Not one garden without an Arisaema

,

If for some reason there is someone who doesn’t have at least one Arisaema in the garden, then there is Arisaema ciliatum var. liubaense to consider.

Arisaema ciliatum var. liubaense is my longest lived Arisaema in the ground, and I’m in love with it. I was a bit in doubt if liubaense until I had to move it and sow the stoloniferous tubers (one difference from A. ciliatum).

It shows up late, somewhere in mid-June and then, in a blink of an eye, purple flowers will peak curiously at you from underneath the umbrella-like leaf. Commonly they are called Cobra lilies but don’t be afraid they are super friendly.

Arisaema ciliatum var. liubaense 2019

A nice surprise this year, they showed up in pair and now we have babies :)
It is amazing how fast the fruit matured from green to red in about one week.

Arisaema ciliatum var. liubaense fruit

Also to consider: Arisaema amurense, A. flavum and our lovely NA A. triphyllum. All super cold hardy and easy to grow.

Rock polypody

,

Playing with Polypodium virginianum spores? Have a mossy boulder? maybe better to proceed to sowing :)

Polypodium virginianum spores

Notice: Glaucidium seeds

Few writings about Glaucidium palmatum germination that can be found in the related posts or by typing Glaucidium in the Search tab.

This is only a notice that fresh seeds are in stock! 

Glaucidium palmatum seedlings: the seeds will germinate in two successive years no matter the sowing treatment

Seeds from a most generous friend will be forwarded to you now in generous packets :)

Glaucidium palmatum 

Glaucidium palmatum ‘Album’

 

Something to consider

,

A couple of days ago I stumbled upon Hepatica acutiloba happily growing in the rock fissure of a mossy boulder (with Polystichum lonchitis) and it took me a bit by surprise; we don’t often think about H. acutiloba as a species for crevice rock gardening, do we?
It is something good to consider by the look of it.

Hepatica acutiloba

Coincidence, today I packed seeds of H. acutiloba-pastel mix, and there are more available.
Something else good to consider ;)

Friday’s Seeds: Hylomecon seed please stand up

, ,

I meant to write about this a while ago; it was never a good time for it.
The question of how to easily recognize Hylomecon from the Stylophorum species had been long clarified and I see no point to repeat it all.
If you want/need to know how to correctly identify Hylomecon , Stylophorum diphyllum and Stylophorum lasiocarpum, please read this well written post on Garden Myths blog:
https://www.gardenmyths.com/hylomecon-japonica-which-is-the-real-plant/

Now that we know how to distinguish the species, with good close-up pictures of the seeds we can avoid to mistake one for another in the seeds exchanges ;)

If we would have the chance to look at fresh seeds, it wouldn’t be hard to distinguish them because the seeds are equipped with particular elaiosomes, quite beautiful in the case of S. diphyllum. Unfortunately after the seeds dry out, or after they are placed in moist storage, these fatty structures fade rapidly.

Regrettably Hylomecon vernalis (syn. H. japonica) rarely, if ever, sets seeds in cultivation in our region (and elsewhere, I understand).
I suspect there is a self- incompatibility problem, the majority of plants belonging to the same clone, which was vegetatively propagated over a long period of time.

I have watched it closely in my garden in the last two years hoping that maybe the others are just missing the seeds (the capsules are explosive). But no, the capsules form and seem OK, only to disappoint upon opening. You can imagine the excitement when I received H. vernalis seeds in late summer! And moist packed no less! Because of this I postponed washing them out to take proper pictures.

Let’s see a comparison now; all seeds after moist storage since late summer and on 1 mm grid.

Hylomecon vernalis (forest poppy): notice the glabrous capsule, seeds more or less 2 mm in lenght.

 

Stylophorum lasiocarpum (Chinese celandine poppy): notice the hairy capsules and smaller size seeds, always less than 2 mm

Stylophorum diphyllum, the NA woodland poppy: larger, ovoidal capsule and the largest seeds by comparison (most often 2+ mm)

 

Species Peonies and hybrids

,

A note I considered useful to write before adding the seeds of peony species to the Shop.
Most seasoned gardeners who grow peonies from seeds are well acquainted with the phenomenon of hybridization, a natural process occurring in many species, not just the peonies.

Very simple, it means that when there are other peonies present in the garden, the resulting seedlings may not entirely resemble the plant that produced the seeds (differences can be noted in foliage/flowers). Some species can also hybridize in the wild, when 2 different species grow together in the same area.
A few peony species are known to hybridize more than others (P. peregrina, P. daurica s.l.).

There is no guarantee how the seedlings will look like. The only guarantee is that the seeds were collected from specimens identified and named, as best as possible, based on their botanical characters.

Personally, I will continue to grow them from seeds of different accessions/species because in the end the goal is to obtain good, beautiful plants adapted to your garden conditions. I still have to see an ‘ugly’ peony grown from seeds. Have you?

This is a list with links to the current offerings; 2 pck./order max. please. Click on the names for links to each product page.

