The plant world of Patagonia

[David Nicholson]

http://www.chileflora.com/

I have ordered in the past but not of late.

[Mark Griffiths]

thanks David!

[johnralphcarpenter]

I think they are out of business - see http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=12220.msg343944#msg343944

[Martin Sheader]

Mark, there are few sources for Patagonian seed. Chileflora is still selling seed - I had some from them recently, though I'm not sure that they restock seed as often as they used to do. Vojtec Holubec sometimes has South American seed. I think he is planning a trip soon, so may have fresh seed next year. Gerd Stopp may also be travelling to Patagonia, so expect more plants for sale from him in the next few years.
Mutisia and some other Patagonian seed is occasionally is available through the various seed distributions.

[Neil]

Chileflora are still going

 http://www.chileflora.com/Florachilena/FloraEnglish/ESeeds.htm

[gerrit]

I ordered seeds in 2016 and they arrived late autumn. About 25 packages, about 7 forgotten and some twice. Mr. Belov apologized telling, the seeds were no longer his core business. And sent back my money. Less then 50% of the seeds germinated. I was not surprised by that, because in the past most of the seeds did not germinate at all.

So ordering form Chileflora is gamble.

[gerrit]

Seeds, who did germinate are Caiophora chuquitensis.

What you see is a flower, which is not opened yet. I wonder whether it wil do or not.

[johnralphcarpenter]

As I said here: http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=12220.msg343944#msg343944 , I ordered seeds in 2015, the website took my money but no seeds arrived. I eventually got my money back. Best avoided.

[Mark Griffiths]

ok thanks for the warnings.

In a quite different sphere i got an e-mail regarding a technical issue from a software supplier saying it was no longer his core work and no real solution.

Lesson for me that should I ever set up my own little business I need to think about how I'd finally wind it up - something it would be good for others to think about perhaps.

[gerrit]

Francoa appendiculata

[Leucogenes]

A very nice picture, Gerrit. Not only the plant in the foreground... shows sometimes the wall in the background a little more exactly.

Thomas

[Martin Sheader]

In flower at the moment in one of our raised beds is one of our favourite Patagonian shrubs, Colletia ulicina. Grown originally from Chileflora seed, this member of the Rhamnaceae (sea buckthorn family) is now about 8 years old, with  a spread of about 80cm and about 40-50cm high. It flowers July-early September and is very attractive to bees. In nature its main pollinator seems to by the hummingbird Sephanoides sephanoides, though bees including the enormous (largest in the world!) bumble bee Bombus dahlbomii also act as pollinators. Colletia is a plant of woodland margins at 400-1500m, occurring in Central Chile & Argentina, extending south into northern Patagonia. There is a mature plant on the rockery at Kew. The shrub has extremely sharp hard spines much akin to gorse.

[Maggi Young]

Super strong colour - have you tried your hand as a virtual hummingbird, Martin?

[Leucogenes]

I am very much enthusiastically from the beauty of this plant. The blossoms are breathtaking. What great colour and form. However, I also find the foliage very weird and interesting. It looks like a needle wood. Also the size described by you is perfect for the Alpinum. Does this plant in autumn get then fruits? Please, something else reports about this incredibly nice plant.

The best greetings
Thomas

[Martin Sheader]

Thomas,
I haven't noticed fruit on the colletia in previous years, but I will check later this year and in the meantime, do my best impression of a hummingbird, though, with the number of bees on the flowers at the moment, if it is self-fertile, it should already be well and truly pollinated.