Specific Families and Genera > Meconopsis
Meconopsis in Cultivation
Margaret Thorne:
Happy New Year to everyone who grows Meconopses. December and January are the months in which many growers sow their Meconopsis seed, so now is perhaps an appropriate time to point out just how rare some species and subspecies have become in cultivation. Time is already up for several very beautiful taxa. Introduced into cultivation by intrepid plant-hunters at considerable personal cost, some disappeared very rapidly. Those long gone, at least from the UK, include: M. primulina, M. bhutanica, M. bella, M. pinnatifolia, M. sherriffii and M. taylorii. These photos are all taken in the wild; does anyone have any of the same species in cultivation?
M. primulina, M. bhutanica, M. bella.
M. pinnatifolia.
M. sherriffii.
M. taylorii
Margaret Thorne:
With little opportunity now for new seed introductions, we needed to discover what we had left to take action to secure their future. So, in 2022, I organised a Census on behalf of The Meconopsis Group to establish which species and subspecies (not hybrids or cultivars) were still being grown and with what success. Each taxon was allocated a provisional status on the basis of the results and these have been corroborated by a repeat of the Census in 2023. Those allocated to category ‘E’ – recently lost from cultivation include: M. bijiangensis, M. pseudointegrifolia, M. speciosa subsp. speciosa, M. sulphurea subsp. gracilifolia, M. venusta and M. betonicifolia (the true species not M. baileyi which is sometimes sold under this name).
But maybe some of these are still being grown by people who did not participate in the Census. If you have photos, please post them.
arisaema:
--- Quote from: Margaret Thorne on January 02, 2024, 03:48:08 PM ---M. pseudointegrifolia ... M. betonicifolia (the true species not M. baileyi which is sometimes sold under this name).
--- End quote ---
I'm surprised both are lost already, in particular M. betonicifolia as it's soundly perennial?
Margaret Thorne:
--- Quote from: arisaema on January 02, 2024, 04:17:02 PM ---I'm surprised both are lost already, in particular M. betonicifolia as it's soundly perennial?
--- End quote ---
Yes, Meconopsis betonicifolia is perennial, but it seems to hybridise readily with M. baileyi which is the most commonly grown species of the genus. The hybrid is called M. x 'Alaska' which is a good plant in cultivation, but it resembles M. baileyi in having a false whorl rather than M. betonicifolia which doesn't. Perhaps the hybrid is easier to grow, so is preferred to the latter parent, seed of which I have never managed to germinate. The photos are all M. x 'Alaska'
Margaret Thorne:
Several more taxa are currently category ‘D’ – endangered, most likely to be lost in the near future. These are M. simplicifolia subsp. simplicifolia, M. wallichii var. fusco-purpurea, M. lancifolia subsp. eximia and M. horridula (the true species not hybrids which are correctly described as M. x setifera).
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