Flowers and foliage April 2008

[Lvandelft]

Saw the pic of the symphytum and it reminded me, today I took a cutting from a yellow leafed variety of symphytum.  Does anyone know what it might be?  Sorry I don't have a picture, it was on the plant of a friend, and the cutting I took has wilted big time, but I'm sure it will recover in time.  Very long sword shaped leaves, not variegated at all, just bright screaming yellow.  Stopped me in my tracks.  Any help much appreciated.   Cant find many reference photos of them in my books.  Nothing it Phillips & Rix that looks remotely like this one.

Probably Symphytum Goldsmith.

[Lvandelft]

Molopospermum peloponnesiacum   

Whatever is this plant Luit? It looks very exciting

Lesley,
it belongs to the Umbelliferae/Apiaceae. Between 1 and 1.50 m. high.
Dies off after flowering. I hope to make a picture when flowering.
I do have a picture but that is not such a good one.

[ChrisB]

Thanks for the help, Luit, I just googled that one and it is variegated, not pure yellow, but then I did a bit more googling and think I've found it, S. 'All gold' only pics of it on French pages, but exactly what I have!  A very striking plant it is, just as thuggish as others, but pure screaming bright yellow foliage, no green anywhere!

[Lvandelft]

Sounds even better!

[Paddy Tobin]

Luit,
How coincidential,  my plant of Molopospermum peloponnesiacum is just at the same stage of development. It makes this sudden appearance out of nowhere it seems. However, there is no sign of flower on my Halesia caroliniana (grown from seed) and I have fallen for your cornus. What an amazingly rich colour. Must watch out for it.

Lesley,
I recommend the Molopospermum peloponnesiacum. It's an excellent foliage plant. The flower is not really in the same class though. As umbellifers go I prefer the flowers on cow parsley which will shortly clothe every roadside around here - reminds me of the story told of a group of Japanese botanists who had been invited to come visit and admire the great beauties of Kew Gardens and were most taken by the cow parsley which grew naturally in the woodland areas. I'll keep an eye for seed on my plant of Molopospermum peloponnesiacum though it has not set any great amount to date. I really have it in too dry a position so that if I don't keep watch it will wilt later in the summer.

Now, referring back to our comments on growing trees from seed, I am adding a photograph of some pines which I grew from seed to put on the boundary of the garden. Does this photograph age me or show how quickly some trees reward us when grown from seed?

Also attached is my favourite tree of the moment, Malus floribunda, and a few flowers in bloom at present.

Paddy

[johnw]

I sowed what seemed to be seed a month ago, of my little South American beech, Nothofagus antarctica. This is the third autumn it has been with me and both previous years it has coloured a fine, even gold, very beautiful. This morning I noticed a slightly pinkish look and by this afternoon, it is well on the way to becoming scarlet!

(Attachment Link)

Marvellous colour Leslie and one of my favourite trees.  I particularly love the scent of the new foliage. I have 4 trees in the south and should plant more as they love the wind.  

Have you ever tried N. pumilio or seen seeds offered?  I was given one by the Milde Arbotetum (where they have a great collection of N. spp.) but it sadly faded away before I could get it planted, possibly the roots were too warm in the pot.

I know of no other Nothofagus antarctica growing in eastern North America aside from ones in Nova Scotia and a a couple in eastern Newfoundland. The summer heat must kill them.

johnw

[Paddy Tobin]

Lesley,

I meant to comment on your nothofagus - a beautiful plant. Is this a very small tree? Nothofagus grow very well here but I have not been previously tempted to grow them in the garden. There are plenty growing nearby that I can admire and I don't find them attractive enough to put in my own garden. However, a small tree with such beautiful foliage would certainly be worth its space.

Paddy

[Lvandelft]

So I have to look for a Malus floribunda from now on too.
It's really beautiful Paddy.

Nothofagus is a tree not much seen here. I once had it in a former garden and always
wanted it again. So last year I acquired a nice one of 3 m. in height.
It's just making leaves now.

[Paddy Tobin]

Mount Congreve Gardens, just ten minutes away, have an excellent selection of Nothofagus, many planted about 40 - 50 years ago and so show the trees in all their splendour.

Malus floribunda is surely one of the better small trees. The one photographed above is about 20 years old, never pruned, and absolutely covered in flower every year. No fruit of any significance though, just tiny yellow crabs.

Paddy

[Anthony Darby]

Here's a wee monocot from Trinidad that has luzula-like leaves and flowers the size of my pinky nail.

[Lesley Cox]

To my shame, I've not noticed a scent in the new leaves of Nothofagus antarctica, me who's always telling everyone to sniff at everything. So I'll pay close attention in the spring when the new foliage comes. I've not tried any other species from seed and don't have any other in the garden except our own N. fusca, the red beech, another lovely tree. I think I've seen N. pumilio pictures somewhere, or maybe slides at a South American talk. It would be good to try it, and there's a very attractive Australian species which I photographed in April last year in Tasmania, in full gold leaf. I guess it grows to about 2-3 metres as I remember.

When I said I sowed what I think was seed, it was little tufts of flaky stuff like the cornflakes left at the bottom of the package when you've eaten all the decent ones and don't want to eat what's left because they'll turn to sludge when you put milk on them, instead of being crunchy. I just went out to see if there was any left but it's all gone now. Paddy I'll save some next year if you like. I should know by then if it's fertile or not.

[johnw]

Leslie - I initially noticed the scent of N. Antarctica foliage when I was driving 2 large trees to my southern garden. There were jammed in so I had no choice, now that I recognize the scent I never fail to detect it when passing them by.

I saw the Nothofagus you mention in Tromso.. I am certain it is var. prostrata. That one made the rounds here about 20 years ago.  Having said that some N. Antarctica here sort of crawl on the ground before sending up a straight as a poker leader.

A friend in Newfoundland has one that comes out of the ground like a corkscrew. The shot shows the base, from here it ascends straight up despite fierce winds in the area.


johnw

[Lesley Cox]

Good Lord, that really is a twisted fellow. I guess anything with the name antarctica has to be able to adapt to any weather conditions.

[Kenneth K]

My Nothofagus is growing upwards but it was strangly grown from the beginning when I bought it. So it is leaning a lot in the lower parts. It´s not easy to find in Sweden so I had to accept what I got. (On the other hand I managed to get a very good price!) I planted it in 2004 in peaty ground and it has been growing like mad the last two years. It is at least 4 m today. I took a picture yeasterday but I think it is hard to take photos of trees and bushes. It looks like this anyway.

[henkw]

Luit, thank you for the lovely pictures,

Can You tell me More about your Cornus florida Sweetwater.

It is Queens day today in Holland, so something orange

Henk