Hepatica

[annew]

I've just been looking at the website Mark recommended, specifically the bit about repotting. What is it that they use as a potting medium (sorry - 'business earth'!)?

[mark smyth]

Lesley do you mean posting ugly flowers?

I would like to know what it is too. It does look like fired clay

[Joakim B]

Leasly if You talk about Mark and photoshop You are wrong!
It is even worse for me since hepatica in Swedish have blue in the name.
Maybe a yellow blue flower would be the national flower since it has the colors of Sweden or atleast the flag.

Mark that Gold? I did not see it at the auction but they had an auction with only Yellows!!! None as strong Yellow as the Gold?.
They where not that expensive from 6000 yen for 2?
I did not find any for 1000 yen but quite a few for 2000 yen that is 13€ and hence affordable. The minimum order of 20000 yen plus a 1000 for shipping is also affordable, though not cheap.
I feel rich since I finally got the money I should have had last month this month, but most likely not rich enough .
If I knew that they would be able to grow outside and that the slugs would stop eat at them I would have a go.

Dangerous sites those. Make a craving that is almost impossible to withstand.
Joakim

[mark smyth]

did you ask about minimum orders? That is only £100 and that is 3 choice snowdrops or one new Narcissus in a catalogue I have. I feel itchy fingers coming

[Joakim B]

Mark I did not ask!
I saw the "shopping rules" where they said minimum order 20 000yen. "Shipping" 1000 yen. That might be handling only and the actuall shipping may be added. I do not know the price of shipping but it can be very expensive.
I was thinking 2 blues doubles and some pinks and some white and still have some money to play ith to fill the 20000. I do not think I will buy anything. Must be carfull with money

Yes it is not huge sums compared what some people pay for galantus or harcisus unfortunatally I am not "some" people though I am very tempted. Unless one choses only one hepatica and them still the 20000 yen is not enough.

Kind regards
Joakim

[Diane Clement]

I've just been looking at the website Mark recommended, specifically the bit about repotting. What is it that they use as a potting medium (sorry - 'business earth'!)?

This potting medium used in Japanese nurseries is a strangely yellow inorganic composite, can't remember the name.  I am not sure if it is man-made or volcanic in origin, but it is softish and crushable between fingers.  Most plant I have had from Japan are planted entirely in this medium.  They use this stuff for potting everything, shrubs, bulbs, the lot.  I have tried it and found it impossible to grow in as it is very quick draining - the Japanese water their hepaticas three times a day.  They use liquid feed very frequently, as this medium has no nutrients at all.  It's a sort of hydroponic system.  The nearest equivalent medium available in the UK is Seramis which I believe some UK growers use neat or as an additive to compost for growing certain plants, mainly cushions I think.  I don't think it would be any good for woodlanders or bulbs.  Seramis is expensive but I was told that Tesco premium quality cat litter is the same stuff (clay granules).  Don't get the cheap stuff, it disintegrates when in contact with water!   

[Diane Clement]

I was wondering what compost people use in cultivating hepatica in pots?

I grow nearly all my hepaticas in pots, as they get eaten by slugs in the garden.  Also I can enjoy the forms better under cover.  They are all hardy with me, although I think the Japanese ones may not be so hardy in areas much colder than Britain.  There is much information on cultivation on Ashwood's website:
 http://www.ashwood-nurseries.co.uk/hepaticas.htm

On this site, you will also find plants and seed to order, somewhat cheaper than Japanese sources!   They will post seed "in the green" for best germination results, but you need to get your order in as soon as possible.  I use their recommended mixture in pots: equal parts:  loam/leafmould/perlite and I also follow their cultivation system. 

[Lesley Cox]

Mark I wasn't thinking your hepatica was ugly, far from it, a beautiful flower in fact but yellow? Mmmmmm?

[derekb]

 
 Diane, instead of cat litter try Ultrasorb you can get it from Garden Direct it is £14-50 for 25ltr it is like Seramis.
         Derek

[Ewelina Wajgert]

Hepatica nobilis var. japonica "Tamamushi" in the garden.

[Afloden]

Hello,
 
 Good yellow Hepatica (var.japonica) in Japan can go for extremely high amounts. A friend in Japan who sends me divisions of many select forms says his first (many years ago) yellow cost him $500+ and that was just a seedling that had bloomed one time. Seedlings now go for around $30-50, with mature plants still around $100-300.

 The potting medium they use is a mixture of three types of 'sand', as my friend calls it. He sent me a sample of it and It seems very similar to turface, fired clay. I use this same medium for my potted Hepatica now, but I have changed it to suit my climate and care. I use 1/2 turface, 1/4 crushed granite (chick grit-medium), and 1/4 good leaf mold. This drains really quickly but the leaf mold holds enough residual moisture so the plants don't need constant care. I then fertilize every three weeks or so when I remember.

 I can winter H.japonica here in Kansas (-10F on average), but they dislike the native soil so they die out. The native species, americana and acutiloba do really well, but some americana like a sandy soil. H.nobilis does not grow out of pots for me, but transilvanica spreads very well in the ground.

 If anyone is interested I am willing and eager to trade divisions or seed, especially for hybrids and transilvanica forms.

 I also select and cultivate many forms of acutiloba. I have spent several years visiting sites in the spring to select forms with nicer colors and shapes, and then in the summer to select for leaves. Most of what I see of acutiloba are really pale purples and pinks, or most often white. With some effort really good pinks and purples can be found in the wild (pictures later).
 
  All the best,
 
 Aaron Floden

[mark smyth]

I've asked the peron in Japen about getting plants from him/her but have had no reply. Maybe no English is spoken

[chris]

here two Chinese Hepaticas flowering at this moment: H.yamatutai white double and H.henryi pink double

[mark smyth]

Chris you beat me to the double form of Hepatica yamatutai but I'll show mine too as it has a hint of pink

[Maggi Young]

SO, will Chris'  H.yamatutai white double look like Mark's when it is more open? There seems to be tremendous variation in these flowers at different stages of growth, we've already had some talk of the difficulties of comparing like with like, haven't we?  The outside petals are more pointed in Mark's, are they not? I didn't  realise the doubles were as variable as the semis and "monstrose" ones.