Propagation – Botanically Inclined

Preparing for the winter

Reminder: Orders placed between Nov. 7- Nov. 19 can be shipped only after Nov.20
The Shop remains open for ordering – moist packed seeds excluded!
Thank you.

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.

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 sunny days.

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

November 9, 2024

On sedges

Propagation

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.

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

November 1, 2024

Friday’s seeds – data for AI

Friday's Seed(s), Propagation

*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.

October 18, 2024

Orchids and other mycorrhizals

Propagation

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.

October 4, 2024

Stellar alignment & Sassafras

Plant portraits, Propagation

During a recent hike, I was in the right place at the right time, shortly after a recent storm broke down a few Sassafras fruit-bearing branches.

According to my records, this happens only every 10 years, when a stellar alignment leads to various energy points converging.
It also has to be a year when Sassafras has set fruits (sometimes late frosts can destroy the flowers) and, needless to say, a beautiful day that inspired hiking.

Taking all into consideration, plus the fact that I don’t intend to take up tree climbing, please get familiar with this nice and peculiar tree and consider growing it from fresh seeds, if your garden space allows. The next stellar alignment might come only in 2034!

Sassafras albidum portrait

Sassafras albidum – Sassafras (Fam.Lauraceae) is a medium size tree, 15-20 m tall that can be encountered wild in Southern Ontario woods (where its Northern limit is found) being more widespread across the border in a few US states. All parts of the plant are spicy and aromatic.

It has an interesting candelabra-like branching (aka. sympodial) and really cool leaves that come in three shapes! In the fall, they turn yellow, red and purple depending on the sun exposure and fall temperatures (mid-September – October). They host the caterpillars of the Spicebush swallowtail and Promethea silk moth. Young seedlings will first display only simple leaves.

Sassafras albidum fall colors

Sassafras albidum fall colors2

Sassafras albidum fall leaves

The small, yellow flowers appear in early spring, on separate male and female trees, and by fall the ornamental black drupes are displayed on red long pedicels with the same candelabra-like ramification. The fruits are very attractive and consumed by various birds in the fall.

It is not easy to always observe the black fruits up on grown up trees, even when it happens. They are rapidly consumed by birds that will spread the seeds, so in stands with mature trees there are always youngsters with cute leaves growing beneath their parents.

Mature Sassafras trees prefer full sun locations and sandy-loamy soils; when young they will tolerate shade. It is a medium to fast growing tree which also can sprout and form colonies.

Those who have space and a good garden location can grow it solitary or as part of a native woodland garden with other companion species: Lindera benzoin, Lonicera canadensis, Hepatica americana, Amphicarpeae bracteata, Maianthemum, Mitchella, Gaultheria procumbens, Trillium, Prosartes lanuginosa, Polystichum, Adiantum….

Sassafras albidum has a long and interesting history related to North American Native Peoples and later worldwide.

Before the discovery of the North American continent, the Sassafras was extensively used (leaves, roots and bark) by Native Peoples for various purposes: antihelmintic, antidiarrheal, antirheumatic, as a cold remedy, venereal, tonic…

The European settlers after seeing its traditional medicinal usage, like in many other cases, thought they found the ‘cure-all’ plant and started to import large quantities of sassafras oil (obtained by distillation from the root bark), into Europe.

For a while, the sassafras oil was a very precious commodity, being employed in foods, medicinal products, cosmetics (root beer, sassafras tea, filé powder, as flavoring in candies, beer…).
After safrole, the essential component of sassafras oil, was recognized as a potential carcinogen around 1960’s, its use was banned in the US and later in Canada.

Only young leaves which are said to contain little safrole, can be used to make the powder filé (part of the renowned Creole dish gumbo). Also, I read that some small brewers still use the extract to flavor traditional beers.

Those with more time can have a look at this wiki stub, or/and do their own research to read more about the Sassafras: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sassafras_albidum

**Do not purchase Sassafras oil from non-verifiable sources, because most likely what you will get would be just some ‘fragrant oil’ obtained from other trees (via Asia and Brazil).
Also, be aware that safrole is on the List I precursor chemical of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (for good reason).

Sassafras albidum seedlings

I rarely see it cultivated, although it is a fully hardy tree in Southern Ontario. It can be propagated either from seeds or by root cuttings – according with some sources.
Sassafras seeds are losing their viability when kept dry, like its spicy cousin Lindera benzoin. Beware buying seeds that have been stored dry for longer periods for both these species!

