Hepatica

[snowdropman]

Hi John

Terrific pictures once again - you are in danger of getting me hooked on Hepatica!

[Diane Whitehead]

Does anyone know how long hepatica seeds remain viable?

I bought fresh seeds from a UK nursery and sowed them upon receipt in May 2005.
Late in December 2005, one of six seeds of H. henryi, and two of eleven seeds of
H. transsylvanica germinated.  They still have just their cotyledons, but their first
true leaves are just emerging.  Such slow growers!  How could these ever be a
commercial plant?

I have had no germination since, from those two species, or from the others:
insularis, asiatica, yamatutai and pubescens.

Shall I continue to live in hope?

[johngennard]

Hello Dianne,
                My own experience is that seed sown fresh in April/May will more often than not germinate in late Jan/Feb of the following year.The species I find to be less predictable and are certainly less reliable than nobilis,japonica,pubescens and pyrenaica.Acutiloba and americana are also fairly predictable.The longest time that I would give them is two seasons.You will require grat patience as you have already deduced,they are very slow.I usually prick mine out the Autumn following germination when they will still only have their cotyledons and a tiny,just visible hard shoot.I put 15/20 into a 3ltr.pot as they appear to like company.I used to prick out into individual two inch long pots but I incurred more losses that way.I think because it is more difficult to maintain that  constsantly moist but not wet compost that they prefer.
It is normally 3 yrs.before you will see a flower though there are exceptions if you grow a lot and I think you should expect to wait at least 5yrs before you have a half decent plant.That is why the doubles are so hard to come by and so expensive because one is loathe to divide when you have waited so long to get a plant well covered in flowers.GOOD LUCK!!!

[johngennard]

A couple of pix to illustrate the words
       Hepatica seedlings sown May 05 P.O.Oct 06.jpg
    Hepatica 8 or 9yrs old.jpg 

[chris]

here the first japanese are start flowering, the first from seed and from the second I have only a number: G34

[Michael J Campbell]

Hepatica Nobilis grows quite well here in the west of Ireland and we do not get much cold weather. have to keep it well shaded in the summer though

[chris]

another 2:
first a Japanese from seed and a H.nobilis var.pyrenaica

[Maggi Young]

Chris, they are super. Your last pic of H.nobilis var.pyrenaica is everything that I admire in a flower, neat, full petals and a starry contrast with the stamens.

[Luc Gilgemyn]

I couldn't agree more Maggi - it's a beautiful specimen !
Thanks Chris !

[Michael J Campbell]

This is a repeat post, I posted it in the general forum by mistake.
That's okay, Michael, I changed that thread to a "books for sale/wanted page" so folks will see it there too. I can see why you have posted  it here though!  M

Can anyone help me locate a book on the cultivation and hybridising of Hepaticas.
I have tried all the usual sources and failed to locate any kind of book on the subject. There is not even one on cultivation.
I do have the Ashwood cultural guide, but I want something with more information.
Cheers

[chris]

I will save some seeds for you, Maggi

[Diane Whitehead]

I recall seeing hepatica information in Japanese - the photos were very explicit, so a lot of information could be learned without needing words.

If I can remember where I saw it, I will post again.

[Maggi Young]

Chris, thank you very much, I would like that.

Diane, wasn't there a url given on the old forum hepatica pages for a good Japanese site? I'll check when I get a minute.

[Diane Whitehead]

The url of the International Hepatica Society is www.ihsj.org/ but they still have no link to the word "English" on their homepage. So, instead of going directly to their site, do a Google search for
International Hepatica Society, and click on (Translate this page). Google has a Beta version of
a Japanese translator and it isn't bad, though it takes concentration to understand some
of the technicalities in the article on breeding for doubles, and English seems to need more space than Japanese, so there is doubling up in some areas.

Then click on the word "Japanese". I didn't do this last year as I assumed the articles would all be in Japanese, but they are all translated into English by Google. This will lead to the menu which includes cultivation - 5 articles from different places in Japan - this is necessary because of the climatic differences - for instance, Tokyo with its hot steamy summers requires a different method of growing.

This does not show all the photos of how to grow hepaticas, though.  I must have been thinking of a book.

[Michael J Campbell]

Diane, thank you for the information and Hepatica link. I understand what you mean by needing  a little concentration to understand the translation, but as Tesco, says every little helps.
Cheers.