Baneberries

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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!

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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 :)

Jeffersonia and Trillium anyone?

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With many thanks to the owner of the well known by now Aspen Grove Garden (Guelph, ON), who collected and successfully tried a new method for storing hydrophilic seeds, we can continue to indulge in Jeffersonia diphylla seeds.

This lovely (and rather rare in Canada) North American native species doesn’t fit the profile for mass propagation. So, here is the chance to grow it for yourself from moist kept seeds, and give it a home in your garden. True that it takes 3-4 years until reaching flowering age but what a joy to see it starting to grow and flowering every spring afterwards.  I will make it a big event when my first seedlings will flower (next year I hope :)

Not too many seeds available this season; for many spring flowering species the pollination has been affected in our region by the very cold weather. Do not wait too long!

Jeffersonia diphylla fresh seeds 2019

Also, we can relax a bit about Trillium grandiflorum. I managed to collect not too many seeds and luckily now there are more.
Do not relax for too long though because, as I showed every year, most of these seeds will start to germinate (little tuber/root) somewhere in September and after that shipping is not possible anymore.

Trillium grandiflorum fresh seeds 2019; most of these seeds will start to germinate (tuber/root only) somewhere in September/early October! like shown in the picture below

Trillium grandiflorum germinated seeds after a first warm cycle; the first leaves will grow after a cold cycle (ie. winter); part of the seeds will only germinate in the second year after sowing

There is plenty to read on this website about growing Jeffersonia and Trillium from seeds, I’ll leave you to the readings :)

We’ll talk later about how to easily keep hydrophilic seeds in good condition for a few months without bothering with Ziploc bags and moist vermiculite.

PS. Caulophyllum thalictroides mix seeds also in stock!

Fruits and seeds platter

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Almost ready to be served; many more to come!

Aristolochia steupii

*Hydrastis canadensis not for sale, we need more plants first!

 Wrap up on the winter/spring seedlings-1

Last call – ordering for the summer will close tomorrow, July 5th! Updates were just made to the Spring shipping category.

I recently put in order all my remaining seedlings and it’s time to do a wrap up on the fall 2018/winter 2019 sowings. The spring of 2019 was unusual cold and rainy; unseasonal low temperatures lasted well into mid -June. For this reason many of the winter sowings were delayed in germination plus that some of those that germinated were killed swiftly. At this point, there are species just starting to germinate (Leptarrhena pyrolifolia), some a bit more advanced (Anemone caroliniana) and others already grown up (few Aconitum spp.).

An update on germination first: Delphinium nudicaule has germinated after 2 months of cold (I found the seedlings growing in the fridge not long

Delphinium nudicaule seedlings

ago). I assumed it is a warm germinator based on the info available; it is certainly not, at least not this particular collection.

Almost all warm germinators started indoors in late Feb/early March are planted in the ground by now and most are doing well. Lupinus breweri seedlings didn’t like to be transplanted, only 1 survived, but no surprise; Lupinus spp. are best sown in place. I will post pictures with them tomorrow.

 

I would like to discuss more about the two Paeonia species offered for the first time in 2018: Paeonia wendelboi and Paeonia brownii.

Paeonia wendelboi (warm/cold germinator).
From 5 seeds sowed for myself there are 2 seedlings growing. I cannot tell if the other 3 seeds have grown roots and perished afterwards due to too much moisture or if the seeds are still inside the pot  until I transplant the seedlings.

Paeonia wendelboi seedlings

Paeonia brownii: I already had an update to specify that it requires a period of cold/moist for germination (+2 months).
The germination is epigeal (the seedlings will show up with the cotyledons enclosed in the seed coat).
See what I mean here, I forgot to take a picture with my seedling:
http://plantes-passion.forumactif.fr/t5795-semis-de-paeonia-brownii

I kept for myself 2 lots of seeds: 3 normal (larger seeds) and 4 small ones that I considered unfit to sell. They were stratified at cold in February (lot 1) and March (lot 2) in the fridge.

All 3 larger seeds have germinated, roots only, after 2+months and were planted in a pot. In the picture below, the one fully germinated seedling was planted when the root was aprox. 5 cm long; the other 2 had shorter roots.

