June 2014 in the Northern Hemisphere

[Steve Garvie]

A cracking flower Paul. I had always assumed that it needed hot dry conditions -with a flower like that it surely couldn't be otherwise.  I once had it from Flores and Watson seed many years ago but managed to cook it. Very tempting to try it again, I can do cool and shady (though my daughter would dispute the former).

[PaulM]

A very nice plant Paul. I've had some experiences with seeds from Chilean Native Seeds myself, and my experience is that they germinate very badly.

Here is a picture of Calylophus berlandieri ssp pinifolius, which is a really neat plant. I got this piece of information from Texas A&M University: "These flowers are insect-pollinated and show a number of interesting adaptations that help pollinators zero in.  Some species have markings visible under ultraviolet light, which many insects can see.  The type we saw, C. berlandieri subsp. pinifolius, often has some pigment visible to humans as well.  Some of the flowers are solid yellow, but many have a black stigma to mark the center of the flower.  Still others have a striking black throat in addition to the black stigma."


Another species from SW United States is Gaillardia suavis, which isn't very conspicuous, but has a marvelous scent which spreads quite a distance, especially if there is a bunch of flowers at the same time. I can just imagine what it would feel like to stand in a field of these in Texas.


There are distinct similarities to it's more northern occuring cousin Gaillardia aristata.

I finish this post with two pictures of Sphaeralcea fendleri, which is not quite as orange as Mutisia. It thrives in dry conditions with as much sun as possible. Hardy as long as it is kept dry.

[PaulM]

Ribes lobbii is a gooseberry with very nice flowers...almost like little fuchsias.

[meanie]

There are some gems on this thread!

The two standouts for me are both from Paul M - Salvia cadmica and Verbascum wiedemannianum. Lovely!

I'm almost embarrassed by my offerings;
I plant a couple of Impatiens niamniamensis out in fairly shady spots every year and they do really well..................


Salvia transsylvanica..................


Salvia discolor has loved the recent warm spell...................


Salvia microphylla..................


Salvia "Raspberry Royalle"...................


Sollya heterophylla in full bloom.................


And Arisaema tortuosum....................

[PaulM]

You seem to have a treasure chest full of gems yourself meanie. I'm totally blown away by your pictures of fantastic plants. You don't think you could spare me some seeds of Impatiens niamniamensis ?
I have been trying to raise plants of Impatiens namchambarwensis for two years now, which I have bought from Plant World Seeds, but they never germinate once they have been dry stored and it's a waste of time  not to say money.

[astragalus]

Wonderful photographs.

[Tim Ingram]

Very struck by Mutisia decurrens - this is one of those many plants we grew from seed from JJA but sold and never got going in the garden. I too imagined it would prefer warm and dry conditions. I've only ever seen this in the old alpine house at Kew, but I remember a marvellous plant of M. oligodon on the corner of a raised bed at Wisley a few years back. Verbascum wiedemannianum is yet another treasure that came from JJA, flowered once and we didn't manage to keep - seed seems very shy to germinate compared with other verbascums which come up like cress!

[Paul Cumbleton]

The only 'down' side to the Mutisia decurrens is that the bottoms of the stems seem to quickly go woody and have dead leaves, making the plant as a whole look rather "untidy". But I can forgive it that for the sake of the flowers!

Paul

[John85]

Yesterday Tim Ingram wrote that Erodiums are not specially popular.
I agree...unfortunately.
One reason may be that they are affected by "sudden summer wilting".
I had a very large collection and several nice home made hybrids and i lost nearly everything due to a fungal disease and yet they were grown in a rock garden with excellent drainage.I tried Trianum on some and chemical fungicide on others,but nothing could eradicate it.
Several nurserymen told me they also had the problem and that they lost their parentplants and that they were not to grow them again.
So be warned!Always keep some replacements in pots of every sp or cv.

[Robert]

I wish that we could get our Salvia discolor to bloom as long as yours meanie. The silvery foliage is nice and we do end up with flowers in the late fall, then we hope that it does not get too frosted in the wintertime.

Beautiful plants and photographs. I especially liked the Impatiens niamniamensis.

[Gerdk]

Here is Jovellana sinclairii - flowering the first time for me

Gerd

[PaulM]

Verbascum chionophyllum is wooliness extravaganza, and the plant always reminds me of the time when I encountered this species in central Turkey in 2004. As I was driving along I passed some plants on the side of the road and and stepped on the break. Fortunately traffic isn't very intense on Turkish country roads so I didn't get hit. I managed to find some ripe seeds and it has set seed in cultivation too, so I hope to keep it going for a long time, because it's definitely one of my favorite plants. Needs very good drainage and little water, which keeps it compact. Even without flowers it's an appealing plant because of its grey tomentum.


Stachys citrina is finally flowering for me now, after about three years. It also has tomentose leaves but no way near the mullein.

[PaulM]

Very nice Jovellana Gerdk ! Is it Australian ?

[meanie]

You seem to have a treasure chest full of gems yourself meanie. I'm totally blown away by your pictures of fantastic plants.

Thanks! Could the treasure chest effect be that they are plants that are not normally on your radar? That's how I feel here. You guys grow plants that I've never heard of and I think WOW!

You don't think you could spare me some seeds of Impatiens niamniamensis ?

If it produces seed they're yours. If you were in the UK I could send you a cutting.

I have been trying to raise plants of Impatiens namchambarwensis for two years now, which I have bought from Plant World Seeds, but they never germinate once they have been dry stored and it's a waste of time  not to say money.

Frustrating, but no pain no gain. I tried several times to grow Lapageria before I got lucky.

[meanie]

I wish that we could get our Salvia discolor to bloom as long as yours meanie. The silvery foliage is nice and we do end up with flowers in the late fall, then we hope that it does not get too frosted in the wintertime.

Beautiful plants and photographs. I especially liked the Impatiens niamniamensis.

Of all my plants S.discolor is the best doer imaginable. I keep it frost free over the winter, but apart from that it will bloom virtually frost to frost (buds from late season seem happy to mark time whilst it's in my shed with poor light and then carry on as soon as it goes back out).
I personally cannot resist rubbing the foliage for that blackcurrant smell. A little hard now that it's on the kitchen roof..................


...........but it does provide a lovely view of it as I walk out the back door and look up (the perfect way to display this almost straggly plant with the long arching stems).

The joy of Salvia is they fulfil so many requirements. Here's my best "look at me, I'm a show off" plant at the moment - S.forsskaolii (it really does get better by the day.................