For best germination the seeds need to be sown fresh in early fall, or if kept moist, throughout the fall, so they would first undergo a slightly warm stratification period followed by a cold one (winter). Treated like this (the natural way) they should germinate in late spring next year. The seedlings seen in the wild, testify for this method.

Lindera benzoin seeds will also be available for purchase again this year.
Start your ‘wish’ list, which should always contain first the species from the “moist packed” category – written green in the SEED LIST.

I am planning another short outing, fingers crossed for more new seeds!
Thank you for your interest and patience!

A lucky find one year – Spicebush swallowtail caterpillar on sassafras leaves

September 6, 2024

Closed

Propagation, Wildflowers of North America

A kind reminder that, as posted in multiple places on our website and announced in the blog, orders are not accepted until the Shop re-opens.
Please subscribe to the blog to stay up-to-date with all announcements.

Orders that are being placed while the Shop is closed – will be shipped at a later date OR refunded if any of the ordered species change status during inventory (price/nr. seeds per packet).

Besides new seeds collections, all seeds currently in the inventory are being checked for viability and counted. We strive to provide good, viable seeds at all times!

Thank you for your interest and understanding!

August 28, 2024

Back to seeds

Propagation

The feeling that the late summer is slowly sliding towards fall is more and more pronounced and with it the thought of seeds.

So, while the inventory work is getting under way in parallel with seeds collecting, we are getting back to weekly updates on seeds, plants and other worthy garden subjects to talk about.

When will the Shop open for orders?

Gentiana andrewsii

This fall the Seeds Shop will reopen somewhere in the first or second week of September (it will be announced). Orders are not accepted until further notice.

This way, we’ll have the chance to hopefully collect a few more species. It will also address the complains of having to order a few times in order to get seeds that are placed gradually in the inventory.

There will always be late collections: from species that are starting to flower now, like Gentiana andrewsii, or for those that mature their fruits in September/October (or even November: Asclepias exaltata), and who knows what ‘gifts’ will be arriving from friends.
Meanwhile, seeds collected in previous years will be available.

What to expect in the Seed List?

Various seeds offered as moist packed are kept in moist vermiculite and will be available to ship as soon as orders are accepted. These species are written in green in the Seeds List and recommended to be purchased first.
Fruits of Podophyllum peltatum, Mayapple and Clintonia borealis were collected last week and Caulophyllum thalictroides (blue cohosh) is lining up. Hydrastis canadensis seeds are already moist packed.

After a rainy start of the season, the drought made an appearance and some species have been detrimentally affected. Some spring flowering species, like Primulas, have stood up to the occasion and there are more garden cultivated species and forms to choose from this fall.

Primula ‘Violet Victorians’

Primula hose-in-hose

Primula sieboldii, 2024

Primula veris ‘Sunset Shades’

Phyteuma confusum in wild habitat

Many North American native species will be available like every year, from A – with Arisaema triphyllum and Actaea species to V – with various Viola species.
First time offerings: Kalmia angustifolia and K. polifolia and we hope to have back in the inventory few species that were missed last year like Viburnum acerifolium and Lindera benzoin.

Non-native species speaking, by browsing the Seed List with attention, one will also find a few choice, garden and wild collected species like: Gypsophila cerastioides,
Clematis alpina ssp. sibirica, Gentiana gelida, Phyteuma confusum, Silene lerchenfeldiana, Soldanella hungarica and S. pusilla…

*Of course that the Seeds List is currently ‘in the works’ and may change until the Shop re-opens.

The late summer-fall gentians have flowered a bit earlier this year and by watching them there is always the desire to have more! With patience, by late fall we will know if the capsules contain good seeds.

Gentiana paradoxa

August 23, 2024

Time-off

Propagation

As previously announced, the Seeds Shop will close for orders starting this weekend (July 14^th) – until late Aug./September.

Seeds collecting, inventory updates and website administrative work, all will be done during this time-off, plus of course a short vacation.

Many thanks to all who placed orders for those species that need an early summer sowing.

