Progress with the Campanulaceae

Two years ago, in a cold January day I was musing about various members of the bellflower family, wishing to grow more of them in my garden: Forward with Campanulaceae!.

I like this genus which includes so many good species for the rockeries and not only. There is hardly a place, from high mountains to the prairies and woodland edges, without a Campanula and/or its relatives. Most species are very showy and in most cases easy to grow from seeds with the added bonus that they flower rather fast when started from seeds.

Campanula cochleariifolia, Fairy’s Thimble

It is time for a check on my progress.

Last summer I had Campanula cochleariifolia flowering for the first time (finally, after two other Campanula I grew from seedex seeds under this name proved out to be forms of C. rotundifolia!)

Speaking of Campanula rotundifolia, a rather large form of seeds collected from Killarney area, also flowered abundantly and for a very long time. Those interested in this topic can review the subject here:  Campanula rotundifolia complex.

It is a good moment to emphasize again that when you sow various Campanula and Phyteuma species from any seed exchange – they are often misnamed.
After your seedlings flower, double check the foliage/leaves/time of flowering, to see if the name you wrote on the label is true!!!

Also, the very interesting Campanula persicifolia ‘Nitida Alba’, which required some detective work to finding its right name, flowered in the rockery (Campanula persicifolia ‘Nitida Alba’ &CP).

Plus, Campanula bellidifolia put up a real show, standing up to its name!

Campanula persicifolia ‘Nitida Alba’

Campanula bellidifolia

Physoplexis comosa seedlings (right)

The lost Campanula biebersteiniana was resown (the slugs eat it down to the root two years ago) and seedlings were planted in the summer. There are also new seedlings planted of Campanula dasyantha.

Other exciting 2-years old seedlings are those of Physoplexis comosa (Tufted horned campion)! I don’t think any of them will flower this summer but I will be happy just to have them surviving this cold winter.

I will be awaiting flowering this summer from the grown up  plants of Campanula glomerata, Phyteuma orbiculare and Campanula alliariifolia.

All in all, quite a good progress with the Campanulaceae 😊 Perseverance is the key.

 

Friday’s seeds and plant portrait: Soldanella pusilla

Soldanella pusilla seeds; 1 mm grid

This year, I sowed very late in January a few species. I have a feeling that we will have enough time this winter to provide the cold period in our region.

Among the sowings, there is also the lovely Dwarf snowbell, Soldanella pusilla, that another source suggests could be a warm germinating species. The same species can have different patterns of germination depending of the mother-plant origin.
So, it is time for a little test: I sown two pots, one will receive cold/moist stratification outdoors, one will remain in a cooler location in the house.
Experimenting with sowing is another fun thing to do in the dead of winter 😊

Not many people are familiar with the lovely Dwarf snowbell. I was lucky to see it flowering up the mountain a few times, but last summer it was the first time I got the chance to collect a decent quantity of seeds.

Soldanella pusilla with Ranunculus crenatus

Soldanella pusilla it is a diminutive plant that grows at alpine level from the C&E Alps, Apennines, Rhodope to the Carpathians Mts.
The solitary, large, reddish-violet fringed flowers, appear right after the snowmelt, most often in large numbers in certain locations (meaning somewhere in July at alpine level).
So, it is by great chance to go up the mountain exactly to find it flowering, in company of other acid substrate inhabitants like: Primula minima, Ranunculus crenatus, Geum reptans, Campanula alpina…

Seeds wise, as well, if you do not know precise growing locations, by summertime, the very small rosettes remain quite invisible among the high alpine vegetation. Plus, the seeds setting and maturation is highly dependent on the weather.

In contrast to other Soldanella species, S. pusilla will often grow in open places, in full sun to part-shaded locations. By late summer the little, leathery rosettes get a bit of protection from the nearby vegetation. Usually the rosettes of leaves are forming colonies, which means it self-seeds around and maybe also propagates vegetatively.

Besides an acidic substrate (not too difficult to provide by adding a mixture of peat and sand) the most difficult to maintain in a hot, dry climate would be the moisture. Our humid summers also pose problems for high alpine species, but it is worth giving it a try!

