Northern Hemisphere August 2010

[PaulM]

This blue flowered Impatiens with the tongue-twisting name namchabarwensis ( did I spell it right ? ) is flowering for me now. It was really hard to germinate the seeds and I only got one plant, but sometimes you are lucky, and one seed germinates, that is all that is needed, and now I will be having plenty of seed. There seems to be quite a bit of "mystery" associated with this plant if you google it. Does anyone here know the true story regarding this species ? I suppose the seeds deteriorate when dry stored, so should I keep them moist in the fridge, or store them outdoors ? Do you think the plant can be lifted and grown indoors during the winter ? I don't have a greenhouse.

Very nice specimen actually. Is it widely grown?

[Renate Brinkers]

Paul,

more blue seem to be not possible!

[Renate Brinkers]

Hi to all,

here are some pictures of plants flowering at the moment for me.

Agapanthus `Snow Princess´, a small one with 25cm hight, the flower stalks are 35-40cm.
Agapanthus `Sunfield´, with 90cm a high one.
Chlorophytum macrophyllum, the leaves can grow 8cm wide.
Commelina africana, a yellow flowering Commelina wich grows fast.
Ornithogalum juncifolium or gramminifolium, I am not sure which name is the actual name, a really small one with lots of flowers.
Ornithogalum longibracteatum, this one gets really big bulbs above the surface.
Ornithogalum candicans, absolutely hardy here.

[TheOnionMan]

Renate, I never saw a yellow Commelina, only blue... cool!
Might your Ornithogalum candicans actually be Galtonia candicans?

[Gerdk]

This blue flowered Impatiens with the tongue-twisting name namchabarwensis ( did I spell it right ? ) is flowering for me now. It was really hard to germinate the seeds and I only got one plant, but sometimes you are lucky, and one seed germinates, that is all that is needed, and now I will be having plenty of seed. There seems to be quite a bit of "mystery" associated with this plant if you google it. Does anyone here know the true story regarding this species ? I suppose the seeds deteriorate when dry stored, so should I keep them moist in the fridge, or store them outdoors ? Do you think the plant can be lifted and grown indoors during the winter ? I don't have a greenhouse.
Very nice specimen actually. Is it widely grown?

Paul, Can't tell the ' true story  ' but a little bit about germinating and position. The plant self-seeds suffiently in the garden without any help. I found seedlings all around and in pots which were situated near. I tried to keep the species alive in a greenhouse (at about 0 to + 5 ° C) but this failed. It seems to be a true annual (different to pale blue Impatiens arguta).
In the open a place in a shady position and sufficient moisture is essential.

Gerd

[PaulM]

Thank you Gerd ! I just looked back this month at your pictures of Impatiens arguta. It's very beautiful as well. Do you think this species can be perennial as far north as Sweden too ? Does it grow at high altitudes in China/Himalaya ? Can I be bold enough to ask you for some seeds ?

[Maggi Young]

Renate, I never saw a yellow Commelina, only blue... cool!
Might your Ornithogalum candicans actually be Galtonia candicans?

 I love the yellow Commelina...this is new to me too!

The Ornithogalum/Galtonia is another of these poor plants, suffering under the ministrations of different authorities! To quote the Pacific Bulb Society:" Galtonia candicans (Baker) Decne. has been renamed by some authorities Ornithogalum candicans (Baker) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt."

[arisaema]

Thank you Gerd ! I just looked back this month at your pictures of Impatiens arguta. It's very beautiful as well. Do you think this species can be perennial as far north as Sweden too ? Does it grow at high altitudes in China/Himalaya ? Can I be bold enough to ask you for some seeds ?

It's hardyish here in Svorsk zon 2-3, prefering moist soils and some leaves for protection against the hardest frosts. Drop me a PM and I'll send some cuttings, it must be self-sterile as I've never found any seeds.

There are several other Chinese species that are fully hardy here. I. omeiana rarely flowers before the first frosts, but the foliage more than makes up for it.

