Hepatica 2014

[Peter Maguire]

I keep mine in plunge beds so they're 'on top of the staging' - underneath is very dark, I don't know what's lurking down there. 
However they are shaded as are the other plants with outside shade netting when/if we start to get some sunshine, then when the flowers are finished there is a second layer of shading put in place inside the glazing for the plunge bed where the hepaticas are. They seem to like those conditions.

[Jonny_SE]

A new one flowering for the first time here Hepatica nobilis "Black Eyes" I really like this one  half and fully open.

[johnstephen29]

Thanks for the advice Peter

[Maggi Young]

From Al Elliott at  RBGE : Hepatica falconeri evolutionary link between Hepatica & Anemone collected in Kyrgystan on  a Botanics expedition

[Mavers]

I've never seen that before Maggi.

[Maggi Young]

It's a very interesting plant - very rare.

Description in Flora of Pakistan is under Anemone :http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=5&taxon_id=250097043

This paper : Morphology, Phenology and Cytology of Hepatica falconeri in Pakistan
Mikinori Ogisu, M. Rashid Awan, Tomoo Mabuchi and Yuki Mikanagi
Kew Bulletin
Vol. 57, No. 4 (2002), pp. 943-953  ( available online free  via registration) - this page shows the beginning of the article,  which shows tha M. Ogisu et al regard it as belonging more  in the genus Hepatica. http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/4115724?uid=3738032&uid=2129&uid=2&uid=70&uid=4&sid=21103644977311

Harry Jans has described this plant as one of the most special he saw on this trip to Kyrgyzstan  : http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=9843.0
So much to learn about this plant, eh?

Forumist Glenn Shapiro, who has a National Collection, has mentioned it too : http://www.hazelwoodfarm.co.uk/LHSArticle.htm - she may be able to tell more.

[Gerry]

A new one flowering for the first time here Hepatica nobilis "Black Eyes" I really like this one  half and fully open.

That's very nice. Are the flowers small in 'real life'?

[Gunilla]

Are the flowers small in 'real life'?

Not very small.

Hepatica nobilis alba plena from Öland
Hepatica nobilis "Black Eye"

[Gerry]

Nice contrast.

[annew]

Two stunning flowers - I look forward to more double Nobilis being available in the UK.

[hwscot]

Can someone say what is the form with Hepatica seed r.e. the seed exchange? Is there a way of keeping them viable long enough to send in or do people just distribute spare at this time of year. I have a hundred or so from a nice deep pink form of H. nobilis. Nothing rare or special but grows well in the garden. Happy to post. Have cross-posted to seedy subjects. MMC.

[ichristie]

I have sent seed in a poly bag mixed with damp perlite usually once it is ripe and have saved some for a week or so seems to work but not sure how long you could keep it probably rot after a while, cheers Ian the Christie kind.

[Diane Clement]

Can someone say what is the form with Hepatica seed r.e. the seed exchange? Is there a way of keeping them viable long enough to send in or do people just distribute spare at this time of year.

The AGS and SRGC have been distributing damp packed hepatica seed with the main distribution for the last few years.  The best conditions if you are donating is to put them with some damp vermiculite into a zip lock bag.  They will not harm or rot at this stage, as long as they are above about 12C, i.e don't put them in the fridge!  In nature they would at this point be experiencing damp summer woodland conditions which they need for a few weeks.  As soon as  they are put in the cold the radicle will start to develop and then the rot could start if they are not sown quite quickly.  I have personally repacked all AGS damp packed hepatica and other ephemeral seed, to ensure they are still kept relatively warm at this stage (November), and I repack them into small zip locks then into glassine envelopes for the distribution.  I put a message on the back of the packet to alert the receiver that the seed needs to be sown immediately into cold conditions in December and January.  With a few that I have trialled from this process, I have had quite good germination with hepaticas and others ephemerals, although sometimes they have taken another year to germinate. 

[johnstephen29]

I picked up this new hepatica at the weekend, Hepatica nobilis var. pyrenaica. Can anyone tell me if it is hardy in the uk? Thanks John

Hepatica nobilis var. pyrenaica by johnstephen29, on Flickr

[Ulla Hansson]

It is hardy outside in Sweden, so it should be hardy outside in England.