properties.

At the end of the year, I extend many thanks to those who have purchased seeds from BotanyCa in 2024 and not only. I hope you managed to grow at least a few seedlings and new plants will embellish your garden in 2025 and beyond!

Happy New Year! May all your seeds germinate and grow into beautiful plants!

Winter Holidays

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Warmest wishes for a Holiday Season filled with joy and pleasant moments to all BotanyCa customers, friends and blog followers!

Cold alert

A few days and nights with extremely low temperatures are announced for SW Ontario. For other regions – please check your weather forecast.

Galanthus ‘Spindlestone Surprise’

If you still have unprotected/or with little protection pots with summer & early fall sowings (Corydalis, Hepatica, Claytonia, Paeonia, Asarum, Trillium…) hurry up to add blankets on top of them; or shovel snow on top of them if you are lucky to have enough of it.
The same goes for young seedlings that are still in pots.

It is a good thing I checked my boxes: Galanthus ‘Spindlestone Surprise’ is already above the mix and Adonis ramosa (seedlings) buds are also very advanced.

I cannot show the inside of the peonies pots but some seeds have grown-up roots for sure.

If you only have a few pots – it is much easier to bring them inside in a cool location for a few days (unheated garage for example).

 

CP update

It was good to drop the first orders in the mailbox today. More will follow tomorrow.
Please keep in mind that, as announced by Canada Post, due to the significant volume of parcels and letters already in the system, delays in mail delivery will stretch into early 2025. Patience is required.

In regards with the seeds, sowing the species that require cold/moist stratification in early January is perfectly fine. I always sow in January.
Species marked as ‘warm germinators’ are to be started either in February-March if you use indoor lighting or somewhere in April if you sow in outdoors pots. So, all is good for now.

Mail for International destinations will be accepted starting Monday, Dec. 23.

Few clients had moist-packed seeds included in their orders, and they will have the chance to have them mailed after Christmas when a warm spell is announced to happen. Otherwise, we no longer accept orders for moist-packed seeds at this time.
I checked on them this morning and the wild ginger seeds are showing growing radicles (featured image). Those who purchased wild ginger seeds, this is what’s happening in the soil (either in pots or ‘in situ’). We know that they are set to start germinating (radicles only) in November and they never fail us 😊

Campanula persicifolia ‘Nitida Alba’ & CP

Canada Post update: the latest news is that starting tomorrow Canada Post should resume activity.
If that will happen remains to be seen and in any case it will be a slow start. Plus, we don’t know when will they start accepting new mail.

I will keep everyone updated about the situation. Meanwhile, I advise against placing new orders, although I appreciate the gesture. It is highly unlikely that ‘normal’ shipping will resume before the New Year.

Now, about the Campanula persicifolia ‘Nitida Alba’

Campanula persicifolia ‘Nitida Alba’

When we grow plants from seeds, we want to know the correct name of the plants we are growing. Otherwise, what is the purpose of the labels we stick in the ground and around the rockery?

There is a lot of confusion about the name of this dwarf form of the peach- leaved bellflower.
I checked various databases and reliable sources to be sure what we are talking about. Plus, I grew it from seeds just to be able to see it ‘in the real’ and get a better idea of what it may be.

It is a very peculiar plant, with very rigid (stiff) stems and dark green leaves, typical shape wise of C. persicifolia. The flowers differ from those of the typical C. persicifolia by being larger and upward facing, and not all seem to have functional anthers. As a result, only a couple of flowers have formed capsules with seeds.

This little Campanula is offered under different names – all wrong! – by various companies selling seeds /or plants, some very well known. You may buy seeds or plants as: Campanula nitida alba, C. persicifolia f. nitida and ssp. nitida, Campanula persicifolia var. planiflora (with syn. C. persicifolia var. nitida) and C. nitida for a blue flower form.