Soldanella pusilla with capsules, early August 2024

Habitat of Soldanella pusilla, Fagaras Mts.,

I am able to grow now a couple of other Soldanellas, Ramonda myconi and Saxifraga cuneifolia by using a tall container, where the large volume of soil maintains a rather constant humidity even during high summer. Plus, I can monitor the slug attack attempts much easier.
If I will be successful with germination and seedlings growing, that’s how I intend to cultivate the Dwarf Snowbell as well (if in need of inspiration).

Those with a moist nook in the rockery, especially in the provinces with not so hot & humid summers, may have better chances to establish it. Do not miss the chance to try the Dwarf Snowbell; it will never be a regular offering on BotanyCa Seed List!

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!

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).

 

Campanula persicifolia ‘Nitida Alba’

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….

Preparing for the winter

Like in previous years, we are enjoying a warm, pleasant beginning of November. But, do not be fooled, in Ontario we can go from nice fall weather to winter in a blink of an eye!

Are your seedlings prepared for the winter? We cannot leave our ‘precious’ unprotected. You may have new fall sowings and young seedlings 1-2(3) year-old still in pots. They all need extra care for safe overwintering in a cold climate.

For those who have a proper cold frame it is an easy task: place the pots inside, add a bit of fleece, close de frame and hope for the snow. Let’s see what other options are available for those without a cold frame.

Seedlings (dormant) winter protection – the easy way

The easiest, if you have just a few pots: find a place between perennials in the garden, and dug the pots in the ground. Place a mesh on top to discourage the critters and a pile of leaves/or mulch on top. Water the pots well one more time before doing this!
Avoid low areas where the water might stagnate in early spring after snow melt!

If you have a lot of pots or flats, keeping them in the ground is not a practical solution. You need to use a larger empty area somewhere in your garden, or in the patio, close to the shed…Gather all the pots tight together and have various materials handy: bubble wrap, fleece, frost black cloth, tarps.

In the picture below, my ‘collection’ from a couple of years ago: pots with 2 years old dormant seedlings and un-germinated seeds (in plastic boxes). This already offers them a bit of protection. I presented this option for summer sowings, the plastic box helping to avoid the desiccation and watering a lot the pots.

Also, young seedlings, which are wrapped in cloth. The wooden frame is not really necessary (although very easy to do).

Arrange everything tight together and add layers gradually, depending on how cold it gets; finish with the tarp. Some winters we need more layers, some less. It also depends how soon it will snow. Snow provide the best insulation. Plus, the sowings do not need as much protection as the seedlings, they still need a healthy dose of cold to break their dormancy.

Sowings winter protection

Seedlings in the trays covered with black cloth

Sowings and seedlings winter protection

Instead of one big pile, you can have 2: one for the new sowings, one for young seedlings – which need more protection. During warmer periods, it is good to check up on the pots and the big pile can be rearranged with this occasion.

Ideally, it will snow and that would seal the deal. If not, fingers crossed. Still, I never had any loses keeping young seedlings and plants over the winter like this.
It is not that these pots won’t freeze at all; they will, believe me (I would find them frozen in the spring even in the cold frame). But we hope to attenuate the extreme low temperatures: -3C is OK, but -10C is already a different story.

Notes: make the pile in a place where the snow gathers well (for example, under big evergreen trees there is always less snow). If possible, the area  where you keep the pots should be shaded, so the snow won’t melt too fast during the winter/early spring sunny days.

We can relax now and start thinking what else to sow later in the winter, while already dreaming about spring!

 

On sedges

Until we have more news about Canada Post negotiations early next week – I don’t recommend new orders to be placed!

Some plants always become more ‘visible’ in late fall, both in nature and in the gardens. Among them are the evergreen sedges; no garden is complete without them.
There are quite a few North American native plants species to choose from at the garden centers. However, in the sedges ‘department’ there is still a lot of work to be done.

Carex arctata, Drooping woodland sedge

Over the years, I learned to appreciate the sedges that maintain a green appearance during late fall and winter when all other plants are having their winter ‘beauty’ sleep.

I promised, for those wishing to add more native winter–greens to their gardens, to keep an eye open for new sedges. So, there is a new one in the List this year – Carex arctata, the Drooping woodland sedge, with its very nice, bright green foliage sometimes punctuating the hiking paths. From spring to the winter, the clumps remain happily green, just the green nuance differs a bit.
I was also aiming for Carex platyphylla seeds, but alas I missed the right moment. Looking fwd to collect them next year!

