Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum

General Subjects => Travel / Places to Visit => Topic started by: Oron Peri on June 28, 2011, 04:32:53 PM

Title: Kazakhstan 2011
Post by: Oron Peri on June 28, 2011, 04:32:53 PM
Back home after a trip to Kazakhstan.It is the ninth bigest country  on the globe and home to some fantastic plants and bulbs offcourse...
Here is the wonderfull Allium atrosanguineuum with its two varieties, it grows at high elevations, above 2000m and blooms just after snow melts.

Allium atrosanguineum buds.JPG
Allium atrosanguineum.JPG
Allium atrosanguineum in field.JPG
Allium atrosanguineum var fedtchenkoanum..JPG
Allium atrosanguineum var fedtschenkoanum.JPG
Title: Re: Kazakhstan 2011
Post by: Oron Peri on June 28, 2011, 04:45:50 PM
Aquilegia atrovinosa is a common mountain plant.


Aquilegia atrovinosa..JPG
Aquilegia atrovinosa.JPG
Clematis alpina subsp sibirica.JPG
Title: Re: Kazakhstan 2011
Post by: Stephenb on June 28, 2011, 04:54:14 PM
Oron: What a fantastic picture of the atrosanguineum in the field!!
Title: Re: Kazakhstan 2011
Post by: Oron Peri on June 28, 2011, 04:56:13 PM
We were very lucky to find the vary last Iris willmottiana in flower on the Tien Shan mountains at 3000m, while  same time in the lower altitudes plants had mature seed pods.
Title: Re: Kazakhstan 2011
Post by: WimB on June 28, 2011, 05:18:33 PM
Back home after a trip to Kazakhstan.It is the ninth bigest country  on the globe and home to some fantastic plants and bulbs offcourse...
Here is the wonderfull Allium atrosanguineuum with its two varieties, it grows at high elevations, above 2000m and blooms just after snow melts.

Oron,

all these plants are superb but those A. atrosanguineum's are just WOW :o :o :o
Title: Re: Kazakhstan 2011
Post by: Oron Peri on June 28, 2011, 05:36:04 PM
Thanks guys,

Here is another beauty that looks like fireworks , a rare Allium eriocoleum.  
Title: Re: Kazakhstan 2011
Post by: Maggi Young on June 28, 2011, 05:38:49 PM
 We can already see this was a good trip, Oron.
Such Allium ...... :o 8) 8)
Title: Re: Kazakhstan 2011
Post by: Oron Peri on June 28, 2011, 06:17:17 PM
We can already see this was a good trip, Oron.
Such Allium ...... :o 8) 8)

Maggi, it was a very intresting tour, amazing views,  and worth even the results of five days horse riding in the mountains.. ;)

The area on the border with Uzbekistan is home to a few intresting allium.

Allium barsczeweskii.JPG
Allium trachyscordum.JPG
Allium caesium.JPG
Allium drobovii.JPG
Kazakhstan - Uzbekistan natural border.JPG
Title: Re: Kazakhstan 2011
Post by: WimB on June 28, 2011, 06:24:00 PM

and worth even the results of five days horse riding in the mountains.. ;)

Ouch...are you used to horse riding?...if not, double Ouch  ;)

The area on the border with Uzbekistan is home to a few intresting allium.

Very interesting Alliums indeed, love the A. barsczeweskii especially, and that's a very clear border isn't it  ;D
Title: Re: Kazakhstan 2011
Post by: Oron Peri on June 28, 2011, 06:54:29 PM
Ouch...are you used to horse riding?...if not, double Ouch  ;)

Wim, the answer is the second option... :-\ :)

Out of the blue...

