Cremanthodium

[WimB]

I've been offered some seeds of Cremanthodium rhodocephalum (?) and another unknown Cremanthodium with yellow flowers.

I said I would like them but I've never grown these before. Does anyone here have any pointers regarding it's cultivation?
Do they need shady or sunny conditions? Do they grow best in a swamp or in a leaf-mould soil or on a rockery? What's the best way to sow them?

Wim

[Maggi Young]

Wim, the best Cremanthodiums I have heard of in captivity are grown at Tromso Botanic Gardens in far northern Norway.    That should give you a bit of a clue.
Most references to them in the Forum have been about identifying species. There is a plant portrait in the main SRGC site by Fred Carrie.... this may be of help to you....
  http://www.srgc.org.uk/pport/Cremell.html

[WimB]

Thanks Maggi, never tought I would hear myself say this, but it looks like it's going to be too warm in Belgium    for growing Cremanthodium. Nevertheless, I'll try it, you never know...

[Maggi Young]

Can't hurt to try when you have the offer of seeds, Wim. At least you can try to give them as cool a spot as possible...I hope in a year or two you can show us fields  full of Belgian cremanthodium 

I am coming more and more to the realisation over the last few years that our Aberdeen garden can be too warm for primulas......there are lots of tricky changes out there 

[Susan Band]

Wim,
Some of the Cremanthodium seedlings die down soon after they germinate, they are not dead just sleeping until the next year so don't throw them out. Some of the larger ones are not as difficult as people say (here anyway)
Susan

[David Pilling]

I got some "cremanthodium arnicoides" from the 07/08 AGS seedex, sown at the start of April 2008, one clump of three plants is now about three feet high and flowering.

I originally thought this might contribute to this thread, but I'm wondering if the plant is actually what it said on the packet?

[WimB]

Hi David,

your plant isn't Cremanthodium arnicoides. It looks like a plant I've seen before but I don't remember the name (maybe somewhere in the genus Arnica?).

[Magnar]

I agree that plant is not Cremathodium arnicoides. In general I often find Cremathodiums hard to identify, and I also think they hybridize in the garden. But they are easy to grow here up north.

C. rhodocephalum certainy needs growing place which never dries out.

[David Pilling]

Magnar, Wim, thank you for your comments.

I had been wondering why I had got the seeds and planted the things where I did - now I know. Whatever it is, it is a rough looking plant.

[WimB]

David,

the plant it reminds me of is Centaurea macrocephala but it probably isn't.

[Lvandelft]

Some huge Inula perhaps?

[WimB]

Luit,

it's very similar to Inula helenium indeed.

[David Pilling]

it's very similar to Inula helenium indeed.

I think you might be right there. It's got the stem clasping leaves...

[WimB]

it's very similar to Inula helenium indeed.

I think you might be right there. It's got the stem clasping leaves...

It's a nice plant too but no Cremanthodium, it's very usefull though: you can make absinthe with it  and recent research has found out that an extract of this plant can kill "Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus" (= one of the hospital-bacteria)

[Tristan_He]

Came across this thread just now - Wim did you have any success with your Cremanthodiums? I have a few seedlings and would welcome any advice (other than moving to the Arctic Circle)