Flowering now- July 2009

[ArneM]

Lesley, yes, the banana grows outside but with a height of about 1,50m it is too small for flowering/fruiting.

[Lori S.]

1) Anthyllis vulneraria var. coccineus
2) Late bloom on Caltha leptosepala... which we should be seeing in abundance in the mountains soon, if our alpine hikes ever become clear of snow!
3) Nepeta nuda, much loved by bees (which I suppose could probably be said for the genus as a whole).
4) Phyteuma scheuchzeri
5) Verbascum dumulosum... sadly, not so well grown as the ones I see on this forum!
6) Linum flavum compactum
7) Verbascum eriophorum, with densely scurfy white fuzz on it.  These are from seed last year, so I don't know if they will be biennial or perennial here... (though there seems to be a strong tendency for some "biennial" verbascums to be long-lived perennials here.  The short season must confuse them!)  
8 ) Campanula barbata, starting to bloom here... they have also been long-lived perennials.

[cohan]

1) Anthyllis vulneraria var. coccineus
2) Late bloom on Caltha leptosepala... which we should be seeing in abundance in the mountains soon, if our alpine hikes ever become clear of snow!
3) Nepeta nuda, much loved by bees (which I suppose could probably be said for the genus as a whole).
4) Phyteuma scheuchzeri
5) Verbascum dumulosum... sadly, not so well grown as the ones I see on this forum!
6) Linum flavum compactum
7) Verbascum eriophorum, with densely scurfy white fuzz on it.  These are from seed last year, so I don't know if they will be biennial or perennial here... (though there seems to be a strong tendency for some "biennial" verbascums to be long-lived perennials here.  The short season must confuse them!)  
8 ) Campanula barbata, starting to bloom here... they have also been long-lived perennials.

good to hear there is some advantage to a short season
wonderful colour/texture on the Anthyllis, not a genus i know anything about, beyond having seen the name..

[Lori S.]

Here's "the straight species", Cohan... both seem to do well enough here.
1) Anthyllis vulneraria, with Geranium x cantabrigiense 'Biokovo'
2) Luzula nivea, in bloom.
3) Poor gasplant (Dictamnus albus 'Purpureus') - is usually very showy, but rather depressed this year after being evicted from its happy home (for tufa bed construction), and relegated to live in the daylily ghetto... until I can carve out a nicer spot for it again.
4) A very peculiar mullein, Verbascum roripifolium... slightly different flower shape, and very odd leaves (which I'll try to get a clear picture of... have only fuzzy ones at the moment!)

[cohan]

Here's "the straight species", Cohan... both seem to do well enough here.
1) Anthyllis vulneraria, with Geranium x cantabrigiense 'Biokovo'
2) Luzula nivea, in bloom.
3) Poor gasplant (Dicamnus albus 'Purpureus') - is usually very showy, but rather depressed this year after being evicted from its happy home (for tufa bed construction), and relegated to live in the daylily ghetto... until I can carve out a nicer spot for it again.
4) A very peculiar mullein, Verbascum roripifolium... slightly different flower shape, and very odd leaves (which I'll try to get a clear picture of... have only fuzzy ones at the moment!)

the yellow is interesting too, though i love the orange..are the plant forms the same? couldnt see the plant much in the first post...

now i'm curious about the verbascum leaves, i guess its named for them, and i am curious to know what 'roripi'folium means....lol

[Ragged Robin]

Lori, I was about to say that the wild Anthyllis vulneraria grows here close to the chalet and then saw you has posted a photo of it - it is a strangely intriguing plant and very soft looking.  Also Phyteuma scheuchzeri and Campanula barbata (which I absolutely love) are around    Great photos of your plants Lori and the sidewalk is a wonderful sample 

[Lesley Cox]

I think Azorella trifurcata is now Bolax GEMMifera!

[Lesley Cox]

"Lori, here you see what I know as Bolax gummifera."

Amazing plant... incredibly well grown.  (Pardon me for saying so, but sort of grotesque at the same time!  


Interesting.... according to this site (UBC), the two are indeed separate species (see 1st comment which points out that the plant in the photo has been misidentified!), distinguished most easily by flower colour, with Azorella trifurcata having yellow flowers, while Bolax gummifera has white-green flowers.

http://www.ubcbotanicalgarden.org/potd/2005/11/bolax_gummifera.php

The two species names are often treated (at less authoritative sites) as though they are synonymous, hence my confusion.  Thanks for clearing that up, Luit!    