Gentiana olivieri.JPG
Gentiana falcata.JPG
Dracocephlum grandiflorum.JPG
Linum altaicum.JPG
Title: Re: Kazakhstan 2011
Post by: Miriam on June 28, 2011, 08:13:06 PM
Wow, just great!


 the results of five days horse riding in the mountains.. ;)

Next time, you should request extra pay for ruining your... :-X ;D ;D

Where did you sleep in the mountains? somewhere upgraded than the transportation?
Title: Re: Kazakhstan 2011
Post by: wmel on June 28, 2011, 10:12:55 PM
Back home after a trip to Kazakhstan.It is the ninth bigest country  on the globe and home to some fantastic plants and bulbs offcourse...
Here is the wonderfull Allium atrosanguineuum with its two varieties, it grows at high elevations, above 2000m and blooms just after snow melts.

I have a lot of allium, but no one as beautiful al both a.atrosanguineuum you show!!!!
It looks like they grow very easy??
Would it be possible to get some seeds from them?
Title: Re: Kazakhstan 2011
Post by: BULBISSIME on June 28, 2011, 10:17:47 PM
nice to hear from you Oron, with such treasures !
More and more pleeaaaaaasssssseeeee  :o
Title: Re: Kazakhstan 2011
Post by: TheOnionMan on June 29, 2011, 02:00:13 AM
Back home after a trip to Kazakhstan.It is the ninth bigest country  on the globe and home to some fantastic plants and bulbs offcourse...
Here is the wonderfull Allium atrosanguineuum with its two varieties, it grows at high elevations, above 2000m and blooms just after snow melts.

Oron, fantastic photos of Allium atrosanguineum, particularly the clump in full flower and the fields of it in blooms.  In the upcoming NARGS Rock Garden Quarterly in Part 2 of my "For the Love of Onions" article, I have a photo of this species with permission by Kurt Vickery, but it's a taller form and not as compelling as the forms you show... WOWZA!!!  I did receive seed of this from Panayoti Kelaidis' 2010 seed expedition to Kazakhstan, but while I got excellent germination from most Allium collections, this one only produced a single seedling :'( which I duly planted out.

I had much better germination on A. eriocoleum (a beautiful species) and A. fedtschenkoanum.  In the form you show, the central red eye is certainly eye-catching.  Thanks for showing us these true beauties.

By the way, another link to Alliums of Kazakhstan in the Allium 2010 topic, including Allium eriocoleum and a field of Allium fedtschenkoanum.
http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=5766.msg173205#msg173205

And Aquilegia atrovinosa; it is hard to contain one's plant lust seeing fine photos of such plants... exquisite!
Title: Re: Kazakhstan 2011
Post by: Janis Ruksans on June 29, 2011, 07:45:00 AM
Allium atrosanguineum group is very interesting but I don't know how to cultivate it. I twice tried to introduce it (as A. fedtschenkoanum and species nova illustrated in Buried Treasures under name "A. kaufmanniana") and in both cases failed. In spring soil in their localities is extremely wet - I saw A. fedtschenkoanum coming out from ~ 0.5 m deep water. Allium collected as kaufmanniana grew in spot where spring coming out from slope made small bog. But what happens there later - I don't know. Collecting from so wet and sticky clay was extremely difficult, but plants didn't came up following spring. Maybe they need very wet soil all the year round and in winter are covered under so deep snow that soil remain unfrozen. I don't know. Pity, because they really are very beautiful.
Janis
Title: Re: Kazakhstan 2011
Post by: Stephenb on June 29, 2011, 09:00:36 AM
I posted a picture from Tromso in Northern Norway of what I was told by the owner was Allium atropurpureum here:
http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=3874.0;attach=151651;image

Mark subsequently discussed this plant and that he thought initially it was Allium atrosanguineum, but the verdict is still out. Whatever, it is a striking plant!
http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=5766.msg129263#msg129263

