Podophyllum pleianthum ....and others

[Greenmanplants]

On turning out a couple of pots at the week-end, I found some damage to the pot bound roots coiled round the bottom. Only those with a lot of root at the base of the pot had this damage.

Also found some likely culpits.



Not to be disheartened I decided to do some splitting anyway,  I prefer the break method as nature intended rather than the sharp knife, but I remain ready to hear the counter argument.  I always think just when coming into growth is the best time.

Having split this by break, I subsequently noticed a small dormant bud so decided to try the split once more.  So from one plant I have two strong ends with 2 and 1 shoot respectively and a small middle portion just for fun with a small dormant bud.  

We'll see what grows and what doesn't.


Incidentally I have been advised not to split these when in active growth, but have no direct experience of that, to be able to say whether it is crucial advice.

Any others with experience of these, how and when to split??

As regards hardiness they seem fine in the garden once planted out...-7 min with me....I think I've lost a difforme, but it was only small and in a pot.  The delavayi have all come through in pots and in the ground, indeed the garden planted ones are ahead of the potted ones.


My guess on the single clone lack of fertility would be that any Micropropped like 'Spotty Dotty' or 'Kaleidoscope' are going to have problems in the long run....unless someone can unlock the secret of lack of seed, if there is a simpler answer.

 

[Lesley Cox]

Glad to see you're reading here Rob because obviously you're going to get much more information here, than from me. Further to yesterday's, P. pleianthum was one I bought from Sally in Tasmania last year (currently in a Blue Mountains garden, couldn't bring it home) because it had seed pods forming, but in the event, there was nothing in them.

[Lesley Cox]

Though no way related, those thicker roots above look incredibly like those of Weldenia candida. So do the new shoots. My experience with that, is divide just as breaking dormancy (about August in the SH and the plants literally fall apart into their different sections so no root damage at all.

[rob krejzl]

P. pleianthum was one I bought from Sally

Mine from the same source is starting into growth again. Last year it flowered in mid winter, so I expect the same performance this year too.

[Paddy Tobin]

Peculiarly, Rob,

Mine is just poking its nose above the ground here in the south of Ireland. Opposites ends of the globe with plants performing at the same time!

Paddy

[rob krejzl]

Mine is just poking its nose above the ground here in the south of Ireland. Opposites ends of the globe with plants performing at the same time!

Location, location, location as estate agents say. I have Lilium wardii in the garden showing buds - should flower in a month or so.

[Tony Willis]

here are a couple of pictures of one of my dysosma from Chen yi. The plant plus another species set seed and I produced about 20 seedlings a picture of one of which I posted the other day in Flowers and foliage now.

All the species she supplied were easy to propagate in that i cut of the new growing point with the roots attached and then repotted the old roots. A month or so later another growing point developed from dormant buds and this was then cut of. This can be done several times until the old roots rot away.My oldest root is 3 years old and has just produced a new shoot.

I grew them all in pots for a couple of years but they are quite unsuitable for pot culture and last summer planted them all out.They are just starting through the soli and I notice one has buds on it.

[Greenmanplants]

At last, someone who has had seed.  Did you have more than one clone and did you intervene??  With a paint brush or otherwise.

I'm with you on the dormant buds, seem to spring into life once the growing apical buds are cut out, just like trillium although only one new bud seems to replace them whereas with trillium you can get lots of small buds develop.

[Paul T]

Tony,

That is VERY special.  Glorious leaves and such wonderful colour to the flowers.  To die for!!!! 

[Tony Willis]

Yes I had two clones,one from Longacre Plants which was my original and then I bought some more from Chen yi of different species including delavayi .My wife went to work with the paintbrush whilst I was away and the seed pods were produced. I also got seeds of  another one which I think was pleianthum and there I had both plants from China and must assume they were different clones.Last year only one plant flowered and it did not self fertilise although it did produce a lovely berry which when it ripened contained abhorted seeds.

[Paul T]

Tony,

Well if you manage to get seed again you'll hear the thundering as the SRGCers all beat a path to your door to beg for some!!    There are worse things that you could suffer from though..... if having your plants produce popular seed is the worse thing to happen in life then it's a pretty good one!! 

[Paddy Tobin]

Podophyllum delavayi in the open garden some days ago. It flowered well last year, set very attractive red pods but had no seeds. Must try to pollinate it  by brush this year and live in hope.

Paddy

[Tony Willis]

Paddy
my delavayi is more advanced than yours ,perhaps it is more protected and its buds are red the same colour as its stems from the time they emerge.I have difformis in bud as well and it is at the same stage as yours with whiteish buds which are slightly hairy.Several more are only just showing through the soil

Paul the chances of more seed is slim. The plants were on the greenhouse bench when they were pollinated whilst I was away and are now in the garden. I shall be in Greece when they open and the chances of getting Mrs Willis to get on her knees in the garden with a paint brush are pretty slim, in fact stretching married bliss beyond the acceptable.Or as she would say no I will not !

Here are some pics of different ones which again are in the garden now

[Maggi Young]

I am crazy about these plants... wish I had more, but I am on the lookout....

I shall be in Greece when they open and the chances of getting Mrs Willis to get on her knees in the garden with a paint brush are pretty slim, in fact stretching married bliss beyond the acceptable.Or as she would say no I will not !

.....not even if we send her some chocolate?

[Tony Willis]

no go too many creepy crawlies.