Paeonia brownii seedlings

You can notice a second tiny seedling in the picture of which I removed the seed coat to see if it would grow better (clearly not) and the third one with only the seed coat showing for now.

I keep thinking that maybe they would have liked to stay more in the fridge(?).

From the 4 smaller seeds kept in the fridge, 3 formed roots and they were planted in pots only 2 weeks ago.

Paeonia brownii germinated seeds after 2 months of cold/moist, roots only

 

I would like to hear the results obtained by those who purchased seeds last fall (please see the Contact form or comment section).
We can learn more about it by sharing the results.

 

 

Catch them if you can

It is easier with a little help ;) It would be a pity to miss the seeds from this beauty, don’t you think?

Helleborus x hybridus ‘Cherry Blossom’

This is a gorgeous anemone center specimen from the Cherry Blossom seeds strain; not all seedlings will come entirely true from seeds of course but all other possible forms to obtain are very enticing!

Self- pollinated, or with a bit of help from this one – not bad either, eh?

In my experience Helleborus seeds can be safely sowed asap or until mid August in order to germinate in the spring after a cold period. When sowed in late fall/winter they will germinate in the second year (warm/cold cycles required for germination).
Alternatively, controlled warm/cold periods can be provided in the house.

Seeds will be available soon!

Late June woodland happenings and Polygala

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The woods are lush, green and full of mosquitoes at this time. Few perennials are flowering (Anemone virginiana in the header image, Hydrophyllum canadense and Medeola), most late spring flowering species are busy growing fruits and few shrubs take center stage, notably: Lonicera canadensis, Cornus rugosa, Diervilla lonicera (also Polygala senega in the image) and Viburnum acerifolium.

Lonicera canadensis

Cornus rugosa

Diervilla lonicera

Viburnum acerifolium flowers

And, very important – the first seeds of Polygala paucifolia  have already been collected! I hope to get more in the next few days. In the last couple of years the seeds set was very low due to the drought. But after a gorgeous flowering in May and cool weather there is hope!

Polygala paucifolia (Gay wings, fringed Polygala)

A special post for Polygala will follow later before the seeds are posted in the Shop.

Mandatory readings

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The first moist packed seeds of the season are flying to various destinations. I want everyone to be successful in germinating and growing these species.
I cannot devise a test but few previous writings are actually mandatory for all purchasing any moist packed seeds:

Moist packing – what’s that?

We got the moist packed seeds – now what?

Hepatica: pollination, seeds and germination

The inventory on Hepatica seeds will be updated tomorrow and few other seeds of warm germinating species will be added to the Spring Shipping rate category!

Until then, I’ll leave you all with the mandatory readings ;) and an image with juicy seeds of Erythronium americanum.

Erythronium americanum fresh seeds

 

Viola declinata

Viola species are not that easy to ID and when collecting seeds in the wild, usually in a hurry there is not enough time for proper observation/pictures.

For this reason Viola declinata, an endemic species from Carpathian Mts., it was offered as Viola cf. declinata in 2017.
Flowering now in the garden, it is a different story :) you can easily take hundreds of pictures and make measurements. The name is confirmed and those few who purchased seeds can label it as Viola declinata.

Viola declinata from E. and S. Carpathian Mts.

Friday’s seedlings: Trillium luteum

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Last year there was only one capsule with few seeds on a Trillium luteum. Nothing else to do but to sow the few seeds.
Easy germinator after warm/cold cycles; moist at all time of course.

Trillium luteum seedlings

Trillium luteum, not only beautiful also with a fresh lemony fragrance!

One picture: just because

Two pictures for today actually (rules are made to be broken right? :)

I want to show this absolutely cool woodland species which flowers for the first time. I grew it from seeds just because someone sent me seeds 5 years ago. I didn’t ask for them, had no idea what the species was and how to germinate it, or if it would grow in my climate.
Nevertheless, I sowed them. And I was patient.

Aristolochia steupii

One picture: Pedicularis

Yes, it is possible. There are also few P. comosa and P. verticillata germinating now, in the second year after sowing.

Pedicularis atropurpurea