alpine and subalpine Plants from New Zealand

[David Lyttle]

This link may be of interest to some https://blog.tepapa.govt.nz/2020/10/14/photo-essay-remote-field-work-collecting-forget-me-nots-in-the-south-island/ Heidi has lead a number of successful field trips looking at New Zealand Myosotis species which I have been fortunate to participate in. It is a great experience going out in the field with some of the best botanists in New Zealand.

[David Lyttle]

The NZ alpines in my crevice garden are in the process of putting on their seasonal show Anaphalioides are easy plants to grow especially A. bellidioides which I picked up locally.
Anaphalioides bellidioides





Anaphalioides hookeri is also common locally on roadside banks



I have another form of A. bellidioides which I collected from Martyr Saddle in South Westland. It was growing on ultramafic substrate and was did not look very promising as a garden plant. On good soil it has turned out to be a brilliant plant with much larger flowers than any other form I have seen.
Anaphalioides bellidioides Martyr Saddle form



The next plant is Helichrysum intermedium var tumidum. That is not its correct botanical name for reasons I will not go in to but it will suffice for the time being. It grows at two places on the local sea cliffs.
Helichrysum intermedium var tumidum

[David Lyttle]

A hybrid between Anaphalioides bellidioides and Helichrysum intermedium var tumidum is known as Helichrysum 'Graeme Patterson'. I bought my specimen from the garden shop. I am not sure that it is an improvement over either of its parents.





A rockery plant that does well for me is Myosotis saxosa. The centre of this particular plant died back but enough survived to flower this year.
Myosotis saxosa

[t00lie]

 

[David Lyttle]

Celmisias are an interest of mine. There are about 60 species and the majority of them are alpines. As well as  all the species numerous hybrids occur in the field. Celmisias are easy to propagate but difficult to keep in cultivation. Apparently healthy plants have a tendency to collapse without warning so it is always a challenge maintaining a collection.

Celmisia bellidioides is on of the easy ones provided it is grown in a damp spot. I have planted it beside a concrete water tank.





This next Celmisia is proving to be a really good one. I collected it from the Takatimu Mountains and have not been able to identify it.



The last Celmisia is one I collected last summer from Fiordland. It is probably a hybrid between Celmisia sessiliflora and Celmisia hectori and has just produced a flower.
Celmisa sessiliflora x hectori

[David Lyttle]

Two last plants
Hebe buchananii 'Sir George Fenwick ' which is a dwarf, compact form of the species.



and Carmichaelia monroii. These dwarf brooms are great in pots. I have  five species, C. monroi, C. vexillata, C. astonii and C. corrugata and C. nana. In a good year the whole cushion is covered with flowers. The plant shown in the photo is in the crevice garden not a pot.
Carmichaelia monroii

[Maggi Young]

Great  selection of  plants, David - what's  not  to love  about  Celmisias? Enchanting  plants - and  Myosotis saxosa  is  a  dote.  Not  sure  if  it  is  still alive  here - hope  so!

As  to   Helichrysum 'Graeme Patterson' - well, perhaps  it's  easiest  to  describe  it  a  "interesting" - being  sure to  use  quotation marks!
 ( I mean to cast  no aspersions  on Mr  Patterson, merely  to say that in comparison to the  other beauties  shown by  David  Lyttle, the  plant  named  for  GP pales  somewhat! )

[Lesley Cox]

If I remember correctly, (and perhaps I don't), Graeme Patterson was a member of staff at Dunedin Botanic Garden for some years until moving north to Timaru where I lived at the time, and becoming Curator of the "public" rather than "botanic" garden there adding quality plant material to the bedding and other displays which were and still are the garden's main attraction. He was well liked and respected and always had a strong interest in New Zealand's native alpine plants, giving talks to plant groups in both cities. I don't know whether the hybrid which commemorates him was raised in Dunedin or Timaru or perhaps found in the wild but even though not a spectacular plant it is still sometimes listed by nurseries and is cherished for its associations.

[t00lie]

Lovely to see how well your Celmisias are flowering this season Mr Lyttle  . Some of my smaller species have also been good but admittedly not as heavy in bloom as yours  .

I had a recent trip onto Little Omarama Saddle, South Canterbury to try and photograph the green leaf form of Ranunculus crithmifolius I came across a couple ? of seasons ago when Julia Corden was last out in NZ. Images to follow later once i figure out how to do so from the photo library on this new laptop....

[David Lyttle]

Hi Maggi,

Thank you for your comments. My native collection has been neglected a bit lately. No incentive to prepare plants for shows due COVID restrictions earlier in the year. Celmisias are somewhat frustrating garden subjects; sometimes you have them and sometimes you don't so you need to accept there is a turnover and keep propagating fresh material. A friend of mine volunteers at the rare plant garden at the Orokonui Ecosanctuary just out of Dunedin. They had a magnificent bed of Celmisia hookeri until the takahe got into it and tore it up. Celmisia hookeri is a species I have not had any success with not withstanding I have no takahe in my garden. It should be easy as it is relative local (North Otago) and coastal. I grow Celmisia mackaui (Banks Peninsula). It is very happy and seeds around freely. I think Celmisias as bedding plants is a great idea but progress towards realising the concept is slow.

As Leslie said Helichrysum 'Graeme Patterson' is named after Mr Graeme Paterson. It was originally collected from the wild at Cape Saunders which is one of the two locations where H. intermedium var tumidum is found. I have an idea who collected and named it but my memory is not all that good on the details so will need to check before I can confirm the information.

Hi Dave, Pleased you got to Little Omarama Saddle and look forward to seeing what you found. I have been a bit tied up here with a major construction project but hopefully it will be done by next week.

[Leucogenes]

David

I too am totally thrilled by the splendor in your garden.

For us here "up here" it is even more difficult to cultivate Celmisia successfully. If you can even get hold of seeds or adult plants.

In my garden Celmisia allanii blooms best. With the three following specimens I need some patience and good luck for a flowering ( C. argentea, C. linearis x sessiliflora, C. semicrdata)... but even so I enjoy it every week.

Thank you for the great photos...more of them if you like.

Best regards and stay healthy and lively...

Thomas

[Hoy]

David,

A very nice collection of daisies and other plants!

Contrary to some I find the 'Graeme Patterson' charming!
The field blog was also interesting. Reminds me of some trips I have had.

[Leucogenes]

David,

A very nice collection of daisies and other plants!

Contrary to some I find the 'Graeme Patterson' charming!
The field blog was also interesting. Reminds me of some trips I have had.

I completely agree with you, Hoy... "Graeme Patterson" looks very interesting to me as well. I really like the bizarre appearance of this hybrid. My taste exactly.

Why can't you buy something like that here? ...a shame...;-)

[Hoy]

...........

Why can't you buy something like that here? ...a shame...;-)

You said it!

[Lesley Cox]

Though not their natural habitat Thomas, I think you do exceptionally well with your celmisias and other NZ natives. Certainly better than I.