Pulsatilla 2014

[ChrisB]

 Well, having read these two posts I shall report back, if I get the seedling from David.  I. Love a challenge... Wonder what repotting does to the seedlings?  Are they frost tender I wonder?

[Tim Ingram]

Chris, it's more likely to be damage to the roots - pulsatillas hate root disturbance despite the curious fact that they can at times be propagated from root cuttings. Hence all those superb Farrer medal plants dug up and displayed and replanted to a lingering death. Some alpines just won't be tamed!

[David Nicholson]

My Pulsatilla occidentalis(if!) were from SRGC Exchange seed, SRGC 12/13-3259, and were sown 6 September 2013. I have successfully re-potted them three times without disturbing the roots-once from seedpot to individual mini-pots, then to 3" pots and then to 4" pots where they are at the moment. I'll try and get a pic tomorrow. Is leaf shape of any use in identifying?

[ChrisB]

Wonder if you've got the real McCoy David?

[Susann]

Tim, I am sorry to contradict you. But as you know I am a Pulatilla-fan, which of course gives that I have sown, germinated, repotted and replanted thousands of Pulsatillas. The myth of not liking root disturbance I would clearly say is just a myth. But, I think the occidentalis might be very unpleased by having the roots disturbed at young age?
Actually, my interested begun with a P vernalis given to me with the instructions "do not replant it, as it will die because it has a taprot". But my garden was fairly new and I was constructing new rockeries and borders all the time so my plants were all moved, including the Pulsatilla, back and forth, back and forth. And I learned it was absolutely no problem moving it, not even in full vegetation period and it certainly did not have a taproot.
I usually keep my Pulsatillas, all species, growing in "freely", not in pots, until it is time to move to a new home. Then I dig them up, whatever stage of flowering they are in, and bring them to the market. No problem. Nobody has ever complained that the plants die because of my rough tratement. But I do tell the buyers to please, take all-if in flower- the flowers off, so the plant can concentrate on getting established in the new sorroundings.

Pulsatilla multifida in nature

[David Nicholson]

My Pulsatilla occidentalis(if!) were from SRGC Exchange seed, SRGC 12/13-3259, and were sown 6 September 2013. I have successfully re-potted them three times without disturbing the roots-once from seedpot to individual mini-pots, then to 3" pots and then to 4" pots where they are at the moment. I'll try and get a pic tomorrow. Is leaf shape of any use in identifying?

Couple of pics here as promised.

[Lori S.]

Well.... I hate to say it, but those are very peculiar-looking leaves for Pulsatilla occidentalis.   
https://www.nargs.org/comment/23580#comment-23580

http://web.unbc.ca/~fsty201/plant_page.php?familyname=RANUNCULACEAE&plantname=Anemone%20occidentalis&commonname=%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20Mountain%20Pasque%20Flower&plantimage=Anemone%20occidentalis-spring%20image-leaves.jpg

[David Nicholson]

Well.... I hate to say it, but those are very peculiar-looking leaves for Pulsatilla occidentalis.   

You're right Lori.

[Tim Ingram]

I'm properly corrected Susann - maybe the stories have come from very established plants in gardens that growers reckon are so good they might get a Farrer Medal! Seedlings are more vulnerable, especially if they come up too close together - we did have trouble with a batch last year, but probably weren't careful enough with them, mostly they are OK. But I am another who has tried P. occidentalis and not managed to grow on young plants, so it's obviously one of the famous alpine miffs or mimps (not sure what the Swedish would be for that!).

[Lori S.]

I wonder if your plant, David, might be "Pulsatilla trisecta"... ??  I just bought an extremely odd plant labelled as such from a local greenhouse - looks sort of like your plant.
It has been talked about on this website, if you do a search.

http://jelitto.com/Seed/Perennials/PULSATILLA-patens-ssp-trisecta-f-flavescens-Portion-s--.html

[Susann]

No, sorry  Lori, I would not think of "trisecta" either, because that type of P patens has a rather sharp outer line of the leaves. If I would think that your plants are Pulsatillas, David, I would think of P chinensis, which is the only one with big rather Paeonia-like leaves. But I do not dare to say anything. I have only seen very mature plants and late in season, but the leaves slightly remember of yours. It will be very interesting to hear later on what it is? Perhaps not even a Ranunculacea? Could the pictures be moved to a "what is this"-thread, maybe?
Tim, where do you pick up all the strange words? My poor brain is as usual overheated when I read, re-read  and re-re-read your posts.

[David Nicholson]

I think I'll post my pics in both the Grow from Seed and Plant ID threads and see if anything turns up.

[Susann]

David, can this picture of P chinensis be of any help to you? It as a mature plant, and quitw late in the season, after the fruits are set. P chinensis is much "hairer" than P cernua for example (on the backside of the leaves)e

[David Nicholson]

Thanks for that Susann. That looks to be an awful lot lighter shade of green than does my plant though.

[Susann]

Maybe you can bleach them with chlorine?