Mimulus lewisii, Purple Monkeyflower

Native plants-wise: Trillium grandiflorum capsules will be collected soon and it is also a good time to check on Aralia nudicaulis seeds and Viola pubescens.
Various native species usual in flower around mid-July are ‘on-time’, some even a bit early: Lilium michiganense, Ceanothus americanus, Deschampsia cespitosa, Symphyotrichum laeve, Zigadenus elegans ssp. glaucus, Asclepias tuberosa (in part-shade), Eupatorium perfoliatum soon, Clinopodium arkansanum…to mention just a few.
Mimulus lewisii grown from the wild collected seeds offered last fall, is also flowering, a nice surprise to have it in bloom in the first year of sowing. I hope those who purchased seeds also enjoy its flowers.

For the majority of native species the inventory is replenished with fresh seeds, when available (August through November).

Non-native plants- wise, we can always count at this time of the year on Geraniums, Delphinium fissum, Acanthus, Crocosmia, Platycodon, Dianthus, Stachys, Scabiosa, Monarda, Hosta…to mention just a few, to keep the show going until the blooms of early fall.
Clematis hexapetala and Campanula dolomitica (in the top image) are also blooming well for the first time and who knows, maybe we will have seeds by fall.

A relaxing, colorful summer to all! Enjoy nature and all its inhabitants and try to learn something new from/about them.
Don’t forget to collect a few seeds along the way, who knows when they will come in handy :-)

July 12, 2024

Let me explain about evergreen Epimediums

Propagation

While waiting for Jeffersonia diphylla capsules to open and the heat dome to go away, I will write a bit about the evergreen Epimedium species. Seeds will be offered soon and I know that not everyone is familiar with them/growing from seeds.
Years ago I had quite a few articles about some Chinese Epimediums on the website which I subsequently deleted because of the amount of spam generated by the tags attached. Because you see, the evergreen Epimedium species, which are of Chinese origin, are commonly called fairy-wings or barenworts (like the European and Japanese Epimediums), and also horny-goats weeds, supposedly because one of theirs medicinal properties ;) Enough said…

From all Epimediums I particularly like this group of species because of their evergreen, leathery handsome foliage and spidery-looking flowers. Musing on species that maintain a nice presence over the winter, I once described the evergreen Epimediums the next best thing to the Helleborus: Winter joys II.

Then, ‘the best is yet to come’ with the new spring foliage being incredibly ornamental in various shades of purple, salmon, or mottled, before turning green later. The spidery flowers might be a personal like, but I noticed that other people enjoy them too.

Epimedium ‘Amber Queen’

Epimedium lishihchenii

Epimedium acuminatum

I acquired a few of the available species, and after a few years when I noticed capsules on Epimedium ‘Amber Queen’, I said: how about trying to grow more from seeds? I had no idea about their requirements for germination and there was little to no info about the subject. This fantastic cultivar is in fact a hybrid resulted from a cross: E. wushanense ’Caramel’ x Epimedium flavum.

The most prolific seeds producer was/is always Epimedium ‘Amber Queen’ which I suspect it cross-pollinated, at the beginning, with Epimedium lishihchenii planted nearby.
Now there are more hybrids around the garden, and it may be a swarm of cross-hybridization going around. There is no ‘ flight control tower’ for the bumblebees :-) Which takes me to the third reason I love them: the flowers with long spurs are in high demand in the spring (around May here) for the long tongue pollinators.
Other evergreen species growing in the garden are Epimedium acuminatum, Epimedium stellulatum and Epimedium brachyrrhizum, so there are more cross-pollinations possibilities.

To state the obvious: all plants grown from seeds will be the result of cross-pollination.

Growing from seeds it is also the method of obtaining new commercially cultivars after careful selection. In the garden, one can keep whatever finds suitable and discard away the unwanted (flowers-wise). Most will produce a few flowers in 3-4 years so it’s a quick process.

I also found myself in the position to giving names to a few of the most deserving specimens, all chance seedlings; labels are needed when sharing divisions with friends :-)

Epimedium ‘New Horizons’

Epimedium ‘Freckles’

Epimedium ‘Raspberry Fudge’

Garden cultivation: plant them in part-shaded locations (especially shade for the afternoon in a hot climate). After many years, I consider the most commonly cultivated species to be quite drought resistant (occasional watering during drought), just that they will flower better having more moisture.
The evergreen foliage can became unsightly by early spring (depending on climate and in snowless winters); remove it only in late spring because it protects the flowering stems, which show up at ground level early and can be damaged by late frosts.
Most species grow from a tight rhizome, so if you want to divide them, dig out the whole clump and carefully take out a rhizome ‘slice’ in late spring/summer and grow it in a pot until fall to build up the roots. The spreading types are more easily divided, but even so they require a season or two to get back in shape.