[cohan]

cool stuff! the impatiens are very nice-- I. omeiana seems very tropical!

renate--i agree commelina is interesting, also chlorophytum--these are tender? do you have any pictures of the plants?

[Luc Gilgemyn]

I've been a bit lazy posting pictures lately - let's try to do something about it

1) Phlox mesoleuca 'Mary Maslin' - still going strong (started flowering early May !  )
2) and 3) Eriogonum soredium - getting ready to flower
4) and 5) Eriogonum caespitosa - doing the same thing
6) Daphne petrea "Persebee" - giving a second show this season
7) Silene hookeri ssp ingrammii - a young plant that has been flowering on and off for 3 months now, producing no more than 2 flowers at the same time !  It's outside in the rock garden, let's see if it survives Winter 

[Maggi Young]

I've been a bit lazy posting pictures lately - let's try to do something about it

Oh,  just lazy? I thought you had been lying on a beach somewhere! 

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Hardly on the lawn every now and then Maggi....

[Maggi Young]

Hardly on the lawn every now and then Maggi....

 So, the lawnmower is broken and you must lie there and clip the grass with scissors? 

[Gerdk]

Thank you Gerd ! I just looked back this month at your pictures of Impatiens arguta. It's very beautiful as well. Do you think this species can be perennial as far north as Sweden too ? Does it grow at high altitudes in China/Himalaya ? Can I be bold enough to ask you for some seeds ?

It's hardyish here in Svorsk zon 2-3, prefering moist soils and some leaves for protection against the hardest frosts. Drop me a PM and I'll send some cuttings, it must be self-sterile as I've never found any seeds.
There are several other Chinese species that are fully hardy here. I. omeiana rarely flowers before the first frosts, but the foliage more than makes up for it.

Arisaema,
Thank you for answering Paul's question. I didn't know the limits of winter hardiness of Impatiens arguta - my zone is 7 b (USDA). Your Impations are very impressive!

Paul,
Maybe my plants of arguta developed some seeds last year but I'm not totally sure.
If I'll be able to collect some for you  I'll send a PM.

Gerd

[TheOnionMan]

I've been a bit lazy posting pictures lately - let's try to do something about it

1) Phlox mesoleuca 'Mary Maslin' - still going strong (started flowering early May !  )
2) and 3) Eriogonum soredium - getting ready to flower
4) and 5) Eriogonum caespitosa - doing the same thing
6) Daphne petrea "Persebee" - giving a second show this season
7) Silene hookeri ssp ingrammii - a young plant that has been flowering on and off for 3 months now, producing no more than 2 flowers at the same time !  It's outside in the rock garden, let's see if it survives Winter  

Luc, fantastic to see such a thriving specimen of Phlox mesoleuca 'Mary Maslin'; these used to be so popular years ago after their initial introduction in the early 1980s, but they have all but disappeared in recent years.  Congratulations!  I used to grow this back in the early 1980s, along with the many named color forms such as 'Arroyo', and the yellow counterpart Phlox lutea... the latter being my favorite.  Congratulations too, on flowering Eriogonum soredium... I never got this to flower, although it is of more interest as a tight silver cushion.  Nice E. caespitosum as well.

I love Silene hookeri, hope your plant survives the oncoming winter.  Curious thing about the misplaced name "ssp. ingramii", as such a combination was never published to the best of my knowledge, although there was a species published as Silene ingramii, but it's a synonym of S. hookeri.  Two subspecies of S. hookeri are recognized, S. hookeri ssp. hookeri (synonyms: S. hookeri ssp. pulverulenta, S. ingramii) and S. hookeri ssp. bolanderi.

Flora of North America link:
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=250060854
CalPhotos image gallery (also curious in this case, they do not label the white ones as ssp. bolanderi as they should). Be sure to click on the "next 14" button in the lower right part of the gallery.
http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?where-genre=Plant&where-taxon=Silene+hookeri