Paeonia japonica (as usual)
Paeonia obovata (new accession)
Paeonia wittmanniana hybrid1
Paeonia wittmanniana hybrid2
Paeonia peregrina
Paeonia tenuifolia
Paeonia officinalis
Paeonia officinalis hybrid, new
Paeonia mlokosewitchii (as usual)

Available somewhere next week:
Paeonia rockii
Paeonia delavayi
Paeonia anomala

Young Paeonia mlokosewitchii in my garden, it may flower to be a ‘true’ mlokosewitchii or not, I couldn’t care less…

Korean Fairy bells

,

This fall we got lucky: not only Disporum uniflorum has set fruits but I also got to them before the squirrels did (I suppose one of them was guilty for breaking the stems last year).
A simply gorgeous plant all year long; if I would really have to choose only 3 plants for a part- shade location Disporum uniflorum would be on top of the list.

Few pictures are better than a thousand words…

Disporum uniflorum flowering in my old and new garden

It can also be combined with the American fairy bells, Uvularia grandiflora which flowers at the same time, Helleborus, Trilliums, various Primulas, woodland peonies ;)… to mention just a few.

Dark blue fruits are developing later (not too many, there is a little problem with self-pollination) but even the non-fertilized fruits get dark blue contrasting nicely with the yellowing foliage in mid-September.
Moist- packed seeds sown asap will germinate in late spring (in translation: the requirement for germination is a slightly warm period followed by cold); the seedlings are easy going.

Disporum uniflorum, fall color, fruits, fresh seeds and seedlings :)

 

 

Symplocarpus and the shipping rates

,

Yes, Symplocarpus seeds are in stock and customers are starting to notice it.
Before more questions arise, especially from new customers excited to find seeds not offered by someone else, an explanation for ordering/shipping of species with large seeds.

Right on the Symplocarpus foetidus page one can read:
“These seeds cannot be ordered using the international low shipping rates; not on AU Bicon list
Limit 1 pck./order”

This means that for international orders one must place an order over 25$. The minimum seeds pck. allowed for orders over 25$ is 5.
Of course all is detailed here: Shipping & delivery

Why? some may ask.

Symplocarpus foetidus fruit

The Symplocarpus seeds are very large and moist packed; this makes it for a large packet that cannot be sent via letter size.
Why 5 pck.?
Does it make any sense to send bubble envelopes across the ocean with 1 pck. of seeds inside?

An alternative to the plastic bubble would be nice (and they are not really necessary in most cases) but the cardboards envelopes tried are too heavy (for now). In conclusion: please read all the info available before starting to place orders.
For special requests regarding the 1 pck. limit, please use the Contact page.
Thank you.

Greetings from Australia

,

Sent by young seedlings of Erythronium americanum – courtesy of Vivienne.

Erythronium americanum seedlings

 

And a long overdue note for AU customers:
Orders from AU are most than welcomed, dry or moist seeds, although the latter take a lot of time to process. I am always very happy to receive updates, especially about the germination of moist packed species which many have tried before with no success from dry seeds.

However, I have to emphasize again that in order to navigate the Bicon system collaboration from all parts involved is required.
Please read and comply with the instructions outlined in the Shipping and Delivery page. Failure to do so only results in refunded orders (and added frustrations).
Thank you.

Yearning for Paris?

,

The seeds are in stock!
Reminder: when kept moist, Paris quadrifolia seeds will start to germinate (root only) somewhere in October/early November.

Also, Clintonia borealis and Caulophyllum are back in stock.

Baneberries

,

Like it or not, the colored berries of the baneberries are heralds of the summer’s end. Looking at my Actaea pachypoda raised from seeds four years ago, I realized that I forgot to mention the baneberries when talking about what species should be sown first.

Actaea pachypoda (doll’s- eyes, white baneberry)

Actaea pachypoda, A. pachypoda fo. rubrocarpa  and Actaea rubra (in the featured image) will germinate in the first spring only when sown right away in late summer/early fall  (a slightly warm period required before the winter cold).
A bit slow to start but then they grow with the speed of light. Very useful in dry shaded locations.

Seeds are in stock and also included in the fast shipping category.
A reminder that various species (with small, medium size seeds) can be purchased now by the customers  with international destinations using this category (2-6 pck. for 4.50$ flat rate).
More species will be added as as the inventory gets updated.

In need of companions for a native species shaded spot? The following can be usually found growing with the baneberries: Thalictrum dioicum, Hydrophyllum virginianum, Mitella diphylla, Viola labradorica, Asclepias exaltata; from the moist packed seeds: Maianthemum spp., Uvularia, Trillium, Asarum canadense, Sanguinaria canadensis, to mention just a few…

 

Ranunculus crenatus – last call!

,

Knowing that most Ranunculus seeds have short viability, about two weeks ago I put the Ranunculus crenatus seeds in moist storage.
I thought that it may not happen again to find such treasures and what a pity to have them go to waste.

Today, surprise in the Ziploc bag!
Few are still just about to germinate – so, this is the last call and be advised that the seeds may arrive at destination germinated! (don’t purchase if uncomfortable with the idea).

Ranunculus crenatus germinated seeds; if I assume correctly considering other alpines Ranunculus species, the first leaves will appear in the spring after a cold period.

I’m off to sowing :)