alpine and subalpine Plants from New Zealand

[t00lie]

Hello Thomas,

You grow NZ plants very well much better than we do in our gardens. You might like to see a photo of Gentianella saxosa in the wild. It was taken on the coast down near Invercargill where Dave Toole lives. Most of these coastal plants are now gone except in a few places and on Stewart Island.

Thomas

As David's photo shows G.saxosa can be seen in great numbers on coastal turf-lands .

It can also be found nearby on sand dunes and along the southern coast in other spots just a few metres above the high tide mark where it can form sizable growths.

Another habitat is in forest/shrub where it grows on open rock outcrops where there is less competition from other vegetation .

Cheers Dave.

[David Lyttle]

Dave's last photo of Gentianella saxosa shows Epilobium komarovianum and Colobanthus muellerii in the foreground. It is intriguing that the Gentianella and the Colobanthus are both coastal species but the Epilobium  can be found up to 1600 metres ( high alpine in New Zealand).

[Gabriela]

Very beautiful pictures showing G. saxosa in its habitat!

[ranunculus]

Hi folks, just a note to let you know that large pots of G. saxosa (in full bounteous flower) were on sale at a local garden centre for £1.60 just the other day.  I purchased two and split each pot into two ... what a bargain.

[David Lyttle]

Hi folks, just a note to let you know that large pots of G. saxosa (in full bounteous flower) were on sale at a local garden centre for £1.60 just the other day.  I purchased two and split each pot into two ... what a bargain.

Well you would not have found it in a local garden centre in New Zealand; even our friends at Hokonui Alpines do not seem to have it listed. Apart from a few specialist growers I doubt if any one has heard of it here.

[t00lie]

Very beautiful pictures showing G. saxosa in its habitat!

Thanks Gabriela .

Well you would not have found it in a local garden centre in New Zealand; even our friends at Hokonui Alpines do not seem to have it listed. Apart from a few specialist growers I doubt if any one has heard of it here.

 

[David Lyttle]

On occasions though we can manage to grow our own alpines; Celmisia philocremna flowering in my garden at present.

[t00lie]

On occasions though we can manage to grow our own alpines; Celmisia philocremna flowering in my garden at present.

Very nice Mr Lyttle .
A cutting from the 'original' plant ?.

Hokonui had some yummy natives for sale when I visited this afternoon David.

I'll try and put up photos tomorrow of a couple of purchases , namely ....... Leucogenes 'Nevis Hybrid' ,(L.grandiceps x Helichrysum bellidioides) and Raoulia eximia x Leucogenes grandiceps.

Cheers Dave.

[David Lyttle]

Yes, that plant has history as you know---
I still hope to get down to Hokonui fairly soon. There is a lot of space in my crevice garden.

[Leucogenes]

Hello, you three...

@Cliff... congratulations to this bargain. Also in Germany I have never seen such a thing in a normal market garden. A lot of luck and fun with it 😁

@David... your copy of Celmisia philocremna is an absolute dream. Especially brilliantly I find the relatively thick stalk. A nice proportion all together. I hope this you in a visit in the market garden Hokonui alpine many nice plants can also shop... I would still have a lot of place for such treasures. 😉, By the way, I got some weeks ago of a New Zealand traveller and plant expert some seeds of C. philocremna. I am absolutely happy. This is first sometimes relatively fresh I the seed from New Zealand has agreed. I have sowed a part of the seeds. The rest I become in winter would see.

 @Dave... many thanks for your pictures of Gentianella saxosa in this fantastic scenery. I have been glad very much. I can hardly expect to see the other plants of Hokonui alpine. It sounds very interesting. I envy you a little to buy such great hybrid. The complete torture.😉😉

 So I am glad always tremendously about the great pictures of you both.

Thanks  Thomas

[t00lie]

Dave... many thanks for your pictures of Gentianella saxosa in this fantastic scenery. I have been glad very much. I can hardly expect to see the other plants of Hokonui alpine. It sounds very interesting. I envy you a little to buy such great hybrid. The complete torture.😉😉.

Thanks  Thomas

Here are the two Hokonui purchases planted out today.

Leucogenes 'Nevis Hybrid' ,(L.grandiceps x Helichrysum bellidioides), followed by ....

Raoulia eximia x Leucogenes grandiceps .I suspect it will need a 'hat' during prolonged wet weather so I placed a couple of stones either side on which to put a piece of clear polycarbonate.

[Leucogenes]

Hi Dave...

 really two very nice and interesting plants. Indeed, has struck me a little bit. I can ascertain with the form of the foliage with the hybrid Raoulia exima x L. grandiceps anyhow no resemblance by the round form with L. grandiceps. I can also wander of course. I know the foliage with L. grandiceps only in the form like in picture 1 and 2. Should blood of Leucogenes really exist, then maybe from L. tarahaoa or L. neglecta. Anyway these are two very nice plants and I would have them of course also very much with pleasure. 😉

 I am curious on the further development very much.

Thomas

[t00lie]

You are very observant Thomas 

I'm not 'up to play' with the collection details or any other information regarding the Raoulia hybrid so I'll pass on your comments next time I'm in contact with the nursery unless Mr Lyttle beats me to it as I understand he has a visit planned in the near future.........

By the way your Leucogenes photos are lovely.   

Cheers Dave.

[Lesley Cox]

Hokonui Alpines have listed Gentianella saxosa quite recently as I bought it there maybe 18 months ago. Listed at $8NZ which is approx 3GBP depending on the exchange rate.

[David Lyttle]

Hello Thomas,

 Hybridisation in New Zealand Gnaphalieae gets a bit complex so rather than a complete discussion I can show a couple of examples. I will start off by showing two forms of Anaphalioides bellidiodes (formerly Helichrysum bellidioides).

Local form growing in my crevice garden



Form with silver hairs on leaves growing on the Lammermoor Range in Chionochloa rigida tussock grassland.



Hybrid between Anaphalioides bellidioides and Leucogenes grandiceps from Mt Burns showing the flowers. It is the same cross as the plant Dave got from Hokonui Nursery. It is more a curiosity than a good horticultural plant.