Astrantia

Hi

I was just wondering if you had Astrantia in USA?????????????

Mark

Hi

This is my Astrantia 'Sunningdale'...........

Mark

I see this plant offered frequently here, but have never seen it grown. I've been really wanting to try it though. Yours are just lovely!

Hi gemini

Oh so they are available there.......... i wasn't sure wether or not they would be!!!!
Yes they are such beautiful plants............ I have them flowering all over my garden!!!
You should try one next time you see it available.......

Mark

Sure do - I have 3 different ones currently - one is called Astrantia Maxima ( a pale pink) the other two I was given seed - one is white the other a deep maroon.


carol

Hi Carol

Oh good, you have some already.............. cool
Yes i have Maxima............ and around 10 other varieties.
If you see one called Roma............. have a look at that one! Gorgeous!!!
And the sunningdale has varigated foliage............ although its a pain to keep it variegated!!!!!!

Mark

Mark, they are a lovely plant - here's a small patch we have in our gardens of 'Lars'

Debbie

Currently planting a new bed and contemplating adding 'Sunningdale' - do you think it would tolerate a little more sun (half day) and hold its variegation?

Another shot of 'Lars' with a visitor

Hey Debbie......... Gorgeous aren't they!!!!!
Lars is another nice one, love your small patch!!!!!................ Have you seen Hadspen Blood????

Yes Sunningdale will tolerate sun ok....................... as for variegation...... If you keep on top of it, it should be fine!! Just make sure that if you have leaves that arent variegated cut them off!!!!

Mark

Mark, we also have Hadspen Blood hanging around here somewhere - just need to get it planted! Thanks for the info on Sunningdale - guess I'll figure out a spot for it today :) As a side note, we have one lady who has traveled to Scotland and seen Astrantias planted en masse. She loves them and buys every one we have when they're available. Now if we can just find a way to keep the darned rabbits from sneaking in and chewing on them while growing in the pots!

Hi Debbie
Oh so you have lots of varieties then??????????
You will love Sunningdale...............Its a lovely one!!
Do you know where in Scotland that was???????????? I have a friend there that loves Astrantia!!
Rabbits are always a problem........... pleased i dont suffer with that problem!! My 4 cats deal with anything that appears!! LOL
I collect Crocosmia myself.................... I LOVE them!!!!!!! Do you have any??

Mark

Oh I think Hadspen Blood might be the red I have - it is a very deep burgundy (I would never call it red!) Sorry I dont have any pics!
carol

Hi Carol

There are one or two that are burgundy!! Yes it could be Hadspen Blood, it is bugundy also.........

Mark

I just traded for some seed all the way from England. I'm wondering if it will be hardy enough for my zone 4. I see it in the catalogs for zone 4, but then a lot of the better online sites usually indicate zone 5. I don't know of anyone locally who grows it and I've never seen it at any of the nurseries. Any tips on gowing these?

Hey Beaker.........
To be honest i have no idea how hardy they are................ we dont get the temperatures that you get!!
I have just had a look at a zone map................... you really get temps down to -30 F ??????

Unless you come across anyone on DG from your area, that grows it.............. i guess its a case of try it and see... It will be interesting to see if it does survive..........!!

Mark

Beaker, everything I've read lists Astrantia as hardy to Z4. If Carol (fancyvan) can grow them in Z3a (!) you should be safe planting them - with all that snow cover you have, they'd have plenty of 'insulation' over the winter :)

All this zone stuff is weird to us................. we dont have all that here!!
Yes i agree with rcn............... if you have lots of snow it will insulate the plants!!!

Mark, this country offers practically every gardening climate possible, lol. Here in Kentucky, we get the hot, humid summers of the south, and cold winters (although they've been pretty mild for the last few years). So many plants can either take the cold or the heat, both often not both- so irritating! I so long to grow huge delphiniums.

So, now off my tangent and back to astranias, rcn48- looks like they tolerate the heat of your summers, and fancyvan- looks like they overwinter for you, so definitely a plant I MUST try now! I live in a moist, semishaded, wooded hollow, and from what I've read they should be a good canditate for such conditions. What do y'all think?

Anyone have any seed to spare?
Neal

ooooooooooooooooooo you should see my Delphiniums............ see pic!
I am so pleased i live where i do................ i dont like humid at all......... i can stand the heat but humidity makes me feel so tired and ill.
Yes i bet it is irritating!! It would irritate me too........

Neal

If you want some astrantia seed, i will see what i can do for you.....................

Mark

Neal I have some Astrantia seed but it is not fresh - some is from 04 and some from 05.
So I dont know how well it will germinate - maybe Mark can comment?
Happy to send it to you - is it OK to just put in an envelope and send across the border? Never sure what is or is not allowed or if one even needs to say what is in the envelope.

carolvan

Hey Neal, I'm willing to share whatever I get in my trade. I've been wanting to try these for years. Now I'm excited knowing they might make it through a Minnesota winter.