Very fresh (green) and a few days ‘old’ Epimedium seeds

Propagation by seeds: the seeds seem to be hydrophilic and require a warm stratification followed by a cold stratification in order to germinate; sow them fresh in the summer and then allow a cold (winter) period.

As shown in the image, they are still green when the capsule splits open and are equipped with large elaiosomes, which will dry out in a few days, while the seed coats will mature and become brownish. For sowing we should follow the same procedures as with Hepatica seeds.

It seems that the seeds only need +/- 2 month of cold stratification, so if you keep the pots in a cold garage, for example, they may start to germinate in February (even earlier depending on the climate). To avoid this, keep the pots outdoors for the winter for spring germination. Self-sown seedlings appear in the spring every year now.

If you use indoor lighting, you can get a head start for the season; the seedlings grow fast and are very easy-going under lights.

Epimedium seedlings with cotyledon and first true leaves

Again, as a thank you to all customers (ask in the note) seeds will be offered complementary with all orders coming in with the next wave of fresh seeds (while quantities last).

Likewise, those who only want Epimedium seeds will be able to purchase them.
I hope to convert at least few people of growing them from seeds. Nice surprises await those willing to try!

June 20, 2024

All done

Propagation

The newly added Hepatica seeds are available. Links are provided for easy access on the top section of the SEED List.

There are still Corydalis seeds available, Claytonia virginica and notice the latest collection – Pachyphragma macrophyllum

Those wishing to obtain nice Pulsatilla seedlings right away this summer: have a look at Pulsatilla styriaca and Pulsatilla ex. styriaca pink.

ALL Hepatica, Corydalis and Claytonia seeds will be available only until June 15^th.

Many thanks again to all who are trying to grow from seeds our native Hepatica species and all other ‘best if sown right away’ species. My effort to provide these fresh seeds is equalled only by your effort to sow and take care of the seedlings.

May 31, 2024

Getting close

Propagation

We are getting very close to the having all other Hepatica seeds available.

What’s coming? Many forms of Hepatica americana in all colors, including a first time offering of Hepatica americana Preciosa strain , a new light violet form and the very cute Hepatica americana ‘Apple Blossoms’. The desirable Hepatica nobilis multipetal blue and also a first, I am happy to offer the first seeds from Hepatica transsilvanica.

Those who have (almost everything) in terms of Hepatica, can choose to grow Hepatica nobilis – leaf forms mix. What can be better for a Hepatica after a gorgeous flowering than continuing with an equally gorgeous foliage? I wish to have space to sow all these for myself.

Hepatica transsilvanica

Hepatica nobilis leaf form I

Hepatica nobilis leaf form II

Hepatica americana Preciosa strain

Hepatica americana ‘Apple Blossoms’

Hepatica americana light violet, 2024

The first Pulsatilla ex. styriaca seeds are also ready; following the advice from the germination section by sowing fresh seeds you can obtain young seedlings in a month or so. Stay tuned….hope to have everything ready by tomorrow evening.

Meanwhile, those interested can see/read what will be available on the SEED List.

May 30, 2024

A first

Propagation

It is the first time when I collected a nice amount of seeds from Corydalis nobilis, the ‘lord’ of the Corydalis species, also called Siberian corydalis. This species is self-incompatible, i.e. needs a partner or two, in order to produce good seeds. So, I counted on friends for seeds a few years – many thanks, while I grew and planted a couple more (actually there are 4 specimens now).

The first time when I mused about this species was in 2012 (thanks to WordPress organizing folders): The lord of the Corydalis.

Then, in 2016 I wasn’t worried about it becoming a ‘weed’ in my new garden. One can tell I am very fond of this Corydalis :)
“I read somewhere (most probably in an AGS Journal) about an old, neglected garden where C. nobilis had taken hold of and was growing everywhere like a weed. It can maybe happen in time; say 30 years from now on. Sounds like a good plan…”: In charge – Corydalis nobilis.

