Shortia

[johnw]

I can send you an old paper copy of our article if you like and have no access to the Journal archive CD.

Indeed, I discoverI can send you all by email if you like! M

Maggi - Please do as everything is in storage at the moment including the cd! I had forgotten about the bird problem, they seem to know a good plant just like the weevil.

We're anxiously awaiting Peter Korn's talk here tomorrow night.

Spring has finally arrived and the snowdrops are looking happier.

johnw

[Diane Whitehead]

we were worried that Leona would be lost. Wasn't the disease precipitated by the weakened condition of the weevil-ravaged plants?

Yes, that was the impression I got, though the 1993 article mentioned
a fungal problem.

Am I reading correctly - do you still have a Leona?

Shall we all begin bidding?

[johnw]

we were worried that Leona would be lost. Wasn't the disease precipitated by the weakened condition of the weevil-ravaged plants?

Yes, that was the impression I got, though the 1993 article mentioned
a fungal problem.

Am I reading correctly - do you still have a Leona?

Shall we all begin bidding?

Diane - I still have Leona but at the time of the Shortia "disease" outbreak we didn't. So we were worried it would be lost. Clever Steve would have repeated the cross if he had.

Leona does well here. We got it at Grand Ridge in 1995, so the problem was short-lived. I saw an incredible clump of it at Nick Nicou's in Connecticut - several metres across!!!  Maria Galletti at Alpines Mt Echo was propagating it from Nick's clump but I can't recall if it was in her catalogue.  You are pretty close to Grand Ridge, Steve is probably selling it.

johnw 

[johnw]

Diane  -   Sudden inspiration! You might talk to Philip MacDougall at Chlorophyllia about rooting you a Shortia 'Leona'.  I'm fairly certain he has it.  Hopefully you made it to Steve's?

johnw

[Diane Whitehead]

No, I haven't been off the Island since the Winter Study Weekend at the end
of February, but I'll be going to the U.S. in mid May.

I bought seeds of Shortia uniflora and Schizocodon soldanelloides var magnus
from Göteborg, and shared half of each packet with a friend.  I sowed mine
into four clear covered containers and put one pair outside and the other on a
window sill above the heater in my living room.  This was done April 4, and today
I have noticed a tiny green seedling in each of the inside containers.  They might
be weeds that had got into my sphagnum peat bag, but they look quite different
from each other, so in any event, they are not one kind of weed.

[WimB]

Hello,

Here are some pictures of my young seedlings of the seed I bought from the Göteborg botanical garden.
Only the ones sown on the peat-sand mixture have germinated thus far. I hope they'll make.

1) Schizocodon ilicifolius
2) Shortia uniflora
3) Schizocodon soldanelloides var. magnus

Greetz

Wim

[johnw]

Wim - Those uniflora seedlings look lusty!

johnw

[johnw]

Shortia galacifolia is always the first one out here, this one a seedling planted 2 years ago.  It came out yesterday. Berneuxia thibetica almost out.

Excuse the Pieris seedlings in the photo, it is a pest the way it seeds about -  by the 1,000's.

Diane - these are all growing in full sun so sure you will succeed in flowering in sun too. Note the reddish foliage from autumn and winter sun.

johnw - another brilliant day.

[johnw]

Here is the Berneuxia, a tiny plant but rock hardy, planted last year.

As well a small Schizocodon soldanelloides seedling in full sun. The green segmented leaf was covered by a dead leaf.

johnw

[Diane Whitehead]

I just compared the leaves on my two Shortias.  A galacifolia leaf is the size
of my palm (7.5 cm each way) and a uniflora leaf can be hidden by the end
of my thumb (2 cm each way).

Does this seem right?

[johnw]

I just compared the leaves on my two Shortias.  A galacifolia leaf is the size
of my palm (7.5 cm each way) and a uniflora leaf can be hidden by the end
of my thumb (2 cm each way).

Does this seem right?

Diane - The most variation in leaf size, toothing and shape that I've seen was in Schizocodon. S. uniflora of course can be big to tiny, ie var. minima.

A friend photostated all his various Schizocodon selections and it is a remarkable sight in black and white.


However I have never seen a S. galacifolia with leaves that big. Sound like life is too easy for it, unless it's a Galax ( kidding, but a great plant)  Some Schizocodon, S. uniflora and S. galacifolia can all have leaves to 7cm, some to 12cm according to Peter Barnes. Can you imagine S. sinensis with leaves 13cm x 6cm!

 - see

http://www.barnes-botany.co.uk/shortia.html.

Forgot to mention I do topdress with well-rotted manure every Spring keeping it away from the leaves and crown. however I never see resulting larger leaves just better growth and bulking up.

 johnw

[Diane Whitehead]

I checked my garden map and there is a question mark beside S. galacifolia.
Checked the db, and I bought Galax aphylla from Rick Lupp in '97, which is
when the plants in that area were planted. So maybe it is Galax.

Here's a photo of it, and a photo of my only remaining Shortia, S. uniflora
grandiflora rosea from Bovee in Portland, Oregon.  Really bug-chewed.

[johnw]

I too have found Shortia weevil prone unless in lots of sun. My first S. uniflora came from Glenn Patterson in Vancouver, a remarkable clump at his former garden with very small leaves and pink flowers.

No question Diane, the S. galacifolia be Galax, another fine plant in Diapencaea.  Also does well in full sun with great winter colour. Sadly I never see it for sale.

Here are a few Galax shots in NS on the 7th of March 2008. Ones in the shade are entirely green. Early in the 1900's the leaves were bundled and shipped by the train-carload from the south to NY and Boston for the florists!

Mine took years to bloom in shade and they now seed about moderately.

johnw

[Lesley Cox]

Forgot to mention I do topdress with well-rotted manure every Spring keeping it away from the leaves and crown. however I never see resulting larger leaves just better growth and bulking up.

 johnw

John, do you mean animal manure as in cow? horse? (I note the "well rotted") or do you mean compost?

[johnw]

Diane  - Here is the scan of various Schizocodon leaf shapes on the copy machine. I can send you a full-sized copy. Note for the correct scale the leaf in the bottom left hand corner should measure 3.5" (8.89 cm) across.

Shortias and Schizocodons must be very cold hardy as an acquaintance in Fredericton, New Brunswick grew many despite winter lows approaching -40c.

One could get (is) hooked.

johnw