Hi everyone!
I'm completely new to the Heuchera forum. I live in the UK and have been growing Heucheras, Tiarellas and Heucherellas for about 5 years now and have quite a nice collection. Lime Rickey grows well for me over here I'm happy to report. I'll post pictures of some of my Heucheras later but many are un-named crosses that have just 'sprung up' as self-seeds in my Heuchera beds (and many are quite spectacular - or at least I think they are, you all might not be quite so impressed, LOL)
My main reason for posting here today is because I'm really interested in learning how to collect seeds from my Heucheras. I did try last year but ended up with a bag full of plant debris and what looked like dead insects and dust :o( Is there a secret to it, does anyone have a tried and tested method? More to the point- can anyone recommend a good source for purchasing Heuchera seeds from USA? I would love to try growing Amethyst Mist and a few others from seeds.
Thanks for any help or suggestions, they are appreciated.
Back later with some pictures.
Terri (in UK)
Heuchera seeds??
Here are pictures of some of those 'self seeded crosses' I mentioned in the last thread. The first one is heavily blotched with pink on a dark brown background.
Another leaf from the same plant.
This one is a lovely dark mahogany. It looks spectacular with the bronze grass in the background.
A close-up of the last plant. You can see the individual leaf better in this picture.
I like the markings on this green one. All these are un-named self-seeded.
Another one with pink markings. They're a bit less pronounced and more evenly distributed on this plant.
This lovely milk chocolate one has a lot of polish on the leaf, so please excuse the shine on the photograph.
The last one for now- look closely at this leaf and you'll see that the very edge of the leaf is a slightly darker shade. This gives the leaf the appearance of having been drawn around with a darker pencil. It was difficult to photograph this and get it to show up properly, but I think you can 'just' see what I mean on this picture.
I can't answer your question (I mostly just lurk around here) but you do have some gorgeous plants. The pink/brown splotched plants are wonderful. Peg
Thanks for your reply Peg. I also like the pink and brown ones. I also have a very pretty one that has orange and mahogany leaves. Will try to find a picture of it and will post it here.
Terri
Terri, I don't know of any company that seels seeds either, sorry. You do have some nice plants though! The first couple pictures are very similar to French Quarters heuchera.
Thanks goldfinch, I'll have to do an online search and try to find pics of French Quarters. I'm not familiar with those but would love to see them.
Here is a (not very good) photo of the orange and mahogany. It has to beone of the prettiest Heucheras you'll ever see (and one of my favorites).
This is another beautiful one with bright green leaves.
I'm sorry Terri, but I can't help you with your question either. I didn't even know these guys could self seed!! You have some gorgeous self seeders, though. Love the green one...love them all! You're very lucky, you must have the right climate for this to happen. Some here are very knowledgeable on Heucheras and hopefully someone can help you. Keep posting the pics.
Hi Terri :) I have some peach flambe heuchera I'll save some seeds for you, they aren't as hard to collect as everyone thinks just when the seed pods turn brown stick them in a paper bag and shake they fall right out, they do on my palace purple and green spice anyway, now it's just trying to remember to watch for them lol
Hi Lea! Thank you so much, I would love to have a few seeds from 'Peach Flambe' if you're able to collect them. I'd also love some from 'Green Spice' if you have one or two to spare. I already have 'Palace Purple'. If you would like some seeds from my plants I will do my best to collect from them but think they will all be crosses as I have 'Marmalade', Prince', 'Cappucino', Beauty Color', 'Licorice', 'Plum Pudding', 'Frosted Violet','Chocolate Ruffles', 'Firefly', Purple Petticoats', 'Silver Scrolls' and several others all growing in one large bed. I also have Heucerellas and Tiarellas growing in the same bed, so you could end up with quite a variety. The Tiarellas are flowering now and the Heucerellas and Heucheras are starting to flower so it will be a few weeks before they set seed.
I think, no matter what the seedlings turn out to be there will be some really pretty ones amongst them.
TTYL Lea,
Hugs
Terri
Oh Terri, Green Spice is gone :( I lost it to the wet winter we had but it's good to know which ones you do have for when I collect seeds for you and thank you for your offer but I'm trying not to do so many seeds this fall :) I say that now lol I really need to work on the house this fall and if I get more seeds it won't get done I have a one track mind lol And you know those seeds they require so much attention lol The work on the house will take all winter cause I don't go so fast any more and I'll still plant a few just hoping not as many as I usually do :)
((Hugs))
Lea
Terri, Those are just lovely! ALL of them are just wonderful, really!
It looks to me as though you have everything you need to get spectacular seedlings. And yes, you wait for the flowers to dry on the stalk, as soon as the petals fall off, you pic the stalk and put it in a paperbag, just as Lea said.
All of ours will cross, just as yours did, and getting one to look like Amethyst Mist will be tricky. Even if we had the Amethyst Mist, the seedlings will be roses from whatever is in the garden unless the single flower we hand pollinate is covered after pollination and tagged as to the exact flower on the stalk. You know how tiny the flowers are -- they would bedifficulat to deanther and pollinate and tag.
Congratulations on your seedlings!!!!