The lord of Corydalis species didn’t click as expected with the regular gardeners. The collectors know best. True that only a picture with the yellow flowers may induce just a ‘meh’ reaction.
This Corydalis has to be experienced from the very early spring apparition to the flowering end: to wonder at the expanding fleshy, bluish foliage (extremely cold hardy), at the ‘cones- like’ future inflorescences and later smile at the bumblebees foraging with delight the spicy flowers.
Plant it in the back/side of another larger perennial (Lathyrus vernus, Paeonia, Aconitum…) if you worry about having empty spots after it goes dormant.

Corydalis nobilis early spring

Corydalis nobilis spring foliage

Corydalis nobilis, Siberian Corydalis

Corydalis nobilis rhizome of a mature specimen; moving/transplanting can be easily done after the plant goes completely dormant.

It is not a rarity because it flowers later than the bulbous Corydalis species and the specialized nurseries have the occasion to show it when they open in the spring.

So, if you can find to buy a young one do not hesitate, the display will only get better as it grows up.

If not, it is easy to grow from fresh seeds like all other Corydalis species. Keep a couple of them and gift the rest to friends. It forms a large rhizome in time, making it fairly easy to move it around the garden in search for a good place (do it in late summer/fall when it is dormant).

Hepatica speaking, the seeds collecting is under way. As I know what seeds will be available, they are gradually displayed on the SEED List – Spring seeds section.

Also a first, there will be a small offering of Hepatica transsilvanica seeds; plus other regulars like Hepatica americana ‘Apple Blossoms’ , Hepatica americana blue mix, and we’ll see what else….. I even managed to catch few Claytonia virginica seeds, so the spring ‘seeds assortment’ will be complete. The sale will be announced.

May 24, 2024

Prepare for the start

Propagation

The sale of the seeds will start in late evening today after the last seeds of Hepatica japonica are released into the little bags.

As mentioned, this spring the flowering of various Hepatica has been all over the place; the maturation of seeds follows the same pattern. Most H. acutiloba are ready and the few japonica.
So, even if it is not an ideal situation, we will start the sale for the seeds that are ready now; the others will follow in probably 1-2 weeks-time, hard to tell. This way the first little parcels can be sent right away after the long weekend (we depend on Canada Post).

Links are provided for what’s available at the top of the SEED LIST. What’s available is written in green, all others may become available later.

Click on the names to see the products pages where details and pictures are provided, and please follow the instructions regarding the nr. of pck. allowed per order. ‘Limited’ means the offer is very low.

For the Corydalis, I highly recommend the Corydalis ‘Wildheart mix’, especially if you are not a collector. All sorts of ‘goodies’ are in the mix: seeds from various reds, pink and everything in between with a dash of C. malkensis.

Everything else is the same like in previous years:

All seeds are the result of open pollination and there is no guarantee on the % of seedlings resembling the mother plants, especially for Corydalis.

A minimum of 2 pck. in the cart is required/local orders for shipping.
Sorry no international orders for these seeds; there are suppliers of seeds/plants in EU for Corydalis and Hepatica.

For the sake of speed and workload efficiency, all seeds are shipped double packed in glassine envelopes which are then placed inside a plastic bag, instead of using moist vermiculite. It works very well and allows for faster counting/inventory accuracy/orders preparation. It also allows for easier handling & sowing, especially for customers who are not used with moist packed seeds.

Orders for these seeds can be combined with other species, but keep the adds-on short please. I recommend adding other seeds to the order only if necessary. The inventory has been updated for Lilium and Paeonia species.

Before ordering, please review if necessary:
Growing Corydalis from seeds
Checklist for growing Hepatica from seeds

May 16, 2024

Welcome May

Propagation

Hepatica japonica magenta form

All possible Corydalis seeds have been collected; we will wait a few more days to start the sale because the few Hepatica japonica forms which started to flower very early in an exposed location are also almost ready to shed their seeds.

So, we’ll group them together while waiting for all the other Hepaticas. This year the seeds of Hepatica americana and Hepatica acutiloba and some of the Hepatica nobilis forms will mature a bit later; the variations in temperatures play a big role, also the sun exposure.

For example, although Hepatica transsilvanica was one of the first to start flowering this spring, the seeds are not mature yet because it grows in a very shaded location.

Meanwhile, welcome May, much to admire, do, and so little time….

