Arisaema 2017

[barnclos]

Last year I did a small experiment: I split my A. triphyllum seed between two pots. Both had 12 seeds, one was kept indoors (at a pretty constant 20 °C), the other was in a cold frame (never went below 0 °C, outside temp was -2 °C to 15 °C). Seed was planted on 14 March, and the first indoor seedling had appeared by 7 April (24 days) whereas the first outdoor seedling didn't appear until 21 June (99 days).
Both pots produced 9 seedlings each (I was quite pleased with 75% germination), and by mid July both pots were outdoors under a tree for a bit of shade.
Since November, they have been in my (almost) frost-free greenhouse, and yesterday I decided to repot them (they were in a deep pot, and probably could have survived another year, but I am an inveterate fiddler). The end result was: 7 indoor bulbs have survived, all pretty even in size;  8 outdoor bulbs survived, with more variation in size.  (Sorry I didn't put a scale on the pics, but i was in my g/h and it was chucking it down, so decided against popping indoors for a ruler. But all is not lost, I later measured the plant label at 17 millimetres wide, so I'd say the smallest was 8 mm tall, the largest 15 mm).
Overall conclusion (of this uncontrolled and limited experiment): it doesn't make much difference where you germinate tripyllum. Perhaps I should have tried something more challenging, I only managed to get 3 tiny sikokianum tubers from 20 seeds planted.


Arisaema triphyllum germinated indoors

Arisaema triphyllum germinated outdoors

P.S. as a newbie, I felt a little unsure about starting the 2017 Arisaema topic. Apologies if I'm treading on anyone's toes.

[Maggi Young]

Not at all - you are welcome to start any thread. Especially one with this sort of interesting info!!

 an aside :  friends once claimed they'd got  120 percent germination on A. sikokianum seed-  but I didn't belive them!

[Gabriela]

barnclos,
very nice to see all those A. triphyllum little tubers
In our climate (zone 5-6) it makes a difference if Arisaema spp. are started indoors (I usually sow in February) simply because the growing season here is very short (outside triphyllum will start to germinate in June as well).

Maggi, last time I got 120% germination on 'sikokianum' it proved after 3 years to be triphyllum 

[barnclos]

I couldn't resist repotting my A. consanguineum and ciliatum seedlings (which were also planted on March 14 2016).

Arisaema ciliatum (indoor),  first appearance 3 April (20 days) - 4 survived the winter
Arisaema ciliatum (outdoor),  first appearance 11 May (58 days) - 17 survived the winter
Arisaema consanguineum (indoor),  first appearance 31 March (17 days) - 10 survived the winter
Arisaema consanguineum (outdoor),  first appearance 6 May (53 days) - 14 survived the winter

First observation: I need to take better notes. I was pretty sure that I'd put 12 seeds per pot, but the 17 and 14 survivors suggest that it was 20 (its either 12 or 20 for round pots*).
Second observation: outdoors seems to produce more tubers (if your climate allows  **), but I wouldn't stake my scientific reputation on it.

* - in case you were wondering, square pots get 9, 16 or 25 seeds
** - it was -10 °C in early February this year, unusually cold, and definitely not conducive to germination

[Gabriela]

I went through some of my Arisaemas kept in the garage and because there were discussions about A. ciliatum var. liubaense/A. consanguineum I'll post few images showing the stolons on A. ciliatum var. liubaense. Sometimes they detach very fast but even so the young tubers have a distinct elongated shape not seen in consanguineum.

A. ciliatum var. liubaense - 2 forms




And a few more Arisaema while I'm here
A. franchetii - the big one should flower this year Ups! I meant A. fargesii (was thinking at franchetianum)


Tiny tubers of A. propinquum - I got few seeds very late in June so they had a short growing season.

[WimB]

Arisaema ringens, like a cobra ready to strike!

[Leena]

I sowed Arisaema elephas from the seed exchange seeds. They germinated in warm in two weeks, and because I have read somewhere that A.elephas needs cold stratification before coming up I began to wonder about these.
What do you think, do they look like A.elephas or is it too early to tell?

[WimB]

Three different forms of Arisaema ringens.

[Philip Walker]

Arisaema amurense

[WimB]

Arisaema griffithii 'Dark knight' just before the frost (now it's just a pile of mush    )
And Arisaema thunbergii subsp. urashima which didn't mind the frost

[Gabriela]

Arisaema griffithii 'Dark knight' just before the frost (now it's just a pile of mush    )
And Arisaema thunbergii subsp. urashima which didn't mind the frost

That's too bad - what a specimen! Maybe the tuber is OK though.

[WimB]

That's too bad - what a specimen! Maybe the tuber is OK though.

I hope so, but I think it'll be OK, just have to wait for next year, I guess. (Unless it has resting buds on other parts of the tuber (it makes very big tubers))

[Carolyn]

Don't worry, Wim, the same thing happened to my A. griffithii two years ago when we had -4C one night at the end of April. It came up fine the next year. We are due night frosts again this week, so I will be covering it with fleece.

[WimB]

Don't worry, Wim, the same thing happened to my A. griffithii two years ago when we had -4C one night at the end of April. It came up fine the next year. We are due night frosts again this week, so I will be covering it with fleece.

Good to hear, Carolyn. It won't happen again!

[Carolyn]

Wim,
We had -2C on Tuesday night and I covered arisaema griffithii with fleece. The tops of the leaves have been scorched where they touched the fleece. I should have used 2 or 3 layers. It does seem to be particularly sensitive.