Suzy
Lea, so I would think that 'Green Spice' is not quite as robust as some of the others...would you say?? I've always found the paler colored varieties to be the ones that succumb first to any 'conditions' that aren't to their liking. Having said that, my 'Frosted Violet' (not really a pale colored, but quite a new one) is really robust.
So I take it you won't require any more Hellebore seeds then, hehe (just teasing, LOL).
Suzy, thank you for your nice comments, I just love any Heuchera plant, even the less colourful. 'Amethyst Mist' is a beauty for sure, but I've never actually seen it for sale over here in UK. One Heuchera I've been **lusting over** for some time is 'Venus', I must hunt that one down soon. I made a patchwork bed of all my Heucheras last year and it was really pretty. Yes, I can imagine trying to pollinate the flowers. The fun part would be trying to keep the bees away because they love the Heucheras. I can just imagine me out there with my little paintbrush waiting for the flowers to open, LOL. That would absolutely confirm to my family that my 'screws are loose'. They take great joy in watching me doing macro-photography, so pollinating Heucheras would have them booking seats, haha
We have a pest over here (called Vine-Weevil) that just love Heucheras (or rather the horrible little grubs do). The adults just munch holes in the edge of the leaves but the grubs eat the roots and destroy the plant from below...where you can't see what's happening. Give me slugs or aphids any day!! I need to buy some nematodes to water into the Heuchera bed. Better not try photographing those at work or ......I may be gone for some time!!
Thanks everyone!
Terri
Terri, to tell you the truth I didn't get to repot the green spice last year for the winter so I think it's my fault it died, usually everything in pots gets dressed up for the winter but I didn't get around to doing that last fall I was too busy planting, I learned my lesson from that though after losing quite a few plants :(
No don't be photographing at work if that would take you away for a while, you know I would miss you, I would be searching for you again LOL
((Hugs)) & smiles :))))
Lea
Terri, thank you for posting those photos of your plants.
Your seedliings are lovely, and I found myself drooling at the pink splashed purple one!
I haven't tried collecting seeds from my heucheras yet but you have inspired me to try this year.
Quite a few are blooming away out there & now I'm getting visions of interesting crosses...
(Oh no - another new level to this heuchera obsession!)
I look forward to more of your photos, marea
My "Green Spice" survived the winter and doing tremendous. It is my favorite plant this season - very eye catching. Just had some friends over today and they loved it too. My husband and I love it so much, we just bought 12 little spices yesterday. Crazy Kids!
LOL, Marea, it's the 'old, old story' isn't it? You start out buying one of something nice and end up obsessed and hunting for others as if your life depends on it, haha. That happens to me ALL the time. I vow not to start another collection of something and then hear myself saying to hubby, 'Ooooh, isn't that lovely?' and he's just as bad when he replies with, 'Yes, it is! Well if you like it, buy it!'. I have growing collections of Tiarellas, minature narcissus/jonquils, sempervivums, violets, Dieramas, Auriculas....and lots of others. It's all part of the love of plants and gardening and just one of the joys :o) If I manage to collect seed (I'll follow Lea's instructions - Thanks Lea!) I'd be happy to share any I get from my pink blotchy ones, if you would like some. Unfortunately I'm not able to send you a baby plant so seeds are all I can offer.
I'm glad you like my little crosses.
Bizzie...........you just made me 'Green' with envy, LOL Are you a seed collector by any chance?
:o))
Some years I am better at collecting seeds than others. I have vowed to collect from some of my faves this year but the summer is young.
I'm not having much luck trying to save seeds, the little seed pods are falling off of the stems before I get to them and I've really been good about watching them for you Terri lol You may just get Velvet Knight seeds they stay on lol I'm really trying with the peach flambe but same story :(
Aaaaaah, bless your heart Lea, I really appreciate your trying. Perhaps they're sterile so don't you worry yourself over it.
I haven't even started harvesting mine yet, but they are all blooming away.
I hope your new kitty is behaving himself, LOL
Hugs
Terri
Nope he's not, I bought a flea color for him and put a ring on it and now I tie him out most of the time where he's with me an I can keep an eye on him lol He's been up a tree twice now lol He's taking it real well though lol
Hope you don't mind if I butt in here on this thread, which I have followed closely because I love to play around with these guys and wanted to see what others were doing.
First of all, Terri1948, you have gotten some really nice plants from the self-seeding! I'm envious. Hope I can get some 1/2 as nice from my own dabbling! Your first "Pink Mottled" one looks a lot like "Mardi Gras" to me rather than "French Quarter". I have one in my garden that looks a lot like your "Milk Chocolate", with LOTS of shine, but the leaves are more "dimpled" and the reverse is a lovely "claret", I call it "Wine Frappe", although I think it really is a "Palace Purple" variant.
As far as growing "Amethyst Myst" from seed goes --- forget it!!! Dan Heims calls this heuchera "[a] sister to 'Plum Pudding'", about which he says: "With heritage in 'Ruby Veil' and 'Can Can'". 'Ruby Veil" is "one of the earliest crosses using 'Montrose Ruby" and select seedlings of H. americana 'Dale's Strain'." 'Can Can' is one result from a cross of 'