Evergreen monocarpic Meconopsis hybridisation

[Tristan_He]

Hi there,

Does anyone know what the pattern of compatibility between the evergreen Mec species is? I have a few plants in the garden that haven't flowered yet and am keen to maintain clean stocks. At the moment I have M. wallichii, seed of M. paniculata which I haven't sown yet, and some garden hybrids of uncertain parentage obtained as "M. regia" (but are clearly not that species).

Would M. paniculata and M. wallichii cross or can I safely grow these together and keep them distinct?

Thanks, Tristan

[Tristan_He]

Found a reference here that sort of answers this:

Grey-Wilson & Mitchell Sibbaldia article 2007

But still interested in others' views!

[Maggi Young]

Tristan, I presume you had a look here....   http://meconopsisworld.com/Hybrids_species_M.html   
and here http://meconopsis.org/pages/cultivate3.html#raisingseed     to see if there was anything to help you?

[Tristan_He]

Tristan, I presume you had a look here....   http://meconopsisworld.com/Hybrids_species_M.html   
and here http://meconopsis.org/pages/cultivate3.html#raisingseed     to see if there was anything to help you?

Thanks Maggi. I'm a member of the Mec group and regularly access the website. I also frequent James Cobb's website but had never seen this page before - I find it very difficult to navigate and always seem to end up on the 'blog' pages where I can't find anything! Still, it's a magnificent resource.

Although most Mec websites warn about the risks of larger monocarpic species hybridising, they are a bit vague about which actually do hybridise. Lists of hybrids are a slightly different thing, as just because a hybrid has been recorded doesn't mean it is particularly likely to occur. I have the impression that I should avoid growing more than one of M. paniculata, staintonii, napaulensis and regia though. Likewise integrifolia and sulphurea presumably.

[Maggi Young]

That would be my take - but I'm no expert.

[ichristie]

Hello I have grown monocarpic Meconopsis for several years not so many now but in the past have flowered M wallichii white muddy pink and shades of blue have several young plants in the garden just now must get pictures.  I am pleased to hear you are a member of The Meconopsis Group best bet is to contact Ian Scott seed manager, cheers Ian the Christie kind