We also have other sedges that have ornamental fruit-heads like Carex grayi (back in stock), and few other related species. The fruiting stems can be used as a fall décor for a while :)

Granted, not all sedges remain evergreen or have interesting fruit heads, but they can have other qualities like for example the interesting ‘tropical’ texture of Carex muskingumensis, the Palm sedge.


Carex grayi

Carex muskingumensis

Carex rosea, Trillium, Uvularia…

Speaking of décor, I will digress from sedges a bit to mention one of my favorite native grass, Chasmanthium latifolium, the Northern Sea oats, pictured here at the end of October.

An important mention is that all these species are very easy to grow from seeds! Nothing is holding us back to grow them all, except the lack of seeds.

Interested in other, out of the ordinary, ornamental grasses and related genera?
https://botanicallyinclined.org/fine-grasses-for-shade-sedges-melica/
The Seeds List

 

Friday’s seeds – data for AI

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*this article has been written by a plant obsessed human :-)

Back with the widely UN-popular series of Friday’s seeds and fruits!
Today we’ll discuss about the fruits & seeds of the kinnikinick or bearberry – Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, an excellent evergreen, ground covering shrub for sandy/rocky, sunny locations. Most Arctostaphylos species are valuable additions for native landscaping and erosion control plantings.

I noticed it has become a bad habit to call all fruits which are rounded and red, berries. So, even for the bearberry one will find them called as such by most ‘copy & paste’ knowledgeable gardening websites.
It may be that such similarities on many websites are because AI writings nowadays? In this case, we should be more careful about the data provided for AI teaching.

Stony seeds of Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (bearberry), after removing the red, mealy fleshy part of the drupes. Most often they remain fused together; few were broken apart for showing purpose.

The type of fruit of a given plant also gives us information about its seeds, and so it has importance sowing-wise, to know what we  are dealing with. It is not just a question of semantics.

The rounded and red fruits of Arctostaphylos are actually DRUPES (think peaches, but with more ‘stones’ than one).

Each drupe contains 5+ stony seeds. Some may break apart, but most often they remain fused together, giving the impression of a large ‘stone’.
In translation, the Arctostaphylos seeds are enclosed inside a very hard endocarp. Berries do not have seeds enclosed in hard endocarps.

In nature, the Arctostaphylos fruits are consumed not only by bears, like the common name implies, but also by small mammals and birds. The stony seeds will suffer a natural ‘scarification’ passing through their digestive system; upon ‘release’ the seeds will be primed for germination.

Notice also the outer layer of the seed (the stony part) and the narrow opening through which the radicle will emerge during germination. The opening is plugged (the tissue is not as hard as the endocarp) and will be softened during scarification. Courtesy of a very old forestry nursery book.

Following example, plant nurseries have developed germination protocols for Arctostaphylos species involving the scarification of  the stony seeds with sulphuric acid (not an easy task).
Of course gardeners have to use other approaches, using a mechanical scarification of some sort.

Another method that can be safely used by gardeners for any Arctostaphylos species is the ‘smoking’ method. It was inspired after natural wildfires which most often stimulate the germination of various species with hard seed coverings, and it involves burning a layer of pine needles over a flat with sown seed stones. The stony endocarp usually cracks open during the burning.
Or, cover the stony seeds mixed with soil (even the whole fruits) with pine needles (or similar plant parts) in a fire pit and give a good burning to the pile; let them cool off before sowing.

There is more – besides the hard covering, the seeds of Arctostaphylos also have dormant embryos. So, the scarification has to be followed by dormancy breaking treatments. According to reliable sources these are: 2-4 months of warm/moist stratification followed by 2-3 months of cold/moist stratification.

A lot of work I admit! But genetic diversity oblige, we cannot propagate by cuttings endlessly.

Old & new

Those interested can find the following native species seeds back in stock:
Diervilla lonicera, Lilium michiganense, Lespedeza violacea and Thalictrum pubescens.

New for this year:

Ageratina altissima (aka. Eupatorium rugosum)

Ageratina altissima, formerly Eupatorium rugosum, the White Snakeroot, is a plant mostly found growing in part-shaded woodland settings with conspicuous clusters of small white flowers which are very beneficial for the pollinators in late summer to early fall.

However, being extremely adaptable it can also grow in full sun, in which case it needs more moisture.
It is from such a mother-plant, growing on Killarney’s granitic shorelines, that the seeds were collected: notice how part of the foliage takes a beautiful, dark purple color in this case.