Campanulastrum americanum flowers

All synonyms’ names, including var. and subspecies published at all times for C. persicifolia are listed here: https://wfoplantlist.org/taxon/wfo-0000828132-2024-06?page=1
We cannot found any form, variety or ssp. nitida published under C. persicifolia, at any time. The same goes for var. planiflora. They simply don’t exist!

Even worse, Campanula nitida is a synonym name for Campanulastrum americanum!!! You know – our native, biennial, tall plant, with particular long styled- flowers!

Lack of knowledge of botanical nomenclature, lack of attention, wrong spelling of the species name versus cultivar names…all these have contributed in time to the propagation of wrong names for this little Campanula.

It is impossible to track back cultivar names, but my opinion is that that this dwarf plant showed up as a mutation from C. persicifolia ssp. sessiliflora ‘Alba’.  The subspecies sessiliflora has the same upward, sessile flowers: https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/120442/campanula-persicifolia-subsp-sessiliflora-alba/details

It doesn’t matter where it comes from, most important is to use a proper name for it.
I’ve found a single specialty nursery from Austria, where the name it is written properly: https://www.sarastro-stauden.com/shop/winterharte-stauden/campanula-glockenblume/campanula-persicifolia-nitida-alba/

Campanula persicifolia ‘Nitida Alba’ is an interesting dwarf bellflower that will make a good piece of conversation for your rockery. Plus, it is easily grown from seeds (warm germinator) and starts to flower in the second year. Go for it!
And don’t forget to write the proper name on your label, especially if you are sharing seeds later!

 

 

Seeds storage and CP update

Canada Post strike update: finally good news for today!
It has been announced that the dispute between Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers will be under analysis by the Canada Industrial Relations Board. Because the parts involved are still very far apart in their negotiations, the postal workers could be ordered back to work soon.

Of course, there are huge backlogs that will need to be resolved first, but at least there is light at the end of the tunnel. We will know more about this next week.

Many thanks to all who have placed orders after the strike began and are waiting patiently for a resolution!

Like every year, at this time I am sorting through the fruits/seeds collections and pack them in glassine envelopes before I introduce them in cold storage (0-4C).
Even for those who do not sell seeds or engage in seeds trading – it is always a good idea to keep a few back-up seeds from your most beloved plants! How you store your seeds is very important to ensure a long/good viability.

With the exceptions of hydrophilic species-seeds (which need moist storage) and few species with short viability, all other seeds need to dry up very well to ensure good viability and germination capacity (for a few years, depending on the species).
So, as mentioned with other occasions, newly collected fruits/seeds need to be kept in large paper envelopes, coffee filters, open trays or anything similar, for quite a while after collecting. For larger quantities, paper lunch bags work quite well; all of these stored in a well aerated room.
Thermopsis villosa seeds have just been cleaned and will be packed, the lunch bag is full with Liatris ligulistylis stems with seeds that will be processed shortly; Allium thunbergii ‘Ozawa’ seeds collected only last week! will need to dry up further.

Thermopsis villosa seeds

Seeds collection – Liatris ligulistylis

Allium thunbergii ‘Ozawa’ seeds

Ready for cold storage: Phyteuma confusum, various Primula species….

We cannot control the humidity level as good as can be done in the Seeds Banks facilities, but for our practical purpose it is good enough if you follow the procedure described.

Only after the seeds are very well dried up, they can be packed further in glassine envelopes (preferably) and introduced in cold storage.

The glassine envelopes are placed in Ziploc freezer bags (kept in alphabetical order). As another safety measure against humidity, silica gel packs are added in the Ziploc bags and periodically controlled and replaced when necessary.

This is also a good time to look in detail at smaller collections and figure out if there are enough seeds to share. Those interested will notice in the Seed List a newly added Campanula persicifolia ‘Nitida Alba’, about which I will give a few clarifications early next week.

Plus, soon to be added: wild collected seeds of Campanula alpina (another great little Campanula species) and Pulsatilla alba.

Campanula persicifolia ‘Nitida Alba’

Campanula alpina

Pulsatilla alpina ssp. alpina

Stay tuned for more good news….

