Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum

General Subjects => General Forum => Topic started by: Magnar on June 29, 2009, 07:28:14 AM

Title: Linnaea borealis
Post by: Magnar on June 29, 2009, 07:28:14 AM
On my way to the mountain cabin this weekend I came across this wonderful Linnea borealis, growing among Alchemilla alpina, , Empetrum nigrum and Vaccinium vitis-idaea. Don't think I have ever seen so many flowers so close together. Usually they are a couple here and a couple there.
Title: Re: Linnaea borealis
Post by: Luc Gilgemyn on June 29, 2009, 08:53:14 AM
They look smashing Magnar !!
Thanks for sharing !
Title: Re: Linnaea borealis
Post by: Paul T on June 29, 2009, 09:45:10 AM
Beautiful Magnar.  Just beautiful.  8)
Title: Re: Linnaea borealis
Post by: gote on June 29, 2009, 11:14:53 AM
i envy you Magnar,
Linneas here grow in the forests and the flowers are long between.
I think 'Mountain' is the word here.
Many years ago I walked in the Swedish mountains and noticed that some forest floor flowers were growing in the open above the tree limit in places where water was abundant. Both Linneas and pyrolas were stunning.
I assume you had these conditions where you took the pictures.
Cheers
Göte
Title: Re: Linnaea borealis
Post by: Magnar on June 29, 2009, 11:51:25 AM
You know, Göte, here in the north, mountain flowers grow all down to the sea and even on small islands. But Linnea is a forest plant even here. The pic was taken just as I started to walk upwards,, may be 4 meters above the sea. The plant is growing in a crack in the cliff where water comes running down.
Title: Re: Linnaea borealis
Post by: Anthony Darby on June 29, 2009, 01:14:55 PM
It is a rare Scottish native, which I have yet to see in the wild. So nice to see en masse. 8)
Title: Re: Linnaea borealis
Post by: Ragged Robin on June 29, 2009, 01:58:53 PM
Really pretty Linnea borealis flowers hanging above its carpet of ground hugging leaves, Magnar - thanks for showing them  :)
Title: Re: Linnaea borealis
Post by: gote on June 29, 2009, 04:40:22 PM
You know, Göte, here in the north, mountain flowers grow all down to the sea and even on small islands. But Linnea is a forest plant even here. The pic was taken just as I started to walk upwards,, may be 4 meters above the sea. The plant is growing in a crack in the cliff where water comes running down.
Well my point is that some forest plants grow better in the open if they have enough (non-stagnant) water available. Itis nice that you found it to be true also at lower levels. We should perhaps try to learn from this. To build such a place belongs among my mańana projects  ;)
Göte
Title: Re: Linnaea borealis
Post by: Lesley Cox on June 29, 2009, 10:32:24 PM
I don't believe we have this Scandinavian form in New Zealand but we have the American form, var. americana and that is said to flower more freely than the other. Whether this is so or not I don't know, but mine does flower very well in an open place, not even very shady and with just a little maple tree at its back. I'll get a pic in the spring. I have it planted over Galanthus niv. 'Straffan.'
Title: Re: Linnaea borealis
Post by: Ragged Robin on June 30, 2009, 12:00:50 PM
You know, Göte, here in the north, mountain flowers grow all down to the sea and even on small islands. But Linnea is a forest plant even here. The pic was taken just as I started to walk upwards,, may be 4 meters above the sea. The plant is growing in a crack in the cliff where water comes running down.
Well my point is that some forest plants grow better in the open if they have enough (non-stagnant) water available. Itis nice that you found it to be true also at lower levels. We should perhaps try to learn from this. To build such a place belongs among my mańana projects  ;)
Göte

I've noticed this too, Gote, in forest clearings plants that mainly choose shade are quite happy exposed to sun in the leaf litter and other plants survive in cool rock crevices where water drips between.
Title: Re: Linnaea borealis
Post by: cohan on July 01, 2009, 07:04:11 AM
this is a really exceptional display :)
this plant is very very abundant here, but again, typically flowers are much farther apart--i have seen some nice clusters, but not so extensive...

i will agree that many forest dwellers flower better when there is more sun, within reason; i think in terms of native distribution of species, its often not a case of where the plant grows best, its  a case of where it is able to survive and resist competition: if the species has an edge in one particular environment that enables it to outcompete other species (or, often, simply remain IN  the competition.) it will be found there more often than another spot where maybe it would do really well, but something else could grow faster and crowd it out..
we have many forest species that look and flower great in fairly open spots when trees are removed, but in the natural cycle of things, those spots will be quickly overgrown by grasses, shrubs and trees, and the plants will be once more left in the shade or completely overwhelmed; they can hope for a season or two of extra seed production before that happens, and then they will go back to lesser flowering in shady spots where the more vigorous plants cant survive/thrive...

the same applies to many drought tolerant species--they would happily grow in moister spots, but might be outcompeted there..
Title: Re: Linnaea borealis
Post by: gote on July 01, 2009, 08:31:14 AM
You are riding my hobby horse Cohan  ;D
I could not agree more.
Göte
Title: Re: Linnaea borealis
Post by: cohan on July 02, 2009, 02:59:56 AM
good, so i'm not just whistling in the dark ;) :-X
Title: Re: Linnaea borealis
Post by: maggiepie on July 02, 2009, 12:23:28 PM
How lovely they are, Magnar.
Is your cabin far from your house?
Title: Re: Linnaea borealis
Post by: Magnar on July 02, 2009, 02:03:18 PM
How lovely they are, Magnar.
Is your cabin far from your house?

The cabin is by a lake on a smaller island, ( Pic 1) The mountain is alomst 1000 meter high. and the cabin is in a valley behing the mountain.  .. we have to go bt a car ferry,, and then drive and walk. It takes about 2 hours to get there.

