alpine and subalpine Plants from New Zealand

[Lesley Cox]

Do you also get the round, orange fruit on your leucopogon Thomas, following the flowers? They are very attractive especially in quantity.

[Leucogenes]

Do you also get the round, orange fruit on your leucopogon Thomas, following the flowers? They are very attractive especially in quantity.

Yes, the fruits in autumn are very pretty, Lesley. Unfortunately I couldn't find a better photo of it in the archive...

[Leucogenes]

...but the very sight of the foliage makes my heart beat faster. 😊

Thomas

[Leucogenes]

Not much is blooming in my little New Zealand at the moment...Hebe buchanananii var. minor, however, for the first time. I hope it's the correct name.
And Gaultheria parvula shows her best side.

Thomas

[Leucogenes]

This year again, only L. grandiceps of the four existing species of the genus Leucogenes will flower.

Thomas

[Leucogenes]

Helichrysum selago var. tumidum seems to be indestructible. 😊

[Lesley Cox]

I assume Thomas, that you have a plant/s of Leucogenes leontopodium? I wonder why that one doesn't flower? For me it's by far the easiest to grow, flower and propagate from either cuttings or seed. I find L. grandiceps very tricky indeed and have lost it several times, so I envy you for your nice plant and good photo of it.

Getting cold here now.  Yesterday morning our outside temperature guage was -7C  and this morning was -8C. That's quite severe for here.

[Leucogenes]

Hi Lesley

I am currently still in the lucky position of having all four species of this genus in my small collection. I have several copies of Leucogenes leontopodium. The last time, however, it flowered was in 2016. I don't know why.

From L. grandiceps I only have the one already shown and another small one. Last year two plants of L. grandiceps blossomed...However time-shifted. Last year and also this week I tried to pollinate the flowers with a brush. I was able to harvest some seeds, but I suspect that several flowering plants are needed to obtain germinable seeds. I've sown the seeds and I'll wait.

My specimen of Leucogene's grandiceps has relatively long shoots. I am very grateful for the flowers...but the different growth forms in Reply # 165 by David Lyttle are a thousand times more beautiful.

I have often tried to propagate this plant with cuttings. I haven't succeeded either.

Leucogenes neglecta and Leucogenes tarahaoa ( Only one copy at a time 😭) have never flowered... but the flowers are just a bonus to me anyway. I am fascinated by the whole habitus and every day I am grateful to admire a small part of the New Zealand plants in my garden.

By the way...it is very warm here at the moment (32°C yesterday) and there are strong local thunderstorms every evening. Overall, May was much too dry.

Thomas

[Leucogenes]

These seedlings give me a headache...David and Dave . They were purchased seeds from the legendary Notothlaspi rosulatum. Since I understandably have no experience with this plant, I wonder whether I have actually succeeded in germinating this precious plant. The slightly serrated shape of the leaves could be an indication.

Maybe you have experience with this treasure and can give me an ID?

Sowing on 12.01.2017

I thank in advance
Thomas

[Dionysia]

Hello Thomas
I haven't had Notothlaspi rosulatum for a while but I did manage to show it at the 2009 Malvern AGS show. There is a photo' and brief write up on the AGS website. Go to AGS Groups/Group websites/Wiltshire Group/News. Although the group folded last December the site is still available. The seed was SRGC wild collected sown in December 2007. It is a very difficult plant to keep remotely in character; this was my best ever effort.
Regards
Paul

[Maggi Young]

Direct link to  see  the picture Paul (Dionysia)  mentions here :  http://www.alpinegardensociety.net/groups/Wiltshire/news/

[Leucogenes]

Maggi...thank you very much for the great service. Same as always. Paul already sent me the link. We have been writing each other for some time and I am very grateful and happy about this correspondence.  A true master of his trade.

By the way...it is a "shame" that this extraordinary jewel of botany can be seen in this contribution of the AGS in the middle part. That belongs at the top. 😁😁

Thomas

[t00lie]

These seedlings give me a headache...David and Dave . They were purchased seeds from the legendary Notothlaspi rosulatum. Since I understandably have no experience with this plant, I wonder whether I have actually succeeded in germinating this precious plant. The slightly serrated shape of the leaves could be an indication.

Maybe you have experience with this treasure and can give me an ID?

Sowing on 12.01.2017

I thank in advance
Thomas

Hello Thomas
 
I have no experience of germinating or growing Notothlaspi rosulatum however Ger van den Beuken posted an image on FB back in early May of his penwiper seedlings ,(which look similar to yours),so you may be in luck..... .
Best wishes for a successful outcome.

I haven't had Notothlaspi rosulatum for a while but I did manage to show it at the 2009 Malvern AGS show. There is a photo' and brief write up on the AGS website. Go to AGS Groups/Group websites/Wiltshire Group/News. Although the group folded last December the site is still available. The seed was SRGC wild collected sown in December 2007. It is a very difficult plant to keep remotely in character; this was my best ever effort.
Regards
Paul

Congratulations Paul yours is a wonderful effort as N.R. can vary a little in the wild as shown in the following photo's.

My shots of Doug Logan 'sneaking up ' on a good sized plant and close up .





An image from Doug of a couple of plants.



Cheers Dave.

[Leucogenes]

Hi Dave

I'm so happy to hear from you again. It's been a while. I hope you had a nice summer and autumn and are in the best of health.

Your testimony gives me great hope. Perhaps I am very lucky and it is indeed Notothlaspi rosulatum.

It would be the culmination of my modest efforts to cultivate a small part of the alpine flora of New Zealand.

Your pictures are gorgeously beautiful. Especially Doug Logan's sneaking up on me is very successful. I hope you've observed the wind direction... like any great hunter. 😂😂

So I will be patient and try to keep this botanical treasure alive...if it really is Notothlaspi rosulatum. For me it is like "the Holy Grail" and further cultivation is almost squaring the circle. 😁

Hope is the last to die...In the appendix again a somewhat better photo .

All the best
Thomas

[t00lie]

Hello Thomas

Yes all well here thanks .Been very busy finishing off work for clients before winter bites which it has this week with heavy frosts and cold daytime temps .......

Here's a couple more images 





The scaling ? where the hairs grow ,(sorry i don't know the correct botanical description) on the leaves in your closeup photograph convinces me that you have the 'real deal'.   .

Cheers Dave.