Phyteuma scheuchzeri

[Jupiter]

Out of 10 tiny seed three germinated and one has grown on well, although a smaller one is on the way too. If anyone has grown this species could they please share some of their experience with it.. I'm not exactly sure that it's the right species. It's not looking a whole lot like the pictures I'm finding online. It was destined for the rock garden but it's not looking like a rock garden species at this stage.

[Rick R.]

I'd say that many of these Phyteuma species are woefully mixed up in seed exchanges.  Here is a pic of three I grew from seed, supposedly of Pp. orbuculare, scheuzeri and sieberi.  At least some of those identities are doubtful, wouldn't you say?  They are so similar. 


But your seedlings do look like phyteuma, in my opinion.  Arrows in my pic show similar leaves to your pic.  As you can see, early growth basal leaf shape differs greatly from later and stem born leaves.  I think your seedlings look just as they are supposed to, and just need time to mature.  But who know if the species designation is correct.

Maybe I will have a real P. serratum this time....

[Jupiter]

Thanks Rick, great information and pictures. I may keep this fella in pot cultivation until I get to know it better. I'll update this thread when (if) I get flowers.

[Karaba]

Rick, I'm not sure that your P. scheuchzeri has the right ID. Stem leaves seem much narrower as you can see here http://www.in-valgrande.it/flora/Raponzolo-di-Scheuchzer/Raponzolo-di-Scheuchzer.htm or http://www.tela-botanica.org/bdtfx-nn-75287-illustrations. The one on the left fit better with scheuchzeri and the one in the middle with orbiculare (bracts of orbiculare are short and the plant is more robust) but this is just my opinion 
I still have few seeds of orbiculare and you will get another few at the SRGC Seeds exchange