Flowering Now - May 2009

[Lori S.]

Schivereckia podolica
Anemone blanda
Draba acaulis
Tulipa tarda
Leibnitzia anandria - at one time, I thought these would be really fascinating, with the spring flowers and the different fall flowers...  well, it's interesting but so far the spring flowers have been underwhelming, to put it mildly.
Polemonium confertum, buds developing.

[Lvandelft]

Luit, Erigeron scopulinum does not make any self seed with me, it wanders on only quite slowly and creeps over stones and through rock cracks. Growth within 5 years approx. 30 cm.
Increase by dividing.
Karl

Karl, thank you for the information. That sounds very interesting.

[Sinchets]

I agree about the Leibnitzia, Lori. I grew it for a while, but it never really lived up to its description. More like a posh Coltsfoot. I'll stick with my dandelions 

[John Mitchell]

Hi Simon no regretably not that time but my father was joint leader probably were i get this addiction from!!!

By any chance, was your father Tony Mitchell? of CMW fame (Cheese, Mitchell, Watson), who collected in the late sixties in Turkey?

Hi lesley no it Bob Mitchell who built St Andrews Botanic Garden

[maggiepie]

This is the first pulsatilla flower I have ever had, it is a seedling of P. Papageno ( well supposed to be) I grew from seed last year, the plant is so tiny I couldn't believe it had a bud.

I am absolutely thrilled!!

[Lori S.]

Helen, very pretty!  'Papageno' should have lacinated petals, so your seed did not appear to come true - very lovely P. vulgaris though.

[Sinchets]

Well done with the Pulsatilla. What was the source? The 3 P.'Papageno' I have from seed are albino and have whole petals.

[maggiepie]

Lori, do you think there's a chance the flower might change in its second year?

Simon, the seeds came from the ORGS seed exchange last year, have you posted pics of yours yet?

[Regelian]

Actually, if we assume (always dangerous) that the serrated floral parts are a recessive gene, then a selfing of the flower should bring it back into the F2 seedlings.  I suspect the seed was an open pollinated 'Papageno', which means chances are good it was fertilized by a non-serrated form.

As far as such characteristic showing up in the next bloom season, I wouldn't hold my breath.  Sometimes it does happen with certain mutations, such as doubling, but serration seems far fetched.  Of course, prove me wrong! 

[cohan]

This is the first pulsatilla flower I have ever had, it is a seedling of P. Papageno ( well supposed to be) I grew from seed last year, the plant is so tiny I couldn't believe it had a bud.
I am absolutely thrilled!!

congratulations! first year bloom is great, and encouraging, as i want to try more in this genus;i have exactly two now, which were bought locally looking a bit bedraggled in 4inch deep pots, where they remained; when i pulled them out of the hole i stuck them in this spring, they had signs of growth already, and soon, buds...so they seem very tough, vigorous and early...good enough for me!
i have a violet and red cultivar, red is not opening yet...here's the violet..

[Sinchets]

Simon, the seeds came from the ORGS seed exchange last year, have you posted pics of yours yet?

Yes, I posted the pic a while ago- they are forming seeds now, which I will scatter in the gravel path. they always seem to germinate better for me this way.
Jamie, I wish I had your optimism. I am not sure mine ever were from 'Papageno'.

[Lesley Cox]

Hi lesley no it Bob Mitchell who built St Andrews Botanic Garden

Thanks John. It was just that I knew Tony Mitchell slightly back in the late 60s, 70s, when he spent time in NZ, then went to Australia and finally, I think to South Africa. He seemed to vanish off the radar altogether since then. I don't think he enjoyed the "colonial" life much, too informal perhaps. I've often wondered where he was nowadays.

[ichristie]

Hi all, here are some Meconopsis pictures first is Mec. simplicifolia with seed pods showing in pic two the Mec. integrifolia three pics and Mec pseudo integrifolia. cheers Ian the Christie kind.

[ranunculus]

Lovely images, Ian ... many thanks for posting.

[Paul T]

Wonderful pictures everyone.  Thanks.  Special mention has to go to those wonderful Paris pics from John, particularly polyphylla var thibetica and japonica.  Both are just stunning!!