Meconopsis betonicifolia and Meconopsis x sheldonii

[Olga Bondareva]

What is the difference? Does hybrid give fertile seed?

Thanks.

[rob krejzl]

M. x sheldonii is the collective name for all M. betonicifolia  x M. grandis hybrids. Straight crosses between the two are supposed to give hybrids with no or low fertility, but backcrosses from these to one or other of the parents (especially M. grandis) apparently produces plants with restored fertility - 'Lingholm' is supposed to have such an origin.

[Susan Band]

The hybrid Lingholme gives good seed. The plant overall looks more like grandis than betonicifolia, in fact it is often sold as grandis by mistake, it can be variable since it can be seed grown as well as split. The seed from lingholme is much larger than betonicifolia, if you get both from a seed exchange you should be able to tell the difference, if not you probabally have betonicifolia. Lingholme is the one you should go for if you haven't any mecs at all as it is strong growing and pretty well perennial if given the right conditions. The other X sheldonii forms have to be split to retain their clonal names and are usually only available from specialist growers.

[Olga Bondareva]

Thank you Rob and Susan!

Could you or anyone identify my Meconopsises?

1.
http://photofile.ru/users/olga_bond/1356828/72118546/#mainImageLink



2.
http://photofile.ru/users/olga_bond/1356828/72118547/#mainImageLink



3.
http://photofile.ru/users/olga_bond/1356828/72163121/#mainImageLink


http://photofile.ru/users/olga_bond/1356828/72163122/#mainImageLink


http://photofile.ru/users/olga_bond/1356828/72163123/#mainImageLink


http://photofile.ru/users/olga_bond/1356828/72163120/#mainImageLink

Only the last one set fertile seeds sometimes.

[Maggi Young]

Olga, when President Ian (of the Christie kind) comes home from Patagonia, he may catch up with these posts and be able to give you his opinion, he is a great meconopsis grower.

[rob krejzl]

Olga, when President Ian (of the Christie kind) comes home from Patagonia, he may catch up with these posts and be able to give you his opinion, he is a great meconopsis grower.

And in the meantime: http://www.meconopsis.org/

[Susan Band]

Photo no 1 is definatly  M. betonicifolia, they have a much flater face, they look out at you rather than hang down. The seed pods are rounder and shorter than Lingholme. The seeds are also rounder.
No 2 and 3 are probabally X Lingholme if you have grown them from seed. The lovely rabbit ears in the spring are characteristic of Sheldonii, Lingholme types. The meconopsis group are trying to sort out the various Sheldonii clones, but if they are not from a know source techincally you should call them 'Fertile blue group' or Infertile blue group'. A bit of a mouthful and not very popular with the general public.
As I send a few kilos of Lingholme seed to the seed merchants this is what you probabally have, as I said they vary a lot, with me doing my bit to select good seeding clones.
Hope this helps
Susan

[Olga Bondareva]

Maggi
Yes, waiting for President Ian. Fist of all I visited his nursery link. His opinion is very important for me.

rob
Thanks!

Susan
Thank you again! I think the same. Seed was from different sources. May be your seed came to me from third hands.  I sow both M. betonicifolia and M. x sheldonii “Lingholm”. And I was sure they are true. But yesterday somebody said they are all M. betonicifolia. I am slightly confused.

[Susan Band]

Betonicifolia and lingholme should be easy to tell apart, the problem arises when you get the different sheldonii types and grandis. Here are some of the lingholme have growing in the field you can see that the seed pods are long and thin. Sorry about the poor quality but the are taken from a larger photo.
Susan

[Susan Band]

I have found a betonicifolia photo.
It show a more rounded seed pod, the leaves are also not so long and narrrow.
This flower is semi double which often happen to the first flower on the plant.

[Paul T]

Fascinating discussion everyone.  Interesting to know some of the differences.  Sounds like the xlingholme is the one I should be trying, as I have tried what is sold around here some years as the "blue poppy" but never had it survive.  No idea what it actually is, but by the sounds of it the xlingholme is the best one to try to get seed from if you're in at all a dodgy area for growing these things (our summer heat undoes a lot of the alpiney stuff unfortunately).  Still wanting to try them though as I have adored the pics I have seen of the blue mecs.  I was even kindly sent a plant a year ago but murphy's law struck and the package was held up in transit for a week and the damn thing suffered badly and never recovered.  Normally only takes 3 days to get here. <sigh>  I will keep trying, and once I succeed it will be a big victory!! 

Thanks for this discussion, as it will help fire up my blue poppy lust again!!  (although I think I could cry over that picture of them growing in a FIELD!!  )

[rob krejzl]

Paul,

I have some seed of prattii just ripening. I'll post it to you; this time it won't matter how long it takes.

[Paul T]

Rob,

Thanks.  I'll give them a go.  I'm devloping areas within our garden that will host those things that like light but not too much summer warmth.  Microclimates are setting up slowly.  Despite previous discussions I still find that pots work better for many of the delicate things here, despite the fact that the ground is supposed to be the place to put them.  Now how easy are the M. prattii to germinate?  I didn't unfortunately have much luck with Lesley's M. grandis a couple of years ago.  I did get a couple of germinations, but they didn't survive that long.  I'll have to find out more on sowing them as I would so like to get some going successfully.

Thanks in anticipation.

[rob krejzl]

Paul,

The plant I harvested from grows in a bed which gets summer irrigation. I'm including a seedling Thelymitra, because it happened to be right next to the Mec. (unflowered so I won't hazard a guess which species); the bed also has lilies like canadense & mackliniae - so cool & moist is good but make sure the light is reasonable.

The seed is very fresh (may even still be a little damp & need a day or two drying) since the pods have only just opened. http://www.meconopsis.org/pages/cultivate3.html#raisingseed for sowing advice. Don't let it dry out once sown.