alpine and subalpine Plants from New Zealand

[ashley]

... all tiny young plants of L. grandiceps and Raoulia hectori died within a few days. That was to be expected with the current heat despite shade.

Very disappointing Thomas, but good to see your other plants thriving despite the heat.   

[Lesley Cox]

I was happy to see some fruit (drupes?) of a photo of Coprosma petriei but now can't find them. When I opened up the topic it bounced right back to page one so maybe it was there or thereabouts. I had hoped there would be seed of this coprosma listed by NZAGS this time around but not (as such). C. atropurpurea was there listed as a synonym of C. petriei so presumably it was from the burgundy red form but I already have a good plant of that given to me by Hamish Brown. I love flat plants with fleshy fruits and have quite a nice little collection from around the world. I've seen the blue fruited C. petriei with almost colourless, transparent fruit and every graduation through jade greens to turquoise. I've often thought to make a small alpine lawn with such plants. All flat and no height, all with fruit of different colours. I'd have to resist the temptation to poke in some crocus corms.

[Lesley Cox]

Like Dave I don't know whether celmisias are self-fertile or not. But they certainly love to receive pollen from other nearby species. I may have mentioned this before, elsewhere but on one occasion when I sowed fresh seed from Mt Nimrod in South Canterbury, of C. lancifolia I think it was, C. lancifolia germinated but so did 5 other distinct forms, hybrids with the surrounding species. A couple were obvious, C. sessiliflora and C. angustifolia but I couldn't have sworn to the others. It was a very long time ago. These were all seedlings from a single flower head and bees and flies of various kinds were everywhere on a hot sunny late summer day.

Having come so far into winter with neither frosts not cold winds, this morning we have -7C, a shock to the system for the first one, just 2 or 3 days from the winter solstice. Quite a lot of seed is germinatindg including some old seed I found under a heap of books a couple of days ago, mainly primulas.

[David Lyttle]

Flowering in my garden at present Celmisia philocremna. I have had this plant for several years. It seems to be quite happy growing in  pot and flowers periodically.
Celmisia philocremna is an Eyre Mountains endemic. It probably evolved during the Pleistocene era when Northern Southland was heavily glaciated and is now restricted to crags in the Eyre Mts. Since the climate at the time was fairly dire it is not surprising it has the capacity to flower in mid-winter. The buds are beautifully protected by a thick coat of hairs.

[Leucogenes]

An old acquaintance... Gentianella saxosa

[Leucogenes]

I have just received the seeds of this year's NZAGS Seed Exchange. Even though I have had very little success with them so far, I will continue to try... so keep your fingers crossed for me...😎

[Leucogenes]

I have two questions for the specialists from NZ...

1. Yesterday I got a beautiful pot of Gentianella bellidifolia from a botanical friend. The information on the Internet and the literature differ a bit... concerning the foliage. Can anyone make an ID from this photo?...

[Leucogenes]

2. today I had the great pleasure to finally get five copies of Craspedia lanata... I am very happy about it.
Question... can I dare to place them a bit sunnier...or better in the semi-shade?

Thank you for any information

Cheers
Thomas

[David Lyttle]

I have two questions for the specialists from NZ...

1. Yesterday I got a beautiful pot of Gentianella bellidifolia from a botanical friend. The information on the Internet and the literature differ a bit... concerning the foliage. Can anyone make an ID from this photo?...

Hello Thomas,

In answer to your question Gentianella bellidifolia is wide spread throughout the alpine regions of New Zealand and is quite variable. The main diagnostic feature for this species is that it is perennial and the flowers are borne on axillary shoots. Non-flowering growing shoots are always present. So here is a selection of Gentianella bellidifolia;

Dunstan Mountains, Otago A robust plant with large leaves,multiple flowers on inflorescence



Mt Burns Southland, A smaller plant, flowering stems have one or two flowers



Lewis Tops , Nth Canterbury Again a smaller plant, flowering stems have one or two flowers



Altimarloch, Black Birch Ra, Marlborough. A tight clump with narrow leaves flowering stems have one or two flowers



For the Craspedia they are probably best in an open sunny position- not too hot or dry

[Leucogenes]

Many Thanks... David. As always, your photos make my heart beat faster...;-)

Thomas

[Leucogenes]

Good news...;-)

[GordonT]

I am looking for a bit of advice....What to do? Thanks to the seed exchange, I now have seedlings of Hebe epacridea. They are quite small at the moment, and I want to be sure I won't lose them over the winter. Should I sink the pot into the landscape, and hope for the best... or move them inside for the winter months, until they are a bit larger (plants are barely 2 cm tall). Any recommendations would be welcome!

[David Lyttle]

Greetings All,

I would like to show a picture of a Celmisia that is flowering in my garden at present. I do not have a name for it. I collected seed and cuttings from a wild plant growing in the Takatimu Mts. It is a large Celmisa and forms a clump and has unusually large flowers. The foliage is quite aromatic which is unusual for a Celmisia. I hope it will be a good garden plant and not die unexpectedly as many Celmisias tend to when grown in gardens.

[hamparstum]

David, what a lovely RG plant!. Perhaps you might be successful to save seeds and thus start a clone of garden adapted Celmisia. It would be a great addition.
Arturo

[Maggi Young]

I am looking for a bit of advice....What to do? Thanks to the seed exchange, I now have seedlings of Hebe epacridea. They are quite small at the moment, and I want to be sure I won't lose them over the winter. Should I sink the pot into the landscape, and hope for the best... or move them inside for the winter months, until they are a bit larger (plants are barely 2 cm tall). Any recommendations would be welcome!

I think in your climate I'd  have them under cover, Gordon.