Asteraceae for ID

[mark smyth]

I was given this plant in the Czech Republic last year.  Does anyone know what it is?

It's not a dandelion, dent de lion ....

[Gerdk]

Mark,
It looks like Haplocarpha rueppelii from the mountains of East Africa. I hope, Franz (Hadacek) will confirm this.

Gerd

[hadacekf]

I agree with Gerd, dead right!

[mark smyth]

Wow I'm impressed.

Next question is how hardy? The garden I got it from has months of snow in the winter but I cant give it that. Will I just plant them out and see what happens?

[mark smyth]

According to one web site
"sunny, dry, rock crevices, protection against winter wet
alpine house, poor, drained soil, sun"

but over the last year it's been cold, damp, very little sun, out in the garden in a pot. I think I'll pot one up for the show in two weeks time. They are now in the glass house.

[hadacekf]

Mark,
H, rueppelii is a widely mat-forming species, spreading by stolons, eventually to 1m or so across. Best in freely draining poorish soil and in full and full sun. I think in your garden it is full hard.

[mark smyth]

OK. What I'll do is pot one in a large pot and the other can go out to the rockery

[ruweiss]

Hello Mark,when I got my first plant of H.rueppelii I planted it in a rather dry place(coming from Africa)
and the result was a very bad performing thing.After reading the excellent article of John Grimshaw in
the AGS Bulletin Vol.63, page 146 about about the Shira Plateau in the Kilimanjaro Region I learned,
that this plant comes from wet places. A pan,standing in a saucer filled with water was the new home  and the result was an absolutely happy vigorous and free-flowering plant. In wintertime the saucer is emptied and the plant just gets so much water,that it doesn't dry out.I am sure that hardiness is no theme in your mild climate.The plant is only in winter in the Alpine House(temperatures down to -7°C)
but I think,that lower temperatures are no problem for this fine plant.

[mark smyth]

Any photos of your plant?

[ruweiss]

Sure,pictures from yesterday.
Due to an unusual cold and wet spring the vegetation is still far back,but buds are forming.
During the year the plant makes a lot of stolons hanging over the rim of the pot,I cut them
away before overwintering.

[mark smyth]

Yours are further on than mine

[mark smyth]

I really wanted my plants to flower for the Ulster Group show yesterday. The buds remained tight despite them being in the green house all week. What a surprise when I got home to see the flowers open