Kerria japonica white/cream form wanted

[Hoy]

Can I join his thread? -  I've already done so!
I am looking for the single form of Kerria japonica, think it is called 'Golden Guinea'. I have the double flowered and my sister aptly call it "the dandelion shrub"! From pictures 'Golden Guinea' seems much better and I have never seen it in Norway.
I would be interested in a whiteflowered too if anybody track it down!
I have Rhodothypos scandens too (and seeds if anybody is interested). You can't mix them if you see both together.

[Casalima]

I asked about the white Kerria at the botanical garden in Spain and they said they'd look to see whether they still have it. And mentioned that a Dutch nursery friend of theirs recently bought one precisely from the French nursery you mentioned, Alan, which also sells Golden Guinea.

[Hoy]

Unfortunately they don't dispatch to Norway

[Alan_b]

I am looking for the single form of Kerria japonica, think it is called 'Golden Guinea'.

'Golden Guinea' is much easier to get hold of in the UK than the white form(s) I am looking for.  This page lists the stockists http://apps.rhs.org.uk/rhsplantfinder/pfregions.asp?ID=47031 - you would have to work your way through the list to discover if any would dispatch to Norway.

[Paul T]

Trond,

Do you have any friends in the UK who might be able to act as intermediaries?  It will cost you a bit more postage as it would have to be sent to them, then they repackage and send on to you.  I've done this for a couple of friends who wanted things from Australia but they wouldn't export..... they arranged to have the plants sent to me, then I repackaged them and sent them on the UK without any problems.  It is a way to get access to plants if the nursery is unwilling to send to you directly.  It also of course depends on your quarantine restrictions for the country..... if the plants aren't allowed into Norway then your friends sending them won't help.

It would be worth finding out though, as it might mean you can get your white Kerria. 

[zephirine]

I'm afraid that a transit via UK would be pretty expensive, Paul: the nursery that was mentioned (pcsl) is located in Western France, and cumulating two  international transports would mean a double long journey for the plant(s), and double charge for Trond.
If you are ready for it, Trond, I could play the part of the intermediate, since I'm in France and the first transport would be faster for the plants and less expensive for you...please contact me if you're interested!

[Hoy]

Paul and Zephirine, thank you for the suggestion. I have thought of it as I have a daughter living in London at the moment (for a year only while she takes a degree). The problem isn't solved by that though because the authorities demand a phytosanitary certificate for plants (not for bulbs). So I can risk that the plants are returned. That's why few nurseries in Europe bother sending to Norway We are outside EU and the rule regarding dispatching plants without phyto in EU do not apply for us. Sometimes it is also necessary to rootwash the plants to get a phyto.

Small plants/cuttings etc usually get through though, and bulbs corms etc are allowed without problems.
I have found a source though and I hope he can fix it 

[Paul T]

Zephirine,

I hadn't picked up it was in France..... otherwise I would have suggested someone in France.  I perhaps should have just said "in the same country as the nursery", which would have covered everything.    If I'd realised, I never would have suggested sending to the UK and international postage etc..... I had thought the nursery was already in the UK.  Sorry.

[Alan_b]

After I posted my original query I used a bit of lateral thinking and tracked a picture result from a Google search to the originating web site.  This lead me to France and a nursery called "pépinières côte sud des landes"  http://pcsdl.vad.free.fr/contents/fr/d107.html .  After returning from a trip I placed an order which was dispatched on Monday and arrived Thursday.  The plant was well-packaged and survived the journey well.  There is only one intact flower but it has the requisite number of petals (5) and is light cream in colour rather than pure white.  I am very satisfied.  My thanks to everyone who responded and who offered to help.

[Maggi Young]

So glad you tracked it down Alan... and that was very good service and prompt delivery.

[Casalima]

And I went there last Thursday and bought the last one (at least on show) in the nursery - and some other very lovely plants! Very nice people indeed! And then I went to my beloved plant fair in north Spain where I bought other equally wonderful plants from a Dutch shrub nursery that had also bought one of these Kerrias from them (which shows how rare they are in Europe) and from the botanical garden itself - which had also bought this Kerria from them at some point! I agree with Alan, creamish rather than white, but a good plant!

[Alan_b]

One year on and, as I split the contents of the pot I bought, I have small plants growing in three locations in the garden.  Inside the pot, the roots had wound round the inner circumference several times and I cut these into sections to try root cuttings - my first attempt at this propagation technique.  I enjoyed good success so I now also have a number of small plants in pots derived from these cuttings.  I am extremely pleased with this outcome.

The nursery in France that sent me the plant has changed its web site to http://www.pcsdl.fr/ but still lists the 'Albiflora' form that I bought.  It is cream rather than white, but no less attractive for that.
 

[fermi de Sousa]

That's a charming plant, Alan,
will you now be supplying the industry with all that propagating?
cheers
fermi

[Alan_b]

All the nurseries in the UK that I contacted last year in search of this plant said that they had lost their stock.  So I probably could re-supply the UK horticultural industry!

[Gerry]

Did they say why their stock is lost Alan?