Compost for Pteridophyllum racemosum

[Rodger Whitlock]

I'm looking through Takeda, "Alpine Flowers of Japan", and reading with interest his discussion of Pteridophyllum racemosum.

Habitat & Distribution—In deep shade among mosses in the subalpine forests, often growing in quantity. Middle and Northern Honshu. Monotypic.

Culture—Use Sphagnum. Keep plant absolutely in the shade. It is hard to grow in a pan, but is amenable to the rockery. Better give plenty of water. Apply fertilizer once or twice a month. Increased by division.

Would anyone care to hazard a guess whether, when Takeda says "sphagnum", he means sphagnum peat moss, or does he mean living sphagnum moss? Elsewhere in this little tome, he refers to "sphagnum" decomposing in the heat of Tokyo. To me this suggests that he means sphagnum peat moss, not living sphagnum.

This might be another plant that will do well in a pot packed with sheets of living moss peeled off old concrete paving, a technique that has kept a plant of Epigaea repens alive for two years now.

[Maggi Young]

I can't say I've ever given much thought to the pot culture of this charming former member of the poppy family. ( I think it's been given its own family now)
It was happy enough in a  woodsy soil in the garden here in Aberdeen for many years, until it was overgrown by an overenthusiastic neighbour. Ian Christie grows it in his open garden and also in a trough, as far as I recall....I don't think he uses anything  special in the compost.

[Carlo]

Difficult to find here in the states. Ordered it from Asiatica, but for some reason was backordered and never came through. I do grow many epiphytic plants (orchids, etc.) and some "duff" growers in long-fibered New Zealand sphagnum. There is also a horticultural grade that comes from Chile. It is, however, significantly different from sphagnum peat moss which is much finer and more difficult to re-wet if it dries.

[Rodger Whitlock]

Difficult to find here in the states.

Fraser's Thimble Farm has it.

Along with two of the three species of Diphylleia, in case there's any Diphylleia enthusiasts reading.

[WimB]

Here it grows well outside in leafmould in the shade of a cherry tree. It doesn't clump quickly but it grows. It's a very nice plant for which I don't do anything special except water it if it gets very dry in summer.

[gote]

In my place it grows in normal sandy "woodsy" soil in fairly deep shade but also in more dappled shade.
I assume that Takeda lives in the Kanto area where it is rather hot in the summer. He probably has to be much more careful than those of us who garden in a cooler climate.
I have no difficulty with it.
Cheers
Göte

[Rodger Whitlock]

An update.

I repotted my plant of Pteridophyllum in my usual potting mix (approximately JI 1) after acquiring it last fall. It survived the winter but as spring wore on, it became progressively clearer that this was NOT a happy plant and was going backwards instead of growing.

Oh dear!

After knocking most of the soil off the roots, I repotted it a week or so ago in my usual cure-all, viz. straight volcanic pumice (screened and washed to get rid of fines). It's too early to be sure, but it looks like it's starting to grow actively.

Once again, the good drainage, the high level of oxygen, and the moisture retentiveness seem to be providing a hospitable home to a touchy (for me) plant. Clearly, my usual potting mix is too dense and airless, and doesn't drain freely enough.

It's not possible to put it out in the garden: my soil is too heavy and poorly drained, which killed any number of eastern Asiatic plants before I clued in.

[Carlo]

My plants were finally unpotted and put in the garden this spring. Within days they disappeared, innocent victims of a growing chipmunk family. I can only hope that instead of eating them, the blighters replanted in a better spot and will forget where they are.... (yes...I know...).