Haastia

[Philippe]

Hi

I had the great opportunity to see a well grown exemplar of haastia ( pulvinaris) at the alpine house propagation of the botanical garden of Tübingen in Germany.
The gardener who takes great care of this house will perhaps be able to give me a rooted haastia cutting next year, to try it at the alpine garden in the Vosges.
I was really pleased and much surprised too to see the plant so nearly, and with my eyes. Full of hairs and really tight growing.

http://www.alsacephotos.fr/srgs/haastia_pulvinaris.jpg

Any advice from a lucky grower here, keeping in mind I would grow it totally outdoor?
Perfectly drained soil, and no above-watering during winter. Snow should keep it relatively dry/"warm" during several months in winter, but would a rainy spell in a snowfree period be fatal for the plant? I mean it is so tight and hairy, once wet, especially during winter, it would probably not dry out anymore, and go rotten then?
I even doubt if it could stand that long our sometimes very wet summers?
It would be great for me to know more precisely the weather conditions the plants are exposed to through the year in New Zealand mountains ( duration and reliability of snowcover for example, mean temperatures and rainfall in summer...).
Thanks!
Philippe

[Maggi Young]

From our experience here in North East Scotland, I would think that the Haastia would need some protection from summer wet and certainly would prefer a rain cover if there was a snowless period in winter.
That being said, we have watered  "furry" Raoulia overhead  in the alpine house, but always with lots of fans running to keep the air flowing and dry the cushion. 
Air flow should not be a problem in the alpine garden but still excessive wet may be a problem. 

[Lesley Cox]

That's certainly a very nice plant Philippe. I wish you well with your rooted cutting. I have only ever tried it once, a small collected plant many years ago, and it took about two years to die completely, but die it did. I agree with Maggi re water and cover. The higher your altitude the better too.

I can't advise about the conditions. It would be covered with snow in winter but we do sometimes have thaws even in winter, with warmer rains in the mountains. There are some skilled growers of Haastia in the Christchurch region but not, sadly, posters to this Forum. Doug Logan may be able to help if he sees this thread.

[Philippe]

Thank your for your answers.
When one sees such extra-specialized plants, it's always the great question to know what's better to do and what should not to be done at all.
I just can't imagine that such a hairy and compact plant would get much water from above even in summer, but as far I know, south New Zealand mountains should get plenty of rain during that time too ? ( although there must certainly be rainy and drier areas in comparaison). As Maggi said, plenty of air to dry out quickly the cushion in summer during cloudy and wet periods. We have this generally, air, but if the wind is only just bringing more fog and more rain during several days... 

Lesley, this would be nice if I could get in touch with those growers of Christchurch. Maybe a mail-adress you could send me in private?
I will write a short message to Doug also.

Anyway I hope I can try this plant next year and tell my experience here, bad or good

There are so often unexpected surprises with plants! I was upthere at the alpine garden once more this morning. We should finally get there next week...But the cars will have to stay on the road outside, because of silly huge snow accumulations mainly on the ways (...), whereas the cultivated beds are now more or less snowfree. Well, nevertheless, I could see some of my eritrichium nanum which I have tried last year, thinking they would be dead this spring anyway, as they already looked soooo bad. But obvioulsy, there are some tiny new shoots ready to go on fighting!