I was given a plant, but it has yet to flower. The original plant wasn't in a particularly damp spot, but Tromso gets a lot of snow, so it will be damp until mid-summer at least. My location is on the dry side.
Title: Re: Kazakhstan 2011
Post by: fermi de Sousa on June 29, 2011, 09:03:53 AM
Oron,
WOW WOW WOW!!!
the results of five days horse riding in the mountains.. ;)
Next time, you should request extra pay for ruining your... :-X ;D ;D
Miriam!
he said it was  a horse he was riding not an  :-X ;D ;D !
 ;D
cheers
fermi
Title: Re: Kazakhstan 2011
Post by: jandals on June 29, 2011, 09:31:38 AM
Thanks Oron for double-ouching it across Kazakhstan to  introduce me to Allium atrosanguineum and Aquilegia atrovinosa
Title: Re: Kazakhstan 2011
Post by: arillady on June 29, 2011, 11:13:47 AM
Oron thank you so much for the fantastic photos of such striking plants. As I started reading and looking I thought wow I would love to grow those Alliums and the Aquilegia till I read about the elevation and the dampness. My lust suddenly did a downward spiral. Please let us know when you are down the bottom of the hill as then I can begin to think maybe...
Title: Re: Kazakhstan 2011
Post by: TheOnionMan on June 29, 2011, 11:41:58 AM
Allium atrosanguineum group is very interesting but I don't know how to cultivate it. I twice tried to introduce it (as A. fedtschenkoanum and species nova illustrated in Buried Treasures under name "A. kaufmanniana") and in both cases failed. In spring soil in their localities is extremely wet - I saw A. fedtschenkoanum coming out from ~ 0.5 m deep water. Allium collected as kaufmanniana grew in spot where spring coming out from slope made small bog. But what happens there later - I don't know. Collecting from so wet and sticky clay was extremely difficult, but plants didn't came up following spring. Maybe they need very wet soil all the year round and in winter are covered under so deep snow that soil remain unfrozen. I don't know. Pity, because they really are very beautiful.
Janis

I have seedlings to experiment with, and my garden does not have many spots that could be called wet.  However, I have found that some Allium species that grow in high meadows and bogs, like Allium plummerae from 7000-8000' in southeastern Arizona and Sonora Mexico, grow just fine in average garden soil without its feet constantly in water.  Same is true of Allium brevistylum and A. validum; two American swamp onions from high meadows, but growable in less than swampy or boggy situations.  That is at least what I'm hoping for with my seedlings of A. fedtschenkoanum... crossing my fingers now.
Title: Re: Kazakhstan 2011
Post by: Oron Peri on June 29, 2011, 12:04:41 PM
Tulips were still in flower at high elevations 2500-3400m, blooming just after snow melts.


Tulipa kaufmanniana.JPG
Tulipa kaufmanniana - yellow form.JPG
Tulipa greigii.JPG
Tulipa dasystemon.JPG
Tulipa heterophylla.JPG
Tulipa dasystemonoides.JPG
Title: Re: Kazakhstan 2011
Post by: art600 on June 29, 2011, 01:04:56 PM
Oron

Really enjoying your report on the trip to Kazakhstan.

Not a great lover of tulips, but really like the Tulipa dastemonoides - how tall is it?
Title: Re: Kazakhstan 2011
Post by: Oron Peri on June 29, 2011, 03:48:08 PM
Not a great lover of tulips, but really like the Tulipa dastemonoides - how tall is it?

Art

T. dasystemonoides is a tiny one, 5-10 cm high.


There are quite a few Eremurus growing in Kazakhstan, in one area, E. regelli and E. fuscus grow side by side to create some very nice hybrids.

Eremurus regellii.JPG
Eremururs altaicus.JPG
Eremurus regellii x fuscus.JPG
Eremurus cristatus.JPG
Eremurus tianschanicus.JPG
Eremurus tianschanicus - closeup.JPG
Title: Re: Kazakhstan 2011
Post by: Oron Peri on June 29, 2011, 04:25:02 PM
Where did you sleep in the mountains? somewhere upgraded than the transportation?

