Tropaeolum

[Alberto]

Hi all, the pictures is of Tropaeolum brachyceras, I think. I had as T. tricolor that is not of course. Anyone else grow tuberous Tropaeolum? Who knows a source of them. I tried to sow them with no success! what is your experience?

 

[Susan Band]

Hi Alberto,
I have grown Tropaeolum incisum from seed collected by the Archibalds in Chile. It has been about 5 or 6 years since I sowed it and I now have loads of it in about 2 or 3 different shades. I persume it came up easily. I keep it in a polystyrene box, although it is under cover I am sure that isn't nescessary. I will post a pic tomorrow when I have more time.

[Susan Band]

Here is the Pic of Tropaeolum incisum

[Gerdk]

Alberto,
Here are my germination results of a few Tropaeolum
T. austropurpureum - 20.12.07 -  germination  4 from   5
T. beuthii               - 15.01.06    germination  4 from 10
T. beuthii               - 31.12.06    germination  0 from 10
T. brachyceras        - 17.01.07    germination   2 from 10 
T. polyphyllum        - 15.01.07    germination   1 from   5 

I did not give the seeds a special treatment. I had similar results with T. ciliatum and T. speciosum.

Sorry, I cannot give any advices concerning successful cultivation.

Gerd

[Alberto]

Susan and Gerd, many thanks. Do you know a source for seeds?

Ciao
Alberto

[Gerdk]

Alberto,
AGS - NARGS - SRGC
maybe there are some commercial suppliers in GB (Thompson & Morgan?)

Gerd

[David Nicholson]

Susan and Gerd, many thanks. Do you know a source for seeds?

Ciao
Alberto

Alberto,

for Tropaolum brachyceras and T. speciosum
http://www.secretseeds.com/acatalog/TUVWXYZ.html  

[Tony Willis]

Alberto,
Here are my germination results of a few Tropaeolum
T. austropurpureum - 20.12.07 -  germination  4 from   5
T. beuthii               - 15.01.06    germination  4 from 10
T. beuthii               - 31.12.06    germination  0 from 10
T. brachyceras        - 17.01.07    germination   2 from 10 
T. polyphyllum        - 15.01.07    germination   1 from   5 

I did not give the seeds a special treatment. I had similar results with T. ciliatum and T. speciosum.

Sorry, I cannot give any advices concerning successful cultivation.

Gerd

I have three of these as lovely tubers plus azureum all from Watsons seed .They have been growing for years and they all flowered last year. This year not a shoot apart from azureum.Cultivation seems a pig,I have not changed the growing conditions and I can see no reason why they have stayed dormant.Here they are flowering last year. I think the spiders web adds to the hookerianum picture

[Paul T]

Tony,

They're notorious for skipping years.  My brachycerus skipped last season completely, so I am hoping that this year it'll return.  A year ago T. tricolor in the ground skipped, and that was a whole clump of it.  Not a single shoot.  I dug down and checked and the tubers were all there and plenty came up this year, but the whole clump didn't bother last year.  No idea why they do it, although someone was mentioning on one of the lists that lack of water at a certain time of year can cause it.  I only grow the above two species, so can't comment on any of the others.  I have coveted azureum for a while, but seeing your picture of hookerianum I am thinking that I will be coveting that one too.  Very nice!!

[Michael]

I wish they coulg grow as easy as T. majus... They are wonderfull, specially the blue and red ones!!

[Maggi Young]

Mike, email me with your postal address and I'll send you a Tropaeolum tricolorum in the summer.

[Michael]

Hi MAggi!

Many thanks i will do it right away. I think i have some seeds that you also might be interested.
 

[mickeymuc]

Hi there !

I have been buying seeds of different species, but no germination apart from one T. ciliatum.
In autumn, I bought two tubers of T. tricolorum from Paul Christian, and they grew very well (inside in a cold bedroom) and are full of flowers at the moment. I think this species is not difficult and very beautiful ! By the way, 5 GBP is a reasonable price to my opinion - I'll see if I can take a pic these days.
Ciliatum, brachyceras and pantaphyllum are also available at Paul Christian's (www.rareplants.co.uk), but I have only had T. ciliatum which was neither floriferous nor beautiful, so I left it outside - we'll see if it's still alive (I bet it is...).

Best regards from Munich ! 

Michael

p.s. Tony, seeing your hookerianum and brachyceras makes me want these species ! So beautiful....in case hookerianum sets seed I'd be very happy about some ! Somehow I suspect the bad results in germination from commercial seeds may be caused by old seeds....

[SueG]

Plant world seeds often have a selection too http://www.plant-world-seeds.com/ I got T beuthii from them and got one seedling germinated last year and another one gernminated recently - yet to get a flower but may do this year.
Sue

[Brian Ellis]

Mike, if you are interested in Tropaeolum tuberosum 'Ken Aslet' pm me.