Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
Cultivation => Cultivation Problems => Topic started by: ian mcenery on March 08, 2008, 07:09:45 PM
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I have on previous attempts failed with this plant but being the sort of gardener who delights in triumphs of hope over experience I again bought a small plant last autumn and have kept it in its pot over the winter. Can anyone give any hints of how to grow this lovely plant. It would also be interesting to hear any observations of how this grows in nature ie temperature water and sun. I think I remember that Jack Drake recommended that this be grown in deep soil to which had been added well rotted manure at depth to aid moisture retention and to feed
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I'll be waiting for answers from the specialists with just as much interest as you Ian - I've also got a young plant waiting in it's pot to find a suitable home... ;D
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I have managed to flower it for the past six or seven years. I live at just over 1000'. It requires sharp drainage but not sure about the fertilising. I leave well alone, think you may risk flowers as the leaves can grow huge anyway. I have it planted where it is in the open, receives sun, but another planted only about 4' away sulked and refused to grow, so I have moved it near the other and this year it finally started to put on growth. They both receive more sun where they are now.
In nature they grow in quite open spots often in "crevice garden" situations. This photo was taken up Mt Burns, where Ian was in January. He will have a much better photo I am sure.
Susan.
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I have found, and I have heard others say the same, that they tend to flower in their first year once they get to flowering size then not flower again. I got plenty of seed from it and grew on the seedlings. The main plant hasn't flowered for years so last summer I lifted and split it, I will let you know how it went later on.
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I haven't dared split mine as I found that it only started flowering once it started to 'creep' and I assumed that it was then happy. I am going to have to move a couple of Celmisias that are in the way as the R lyallii is taking over the area. As long as it keeps flowering though I am not too bothered. All that said, I do think they are quite temperamental as I have had many over the years and planted them in different positions and they have never prospered, often as a result of too much shade, I think.
Susan
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My current miserable specimen is much smaller and less happy than Susan's but when I did have it growing well - in a large pot - for about 3 years, it only flowered the following year if I lifted it and repotted with a good dose of high potassium Osmacote. Yes, sharp drainage including lots of grit and a moisture retentive compost. I haven't had a suitable garden situation for it.
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Susan thanks very much for your advice. I will not be planting it where I had first thought and will seek a more open position. Given that in nature it is growing well in the crevice this could indicate that it might want a cool and moist root run so I wonder whether I should put some small rocks under the ground to create a similar situation. I also know some plants like their roots to be restricted. What do you think?
Susan B thanks for your experience I suppose this is one plant that maybe doesn't like being away from its native climate
Lesley I might not have either but I will try to construct an environment as close to what I imagine the plant needs. How would you describe the perfect spot?
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At 1500 metres on Mt Burns or similar at Mt Cook. ;D ;D ;D
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Doesn't look all that promising Ian ?
Shall we have a contest who kills it first ?? ;D
Or maybe, being optimistic : who gets the first flowers... ::) ::) ::)
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Doesn't look all that promising Ian ?
Shall we have a contest who kills it first ?? ;D
Or maybe, being optimistic : who gets the first flowers... ::) ::) ::)
Bet I win Luc well to kill it anyway :(
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Don't be too selfconfident Ian ! Killing plants is one of my specialties... ;D
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Yes over the years I have manged to acquire ;) an incredibly expensive collection of plant labels too!
Susan
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I am a member of the dead label and flowerpot society,anyone want to join?
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You can't call yourself a grower if you haven't killed more good plants than the next guy. Not killing simply means that you haven't been at it very long. (The most visited pages on my web site are the ones about how to kill plants).
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Michael, I think we can all qualify to be members of the Dead Label and Flowerpot Society and ought to join you.... I'd like to propose you as the Chairman..... all those in favour?.........
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I'll second that Maggi. Foundation member status for the rest of us?
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I'll second that Maggi. Foundation member status for the rest of us?
I think I'm nearer graduate status than foundation ;D ;D ;D
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I am a member of the dead label and flowerpot society,anyone want to join?
I've been a life member for many years. The annual subscription is hugely expensive, even for life members.
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I've been a life member for many years. The annual subscription is hugely expensive, even for life members.
OOh, errrr.... that's quite true.... I hadn't thought of the expense... perhaps I can't afford the subscription to the formal club... I may have to stay as a lurker on the fringe :-[ :-\
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I keep all the plant labels of failures in a pot in the potting shed just to remind me that at some time I might be foolish to give them another chance. Just the other day I knocked the said pot over and spent a long time -too long- picking them up. Perhaps I should bin them as they can become bad karma and a reminder of just how bad my plant spending habit is ::)
Perhaps that's why my signature is "always room for another plant" as there is plenty of room after the cadavas have been removed ;D
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We have a friend who keeps a memorial pot of dead labels.....well, several pots, actually.... too depressing for me, I'm afraid.
A local SRGC member had some success with Ranunculus lyallii for a little while , growing it in the banks of a stream, as I recall. I'm sure ithey did flower.... at least once...... Roma, if you are reading this, I'm thinking of Ian Brooker... can you remember more than I?
Now I'm thinking even more of Ian Brooker, for he is not at all well these days and in need of great care from his lovely wife, Marie.
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When we moved from our last garden to the present one, over 10 years ago, I threw out 2 banana boxes full of dead labels. It was like a great weight being taken off my shoulders. Now I don't keep them unless I can use the other side for cuttings or seed pots. There's always a little heap of once used labels on the kitchen bench, waiting to be washed before re-use. Why don't I get a life and just use new labels?
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Returning to the problems of cultivation of Ranunculus lyallli, Susan lives in the coolest, wettest part of Dunedin hence a clue to her success in growing this plant. I nature it grows on high fertility sites generally amongst tussock or shrubs where there is ample moisture ( high rainfall and free drainage) The large leaves are an adaption to low levels of light (overcast, rainy days rather than shade). Flowering is likely to be intiated the season prior to it occurring. I believe that plants require a cold induced period of dormancy to remain healthy snow cover rather than hard frosts. It is naturally summer-green only but at low altitude plants tend to keep growing throughout the year and eventually weaken and die. Its altitudinal range is 700 - 1500 metres (2,500 - 5000 ft).
So if you live in a cool wet climate with some winter snow you will possibly get the plant growing and flowering. The accepted common name for this plant is the Great Mountain Buttercup. It is not a lily and does not grow exclusively at Mt Cook
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Very informative Dave these comments just go to show why this and some other mountain dwellers such as Eritrichium nanum are not at home at lower altitudes. I knew I was probably failing for some reason other than just pure incompetence as I have always taken a great deal of care over planting. As to conditions I'm afraid snow cover is a thing of the past but wet summers well.............. Reading all of these comments I am hatching a plan which no doubt will mean another failure but hope springs eternal as they say. And anyway it is better than cutting out the middle man and placing it directly on the compost heap
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More info: http://www.doc.govt.nz/conservation/native-plants/mount-cook-lily/ (http://www.doc.govt.nz/conservation/native-plants/mount-cook-lily/)
"Plenty of water, good drainage and shade in hot areas are required and it is intolerant of high nutrient levels in soil."
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This is a bolt from the blue surely? The post above the one above was made on my 65th birthday. The next reply comes when I'm jolly near 72! ;D