Mid-June alpines

The alpines are slowly continuing to open. Many Dianthus are budding and some Campanula. Meanwhile here a sampling from the garden: Androsace sempervivoides.

Phylliopsis 'Pinocchio'....a hybrid between a Kalmiopsis and a Phyllodoce.

Viola jooi

Aquilegia flabellata 'Cameo'

Claytonia siberica

Daphne 'Lawrence Crocker'

Hmmm...I think I have a run on pink. Well for something really different, and not really an alpine but I'll include it anyway, is Arisaema sikkokianum. I grew this one from NARGS seed about 6 years ago.

Welcome back! You have the coolest plants Todd.

How big does Phylliopsis 'Pinocchio' get? Its just wonderful.

I picked up a mature a. sikkokianum at our NARGS sale.
One of the members brought 20 very mature plants and quite
a few seedlings (I got 2-3 of these too). I have planted a
couple out in my shade garden (or what passes for shade.)
They are no where near as big as the one in my greenhouse.
Do they need constant moisture?

Tam

Phylliopsis stays under 6" and sikkokianum doesn't need a lot of moisture...much the same as A. triphyllum...reasonably moist or they will go dormant earlier than usual.

Nice stuff Todd. I've heard Claytonia siberica blooms all season. Is that really true?

It blooms all season in my area, although they look a bit straggly later on.

A non-blue alpine open at the moment...this is Mertensia lanceolata. I'm surprised it survived the winter seeing as it is a dryland species. Strangely, M. primuloides, an alpine species, died this past winter.

Opps I meant a NON-PINK species. Back in the pink category is Lewisia 'Little Plum'

Its not in bloom but here's the Incarvillea Marlsii I did have in
a trough but moved upon Todd's advice. It seems very happy.
I can't wait to see it bloom. (I have a few of them but this one is
happiest).

Tam

Todd - you really are behind us by quite a few weeks. How nice
to have these to enjoy now.

Here's a new trough I just planted up with some of my NARGS chapter
sale.

Tam

Todd, in your M. lanceolata pic, what is that plant with the opposite leaves and raised "dots" ath the base of the mertensia?

Tammy, I can hardly contain my excitement! I can zoom in on your trough (great Firefox add-on) and it looks like you have a plant there, top right, that has been baffling us in our Chapter. Someone grew it from seed from one of the seed exchanges and lost the name. Ours has quite succulent leaves and leaf stems, five petaled single, veined, light pink flowers (petals not joined at base), and the inflorescence structure looks identical. It almost looks like it would be the type of plant to produce a tuber like a cyclamen. What is yours?

Leftwood, that is Shepherdia canadensis var. prostrata, one of several native alpines I have in my rockery.

Hi Todd. good to see you back. nice plants you had waiting for you, putting on their best June faces.

Lovely pictures Todd. It's nice to see some fresh spring blooms as most of my plants are struggling with the heat of summer. That Phylliopsis is very interesting. I love the foliage and the pink blossoms are beautiful. I also enjoy seeing the Viola jooi as I have a handful of seedlings that I hope will bloom next year. Is that an Androsace to the right of the Viola? I also have a couple Mertensia lanceolata. I love the clear blue color of the little bells. I actually lost one of three plants last year, I believe to the hot and dry summer weather. I have this in the same garden bed as my Penstemon whippleanus as it seems to prefer a bit of shade and additional water here.

Tammy your Incarvillea looks very happy where it is. This is a plant that I've killed before and have yet to attempt growing again. Looks like you got some great plants at the sale. Is that little silver leaved plant a Townsendia by chance? I wish our chapter had a plant sale.

Phyteuma orbiculare, second season from seed.

Actually, I am quite satisfied with the picture clarity; photos were taken on a very windy day with a film camera. Plant is in a 3 inch (7.6cm) pot.

And I guess this would be full bloom.

Leftwood how tall is that particular Phyteuma? I've tried growing sieberi and the other that you mentioned in the June blooms thread but have never heard of this one.

great eye Ally! Yep - I got two little townsendias

Leftwood - that is a wonderfully vivid blue! And another
plant I'm not familiar with... I've got a lot to learn!

Tam

Leftwood, I grew P. orbiculare from seed last year and the first flowers are just about open. I love it! P. scheutzeri is even better (it is more dwarf) and equally blue. Here's a pic from last year as my P. scheutzeri are just starting to bud. They are actually much bluer than this pic would suggest.

My first Dianthus are starting. This is 'Inshriach Dazzler', a gratianopolitanus hybrid. I have a bunch of my own hybrids about to bloom. I'll post once they do.

Penstemon virens

Aquilegia desertorum....I love this delicate beauty. It is about a foot tall.

Aquilegia ottonis. This one is only 6" tall!

and an unknown Aquilegia. Planted the seeds as A. chaplinei but that is not what it is. I have a bunch of more Aquilegia species about to bloom from last years seeds.

Well, I do believe this plant qualifies as an alpine. We were camping last weekend and I did manage to spot a few interesting plants while the DD and DH were fishing. It's not the greatest pic but I believe this is Lupinus kingii. This was found in abundance at 9500' in central Utah.

Ally, my Phyteuma orbiculare flower height is about 8 inches, but that is growing in a little pot. I measured the pots too, and they are only 2 5/8 inch square. I am sure once they are in the ground, or in a larger pot, they would grow larger. Funny, I had assumed P. orbiculare was the more common species. But I really don't know. That lupine is so cool!

I wish our chapter had a plant sale.
I imagine, Ally, that you're not the only one growing from seed, or with extra plant divisions. Surely others must have plants to share. A plant sale is a great mode of distribution, and raises money for the Chapter to boot. Maybe you should suggest one. We have two each year, and that's how we raise money for our meeting speakers. One is open to the public and includes regular perennials, the other is members only.

Tammy, how about the name of that upper right plant in your round trough? I'm dying to tell my Chapter friends what our mystery plant is!

Todd, neat pics, especially that unknown aquilegia. I'm just starting to get to know Phyteuma's. The rock garden at our Arboretum has a much taller one, maybe 2 ft (60cm), but I don't remember what species it is now.

Todd what a great selection - those aquilegias are superb! A plant I've been hankering after is Arisaema sikkokianum and seeing yours really makes me want one!

Leftwood - sorry I missed answering your question! It is "montana parvifolia" and
Mike Slater donated it.

Tam

Montia parvifolia! That's it!

Thanks Tammy!

The unknown Aquilegia turns out to be A. barnebyi. Here is my A. rockii....10" tall but very fine foliage.

That tiny Lupine is stunning!

I tried growing Aquilegia viridis with three different batches of seed from NARGS. None turned out to be viridis, with its distinctive foliage. I do have the real viridis now, though.

So how 'bout a pic of the rockii foliage?

Happy Birthday, Todd!

Hey Happy Birthday! Have a great day!

Happy Belated Todd!!! I hope you get lots of beautiful blooms
for your special day.
Tam

Happy Birthday from me too!