Adonis 2011

[Pascal B]

Naming cultivars is subject to rules just as naming species is. The International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants is the guideline for that: http://www.ishs.org/sci/icracpco.htm

The ICNCP is basically an extension of the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature (ICBN)

Unfortunately it is not online, like the ICBN is, and needs to be purchased. Generally speaking new cultivars either are registered at a specific registration body or published in a printed form (like a nursery catalogue) for them to become official. Naming cultivars has more freedom than species because the names don't have to be in Latin of latinized. Unfortunately in some genera growers mis-use cultivars to become immortal resulting in a multitude of similar looking plants with different names which then are discussed on fora because no one can make heads of tail of them.....

The most important paragraph in the ICNCP is paragraph 2.3 defining what a cultivar is:

A cultivar is an assemblage of plants that (a) has been selected for a
particular character or combination of characters, (b) is distinct, uniform, and stable
in these characters, and (c) when propagated by appropriate means, retains those
characters

A a result of this definition the best way to ensure the "purity" of a cultivar is to propagate it vegetatively but it doesn't have to as long as the offspring retains the characters that defined the cultivar. The more clearly defined the characters are that make up the cultivar, the easier it is to recognise in the course of time and doesn't get "muddled" with plants that "sort of look like" the original cultivar.

[cohan]

Photographing Adonis vernalis in the wild I noticed that there is some variation among the plants.
But usually only the shape of the petals or of the whole flower is variable, not the colour.
Does anyone know of any Adonis vernalis cultivars? Any colour variants?
Here is a small collage of the plants growing wild here near Cluj, Romania.

Every one of these is nice! Any plans to collect seed ?

[Ragged Robin]

What a super sight, Franz, like pools of gold.

[Oakwood]

Adonis wolgensis ex SE Ukraine steppes.

[WimB]

Adonis wolgensis ex SE Ukraine steppes.

Love that species, Dimitri. Thanks for showing!
I've never seen it for sale anywhere.

[Oakwood]

Thanks, Wim! This species is distributed in the southern steppe regions of Russia, Ukraine, Moldova and it grows often together with A. vernalis....

[WimB]

Thanks, Wim! This species is distributed in the southern steppe regions of Russia, Ukraine, Moldova and it grows often together with A. vernalis....

Thanks for the info...

[Ragged Robin]

Wonderful to see in the steppe environment.

[Oakwood]

Wonderful to see in the steppe environment.

Ragged Robin - it wasn't in the wild - simply at me in garden/ But these are pictured in the wild  - Azov Sea steppe area....

[Tim Ingram]

Adonis vernalis grows much better in our garden than amurensis. I grew a batch of seedlings of the former from Jelitto and planted out four or five. They do have enormous flowers, really striking over the beautifully cut foliage, and there is a little variation - one in particular is much paler than the norm. I must get pictures next spring. The Japanese selections shown at the beginning are extraordinary!

[Ragged Robin]

these are pictured in the wild  - Azov Sea steppe area....

Thank you Dimitri - these are wonderful photos in the wild landscape.  I will be looking for this area on the map and hope to find out more about the Flora and Fauna that live there.

[Lesley Cox]

The Adonis plants are magnificent! Iris pumila must live there as I have some little plants from seed collected in the area, courtesy Ashley Allshire. They're tiny plants that die right down to nothing in winter and make neat little tufts in the spring, smaller than even the tiniest Min dwarf bearded hybrids. I'm hoping for the first flowers in a few months.

[Oakwood]

The Adonis plants are magnificent! Iris pumila must live there as I have some little plants from seed collected in the area, courtesy Ashley Allshire. They're tiny plants that die right down to nothing in winter and make neat little tufts in the spring, smaller than even the tiniest Min dwarf bearded hybrids. I'm hoping for the first flowers in a few months.

Yes, Lesley! Ashley got its seeds from this area from me))) now you have these pumila plants too)) Very interesting to know the pumila plants from my region - SE Ukraine, now are well growing in NZ!!! wow wow wow!

[ashley]

Dima, your packet of seed was so generous that I had to share it with Lesley

The plants are more slender than my other I. pumila.  A first flower this year was a wonderful cloudy or 'oyster' white, but unfortunately slugs spoiled it before I could take a picture.  Next year at least some of the other plants should flower too  
I look forward to seeing yours Lesley.

[Oakwood]

Dima, your packet of seed was so generous that I had to share it with Lesley

The plants are more slender than my other I. pumila.  A first flower this year was a wonderful cloudy or 'oyster' white, but unfortunately slugs spoiled it before I could take a picture.  Next year at least some of the other plants should flower too  
I look forward to seeing yours Lesley.

It's great, Ashley! Waiting for your colourful pumila seedling pics next year!