Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
General Subjects => Flowers and Foliage Now => Topic started by: fermi de Sousa on February 01, 2017, 09:29:18 AM
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Eucomis vandermerwei is flowering this year - it missed out last year due to mealy bug infestation!
cheers
fermi
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This morning there was lovely soft light due to some cloud cover, so I spent some time in the rock garden with my camera.
1. Artemisia umbelliformis (I think)
2. Sempervivum arachnoideum
3. Sedum spathulifolium
4. Dymondia margaretae
5. Thymus serpyllum minimus
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part 2
1. Centaurea simplicicaulis
2. Origanum dictamnus
3. Penstemon davidsonii ssp. menziesii
4. Silene acaulis
5. Bolax gummifera
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part 3
1. Globularia cordifolia
2. Sedum spurium
3. Dianthus unknown
4. Mental blank, can't remember. Petrocallis pyrenaica (supposedly!)
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Great light for showing the intensity of the greens, Jamus.
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Regarding Petrocallis pyrenaica, clearly it isn't although that's what was on the seed packet... I wonder what I have? anyone have any suggestions? I might post the image in the alpines section too.
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Jamus, a great series of little plants for the rockery! Origanum dictamnus is particularly a lovely species :)
The rosette could be a Draba, but not only, I guess you'll have to wait for the flowers. I also wonder about the unknown Dianthus - interesting foliage for a Dianthus (if true).
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part 2
1. Centaurea simplicicaulis
2. Origanum dictamnus
3. Penstemon davidsonii ssp. menziesii
4. Silene acaulis
5. Bolax gummifera
Hello Jamus,
I think your picture number 5 does not show Bolax gummifera. I would say it is Azorella trifurcata. Even if the Synoym Bolax gummifera is sometimes used for this species. They differ considerably in the shape of the foliage from the "real" Bolax gummifera.
It can also be another azorella. There are some different forms. I have 5 or 6 species, but they are currently under a dense snow cover. I hang out some pictures for comparison.
Still, your plant looks very good.
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I agree, your Bolax is an Azorella.
I think your Dianthus may be a nice form of D. deltoiodes - some of these have very neat foliage of that sort.
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part 3
1. Globularia cordifolia
2. Sedum spurium
3. Dianthus unknown
4. Mental blank, can't remember. Petrocallis pyrenaica (supposedly!)
Perhaps the unknown dianthus could be D. myrtinervius or maybe deltoides?
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Sorry, Maggi, didn't see your post!
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Thank you people for the help with identification. I'm slightly miffed about the Azorella, I PAID actual money for something called Bolax gummifera from a very well known seller here in oz. I won't name names. It's good to have an accurate identity.
Bolax gummifera
1 × AU$8.00
D. myrtinervius was the purported name... I hope you're right Maggi, I really do, because it was an enthusiastic germinator and I have quite a few! deltoides would be less desirable. Looking at pictures online I am almost convinced it is such but flowers will confirm.
As for the glaucus specimen, I have three in the garden all doing well. I'm not impressed with the BIG leaves. Draba would be fine, I hope it's not a cabbage. LOL
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Now I'm wondering if Bolax gummifera is even in Australia... I will ask Otto (or he will read this and comment).
Here is a New Zealand cushion plant turning up in the nurseries here; Scleranthus uniflorus
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Now I'm wondering if Bolax gummifera is even in Australia... I will ask Otto (or he will read this and comment).
Here is a New Zealand cushion plant turning up in the nurseries here; Scleranthus uniflorus
According to my research Bolax gummifera only occurs in the south of Chile, Argentina and the Falkland Islands.
This also applies to the different species of Azorella.
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Good luck and take care to my fellow Australians for the few days ahead. Here in Adelaide we are forecast to reach 41°C today, again tomorrow and then 39 and 37 Friday and Saturday. Not fun at all.
