September 2013 in the Northern Hemisphere

[johnw]

Quite right Maggi, my fault as I was thinking of snowdrops at the time

What? Blue ones now?

[Maggi Young]

What? Blue ones now?

Bless 'im- I think it's connected with the pink elephants he sees from time to time - it's an odd thing but happily not at all life-threatening. 

[Brian Ellis]

Bless 'im- I think it's connected with the pink elephants he sees from time to time - it's an odd thing but happily not at all life-threatening. 

I'm pleased I have no reason to worry unduly.  I was updating my database when the call came from on high for a name so my brain (what little remains) was scrambled...well that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it

[Catwheazle]

Carlina acaulis in my garden   

Bernd

[brianw]

I thought this Chlerodendrum was (spring) blossom when I drove past it last week. Had to go back with a camera and check it out. Stunning perfume. The owners might have thought it odd a stranger smelling their tree. Not many trees covered in flowers this time of year.

[astragalus]

Love the Carlina acaulis in flower.  Mine is budded so I have hopes to see the blooms before hard frost.  Blooming now is Belamcanda chinensis.  The yellow form finished before I could photograph it.

[Maggi Young]

So does the Belamcanda chinensis live outside all year/in the ground, Anne?  I suppose you can normally rely on some snow cover so is that the answer?

[Tim Ingram]

We have just visited a friends garden and they are growing a variegated form of Clerodendron trichotomum, 'Carnival'. Wonderful scent as Brian says, and it is likely to be much more slow growing than the parent variety. After flowering this plant has deep purple-blue berries set against the red calyces; it has a lot going for it, apart from the rather pungent leaves!

[Roma]

Gentiana asclepiada

[astragalus]

So does the Belamcanda chinensis live outside all year/in the ground, Anne?  I suppose you can normally rely on some snow cover so is that the answer?

Maggi, the belamcanda lives outside and seeds itself prolifically because its owner is a bit negligent.  The yellow form is more sparing in self-seeding.  Our snow cover is not something we can count on any more and we may have several "open" periods during the winter.  Is it not supposed to be hardy?

[Maggi Young]

Well, I didn't think it was hardy, Anne - but , to be honest, that may just be something that I presumed - I know it needs good drainage to avoid rot in the winter and it may be that I translated that in my mind to "not hardy" .......    



Added info!
From Peter Goldblatt's CV  here :
http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/Portals/0/staff/PDFs/goldblatt/cvpg.pdf
 I see that in 2005 Belamcanda was transferred to  now be Iris domestica     ( Sigh!)

Belamcanda Adanson included inIris Linnaeus, and the new combination, I. domestica(Linnaeus) Goldblatt & Mabberley (Iridaceae: Iridaceae). Novon 15: 128–132. 2005 [with D. J. Mabberley].

[astragalus]

The belamcanda has been growing here for some years with and without winter snow cover.  Now that I've learned that there is a question of hardiness, it will probably die this winter!!

[astragalus]

Maggi, after a little research I learned that Belamcanda chinensis should be hardy to -30F.  That's pretty hardy.  The yellow form I grow is called "hello yellow" and is quite lovely, just not as prolific.  They can flop after a heavy downpour but I just prop them up again.  They really require no care at all and the seeds are very black and attractive, although they are poisonous.

[Maggi Young]

The belamcanda has been growing here for some years with and without winter snow cover.  Now that I've learned that there is a question of hardiness, it will probably die this winter!!

Crumbs, that would be awful - don't let them read my musings, for goodness sake!

I agree, Anne -  minus 30 F is pretty darn cold-  it must have been the  need for good drainage that clicked over in my head to being not hardy.  Little grey cells are obviously working on their own account rather than mine 

[johnw]

re: Belamcanda

I've seen it in gardens here anbd doing well.

johnw