dividing H. epipactis ,Thor'

[mark smyth]

Can someone tell me when I can or should divide H. Epipactis.

[Anthony Darby]

Is this Hacquetia epipactis? Probably best after flowering?

[Paddy Tobin]

Mark, though it was something I had approached with trepidation it has turned out to be both very easy and very successful. The pieces which I broke/tore off were very small but grew away with no bother at all. I treated them in much the same way as I would the common primulas here, simply pulling them apart and replanting in the ground immediately.

[mark smyth]

It is Anthony.

Some reasons I ask are

someone wants a bit
it grows in full shade but still looks great. How tall should it be? Mine reaches at least 6 inches 15cm
I'd like to have some elsewhere in the garden

Photo taken yesterday - January 4th

[Tim Ingram]

Mark - my experience was not so good as Paddy's. I divided up quite a large plant in a pot after flowering (this is also recommended for the related astrantias in the summer) but they have been really slow to get away - maybe they would have been better planted in the ground rather than pots. We were quite greedy and tried to get as many pieces as possible so probably should have separated larger bits. If you have a greenhouse and/or bottom heat this might help since it flowers so early. It can't be too easy since you rarely see it in gardens and everyone must want it!

[Jonny_SE]

My experience are rather similare to Tim. I diveded 3 BIG plants and they are slow growers and start to grow good not before the next year. One more thing to remember....dont be cheap on the plants...make few big plants rather than many small...that way you will have 100% surviving...i split mine into 80 plants and they all survived. //Jonny

[mark smyth]

Dont know what to do now

[chasw]

Wait?

[mark smyth]

Wait I did because I'm confussed

[Tim Ingram]

Yes - I would definitely wait until the weather warms up and the plant is growing away strongly, and then just make a few large divisions as Jonny says and keep them growing in as good conditions as possible. I have three big clumps in the garden and will try the same. I remember Jack Elliott talking about this plant saying that it was being micropropagated - but this obviously hasn't worked.