The plant world of Patagonia

[ranunculus]

Fantastic Thomas, please, please, please keep those tiny gems alive ... give them light, air, wind, occasional rain and love in abundance.  We saw magnificent stands of these beauties on steep screes in Patagonia and they brought tears to my eyes. Congratulations and please keep posting images of their progress.

[astragalus]

Amazing to see seedlings of this plant. I agree with Cliff. They are an incredible sight; from the delicate-looking foliage to the huge white flowers with red on the backs of the petals and red stems - Nature didn't leave anything out on this one (except perhaps, the gorgeous seed pods that can be found on many plants of the Fabaceae).

[Leucogenes]

Hello guys...

thank you for the words of encouragement. I will do everything I can to keep this gem alive as long as I can. But all specialists (Martin Sheader) write that this plant is impossible to cultivate. So if all my attention and devotion were not crowned with success, then the Andean gods were not on my side.

But then at least I tried...but there are simply plants that just don't want to live in "captivity". For example, last year I had a seedling of legendary Gentiana urnula. Everything looked promising...but he died in a few days. I think that's the way it should be.

But for now, I'm hopeful I can give this unique beauty a good home.

Thomas

[Leucogenes]

Hello Cliff and Martin

Today a short update of Ranunculus semiverticillatus.

Contrary to all suspicions, my little copy  is actually still alive. For one week even a fourth plant shoot shows up.😊
The form of growth is probably a little strange...but if I put the plant in the direct sun, it would die immediately in the heat. Or the long shoots are normal...because in the wilderness some centimetres probably have to be overcome by scree.     I don't know.

Now some questions...I would like to plant the plant in a suitable pot soon. It is 20 cm high. Should I wait until the above-ground parts of the plant retreat?
And should I sink the plant a little deeper into the pot...so that such long shoots do not develop again?

Perhaps you or Mr Martin Sheader have an answer to these questions. I don't want to make any mistakes with this particular plant.

Thanks in advance and best regards
Thomas

[ranunculus]

Hi Thomas, I'm replying to your post from Corvara in the Dolomites where we are currently leading wildflower walks.  Congratulations on keeping these remarkable seedlings alive ... such a shame that they are all now growing in such a tiny pot and will need to be moved on quite quickly, you could have experimented with different techniques for growing them on ... even to the extent of placing such a pot with a single seedling into the bottom of a long tom pot and gently filling in around the elongated stem with light, dry graded material. 
I would be very tempted to wait until the current foliage dies back and move the entire pot (without unnecessary disturbance) into as tall and large a pot as you can manage?  I  would place the current root ball at least a third of the way down the tall pot and ensure that the top third of the compost is very friable and gritty. I realise that all the seedlings will remain in the same pot but in this way they will have space to spread out without too much disturbance.  But, having said all this, you are the one who has managed to produce four very healthy (if elongated) seedlings and you should follow your own instincts as to the future ... they obviously enjoy your hospitality.  When you have a large colony growing in pots and in your garden then Martin and I will, I'm certain, be VERY glad to purchase some of your spare plants.  Keep up the excellent work.

[Leucogenes]

Hi Cliff

Thank you for the quick answer and the encouraging words. I'll heed your clues and wait for him to repot. You can rest assured that I will continue to devote my attention to this jewel.

Perhaps it will be my personal "year of rarities"... Ranunculus semiverticillatus and Notothlaspi rosulatum. Also Diapensia lapponica is still alive...It can go on like this. 😊

I wish you a wonderful time in the Dolomites.

By the way, a few days ago I discovered a tiny seedling of Lecanophora ameghinoi. Sierra Taquetrèn, Chubut, 1050 meters. Keeping your fingers crossed might help.

Thomas

[gerrit]

Some flowers from previous months:

1. Oxalis laciniata 'Astrid'.
2. Oxalis laciniata 'Seven Bells'.
3. Nolana reichii, producing flowers one by one, but for several months.
4. Maihuenia poeppigii, Many years old. Probably never flowering. Hardy till minus 10, so far Thomas, outside under a roof.

[gerrit]

Maihuenia poeppigii, in the wild in Argentina.

[gerrit]

1. Viola polypoda
2. Calandrinia umbellata, was suffering from a wet winter. This is all what remained.
3, 4.Calandrinia ranunculina
5. Calandrinia fuegiana

[gerrit]

1,2. Schizanthus litoralis.
3,4. Schizanthus tricolor.
5.    Schizanthus x wisentonensis.

[gerrit]

1. Ourisia microphylla.
2. Senecio skottsbergii.

[gerrit]

Ourisia microphylla in the wild in Argentina

[Leucogenes]

Absolutely fantastic... Gerrit. Here you see the real master. 😊

[gerrit]

Rhodophiala bakeri with flower.

[Leucogenes]

from the Chilean Andes, Region VII, 2500 m...Oxalis squamata