Yes, the site in this link has it wrongly named as B. gummifera instead of A. trifurcata which should now be B. gemmifera (or possible A. gemmifera).

[Maggi Young]

Hmmmm...... I wonder...... RHS plantfinder has A. trifurcata and A. glebaria as synonyms for Bolax gummifer  ...... not gummifera  
The I.P.N.I gives no record for Bolax gummifer or B.  gemmifera, only B. gummifera  


We have the green leaved, yellow flowered Azorella in the garden, where it makes wide mats.... I think of the Bolax as being a grey leaved  tighter cushion plant.....

[cohan]

Lori, I was about to say that the wild Anthyllis vulneraria grows here close to the chalet and then saw you has posted a photo of it - it is a strangely intriguing plant and very soft looking.  Also Phyteuma scheuchzeri and Campanula barbata (which I absolutely love) are around    Great photos of your plants Lori and the sidewalk is a wonderful sample 

robin--is it a meadow plant? how tall does it get in the wild? it's a pea, right? or am i imagining that?
i should just google it, but since you have them wild, interesting to hear about it

[Paul T]

Lori,

Excellent pics!!  The Anthyllis vulneraria var. coccineus is an absolute cracker.  You lot are all showing me new pea flowers that I just HAVE to get, even though I know I can't    Thanks for the eye openers, everyone.

[Lori S.]

Hmmmm...... I wonder...... RHS plantfinder has A. trifurcata and A. glebaria as synonyms for Bolax gummifer   ...... not gummifera 
The I.P.N.I gives no record for Bolax gummifer or B.  gemmifera, only B. gummifera    

Hmm, evidently, I'm not the only one who was confused!     Anyway, I have changed my records for the plant to Azorella trifurcata.  At least that much we can be sure of... right? 

Thanks you all for the comments!
Cohan, the yellow and orange forms of Anthyllis vulneraria are essentially the same but for the flower colour, so far as I can tell.  (I have both the yellow and orange out in full sun and poor soil.)  If the forms seem to differ a little between the photos, it's because that batch of yellow ones is in a partially shaded area with better soil.

1) The unusual leaves on Verbascum roripifolium.  I have not been able to figure out what "roripifolium" actually means about the leaves; this site refers to it as "Roripa Mullein", which almost sounds like a place name?
http://www.rareplants.de/shop/product.asp?strParents=&CAT_ID=363&P_ID=10195 

2) Here is a Crassula spp. (from Beaver Creek) which is suggested to have unusual hardiness.  Any guesses as to what it might be?

[cohan]

Thanks you all for the comments!
1) The unusual leaves on Verbascum roripifolium.  I have not been able to figure out what "roripifolium" actually means about the leaves; this site refers to it as "Roripa Mullein", which almost sounds like a place name?
http://www.rareplants.de/shop/product.asp?strParents=&CAT_ID=363&P_ID=10195 

2) Here is a Crassula spp. (from Beaver Creek) which is suggested to have unusual hardiness.  Any guesses as to what it might be?

does sound like a place name, maybe someone knows it?
so you got the crassula? great no ideas, there are bazillions in the genus; if nothing else comes of it, i could post it to a crassulaceae group for you if you want..

[cohan]

Each to his own, of course, Gote! 
With respect to dandelions, my definition works neatly for me... the dandelions that occur in my yard (that blow in from the city playground behind us, grrr!) are indeed weeds, since Taraxacum officinale and T. laevigatum are introduced here.  (But T. ceratophorum is a native plant, which doesn't cause me any weeding chores anyway.   )

yes, dandelions are absolutely weeds here,(and no point fretting about them--this is farming country, and the land turns yellow in dandelion season! i'm starting to eat them--good greens mixed in with various things) but the native geums, mertensias, violas etc that sprout everywhere--i think i have Corydalis aurea popping up in my veg garden and a pot of semps!--i dont consider weeds, just volunteers, which i will remove where i dont want them..spruce trees also seed in all over the place--there is one spot in my yard full of seedlings, an area where i mow, and i noticed yesterday that they are branching-so maybe i will soon have a spruce lawn!...lol

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Great stuff Lori !
You're extending our alpine season... 

I was surprised that you mention a form of Camp. barbata as being perennial...