30 degrees! I've seen it worse than that. One morning it was so cold the stones fell out of my ring. Last few years though, we've had really mild winters and it's tough keeping what little snow we get on the gardens. Last fall I put down about three times the amount of mulch I usually use. It really helped. When all my neighbors had no snow, my gardens were still covered. Of course, I do this all for the oriental lilies.

Mark, thanks for starting this thread. never heard of this pretty plant, but it sure seems to have a lot going for it. and it comes in my favorite colors besides. was just out looking around and they have a ton of varieties at Big Dipper. put it on my list for next year. I have too many things going from seed for this year already. but I love this flower...so different!

gram ~a girl~

Thanks for all the generous responses :)
Carol is sending seed of both colors (Thanks!), so I'll keep everyone 'in the know' on how they do.

Sunningdale and Lars are both beauties - never seen white ones before. I have a red one - not sure of the name

They are all beautiful....................... The white ones look excellnt when planted near something with dark Foliage!!!!

Oooh, good thinking Mark! I'm counting my chickens before they hatch, and predicting success with seed; I can't wait to see white/soft pink ones in my pastel garden where I've accented with dark foliages :)

They will grow for you Gemini.................... have faith.!!
They will look wonderful when accented with dark foliage..........
You should try planting a toad lily too............ they are wonderful!! Just a shame the flowers arent a little larger.......

Mark

Gemini

This is my toad lily !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! what do you think???????????

I do! Are'nt they strange and fun! The color of yours looks clearer and brighter than mine. These came from Bluestone Perennials last year, Tricyrtis hirta 'Miyazaki hybrids'. Do you know what cultivar yours is?

Did you notice the dark leaf tips on mine? Even worse toward the base of the plant. Anyone know what causes that? The blooms are great now, but the foliage looks really ratty and I don't recall them doing that last year.

Yes they are strange.......... but very beautiful!!!! No i don't know what cultivar mine is.......... as far as i know its just a common everyday one! I will try and find out............
Oooooooooooo yours is a sweet one................... I like it!!!!
I wonder how many different ones there are....................... probably hundreds!!

Mark

I wouldnt worry................. you should see the foliage on mine.............. they always look tatty!!!!!
They probably did the same last year, but you didnt notice!

I love Astrantias, I know they are very fashionable in England (and I grew them when I lived there). They certainly are hardy here - mine have come through several Maine winters. They are such valuable early summer plants, and I think 'Sunningdale Variegated' has a place in every early summer garden. The flowers are delightful.

A local nursery, Fieldstone Gardens (they have a web site and do mail order) lists quite a few choice varieties.

I'm surprised they aren't more widely grown here.

Hi Kniphofia

They arent as fashionable as they used to be here in England................... but still lots of them around!!! They are really an old english cottage garden plant!!!
Are Maine winters bad?????????????????????
I am pleased you agree that they are a good summer plant......................... makes me wonder why they are not as widely grown over there!!

Mark

Hmmmmmmmm another nice astrantia..................

ooooooooooh Mark that Astrantia 'Sunningdale' and the last one are gorgeous,
Love your delphiniums too, I have several different delphinium seeds I have received thru trades, Can't wait to plant them and see them bloom. They are sooo pretty...

I did a google search and these are also beautiful, Astrantia Bloody Mary - Astrantia 'Buckland' - Astrantia 'Rosa-Lee' - Astrantia 'Snowstar', this site http://www.mailorderplants4me.com/isapi/isapi.dll?list_all even has some Crocosmia

Connie

This message was edited Dec 4, 2006 10:44 PM

Hey Connie
Yes astrantias are lovely plants..................... they look gorgeous in a cottage garden.....!
I have plenty of delphinium seeds too............... but its much easier to just buy the plant............. they bulk up very very quickly! When they have finished flowering cut them right back to the ground and they will flower again for you!!!!!

Yes i know Ian Scroggy......................... he is from northern ireland................. we do swaps now and again!!
You should see his Hosta collection................

Mark

Hey Mark

I have been following this thread and lusting over your Astrantia.Do you start them from seed or buy liners?

I saw only 1 company listed as selling them in our PF.They are a very good company but charge alot for shipping.

I also love Delphiniums but have had no luck with them here because of heat and humidity.I hope the Astrantia are more tolerant of these growing conditions.

I am not familiar with your part of the UK.Where are you located?I have several gardening buddies (also good friends) in the Bath area and in London.

I grow several toad lilies also.

Nancy

I

Hiya Nancy

Are you the Nancy that signed my guestbook on the crocosmia site??????

I buy them as plug plants and grow them on........... ids that what a liner is???? But i think you can get seeds for them................ do you want me to find you some seed Nancy????? got more chance of getting them here than you have over there!!!!

Delphiniums are normally quite tolerant of heat and drought......................... Astrantias love to be damp in the summer so make sure you water them well.

Bath and london are well south of me............................... i am sort of mid way up the country on the east coast in the county of lincolnshire!!!! Quite easy to locate on a map.

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm i love toad lillies........................ gorgeous things!! Thats a nice one in the pic........

Mark