Pic 2 is the cabin and pic 3 is taken at midnight, all pics taken in May 2 years ago.
Title: Re: Linnaea borealis
Post by: Luc Gilgemyn on July 02, 2009, 02:29:12 PM
You seem to have a little paradise there Magnar !!  :D

If ever you are short of company... let me know... I'll be glad to oblige... 8)  ;D ;)
Title: Re: Linnaea borealis
Post by: Ragged Robin on July 02, 2009, 05:21:00 PM
Magnar, what an idyllic spot - how on earth did you build your cabin there?  It looks as if it was left high and dry as the water receded, like Noah's Ark  ;)

Your views are wonderful, so calming.....what a place to hide away in  :)
Title: Re: Linnaea borealis
Post by: maggiepie on July 02, 2009, 08:35:37 PM
Thanks for the pics, Magnar.
No wonder you are smiling in your pic, the scenery is breathtakingly beautiful.
Title: Re: Linnaea borealis
Post by: Lesley Cox on July 02, 2009, 10:52:49 PM
Paradise indeed - in the summer  :)
Title: Re: Linnaea borealis
Post by: Magnar on July 02, 2009, 11:09:38 PM
Any forumist will be most welcome to join us for coffee and waffles..... or fishing  :)
Title: Re: Linnaea borealis
Post by: cohan on July 03, 2009, 01:40:19 AM
beautiful spot--looks COLD!  and i can say that, because we also had snow in may this year (err--more than usual ;)
Title: Re: Linnaea borealis
Post by: Magnar on July 03, 2009, 07:28:34 AM
We live 200 km north of the arctic circle, so snow in the mountains in May is normal.
Title: Re: Linnaea borealis
Post by: cohan on July 03, 2009, 08:04:12 AM
We live 200 km north of the arctic circle, so snow in the mountains in May is normal.

certainly.... here too, in the mountains the snow lasts much longer than may! the other day they had -3C in banff, alberta, and that is farther south..
we usually have at least one significant snowstorm in may, sometimes more than one, and often near the end of the month...
this year we still had snow from winter on the ground in shady places into may..
the ocean really makes a difference for you, though--so far north and only -15C! thats a temperature for spring and fall, here!
Title: Re: Linnaea borealis
Post by: Magnar on July 03, 2009, 08:35:36 AM
I live only 1 min walk from the shore, and the fjord is never frozen. But when yuo come in the inland it is often 10 to 15 degrees colder during winter.
Title: Re: Linnaea borealis
Post by: gote on July 03, 2009, 08:53:00 AM
Any forumist will be most welcome to join us for coffee and waffles..... or fishing  :)
I have thought about it but it is a LOOOONG drive  ;D
Thanks anyway
Göte (Örebro)
Title: Re: Linnaea borealis
Post by: Paul T on July 03, 2009, 10:18:56 AM
Land of the midnight sun, indeed!!  Much blacker here at midnight.  ;)

I thought about the drive too, but I'd likely drown on the way. ::)  Rather expensive flight too, for coffee and waffles! ;D
Title: Re: Linnaea borealis
Post by: Ragged Robin on July 03, 2009, 10:23:45 AM
Land of the midnight sun, indeed!!  Much blacker here at midnight.  ;)

I thought about the drive too, but I'd likely drown on the way. ::)  Rather expensive flight too, for coffee and waffles! ;D
...but the offer of coffee and waffles in a place like Magnar's hideaway is veeeeeery tempting Paul - how about submarine?
Title: Re: Linnaea borealis
Post by: maggiepie on July 03, 2009, 12:31:45 PM
Magnar, the waffles sound tempting.
Do you have a generator?
If not, what do you use for lights and cooking etc?
Title: Re: Linnaea borealis
Post by: Magnar on July 03, 2009, 01:12:41 PM
Magnar, the waffles sound tempting.
Do you have a generator?
If not, what do you use for lights and cooking etc?

Solar cell for light and propan for cooking
Title: Re: Linnaea borealis
Post by: Diane Whitehead on July 04, 2009, 06:34:33 AM
I once saw a hollow tree stump that was entirely filled with
Linnaea in bloom, and they were scented.  I had never noticed
this before when I had seen them in small patches in the open, but
the outer rim of the stump kept the scent from dissipating.
Title: Re: Linnaea borealis
Post by: cohan on July 04, 2009, 07:50:09 AM
i was looking at plants in the wild (my acres and uncle's farm past that) the other day;  mostly only in bud right now, it has been  a very cool summer; the same as many other forest species this year, though, they seem to have heavier budding than last year--which again suggests that winter precipitation (not available til spring) and protection afforded by the heavier snow, is more important to the next year's flowering than is precip in the same year--
that means, that after the winter with lots of snow, and staying late, the forest plants are blooming more this year, even though the spring and summer have been dry, than last year when it rained a lot...

diane, i have never noticed fragrance, would probably have to lay on the ground to smell it... nearly have to for photos, but not quite...lol
Title: Re: Linnaea borealis
Post by: Lesley Cox on July 04, 2009, 10:12:23 PM
Magnar, the waffles sound tempting.
Do you have a generator?
If not, what do you use for lights and cooking etc?

More to the point, do you have a recipe? :) (see Cooks' Corner thread.)

Scent on the Linnaea? That's something to sniff for in the spring. I always welcome a new discovery for scent. :)
Title: Re: Linnaea borealis
Post by: gote on July 06, 2009, 10:07:59 AM
I once saw a hollow tree stump that was entirely filled with
Linnaea in bloom, and they were scented.  I had never noticed
this before when I had seen them in small patches in the open, but
the outer rim of the stump kept the scent from dissipating.
Yes they seem to like decaying (soft-)wood.
Göte
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