Write to Santa

I have a new habit: around mid-day I check upon updates on Canada Post strike, every day hoping for good news.
It seems there is one  today – we can write to Santa! The 6 Dec. deadline has been extended and we don’t even need a stamp on the letter!

Here’s a letter idea:
Dear Santa,

I hope you are doing well and are busy with work preparing this Christmas gifts.
I have been very good this year: kept my garden in very good shape, planted more native plants and I even started a few new plants from seeds. It was such a rewarding activity!

With so many problems around the world today, I humbly ask only for a very modest gift: a few seeds.
They do not cost much, and sowing them will bring me hope, a sense of renewal and something to look forward to in the new gardening season.

Thank you very much!
Yours truly……

You can personalize the letter by asking more precisely for various plants. Just a few suggestions for a wish list (keep it short).

Gentiana andrewsii

Hypericum kalmianum close up

Viola nephrophylla, Primula mistassinica

Solidago simplex var. ontarioense on shoreline alvar

Lilium philadelphicum

Gentianopsis crinita (3)

Polygala senega

Clematis occidentalis var. occidentalis

Cephalanthus occidentalis flowering in July

Campanula bellidifolia

Gentiana asclepiadea ‘Alba’

Primula ‘Violet Victorians’

‘Thank you’ Canada Post!

On the bright side

With regret, I have no good news about Canada Post strike.
A positive side to this happening is that I decided to use this downtime and switch the website/shop to another host provider (so there might be a bit of disruption when attempting to browse through the site).

We gardeners are very optimistic by nature and looking to the bright side of things is always a better choice.
With the first snow flurries flying around, there is no better time to think at new plants to add to your garden. A few ‘bright’ ideas for easy species to grow from seeds (there are many more species in the Seeds List): Primula veris + Lathyrus vernus for spring, Primula sieboldii + Lathyrus vernus (choice of colors) and Polygala major + Papaver chakassicum for late May-June. The strike will end at some point, so better have a wish list ready!

Primula macrocalyx and Lathyrus vernus

Lathyrus vernus, Primula sieboldii

Polygala major, June 2024

Papaver chakassicum

Canada post strike

I would have like to get back to the routine of packing seeds, but thanks to the on-going Canada Post strike, this is not possible. Unfortunately, other shipping options I looked at are not doable due to the low weight/letter size packages the seeds are being shipped in.

For those who have placed orders – thank you very much! unless you choose the refund option, the orders will be shipped as soon as possible. I recommend to not place new orders at this time. Even after the services resume there will be delays and backlogs from the mail they have on-hold.

We have to ‘thank’ Canada Post workers for choosing this time of year on purpose to make their demands (some of which I find outrageous).
I hope the strike doesn’t last long, although this might be a good occasion for the Corporation to really do the necessary and long overdue changes, so we do not have to go through another strike in a year or two.

Trying to get back to the routine garden-wise, I finished arranging my bunch of potted plants and seedlings for the winter: mesh anti-critters over the small seedlings and other materials are ready (fleece and tarp) for when the cold arrives.
I hope everyone else is almost ready with the winter preparations!

There will be new seeds on offer when we can get back to business.
A package with gifts arrived before the strike with Astragalus missouriensis and Hedysarum boreale wild collected seeds.

And I still have late collections to sort through, like the single flower Dahlia shown in the featured image for good cheer.

I grew this single-flowered Dahlia with burgundy foliage (probably of ‘Bishop of Canterbury’ heritage?) from a few gifted seeds many years ago. It has since become a garden staple (in the ground or containers) with golden, orange and deep red flowers swarmed by pollinators from June until late fall!

Thanks to a long and warm autumn I also collected Tricyrtis hirta seeds a couple of days ago. Toad lilies are great plants for late summer-fall flowering and with the garden centers offerings not very great we can use the seeds.

Tricyrtis hirta

Dahlia – yellow

Dahlia -red