Diapensia

[Howard Ray]

I have just received my Diapensia lapponica seeds from the seed exchange, and wonder if anyone out there has any useful tips re its propagation from seed. I am very much a beginner with alpines, and have not grown any from seed before, so any pointers would be appreciated. I would hope to plant out anything I successfully raise, as I don't have an alpine house. I live near the coast in Perthshire - for Scotland, relatively low rainfall, fairly equable climate, but heavy clay soil.

[Maggi Young]

Hello, Howard and a warm welcome to the Forum.
I will send you a copy of an extract of an article by Mike and Polly Stone from the SRGC Journal, The Rock Garden, of September 1980. It will tell you a good deal and I can vouch for the Stones' success with this plant!
They suggest sowing the seed on the surface of a 50/50 grit /dried,sieved sphagnum mix ,watering in well and leaving outside, uncovered only in extremes of weather.
This is fairly standard treatment for ericaceaous seed and Diapensias are closely related.
Good luck, ask any more questions care to, of course. Cheers, M

[johnw]

Howard & Maggi

I had a good look at some D. lapponica growing in the wild in Newfoundland. I had always heard they required a peat bed or scree. What amazed us in Newfoundland was that the plants were indeed growing in deep grit. However plants had a long stem or neck that went straight down a foot into pure wet mud. The gravel area was slightly above grade with water flowing all around so obviously the plants never dried out.  Many mistake the neck for a tap root but we saw no secondary roots on it, the roots were like a mat in the mud. So once you get the seedlings growing it might be wise to prepare a bed similar to the above to the plants can get down to that rich mud and reliable source of moisture.

It has worked in a trough for me for 15 years or more. I put rotted sods on the bottom half of the trough and mixed some with grit another quarter of the way up the trough with pure sharp granite grit on the top quarter. The big old lapponica died last summer but managed for 15 years. The plants here bloom sporadically from through the autumn, never giving the show seen in the wild.

Get out the hose if it gets over 27C and soak them.

I had a go at D. purpurea seed but never managed to get them through the first few months.

Good luck.

johnw

[Hjalmar]

John,
Do you keep your Diapensia trough in sun or shade? I sowed both lapponica and purpurea last week. The purpurea is already germinating. I wish I can break your record of a few months.

[johnw]

Hjalmar - My trough is in sun. At the end of June it is under shade cloth - 50-60% - as there are rhododendrons in pots nearby and I don't want the sun shining on the black pots.

I hope you have success with your Diapensias. Many grow it successfully from seed and am sure you will succeed.

johnw   - +1c

[johnw]

Do you suppose someone has been working with Photoshop or is this for real?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/man_of_mud/383030638/



johnw

[Hjalmar]

Beautiful! According to my flora, double forms of Diapensia lapponica can be found very rarely in Sweden, though I've never seen a picture before.

[johnw]

Beautiful! According to my flora, double forms of Diapensia lapponica can be found very rarely in Sweden, though I've never seen a picture before.

Hjalmar - Some marvellous shots in the wild on that site. If you search on Flickr using Diapensia lapponica there is a wonderful shot of a huge drift of Diapensia with brilliant red fall foliage. I would love to see the double.

Off to find some Epigaeas in bloom for "she who must be obeyed".

johnw

[johnw]

Berneuxia thibetica in bloom in southern Nova Scotia.

This one from a Jens Nielsen collection.

johnw

[Maggi Young]

Wow! That Dane knows a good plant when he sees one in seed ! Well done, Jens.
That is growing really well for you, John... it likes life in Nova Scotia it seems ...... Ian has shown me photos of these plants growing just as happily in Gothenborg Botanic Garden.... they have a lot of really classy weeds in that place!!