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Hi Jamus,
I have in front of me a paper on the taxonomy of Azorella but I don't need to bore you all with the details. These authors state that there are two currently accepted species of Bolax (Bolax gummifera, Bolax caespitosa) and that are only distantly related to Azorella. There is utter confusion in the literature in respect of the synonymy between Azorella and Bolax and it appears many people think Azorella trifurcata and Bolax gummifera are the synonyms that apply to the same plant (Azorella trifurcata). My internet searching only unearthed more confusion. So Thomas is completely correct and you can tell your supplier gently that they are wrong. A refund of $8.00 would be a modest price for this piece of information.
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Cheers David! I did some research myself and decided Azorella trifurcata was the right name for my plant, but the Bolax synonym is deeply (and fallaciously) embedded within Azorella trifurcata's identify all over the internet. I changed it in my rock garden spread sheet and have been mumbling to myself about it all day. I didn't chase the real Bolax yet. looks like you had some time up your sleeve? Feel free to share any info on Bolax gummifera, if you find a confirmed picture or description. Very curious! Thanks again.
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Thomas your picture of Bolax gummifera is beautiful. What a lovely little plant. I don't think it's in cultivation in Australia... but could easily be wrong.
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Hello David,
Thank you for the informations. Bolax caespitosa I did not know yet. I am always happy when I get to know new plants from the southern hemisphere. I've looked at the Internet. An interesting species. The foliage is not as beautiful as B. gummifera but for that the flowers are ingenious.
Did you get my PM?
Thomas
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Check out these fabulous photos of Bolax caespitosa and Bolax gummifera growing intermingled with fruiting Empetrium rubrum!
http://photos.v-d-brink.eu/Flora-and-Fauna/South-America/Argentina-South-Patagonia/i-TcCJf5C (http://photos.v-d-brink.eu/Flora-and-Fauna/South-America/Argentina-South-Patagonia/i-TcCJf5C)
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I know this picture ... just gigantic. Thanks again for the link.
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Thomas your picture of Bolax gummifera is beautiful. What a lovely little plant. I don't think it's in cultivation in Australia... but could easily be wrong.
Thank you ... it can be a bit too hot with you in Australia. Even with me in Central Europe it is almost too warm for the South Americans. I try to place them so that they do not get any sun at noon. And some wind they like.
But your Azorella looks very good. It also blooms reliably. So do not annoy. ;)
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Thank you people for the help with identification. I'm slightly miffed about the Azorella, I PAID actual money for something called Bolax gummifera from a very well known seller here in oz. I won't name names. It's good to have an accurate identity.
... this has certainly happened to us all. One buys a certain plant and then establishes that it is not these. With me it was last year also an Azorella. I ordered an A. patagonica and it was then an A. filamentosa.
I have photographed some Azorella for you today. There are presumably also within a kind of different forms. A photo shows A. trifucata from Las Lenas in Argentina. It does not look as compact as yours and has very large foliage.
Unfortunately not all have survived the winter. A. madreporica I have lost. But I have a good source and will buy new in spring.
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Thanks Thomas and very interesting group of plants. My Azorella just came through a heatwave unscathed and is making flower buds. I'll post pictures for you when it flowers. It looks very healthy; seems it likes heat more than cold! ??? I have Bolax on my wants list. :)
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Look what I found at the 'B' store. It's a new dwarf Punica, they are marketing as MiniMagic. The label says 20cm tall. A nice rock garden specimen shrub I reckon!
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Jamus - Back in 2013 I noticed them used as annual bedding plants around the city here. More surprising were the pomegranates. I never thought to look for a cultivar name.
john
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This one is even drawfer than in your photos John so could be a new one. The leaves are tiny and the whole plant is very neat and compact. We'll see how it likes its new home in the rock garden.
