Pyrolaceae and others...

[Kristl Walek]

Has anyone been successful germinating Pyrola, Moneses, Chimaphila?

The scientific literature assumes an (unknown) fungus is required (slices of existing populations with soil have been grown out in greenhouse conditions, and seedlings have shown up).

The Pyrolas worldwide grow in various conditions so I doubt whether one fungus is responsible, if that is the case. In this area they grow in similar conditions (as does the Chimaphila umbellata).

GA-3 has no effect, and neither does straight cold treatment.

Any leads would be very appreciated.

[johnw]

Has anyone been successful germinating Pyrola, Moneses, Chimaphila?

As expected, the silence is deafening.

I remember at Askival the Stones were complaining their Shortias were seeding in their Pyrola bed. They must know something!

johnw

[Maggi Young]

They must know something!

They know a great deal, John but they seem to have pretty much fallen off the SRGC radar since their move to Ireland.  Last email contact I made didn't seem to get through 

[johnw]

[/quote]since their move to Ireland. [/quote]

What a loss for the Motherland! They are incredible plantsmen and we have fond memories of the Stone Column.

johnw

[Kristl Walek]

As expected, the silence is deafening.

John, I felt foolish even posting the question (the silence could already be heard then)....but I did not want to assume that some elf out there might not have THE CLUE....

[Maggi Young]

I suspect that a good deal of the Stones' success in these matters could be attributed to the fact that their garden situation was not so very far, in miles or climate, from the home habitat of such plants. Having prepared as "natural" a place for their plants and seeds to reside, and with their skills with fresh seed etc, the plants would have been crazy NOT to grow. It did always surprise me that plants managed not to be washed clean out of the ground at Askival, though... that rainfall is fearsome!
With all this in mind, we hope to have at least some success with seeds of these most interesting plants in a spot in our garden where the conditions as nearly mimic the natural habitat as possible and where Shortias and little erics (ericaceae) already thrive.   Since we are constrained by our position two miles from the North Sea at only 250m above sea level, then hope is all we have going for us; but, hope costs nothing and the rewards are potentially FAB!

[kirsitn]

According to the information I can find about the Norwegian species, they all require some kind of mycorrhiza in order to survive as mature plants (apparently they're partially parasitic), so that means that they will probably not be willing to germinate in "mushroom-free" soil. It doesn't say anything about them needing one particular kind of mushroom, though, so it might perhaps be possible to make them germinate in any soil as long as it contains some kind of mycorrhiza?

[johnw]

You may be on to something with the mushrooms.  I have one or two plants of Pyrola asarifolia in a peat wall, they haven't spread but they haven't died either.  After tucking it in one autumn a rash of smoke-bomb / puffball toadstools appeared in the wall on schedule. The Pyrolas survived and I later read somehwere that there is a symbiotic relationship between the two. It was a fluke that I happened to plant them near the puffballs which appear in that spot every year.  I certainly don't have any expertise growing them, I sit and wait for them to disappear but they managed to hang around for 4 years. Chimaphila umbellata lived for a while but was shaky in the ground - I got it at an ARS Convention in North Carolina. It bloomed once before departing company.

Western Newfoundland has Pyrolas aplenty.

We found 5 or 6 different species in one tuckamoor near Burnt Cove.

johnw