Cultivation of Chesneya?

[Lori S.]

I had the opportunity today to visit the garden of an extremely accomplished local alpine gardener.  The visit was fantastic - the yard is a wonderland of unusual species!  Anyway, getting to the other purpose of this posting, I was asked if I could pass along a question for anyone who may have experience with this genus:

What conditions are required for growing Chesneya (formerly Gueldenstaedtia) to beyond the first leaf stage, or even to flowering?

Thanks in advance!

[Maggi Young]

A tricky question indeed, Lori! I think that lots of these "peas and beans" need poor soil, little root disturbance and I have read that bacterial associations in their soil is vital for their health....which begs the question, which bacteria and how to supply these..... that's what I don't know 

[Anthony Darby]

It would be the nitrogen fixing bacteria collectively called 'rhizobia'. These are found in the soil. A bacterium enters the root via a root hair or other means and triggers cell division to form root nodules.

[Lori S.]

So, it sounds like an innoculant, such as is used by some for growing peas/beans may be a key (given that it would be extremely hard to figure out what would normally be in the native soils)?

Does anyone here have experience at growing anything in this genus?

Some Chesneya were formerly in Spongiocarpella, too, apparently.