Northern Hemisphere July 2010

[Hans J]

some pics from today :

Begonia X
Portulac
Sandersonia
Thunbergia natalensis
Acanthus mollis
Hibiscus ( for Angie )

Hans

[ArnoldT]

Likes a wet spot.  Also known as sneezeweed.

[LucS]

I have a Ruellia humilis in flower at the moment.
Can someone give me some info on the plant or its genus ?

[Afloden]

Luc,
 
 Ruellia is in the Acanthaceae. Humilis is from the eastern US and is fairly common in glades and prairie like habitats. Those from the western edge of its range are more decumbent while those from the eastern edge of its range are short, but erect. Two strange forms exist in the Ozark Highlands and in the Texas, Arkansas and Oklahoma (?) sandhills. Yours looks like one of the Texas sandhill types with long tubeb erect flowers and heavy pubescence. The genus in North America is fairly typical of your plant with opposite leaves, axillary flowers in shades of purple to white. Humilis, purshiana, longipedunculata, and one or two others are really good non-weedy plants. Ruellia strepens is a weed -- do not accept it into your garden. It flowers, but you rarely see them and it seeds around everywhere. I've not noted any problems with the others mention. In fact longipedunculata has never had a seedling show up... sadly.

 Aaron
 

[angie]

Hi Hans

I like your Portulac I have never seen this before

And thanks for showing me your Hibiscus flowering...I only seem to get the buds and then they go yellow:'( I am going to cheat a little I have left one in my polytunnel. My mum always got her one to flower.
I also like your Begonia
Thanks

Angie

[Hans J]

Hi Angie ,

I dont know exactly which species of Portulaceae this is - I have bought in last week in a very good nursery in my area and the owner could not tell me the name .
It is only a annual plant but maybe it will make seeds !!!

This kind of Hibiscus grows here free in our borders -it exist in some colors but I dont know the name of this cultivar

Hans

[David Nicholson]

Possibly Portulaca grandiflora. I've seen it in quite a few garden centres this year marketed as a basket annual trailing plant.

[Hans J]

David :

I dont believe it is P.grandiflora ....I know this plant and we have it near each year as pot plant .

[LucS]

Luc,
 
 Ruellia is in the Acanthaceae. Humilis is from the eastern US and is fairly common in glades and prairie like habitats. Those from the western edge of its range are more decumbent while those from the eastern edge of its range are short, but erect. Two strange forms exist in the Ozark Highlands and in the Texas, Arkansas and Oklahoma (?) sandhills. Yours looks like one of the Texas sandhill types with long tubeb erect flowers and heavy pubescence. The genus in North America is fairly typical of your plant with opposite leaves, axillary flowers in shades of purple to white. Humilis, purshiana, longipedunculata, and one or two others are really good non-weedy plants. Ruellia strepens is a weed -- do not accept it into your garden. It flowers, but you rarely see them and it seeds around everywhere. I've not noted any problems with the others mention. In fact longipedunculata has never had a seedling show up... sadly.

 Aaron
 

Thanks for the info Aaron.
Is it a normal behaviour of the plant to die down completely during wintertime ?

[TheOnionMan]

And thanks for showing me your Hibiscus flowering...I only seem to get the buds and then they go yellow:'( I am going to cheat a little I have left one in my polytunnel. My mum always got her one to flower.
I also like your Begonia
Thanks

Angie

Hi Angie, check out Hibiscus syriacus 'Blue Bird' here:
http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=5568.msg159428#msg159428

I have specialized in hybriding these things over the last 7-8 years.  These things LOVE THE HEAT, that might be part of the reason they are difficult or not free-flowering for you.

[arisaema]

Nothochelone nemorosa
Parochetus communis
Ligularia or Cremanthodium sp. from Maqen Gangri, Qinghai
Saussurea stella
Iris received as 'Laughing Lion'
Morina alba
Aconitum columbianum ssp. columbianum
Iris chrysographes
Corydalis panda
Notholirion campanulatum

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Can anyone remember when SRGC seeds from the 2009/2010 came this year.  I ask because I ordered 2 packets of Lewisia tweedyi, one Alba and one Roseum. I sowed them immediately. Only one seed sprouted of the Album about a month later. The plant is in a very cool basement under fluorescents and has grown like a weed. It is 6" across and is now about to flower.  Years ago I grew tweedyi from seed from Ashwood but can't remember what I did to sprout them or how long they took to size up. Is this unusually fast growth?  One more seedling appeared last month but it has barely grown to date.

johnw

John,
In my experience L. tweedyi sprouts best after a frost period - without frost, germination can be erratic.
I have seen seedlings develop very quickly and flower by the end of the growing season.

[PaulM]

Wonderful plants you all have been displaying. Very interesting and it's always as nice to hear of "new" plants all the time. Here are a few pictures of Delphinium novomexicanum and Papaver persicum

[Zdenek]

And more
   Micromeria croatica
   Origanum microphyllus
   Sideritis glacialis
   Limonium (statice) sp. 'Blauer Zwerg'
   Acaena novae-zelandiae

Thanks for your pictures, Luc. I am pleased that I see some true alpines once again

[johnw]

Luc - Thanks for that information.  Would it be safe to transplant the second tiny seedling out of the pot with the monster?  I'll leave all pots outside for the winter but under a plastic cover, maybe the pink one will come next year.  The pots were originally kept at 5c after sowing and as mentioned only two came up, I guess not cold enough.

johnw