Hepatica 2010

[Maggi Young]

Maggi - reckless is not the word I'd use.  I bought a bulb of Galanthus 'Long Drop' from Rannveig Wallis; now I've just got to teach the boys to twin-scale and then long after I am gone they can be selling snowdrops to augment their pensions.  That's shrewd not reckless surely?? 

Now you explain your long term plan, Gail, I must indeed congratulate you on your far-sightedness in the care of your boys!
If you intend also to teach them skills in breeding more hardy, unusual hepaticas, then they will surely be able to live the life of Riley! Good Luck! 

[mark smyth]

My Hepaticas need to be repotted. Can I do it now? They are in 2L long toms and I hope to put then in to 3L long toms.

[annew]

Cripes! How big ARE they???

[Diane Clement]

My Hepaticas need to be repotted. Can I do it now? They are in 2L long toms and I hope to put then in to 3L long toms.

I wouldn't do it now, they're just coming into growth, I'd repot either in June or in the Autumn.  As for 3L long toms - WOW - can you show a picture Mark?  (I do as the Japanese do, and trim the roots back each year so mine never bigger than 1L long toms)

[Gerry Webster]

My Hepaticas need to be repotted. Can I do it now? They are in 2L long toms and I hope to put then in to 3L long toms.

For several years I have followed the advice of Ashwood Nurseries. "Repot... after flowering, usually at the end of March. Remove old compost ....thin old roots by up to one third." All my plants (common & cheap species/forms) are still alive & flower reasonably well.

[mark smyth]

They arent good plants and dont flower well. I just thought they could do with a boost. Totally crap compared to Edroms plants

[annew]

The root chopping does seem to work very well, I do it too, and repot just after flowering.

[chris]

I repot at the end of september than the roots start to grow, I always repot in 1.5L pots, if the plant is too big than I pull off some divisions, I try to hold 5 flowerbuds for repotting, most of my Hepaticas havent 5 noses so I repot these plants every 2 years and only cut sick and death roots

[TheOnionMan]

I repot at the end of september than the roots start to grow, I always repot in 1.5L pots, if the plant is too big than I pull off some divisions, I try to hold 5 flowerbuds for repotting, most of my Hepaticas havent 5 noses so I repot these plants every 2 years and only cut sick and death roots

Chris, your 'Hanaguruma' is a special beauty, classic elegance.  Do you know what 'Hanaguruma' translates to, as there is an Epimedium x youngianum 'Hanaguruma' (see http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=4769.150), although I labeled mine as it was received: 'Hanagaruma', I see both spellings used for the Epimedium, one of those spellings is probably wrong.

[Regelian]

Mark,

as I recall, Hana-guruma means flower basket or flower wagon/cart.  Hana is definitely flower.  A popular illustration for paintings and fabrics.

[tetsuo]

Regelian, I agree with you.
In Japan , Hepatica is very popular now. Many colours and forms are tried to make.
And new forms are named in Japanese.
 Hatsu-hinode is New years- Sunrise.
 Cho-no-Mai is Dancing of Butterfly.
 Hana-no-Nami is Waving of Flowers.
 Tsumabeni is Red-edge
 Murasaki-shikibu is the Japanese famous novelist 1000 years ago. And Muraski means
purple colour also.

[chris]

thank you verry much Tetsuo Nakazato, it is nice to hear what these names means,
here H.j.'Hokkiko'

[Michael J Campbell]

My first Hepatica this year.

Hepatica nobilis pink form.

[gote]

Hanaguruma should mean flower-wheel or perhaps better wheel-flower.
Kuruma usually means automobile these days but is also use to indicate wheel shape.

Can anyone please explain to me how there can be a benefit of prunig roots of a herb?
Of course I remove dead roots from anything I replant but why pruning live roots?
Pruning roots of bonsai is a different issue but I would not try to dwarf a hepatica?
Cheers
Göte

[Michael J Campbell]

A few more out today.

Hepatica japonica Sakuragari
Hepatica nobilis  blue
Hepatica nobilis  white
Hepatica nobilis  pink
Hepatica transilvanica lilacina