Mutisias from seed

[Simon Wills]

I have managed to germinate a few seeds of each of Mutisia oligodon, M. subulata and M. decurrens, sowing individual seeds in 'root trainers', and have now reached the difficult bit of growing them on.   Any suggestions of things to do and to avoid would be most welcome, as all the literature I have read says baldly that M. decurrens in particular is very difficult to establish and then offers nothing else.

Good drainage seems to be essential for M. spinosa which I have grown for a few years, but I am not sure whether a low organic matter soil is also needed by some species.   Can anyone help, please.

Simon Wills

[ashley]

Simon, unfortunately I can comment only on M. subulata.  From seed sown last autumn under cold glass I had low germination (10-20%).  Once the seedlings were about 10 cm tall in March/April I transferred them en masse to a larger pot with minimal root disturbance, using a mix of equal parts loam, grit & sharp sand.  These plants were put outdoors in May and are now 70-100 cm tall on supporting sticks, with first flower buds beginning to appear.  Best of luck with yours.

[Maggi Young]

Are you inthe UK, Simon?
We have a  M. oligodon hybrid that was planted as a seedling close to the south wall of our house in a hole that was only lightly enriched at planting and has not been  fed since. It is large and magnificent.   I think they are tolerant of poor soil and happy to have a spot tucked in by a sunny wall.

We had M. decurrens, also planted into a similar spot  this suffered an unfortunate accident after a year or two otherwise I think it would be there now. A friend grew the parent plant of our seedling in a similar situation elsewhere in the county.

[Lesley Cox]

M. decurrens is the scarlet one isn't it? I couldn't get that to germinate but oligodon did really well climbing against a thick and horrible hedge of Cupressus macrocarpa, the soil underneath being just a mass if roots and gravel and flowered well until the hedge was cut down whereupon it promptly died.

[Maggi Young]

 M. decurrens as I know it is a rich, bright orange. 

[Simon Wills]

Thank you all for your suggestions and I will plant the two hardier species in well-drained, sheltered spots.   My M. spinosa has scrambled over Ceanothus 'Concha' on a raised bed for the last 7 years, and seems still to be thriving despite a fox trying to make a den beneath it.   The fox gave up because the light soil collapsed on it.

Maggi, I live at Nailsea, near Bristol, in the wet and balmy south west - except this year when it has been cold and dry and then hot.   Nailsea is an island of S. Wales coal bearing sandstone in a sea of carboniferous limestone, so it offers interesting possibilities.

Ashley, thank you for your information on M. subulata and I will follow your soil mix suggestion and move the individual plants into a big pot; they are up to 30 cm tall, so I will have to get on with it.   I gather they will have to come in over winter.   I would love to know what colour yours turn out to be as I gather they are variable.

[Maggi Young]

Nailsea.... where the glass came from!

I would think you'll do well enough  with the Mutisias there, Simon. We'll look forward to photos when your garden is festooned!

[ashley]

The Fondación R.A. Philippi website has a useful page on Mutisias here, including general cultivation conditions (in Spanish).

Also Curtis’s Botanical Magazine published a detailed account of M. subulata by Nicholas Hind and Tony Hall in 2003 (abstract).  Anyone wanting further information on this can send me a PM.

[Tony Willis]

The Fondación R.A. Philippi website has a useful page on Mutisias here, including general cultivation conditions (in Spanish).

Also Curtis’s Botanical Magazine published a detailed account of M. subulata by Nicholas Hind and Tony Hall in 2003 (abstract).  Anyone wanting further information on this can send me a PM.

If you open it using the Google Crome web browser the translation tool translates it perfectly