Saponaria sicula cushions on Mt. Etna

[TheOnionMan]

One comes across the darnedest things on Facebook,  there on my FB "newsfeed" was a shared photo showing unidentified cushion plants growing in black volcanic soil; a most compelling photo of surreal effect.  It was posted by Plantifleurs L'Univers, the photo entitled 'Rarefaction Italy'. A plant person on FB asked the question, what plant do you think these cushions are, with a reasonable guess of Dianthus.  To me, the plants had more of a Saponaria lookabout them, with flowers at the perimeter of the cushions.  I googled something like "saponaria volcanic Italy" and lo and behold, a similar image popped up of the same area, ends up being Saponaria sicula, a rare endemic growing in black volcanic soil atop Mt. Etna, Sicily. Cool, or should I say Hot!

Here are some Facebook links (these might only work if you have a Facebook account)
Plantifleurs L'Univers photo entitled 'Rarefaction Italy'
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.105144526246201.8982.100002519622435&type=3#!/photo.php?fbid=209547339139252&set=a.105144526246201.8982.100002519622435&type=3&theater
...an alternate URL:
http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/408983_209547339139252_100002519622435_445365_907535213_n.jpg

Facebook link to Plantifleurs L'Univers super-duper amazing photo gallery!  (fantastic landscapes, some plants too)
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.105144526246201.8982.100002519622435&type=3

Screen capture of my Facebook "wall" showing the surreal image of Saponaria sicula among black "dunes" of Mt. Etna vocanic soil


Here are two Flickr photo links, these will work for everyone:
==========================================
Saponaria sicula (Endemic flora of Mount Etna to 2.000 m)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/luigistrano/6064835036/
Close-up of Saponaria sicula and Senecio aetnensis:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/luigistrano/6064835692/in/photostream/


Was going to ask if anyone is growing this plant, searched SRGC and found a photo of Saponaria sicula var. intermedia posted by Luit van Delft(Lvandelft):
http://www.srgc.org.uk/forum/index.php?topic=7378.msg205169#msg205169

Luit, your plant looks happy.  Is this saponaria in general cultivation in Europe?  Does anyone have experience with the species found on top of Mt. Etna?  Does anyone know about ssp. stranjensis and how it differs?  How to cultivate this plant?


According to The Plant List & Tropicos:
Saponaria haussknechtii Simmler is a synonym of Saponaria sicula subsp. intermedia (Simmler) Chater

...and Saponaria intermedia Simmler is a synonym of Saponaria sicula subsp. intermedia (Simmler) Chater.

...and Saponaria stranjensis Jordanov is a synonym of Saponaria sicula subsp. stranjensis (Jordanov) Chater.

[Tim Ingram]

Mark - I was really struck by this image of Saponaria sicula when you showed it on the NARGS forum. Wonderful contrast between plant and landscape. Interesting that no other plants have established in the way that this has - presumably because of the disturbed and harsh landscape. Maybe Facebook is a good place to find plants and plantspeople; up to now I have never really thought of it that way. It is always nice to get a fresh aspect.

[Great Moravian]

Stranja is a highland in Bulgaria adjacent to Turkey, in warmer climate without serious frosts. The plant itself is of taller habit
nor suitable for our purposes.
The basic information can be found at
http://www.bgflora.net/families/caryophyllaceae/saponaria/saponaria_stranjensis/saponaria_stranjensis_en.html
http://e-ecodb.bas.bg/rdb/en/vol1/Sapstran.html

[TheOnionMan]

Mark - I was really struck by this image of Saponaria sicula when you showed it on the NARGS forum. Wonderful contrast between plant and landscape. Interesting that no other plants have established in the way that this has - presumably because of the disturbed and harsh landscape. Maybe Facebook is a good place to find plants and plantspeople; up to now I have never really thought of it that way. It is always nice to get a fresh aspect.

The flurry of plant-related activity on Facebook, particularly in Facebook Groups, and some private plant-related Facebook Groups, is reaching new levels of activity, almost overwhelming.

[TheOnionMan]

Stranja is a highland in Bulgaria adjacent to Turkey, in warmer climate without serious frosts. The plant itself is of taller habit
nor suitable for our purposes.
The basic information can be found at
http://www.bgflora.net/families/caryophyllaceae/saponaria/saponaria_stranjensis/saponaria_stranjensis_en.html
http://e-ecodb.bas.bg/rdb/en/vol1/Sapstran.html

Thanks Josef, even though a bit taller, I think it's a most worthwhile species (or subspecies of S. sicula), great to see those photos.

[TheOnionMan]

I wonder how close these plants grow to the erupting summit of Mt. Etna, I see in the news that it is erupting again (sorry about the advertisement in the YouTuve video):