Does everyones do this or is mine just weird. The top bloom on the flower stalks is always deformed. It looks like just a bunch of stamens without any flower around it. Almost very flower stalk has the deformed one on top.
What's with the Baptisia blooms?....
Here's another one...
sue-I've never noticed mine having anything like that on my blooms. I'm sure I would have noticed that. Very odd.
It does this every year.
Mine have never done that either.
mine either.
Hmm. I don't know why mine does this. I always thought it had something to do with the pollintion .... like it was a male flower and the pollen had to be transfered down to the flowers below.
I just planted seeds of these this spring in the GH and have transplanted outside, they are 6 inches or so high. Will I get any blooms this year?
Probably not for a couple years. It took my plant a couple of years to bloom and that was from a transplant. This is one of those to be sure when you plant it plants. It doesn't want to be moved.
Hmmmm. My seed-grown plant is on its third season, and still no blooms (might still put out some this year, but I'm not holding my breath.) So I can't offer you any comparative info.
Lenjo, I heard a Nashville garden speaker tell about their Baptisia, which they moved when it was a few years old. It sulked for FIVE YEARS, getting no taller than a foot each year, and no blooms. Finally, when they were about fed up and ready to shovel prune it, it grew lushly and bloomed its heart out. So I tend to agree with Sue's assessment (which I've heard from others too) to plant it where you want to keep it, otherwise you may pay a heavy price.
I guess you have to be in for the long haul with baptisia :) A friend gave me my plant. I don't know how he managed it but he dug it up from his garden. I tried to dig a piece of mine this spring for someone and all I got was a bunch of stems... with no roots.
Another weird thing about this one is the flowers are not held above the foliage. Here's a picture of the whole plant... the flowers are almost hard to see amongst the green.
Mine were here when I moved in probably about 7 years old now. Blooms profusely in May and then they're gone so anyone in zone 5 or higher would probably already have bloomed by now.
I've read these have a VERY DEEP taproot and that's why transplanting is difficult if at all possible. For the first time in 4 years, however, I've noticed some "seedlings" that appear to be "runners". I'm not sure but I was thinking that those might be the best possible transplant candidates. I've got two separate stands of this plant each about 3-1/2 feet in diameter....very full mature bunch and they grow about that high. FWIW that's mine knowledge and experience.
Baa
Jun 25, 2003
Poppysue
As it happens every year and is on most and/or all blooms, it is likely to be a genetic (or possibly viral) abberation, like your peloric foxgloves. It would be interesting to know if it's seedlings turn out the same. Another possibility is that there is a pest in your area that specifically likes the tip of the bud and damages it but it isn't affecting any other pea flowers either on the spike or other legumes so that's less likely.
At present I can't find the proper name for this 'doubling' which is what it appears to be, I have heard of other legume mutations where the flowers are double but it's usually the whole flower spike. It might be worth asking one of the university botany departments what they think.
I'll ask the fella that gave me the plant if his does this. Don't think I have the patience to grow any of the seeds out to see if it's passed on.
I asked him... and his DO NOT do this. Strange, indeed. I wonder if it is viral? He also said that he digs his up and seperates the roots to re-plant, no problem. Don't think I'll try that. I know I'd kill it, for sure.
I moved a pretty large clump this past fall. I was prepared to lose it as they say its so hard to move. It never blinked and bloomed this year.
Good to know tiG. Was it an older plant?
about 6 or 7 years old.
Well I think I might try to divide mine as they are crowding out some peonies. Guess I'll just take some away and hope that it doesn't damage/ ain plant. If the divisions make it great as long as the main clump survives.