May 10, 2024

Adieu to April

Propagation

…and to bulbous Corydalis

Due to a mild winter this year, the first picture of Corydalis malkensis starting to flower was recorded on March 20^th! This is the first Corydalis to flower in our climate. Corydalis paczoskii followed shortly then along the month of April, more and more flowers appeared throughout the garden. As usual, they fared well though a few cold snaps and brief snowy periods. The latest to flower was as always Corydalis cava, which may be also due to its more shaded position.

Corydalis solida

In general, the flowering of bulbous Corydalis has been much better this spring.
I was excited to see flowering well a Corydalis solida of a nice peachy (or coral) color, with dense flowers on short stems. It may receive a name :)

Also, for a solitary clump of a very fragrant Corydalis, of kusnetzovii origin (it may also be a hybrid, although it sets seeds) with densely packed, powdery purple flowers (shown in the gallery).

A few Corydalis solida flowers are still hanging on, but it won’t be for long. As we know, when they prepare to go dormant it is time to check for the seeds and don’t forget that the capsules mature gradually and ‘explode’ to release the seeds.

The first seeds of Corydalis malkensis and Corydalis packzoskii were collected on April 25 and I’m working on Corydalis solida right now.

At BotanyCa, Corydalis solida and allies seeds are provided fresh only, so we may have to start the seeds sale before the Hepatica this year! The start of the sale will be announced as soon as all seeds are collected (there is a special section on top of the Seeds List general offerings).

There are so many posts about bulbous Corydalis, pictures included, on this website that one would wonder if we need any more. I do it as a ritual of passage from early to late spring. They are on my ‘plants I cannot live without’ list, and also on the same list for the spring mama-bumblebees. For all you need to know, click here: Growing Corydalis solida & allies from seeds

Adieu to April and to bulbous Corydalis; welcome May!
To all celebrating this weekend, a Happy Easter with hope for peace, kindness and love among all people!

Corydalis ex. kusnetzovii fragrant, 2024

May 3, 2024

Transplanting seedlings #2

Propagation

We sowed the seeds, took care of the smallest seedlings and they grew up. I am talking about the indoor started sowings. Those who are sowing outdoors will follow the same procedures later.

Now it is time to prick out (or transplant) some of them.*
*From among species that you shouldn’t prick out in the first year: Arisaema, most monocots in general – Corydalis, Erythronium, Lilium ssp., Fritillaria, Alliums, Crocus, Roscoea; plus other species that only produce cotyledon leaves in the first season like Podophyllum spp. and Glaucidium.

There already is a post on this subject on the Germination page: Pricking – transplanting seedlings.

Phyteuma scheuchzeri seedlings ready to be transplanted

But let’s talk more about it since the final goal is to obtain good plants we can plant in the garden. Most often you will find the popular advice to transplant the seedlings after the first true leaves appear. Maybe it stemmed up from annual vegetables growing.

For perennial species, it is best to treat the seedlings from case to case. Large, fast growing seedlings can be pricked out after the first true leaves grow: Centaurea, Delphinium, Salvia, Helleborus, most Campanula…
Another case when you should transplant fast is for the species that grow long roots and those that dislike transplanting (Astragalus, Oxytropis…).

In most cases though the seedlings remain quite small, tiny sometimes, even after the first leaves appear, like it happened with Phyteuma scheuchzeri for example. In these cases, I find it best to wait until the seedlings grow up a bit more, especially if there is space enough in the sowing pot.

Keep in mind that we do not need a lot of seedlings of the same species for our gardens. So, be mindful how many you transplant: 2-4 pots are more than enough. Concentrate on the quality.
Too many pots, and soon you’ll find impossible to take care of all of them, especially when they are outdoors.

Consider transplanting bunches of seedlings/pot (like shown in the image for Phyteuma), this way you will obtain little clumps faster.

My favorite method for most alpine plants who like to be planted at the final location when young: skip the transplanting and plant the whole sowing pot in the rockery (in case you started them very early indoors). That’s my standard for Draba species: sow, grow for a while, acclimatize outdoors and plant in the rockery.

Regardless if you prick out or not the seedlings from the sowing pot, you have to start to gradually acclimatize them outdoors in the spring. Take the trays out for fresh air when it is warming out, and bring them back in the house for the night.