Tian-Shan 2004

[Olga Bondareva]

It's late...


Next day - next photos! 

[cohan]

wonderful! the photos may not be large but nothing wrong with the quality
i should have had these photos before ordering seeds 
so many treasures, but special thanks for orostachys! pics are rare, and seeds so far impossible to find (except most common 1 or 2 sp)

[David Nicholson]

Magnificent

[DaveM]

Such splendid photos Olga! Your pix remind me of my own trip to the Tien Shan in 2000. I particularly remember the rich, rich meadows and huge range of species, with many that we well recognize from European mountains, but others that are definitely Asian. The Cristolea is one that I particularly liked, but there are so many excellent crucifers - for example Chorispora bungeana......

Suggestions for some of your unnamed species:

The deep blue Dracocephalum is D imberbe

The cabbage-like Saussurea is S involucrata - I attach images from the approach to the Chon Ashoo Pass.

The third attachment is another crucifer that we were unable to identify - Any ideas??

I look forward to seeing more of your wonderful images. Don't stop now!

[ian mcenery]

Olga fantastic thank you 

[Lori S.]

Wonderful pix!  It's great to see these plants in the wild!

[Hristo]

A fascinating trip Olga, great to see so many alpine species!

[Olga Bondareva]

Thanks to all!

Androsace grown in a cushion of Dryadanthe tetrandra


Erysimum sp.


Sedum sp.


Comastoma sp.


Acantholimon sp.

[Olga Bondareva]

Acantholimon sp.








Lagotis integrifolia


Pyrethrum leonthopodium

[Olga Bondareva]

Pyrethrum leonthopodium


Ranunculus sp.


Smelovskia calycina


Rainbow after cold rian

[Paddy Tobin]

Olga,

The plants and the scenery compliment each other supremely; both are exceptionally beautiful.

Paddy

[Maggi Young]

The third attachment is another crucifer that we were unable to identify - Any ideas??

Is your unknown crucifer the same as the Smelowskia calycina shown by Olga, David?

[Olga Bondareva]

Is your unknown crucifer the same as the Smelowskia calycina shown by Olga, David?

Looks the same.

David, Thank you for Saussurea ID. I was wonder the plant was alone, no others in kilometres around.

[Olga Bondareva]

i should have had these photos before ordering seeds

Then you ordered more? 
Unfortunately most of this incredible plants could be grown in mild climate. Paraquilegia, Hegemone, Ranunculus, Gentians, Pyrethrum,  Smelovskia, Thylacospermum... All are hardy but long hot summers kill them. 

so many treasures, but special thanks for orostachys! pics are rare, and seeds so far impossible to find (except most common 1 or 2 sp)

I know Vojtech Holubec visited Tian-Shan this summer. May be you could find some seeds in his list?

[Lori S.]

Smelowskia calycina seems to have finer foliage there than here.  Fascinating to see something familiar amongst all those exotics!  The one posted by David has oddly beige flowers, compared to the snowy white ones here - if it was aging, one would expect to see a gradation in colour, but it seems to be uniform.