Miriam, this was one of the places we slept in for 5 nights, it is the Natural reserve of Aksu- Dzabagli, a highly protected reserve of which some parts are forbidden to access since the early 20's of the last century.
Title: Re: Kazakhstan 2011
Post by: Oron Peri on June 29, 2011, 04:28:38 PM
Some Ranunculaceae, no doubt that the alpine Trollius liliacinus is the best...

Trolius dschungaricus.JPG
Trollius altaicus.JPG
Trollius liliacinus.JPG
Anemone narcissiflora subsp protracta.JPG
Callianthemum alatavicum.JPG
Title: Re: Kazakhstan 2011
Post by: Rafa on June 29, 2011, 05:11:47 PM
ASTONISHING!!!

Thank you Oron
Title: Re: Kazakhstan 2011
Post by: Janis Ruksans on June 29, 2011, 05:39:30 PM
Not a great lover of tulips, but really like the Tulipa dastemonoides - how tall is it?

Art

T. dasystemonoides is a tiny one, 5-10 cm high.


There are quite a few Eremurus growing in Kazakhstan, in one area, E. regelli and E. fuscus grow side by side to create some very nice hybrids.

Sorry, Oron, but on attached picture isn't Eremurus cristatus. True cristatus in this entry.
Janis
Title: Re: Kazakhstan 2011
Post by: daveyp1970 on June 29, 2011, 06:32:07 PM
This series of pics are incredible,sooooo many nice plants.
Title: Re: Kazakhstan 2011
Post by: WimB on June 29, 2011, 07:15:17 PM
Wonderful, Oron. Thanks for sharing these pics with us!

That Trollius lilacinus  :o :o
Title: Re: Kazakhstan 2011
Post by: Oron Peri on June 29, 2011, 07:24:06 PM
Sorry, Oron, but on attached picture isn't Eremurus cristatus. True cristatus in this entry.
Janis

Hi Janis, you are right, it is E. altaicus, Thank you.
Title: Re: Kazakhstan 2011
Post by: Oron Peri on June 29, 2011, 07:46:31 PM
Gagea and Lloydia appear after snow melts in higher elevations, G. minutiflora is the smallest Gagea species i have ever seen only 5 cm and a solitary flower of less than 1 cm still i find it to be a little gem.


Gagea minutiflora.JPG
Gagea filiformis.JPG
Lloydia serotina.JPG
DSC_1099.JPG
Title: Re: Kazakhstan 2011
Post by: Oron Peri on June 29, 2011, 08:12:36 PM
More Alliums,
A. karataviense is a stunning species growing on serpentine.

Allium carolinianum.JPG
Allium suworowii.JPG
Allium karataviense.JPG
Title: Re: Kazakhstan 2011
Post by: Oron Peri on June 29, 2011, 08:43:20 PM
Some of the alpine plants create outstanding displays, these two combinations have captured my eye.

Rhodiola coccinea and Smelowskia calycina.JPG
Arnebia euchroma and A. sericea.JPG
Title: Re: Kazakhstan 2011
Post by: jandals on June 29, 2011, 08:54:05 PM
...and I would triple-ouch it across Kazakhstan for the Trollius lilacinus!!
Title: Re: Kazakhstan 2011
Post by: Lesley Cox on June 29, 2011, 09:59:39 PM
A fantastic journey Oron. Thanks so much for sharing it with us. The Allium atrosanguibeum in the field is an amazing site but I love the white clematis too.
Title: Re: Kazakhstan 2011
Post by: Luc Gilgemyn on June 29, 2011, 10:10:11 PM
Astonishing... incredible... amazing...  :o :o
I run out of words Oron, so I'd better stop here...  ;D

Thanks for taking us along on this formidable trip ! 
Title: Re: Kazakhstan 2011
Post by: mark smyth on June 29, 2011, 11:48:04 PM
Brilliant plants
Title: Re: Kazakhstan 2011
Post by: arillady on June 30, 2011, 09:44:59 AM
Oron from you photo of your accommodation it looks like when you were tired at the end of the day it was all downhill thank goodness.
Great photos.
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