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Jamus - I grew a dwarf one from American seed back in the late 70's, it wasn't really that dwarf, about waist high and that was with a good deal of pinching. So appears they are making great headway with pomegranates. Yours is certainly a beauty.
john
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Hello Jamus and Thomas , just read your discourse on Bolax and Azorella , To the best of my knowledge Bolax gummifera is not growing in Australian gardens - looks desirable . Woodbank Nursery (Ken Gillanders ) in Tasmania some 15 years ago sold Bolax glebaria which turned out to be Azorella trifurcata . xLeucoraoulia loganii tends to open up in the middle of the cushion and dies back after 3-4 years , so it is important to take cuttings yearly which root easily ,as does Leucogenes grandiceps and Ozothamnus (Helichrysum ) coralloides .
Marcus I think your Dianthus is deltoides ssp. myrtinervius - you will find plenty of seedlings around .
What a novel idea to embryo culture Juno Irises ! have not known anyone doing it . Perhaps pot the seedlings up before the leaves show some green ?Juno seeds can sometimes be very stubborn to germinate . Good luck .
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I spent yesterday in the garden enjoying the weather – because it was under 40deg C for the first time in a few days.
It feels amazing that the garden is still out there and still looking pretty good and some truly brave amaryllids are flowering happily.
It is really hard to get across how revoltingly hot it’s been. Check out http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4216050/Australia-home-15-hottest-places-earth.html (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4216050/Australia-home-15-hottest-places-earth.html)
For those of you not familiar with Centigrade it’s been over 100 degrees F – try setting your oven to that and then sticking your arm in there for a bit! Hot enough to cook… http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-02-12/queensland-police-fry-egg-on-car-bonnet/8263328 (http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-02-12/queensland-police-fry-egg-on-car-bonnet/8263328)
Anyway a cool change has come in thank goodness.
The Easter lollies (Amaryllis belladonna) are up in force as are a bunch of Habranthus and Zephyranthes. I might have some of these names wrong… I find the whole Habranthus and Zephyranthes groups a bit confusing, so feel free to amend.
The Habranthus have been pretty amazing as we've been having unusual summer rains followed by hot spells the Habranthus robustus have flowered three times. They have set seed twice already (the picture shows the second seed set maturing as the third lot of blooms opens).
Habranthus tubispathus and the Zephyranthes are repeat flowering and seeding too!
Some downsides to the unusual weather - a Brunsvigia josephinae bulb that has been growing happily in the garden for the past six years just rotted, another bulb of the same species about 50 cm away still seems okay. Keeping my fingers crossed that it will make it.
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Stunning Anita, you have a great collection of bulbs. Did you get flowers some of those Amaryllis you showed me which were refusing to flower? I might ask you for some Zephranthes seed at some point. I'll swap you for poppies. :)
Otto, after seeing your post I went and made a few cuttings of my Leucoraoulia x loganii and was thrilled to find that the lower side branches had rooted down into the gravel and I was able to make several cuttings with roots attached! I'm hopefully they will take quickly. I shall report their progress. The junos are in the raised bed now Otto. Now the nervous wait. When would you expect them to show their noses above ground generally speaking?
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Via Tim Ingram - a link to a fine article - (in Russian- use google translate!)- great photos, on the flora of the sub-Antartic islands ...
http://haritonoff.livejournal.com/338583.html (http://haritonoff.livejournal.com/338583.html)
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Via Tim Ingram - a link to a fine article - (in Russian- use google translate!)- great photos, on the flora of the sub-Antartic islands ...
http://haritonoff.livejournal.com/338583.html (http://haritonoff.livejournal.com/338583.html)
Thanks Maggi. This also came up recently on the megaherbs thread (http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=11408.msg368552#msg368552).
The photos are mostly (or all?) by young Kiwi photographer Edin Whitehead. For anyone who wants to read more I recommend Edin's fascinating travel logs here (http://www.edinz.com/subantarctic/).
