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 ;)
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)
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.
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.
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.
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…
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!
Aristolochia steupii
*Hydrastis canadensis not for sale, we need more plants first!
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.
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.
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:
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
Now that the Hepatica seeds are all safe and moist and Claytonia capsules are making popping sounds from the paper bags :) we can enjoy a woodland walk.
As the Trillium grandiflorum is coming to an end other species start flowering. The mayapples (Podophyllum peltatum), Trientalis borealis, Aralia nudicaulis, Aquilegia canadensis, Maianthemum canadensis, Maianthemum stellatum, Clintonia borealis and all others are looking very happy after the rainy spring season. Considering the dryness of the last couple of years it is so very pleasant to see the woods looking green, lush and happy! Follow the links to read more about them or just enjoy the pictures.
Hover the mouse or click to open the gallery for the names.
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!
