Hepatica 2011

[angie]

Yes they are a really good. And not too far away either. I got the early bulb day at Dunblane on Saturday so maybe might get some there. That's if we get there just seen the weather forecast and they are saying snow for Saturday for us.

Angie

[Peter Maguire]

Does anyone find their hepatica flower stems start off upright but then as the flowers mature the stems bend down so the flowers end up facing the surface the pot is standing on?

Mike, I find that some of the japonicas do this, it seems to be a characteristic of some varieties. You can never tell from the pictures on the nursery websites as they generally only show one flower. I think that it's something you just have to live with as far as japonicas are concerned. It does help if you cut all the old leaves off just before the flower buds open, otherwise the flower stems get a bit elongated looking for some light and are more prone to flopping over.

[ChrisB]

Michael,  whats the secret to getting lots of flower on your hepaticas please?  Is it that you've had them a long time or the soil or keeping them in pots or what?  I've got one of those double pinks, rubra plena I think, its a good sized clump but not nearly as many flowers as you manage.  Any hints and tips much appreciated...

[Michael J Campbell]

Chris,I keep them in pots and feed them when they are making new growth. They also need all the sunshine  available from October until April, then they are removed to a north facing frame with no direct sunshine but with overhead protection.  They are potted in JI no 3 with perlite and grit, but not too much ,as they like a heavy compost but not too wet, which is why I keep them covered to control moisture levels.

That is how I do it, others probably use different methods and different composts.

[angie]

Chris, thanks for asking that question. I also wandered how Michael looked after his plants. Gives us all a better idea how to get our Hepaticas to flower.

Thanks Michael.

Angie

[Gunhild Poulsen]

Mavers tell about stems bending down when matured, and I must say I have the same experience. When I place the small bags (to catch the seeds), the stems almost always bend down – what ever it is japonica or nobilis. It is natural for the plant because the seeds then will drop down in the soil besides the “mother” and not in the middle of the “mother” where they will not be able to sprout.

I don’t give my Hepatica in the greenhouse full sunshine in the winter, because they then will start growing too early, and I will have a problem if we get hard frost, when thinking of pollination/seeds.
Of course it must depend of how hard the winter is where one live.
In Japan Hepatica are in nature covered with snow from around November to March, and then they get sunshine untill the threes come out and provide shade.
Gunhild

[Michael J Campbell]

A nice blue Hepatica nobilis.

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Looking great Michael and your camera seems to capture the blue really well !! 

[Maggi Young]

A nice blue Hepatica nobilis.

Superb!!

[Michael J Campbell]

Looking great Michael and your camera seems to capture the blue really well !!  Cheesy

Luc, you don't know about the other six pics that it didn't get right and were deleted.

[ChrisB]

Thanks Michael and everyone else for the tips.  I shall try this to see if my flowering improves next year....

[Gunhild Poulsen]

Great Michael it is a wonderful blue nobilis, and please be aware of the blue anthers, mostly nobilis has white anthers, opposite japonica which mostly has coloured.
I’m happy to hear that I’m not the only one having problems with taking photos of blue plants. But I find violet even more difficult. Does anyone have the same problems as me, and does anyone have a good idea to solve this problem? 

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Looking great Michael and your camera seems to capture the blue really well !!  Cheesy

Luc, you don't know about the other six pics that it didn't get right and were deleted.

Patience pays off Michael ! 

[Michael J Campbell]

please be aware of the blue anthers, mostly nobilis has white anthers, opposite japonica which mostly has coloured.

The original plant came from Ashwood nursery clearly labeled a nobilis.

[Mavers]

Hello Peter thanks for the information, it is a shame such beautiful flowers hang their heads. I always cut the foliage back just prior to flowering. I left it on one year to see if the old leaves would support the flower stems, they didn't & the flowers looked a right mess after finding their way through them......a lesson learned.

I thought it was my camera at fault for not photographing blues & violets well, seems that others find this with their own cameras......one reason I haven't posted any pictures of my modest collection.

Michael what do you feed your hepaticas?

Also you say you use a heavy mix of compost, do you mean a more loam based mix rather than lots of humus that some growers recommend?

Can anyone recommend other hepatica suppliers?

Mike