There is in fact a cultivar of this species named ‘Chocolate’ with dark foliage year- round.

 

 

 

Greater fringed gentian

I am also very happy to offer seeds of the Greater Fringed gentian – Gentianopsis crinita from the beautiful garden of Anna’s  Perennials & Gardens!

The Greater fringed gentian  attracts attention with a magnificent flower display in late summer. The mauve, large flowers with fringed petals are a sight to behold.
It is a biennial species that reseeds in proper conditions (moisture needed), so do not be shy to give it a try. It is one of the first species I will sow this fall.

The days and nights are getting cooler and it feels like true fall now – a reminder that the moist packed seeds in stock will remain available until early winter only depending on the temperatures!

Orchids and other mycorrhizals

There is a section in the Seeds Shop – reading ‘Orchids & other mycorrhizals’, where various species with particular needs regarding germination were included. The species are all very handsome and interesting looking, but do not be fooled by their appearance: they are very hard to grow from seeds! I emphasized this aspect before and details are offered on every species individual page, but it is always good to repeat important things.

Orchid species (Orchidaceae) are mycotrophic, obtaining nutrients through intermediary mycorrhizal fungi. The mycorrhizal relationship between the fungi and plant is symbiotic. Their seeds also need specific mycorrhiza for germination and further growth.

Propagating orchid species is usually successful only by using ‘in vitro’ techniques. Epipactis helleborine has a very wide range of hosts, so we can have some success when sowing the seeds in the garden, especially if various trees are present. In my garden it appears here and there, never in the same place and variable from one year to another. The works of the mycorrhizal world is very complicated.

Chimaphila umbellata

Other species are mycoheterotrophic (Monotropa, Chimaphila), meaning that they are partly or entirely non-photosynthetic plants that obtain energy and nutrients from fungi that form mycorrhizas with plants. That means they are parasitic on the fungal partner and, indirectly, on its associated plant. Most of them have very fine, dust-like seeds and require fungi for germination.
More about Chimaphila umbellata here: The love of winter: Pipsissewa. I sowed seeds on various ways with no success up to date.

Conopholis americana – is a holoparasitic plant; it forms symbiosis with only a particular host plant – Quercus rubra (or other species from Q. rubra group).

We also have hemiparasitic plants like the beautiful Castilleja  and Pedicularis, which do not need fungal associations, only specific hosts plants to grow well. For this reason, the seeds can be germinated in pots, but to grow well and flower they need to be planted close to their preferred host plants afterwards. I can vouch for both, which at times I germinated in pots. (Gone with the wind – Indian paintbrush).

This being said and emphasized, when possible I try to provide limited quantities of such species, including orchids for the aficionados with ‘in vitro’ propagating possibilities and knowledge.

Cypripedium acaule

New this fall:
 Cypripedium acaule, the Mocassin flower
I never had the chance to catch it flowering with its impressive large deep red pouches, but sometimes I find it at fruiting stage. This year was perfect timing.

This is an orchid growing on areas with acidic soil and although some people claim that it tolerates various degrees of soil of moisture, I’ve only seen it growing in rather moist forests. |Plus, it enjoys cooler summers than what we have in SW Ontario, where Cypripedium parviflorum can be cultivated and even grows wild for example.

Spiranthes incurva, Sphinx ladies tresses

Spiranthes incurva

This is a relatively newly described Spiranthes incurva (a hybrid between S. cernua and S. magnicamporum) with white-ivory (with yellowish throats), fragrant flowers arranged in a spiral around the stems, like most other species from the S. cernua complex.

The authors proposed the common name of Sphinx ladies tresses for it, on the reason that this hybrid species is “prone to enigmatic and intractable questions”, just like the mythological creature Sphinx.

Those interested to read more about the S. cernua complex and learned the differences between various species, the following article will keep you very ‘entertained’:
https://bioone.org/journals/systematic-botany/volume-42/issue-4/036364417X696537/The-Systematics-of-the-Spiranthes-cernua-Species-Complex-Orchidaceae/10.1600/036364417X696537.full

Back in stock after a couple of years: Monotropa uniflora, the ghostly Indian pipe.
The inventory has also been replenished with fresh seeds of Conopholis americana, which had a great season this year.

Monotropa uniflora

Conopholis americana