Pitcairn Alpines- webshop open from 1st April for the new season

[Maggi Young]

I'm posting this today so you don't think I'm kidding you for April 1st!

Pitcairn Alpines -the webshop will be open from 1st April for the new season.
Enjoy!
www.pitcairnalpines.co.uk/

[Lesley Cox]

What a super list of bulbs. I wish I could take advantage of it.

I'd have just one other comment. Susan says Olsynium (Sisyrinchium) douglasii album doesn't seed. Mine does, though not a lot. The half dozen seedlings I've had flower have all come true white too.

[Paul T]

Lesley,

Maybe she has a sterile clone, while your original was self fertile?  With your extra seedlings flowering, have you found that your seed crop has increased due to having multiple clones?

[Lesley Cox]

The seedlings have only each had 1 flower so far, last year or a couple in 2010. And even the big one which has up to 50 flowers or more each year, has only had a single pod three times.

[Paul T]

Have you hand pollinated from the little ones to the big one?  I'm only asking as it sounds like seed set is pretty rare and worth doing if it helps improve the gene pool.  Particularly as your original plant sounds like it was more fertile than is standard for the species anyway.

And for those reading, I have no vested interest in this, other than being interested in conservation from that aspect.  I'm intending to establish seeding colonies of a few things in my garden if possible as so many of us here in Aus have a single clone of something that we lift and divide out to get more.  Some of these things (basic Primulas for example) are very common elsewhere but usually we only buy one and divide, often slowly weakening over time.  I'd like to get self regenerating colonies, which probably isn't going to be that easy in my climate anyway, even with seed.    While the name Olsynium rings vague bells (I think I remember oohing and aahing over some name like that on a beautiful white flower somewhere on the forums at some point) I am not even entirely sure what it is.    I'm just mentioning this to remind people that if they can set seed on things that rarely set seed, they have a chance of increasing a rare gene pool, which is well worth it in the long run (particularly where virus etc is concerned).  I think Lesley already does this anyway, given her chocolate cosmos. 

OK, off my soap box now.  

 

[Susan Band]

Hi,just noticed this, thanks Maggie.
The reason I remarked on the fact that the Olsynium (Sisyrinchium) douglasii not setting seed was that the general public see Sisyrinchiums as seeding all over the garden, doesn't matter so much now as Olsynium is now the correct name. Some years there is occasional seed (usually miserable weather when flowering) but I haven't tried collecting it. The white one here does really well, much better than the purples. I have grown some purples from wild collected seed but they have never been good flowerers. Olsynium is usually Known for the lovely South American bulbs which survive here for a while then eventually die out.
I agree Paul, growing from seed is better overall. Might look for seed this year as up until today the weather has been good for seed setting. Now it is snowing over a lot of my seed crop ( I also contract seed grow, so snow on the flowering Primulas is not good)
Susan

[fredg]

Susan.... you need a bigger stock 

[Lesley Cox]

Paul, I haven't pollinated as you suggest. Give me another 12 hours each day and I'll get to it. Remember these bones are not only getting older but are arthritic as well. Everything I do takes longer.

Susan, I find the white a better doer than the purple. It increases well while the purple dies out eventually. Seed from Ron Ratko germinated well but didn't come up a second year. I never had seed on my large clump of purple.

[Roma]

I find both do well with me.  I usually get seed on the purple (and send it to the seed exchange).  Occasionally I get a few seeds on the white. 

[maggiepie]

I have the native one which I thought was very pretty so dug up a few from the field and planted in the garden.
Threw seeds everywhere and has turned into a real pest.
The clumps do look lovely when in flower but seeds everywhere.

Would be nice to have some that don't make much seed.

[Lesley Cox]

Olsynium douglasii white form. This photo is from 2007. Haven't taken one since then I think. I remember seeing a pic from Chris G-W or JCA or someone like that at one of the NZAGS Study weekends a few years ago. It was of the purple form, thousands of stunning plants in flower, stretching away into the distance. The Cascades maybe? NW USA anyway.

[maggiepie]

It's beautiful, Lesley.

[Paul T]

Lesley,

Wasn't intending to criticise, if that is how you've taken it.  I am most aware there aren't enough hours in the day.  

Your pic is I think the pretty white thing I remembered seeing.  I wouldn't have picked it as a Sisyrinchium to look at.  It almost looks like a large Leucojum/Acis in your pic.   So does the purple one look just the same, but purple?

[Menai]

Re Olsynium douglasii: I have plants from wild collected seed on Vancouver Island from 2004. They grow but I have had only one flower two years ago. What am I doing wrong? They are in a clay pot in one of my open-sided frames

Erle
Anglesey. 1st rain since 18th March.

[Lesley Cox]

I know you weren't criticizing Paul. Don't you know yet when I'm having a little dig at you?

The original purple I had was from a friend who was moving and had to dispose of many of his plants. It flowered and grew well for a number of years before getting overgrown I think, and giving up. Subsequent plant, (4) from 2 nurseries have proved difficult and miffy, refusing to establish and grow on.

Paul the "purple" form" is just as lovely being a sort of silky/satiny rosy shade, not truly purple, more classy and elegant than that, a really choice plant.