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Thanks Ashley, I wasn't sure if it had been flagged up or not and reckoned a second mention wouldn't hurt since I hadn't time to check! ;)
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More heartache and angst for the folks in Christchurch - the fires seem out of control
http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/89420865/houses-evacuated-as-christchurch-fire-spreads (http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/89420865/houses-evacuated-as-christchurch-fire-spreads)
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How awful. What an anguish for the people who live in the neighborhood ...
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Yes Fred absolute heartache. But prayers have been answered & we have awakened to light rain this morning. It has been a lot quieter overnight & we are told the fire has been contained. At least 11 homes have been destroyed in the Port Hills blaze, which started as two fires on Monday night and forced the evacuation of around 450 homes - sending more than 1000 people to alternative accommodation. People are naturally very anxious to return to their homes.
Edna
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Hello Jamus and Thomas , just read your discourse on Bolax and Azorella , To the best of my knowledge Bolax gummifera is not growing in Australian gardens - looks desirable . Woodbank Nursery (Ken Gillanders ) in Tasmania some 15 years ago sold Bolax glebaria which turned out to be Azorella trifurcata . xLeucoraoulia loganii tends to open up in the middle of the cushion and dies back after 3-4 years , so it is important to take cuttings yearly which root easily ,as does Leucogenes grandiceps and Ozothamnus (Helichrysum ) coralloides .
Interesting report on the three NZ-PLANTS. I envy you the beautiful x Leucoraoulia loganii. Leucogenes lives with me only 5 years and I multiply it also by cuttings.
From Helichrysum coralloides I have three young plants from a mother plant of a friend. This is already 16 years old.
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Lycoris incarnata in flower in the rock garden;
Aster spathulatus (now Symphyotrichum spathulatum) grown from seed from Rocky Mountain Rare Plants (which sadly closed a few years ago);
Monarda punctata from seed from Gardens North;
Eremophila 'Summertime Blues';
Pelargonium ionidiflorum;
cheers
fermi
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Hi Fermi,
Your Symphyotrichum spathulatum (Aster occidentalis) seems to have a reasonably deep colored flower considering your hot summer weather. I have grown many from seed and very few hold their flower color well in our garden (a typical bane when high elevation species are grown in the hot lowlands :'( ). Although there are 3 varieties of this species and a fair number of species in the Genus that grow in California, I have only grown plants from seed gathered in the Crystal Range (local). Maybe I would have better success trying seed from other areas. They are very widespread in there distribution.
Thank you for sharing. :)
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Colchicum bivonae; It must be autumn.
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Same again but all three blooms open together now. The colour glows in the garden and draws visitors to it for a closer look.
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Jamus,
that's a beaut, but it looks more like one of the Hybrids such as "Conquest" AKA 'Glory of Heemstede'
http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/index.php/ColchicumHybrids (http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/index.php/ColchicumHybrids)
cheers
fermi
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Ah yes I see what you mean Fermi. Beats me, I have nothing to make a comparison against not having grown many of these. I have one small bulb of Colchicum variegatum from Marcus, but it skipped a year last year and didn't flower. I don't even grow autumnale. The leaves put me off; so scrappy and lank.
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Once the Colchicum in bloom, it can be said that autumn settles ... :)
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Yes Fred, well very poetic but the weather here has taken a nasty turn and we're in for a week of heatwave conditions. Mother nature is a harsh mistress. :-[
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Fermi and Jamus , I grew this Colchicum bivonae from seed collected in Greece !
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I didn't doubt you for a second Otto. :) Did you collect the seed yourself? I want to hear about that some time.
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Yes Fred, well very poetic but the weather here has taken a nasty turn and we're in for a week of heatwave conditions. Mother nature is a harsh mistress. :-[
Jamus, do you have the equivalent of what we call Indian summer? It must not be easy every day to fight against the heat. You must occasionally aspire to a little freshness, right?
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That's exactly what we're having .. there seems to be no end in sight. maximums over 30degC for the next 7 days. :( freshness would be such a relief, for people and for plants.