Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum

Plant Identification => Plant Identification Questions and Answers => Topic started by: Roma on August 03, 2013, 08:35:14 PM

Title: Not Silene californica
Post by: Roma on August 03, 2013, 08:35:14 PM
I have shown this Silene in the Grow from Seed thread but noone offered a name there.  I suggested Silene armeria but Jonna said no.  Can anyone give me a name?
Title: Re: Not Silene californica
Post by: gerrit on August 03, 2013, 09:07:43 PM
I have the same problem. Got it as Silene californica, but unfortunately it is wrong.
A very quick grower. Annual perhaps.
Title: Re: Not Silene californica
Post by: Diane Clement on August 03, 2013, 09:24:14 PM
I have shown this Silene in the Grow from Seed thread but noone offered a name there.  I suggested Silene armeria but Jonna said no.  Can anyone give me a name? 

Roma, it may be Silene caroliniana which is commonly sent to seed exchanges labelled as S californica. It can flower in the first year, although it is perennial.  It does well outside here, very floriferous.
Title: Re: Not Silene californica
Post by: Maggi Young on August 03, 2013, 09:44:02 PM
Gerrit - perhaps Silene pendula ?
Title: Re: Not Silene californica
Post by: gerrit on August 03, 2013, 10:37:23 PM
I think Roma and have the same plant.

It is now to late here, tomorrow i'll study your suggestion Maggi. My first impression is a good one.
Title: Re: Not Silene californica
Post by: Gene Mirro on August 04, 2013, 01:03:14 AM
That looks like the one that I got as Silene hookeri, which it wasn't.  I don't know what it is.
Title: Re: Not Silene californica
Post by: Maggi Young on August 04, 2013, 11:04:44 AM
That looks like the one that I got as Silene hookeri, which it wasn't.  I don't know what it is.

All the ones I've had as Silene hookeri were  Lychnis ........ :'(
-not all bad though, since many of them have proved to be useful garden plants!
Title: Re: Not Silene californica
Post by: gerrit on August 04, 2013, 06:50:32 PM
Gerrit - perhaps Silene pendula ?

Roma, our plants seem to be a Silene pendula. Leaves spatulated (mine), 5 petals of course and each petal is divided. A white ring in the centre (not with Silene caroliniana). So there is a match with S.pendula as Maggi suggested.
I searched on the internet. Take a look here.

http://couchpotate.blog9.fc2.com/blog-entry-489.html (http://couchpotate.blog9.fc2.com/blog-entry-489.html)

Another picture from my garden. This gives  a better view.
Title: Re: Not Silene californica
Post by: Roma on August 05, 2013, 07:36:47 PM
Yes, Gerrit that seems to be it.
Title: Re: Not Silene californica
Post by: gerrit on August 06, 2013, 07:34:14 AM
Thanks to Maggi.
Title: Re: Not Silene californica
Post by: Gene Mirro on August 14, 2013, 02:33:00 AM
My two plants of Silene californica are blooming now.

[attach = 1]

This is not an easy plant to keep, and I don't understand its needs.  If I collect seed, I'll let the forum know.

This is also not an easy flower to photograph.  Look at how over-exposed the red is.  Does anybody know how to keep this from happening?  I have already reduced the exposure quite a bit.
Title: Re: Not Silene californica
Post by: Maggi Young on August 14, 2013, 11:05:58 AM
Here are some photos from show reports in the forum of Silene californica  - various photographers, various lighting conditions, all indoors -  may be of interest to compare:
http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=1798.msg45649#msg45649 (http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=1798.msg45649#msg45649)
http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=3562.msg93877#msg93877 (http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=3562.msg93877#msg93877)
http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=5646.msg157050#msg157050 (http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=5646.msg157050#msg157050)
http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=10483.msg276956#msg276956 (http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=10483.msg276956#msg276956)

Forumists and SRGC officers Carol and David Shaw grow and show this plant - perhaps they can share their experiences of growing it in Morayshire in NE Scotland?
Title: Re: Not Silene californica
Post by: David Shaw on August 14, 2013, 04:24:02 PM
More a case of 'did' Maggi rather than 'do'! I don't remember the details of how we grew it but I don't think that we anything extra special. Coming from a certain nurseryman in Kirriemuir I accept that it was correctly named and we kept it going in the alpine house plung for quite a few years. I don't think that they are terribly long lived anyway, are they.
Title: Re: Not Silene californica
Post by: Maggi Young on August 14, 2013, 04:49:25 PM
At least you had a decent show plant for a few years, David!
I do agree that some Silenes do seem rather short lived - especially the less  ordinary ones, eh?!! 
I wonder how old those giant Silene hookeri ingramii  etc. of ' The Glenrothes Greenfinger ' might be?

Title: Re: Not Silene californica
Post by: Maggi Young on August 14, 2013, 05:43:29 PM

I do agree that some Silenes do seem rather short lived - especially the less  ordinary ones, eh?!! 
I wonder how old those giant Silene hookeri ingramii  etc. of Cyril ' The Glenrothes Greenfinger ' might be?
Just had a look at Cyril's "Growing for Showing" article from the Journal 2004 : available here (http://files.srgc.net/journals/GrowingforShow_CyrilLafong.pdf) - where he mentions a Silene hookeri subsp. bolanderi that he shows that was grown from seed in 1994. So he  can achieve at least ten years....... 8)
Title: Re: Not Silene californica
Post by: Roma on August 14, 2013, 09:04:19 PM
Didn't the Bainbridges show Silene californica at Aberdeen 2 or 3 years ago?
Title: Re: Not Silene californica
Post by: Maggi Young on August 14, 2013, 09:17:09 PM
That I cannot remember, Roma. 

Robin Pickering from Goole seems to show it regularly south of the border.
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