September 2015 in the Northern Hemisphere

[Maggi Young]

Under satisfactory growing conditions it is possible to casually identify many Lupinus species. Unfortunately growing conditions can vary considerably even at the same site season to season. I have been fooled too many times making a casual identification, so now I always always check completely. To make a positive identification it is necessary to check all parts of the flower and flower bracts or lack of, as well as features of the leaves and the presence or lack of stipules.

I have been in the Owyhee uplands in the past so I will take a wild guess based on the few feature I see in the photographs that it is something like Lupinus lepidus var. aridus. There are other possibilities but this might be a good place to start. Being able to examine a blooming plant will make certain identification possible. If possible I would return when they are blooming. To the NARGS member - may it be possible for you to return to the site when they are blooming. I would like to know how I did on a long shot guess.

 Excellent to get your opinion, Robert - thank you, I'll pass that on.

We are very relieved to hear you are , for the moment at least, safe from the terrible fires in California.

[YT]

I brought my pots out from a shed today. My new bulb season has just started

[Maggi Young]

Such an exciting time, isn't it, Tatsuo?

[ashley]

My new bulb season has just started

  ... is that Merendera montana we can see already?

[YT]

Such an exciting time, isn't it, Tatsuo?

YES! it is, Maggi

... is that Merendera montana we can see already?

Thank you for your ID, Ashley That mysterious flower has already opened in a shed and came from a crocus pot. I posted a question in "Colchicum 2015" thread just a few minutes ago.

[meanie]

This is exciting (to me anyway) - the first flower buds ever are forming on my Deppea splendens.............

[Maggi Young]

I take it you have this undercover, because it'll get frozen before the flowers open, won't it?
And when it's 15 ft plus - where will you keep it??

[meanie]

I take it you have this undercover, because it'll get frozen before the flowers open, won't it?

It's not undercover yet. It will go in the greenhouse soon though just in case.

And when it's 15 ft plus - where will you keep it??

It'll be kept trimmed back. Three metres is fine by me 

[Matt T]

Looking good just now are the lovely, felty leaves of this Verbascum arcturus, grown from seed collected from the Aradena Gorge, Crete (http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=12363.0) and sown on 02 March this year. It has coped with our summer, albeit under the protection of the bulb frame. We'll see how it does over the winter but it guess it may flower next spring.

[Matt T]

Looking good just now are the lovely, felty leaves of this Verbascum arcturus, grown from seed collected from the Aradena Gorge, Crete (http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=12363.0) and sown on 02 March this year. It has coped with our summer, albeit under the protection of the bulb frame. We'll see how it does over the winter but it guess it may flower next spring.

Forgot to say that I will be sending what remaining seed I have to the Seed Exchange this year.

[Tim Ingram]

This is a super plant Matt - grew it from JJA seed quite a while ago and here is a photo at the Chelsea Physic Garden in 2014.

[vivienne Condon]

Ohhh I will be putting my name down for that one Matt as that will take our heat, does not look to tall either. It's hard to tell from your photo Tim to what height does it grow please.

[ian mcdonald]

Maggi, autumn crocus is a common name for Colchicum. As taxonomists are always changing the scientific names of wildlife (because they have nothing better to do) I prefer to use the common names. It could be said that different areas use different common names but in my garden I keep to the names I have always used.

[Tim Ingram]

Something like a foot to eighteen inches Vivienne. The violet filaments are really striking. It's a plant of cliffs and stone walls, should be good in a hot crevice garden.

[Maggi Young]

Maggi, autumn crocus is a common name for Colchicum. As taxonomists are always changing the scientific names of wildlife (because they have nothing better to do) I prefer to use the common names. It could be said that different areas use different common names but in my garden I keep to the names I have always used.

 Yes, I know it is a commonly used name, Ian. But it is not correct - colchicum are not crocus, they are not even in the same family. And given that there are crocus which flower in the autumn, what would they be called to avoid confusion ?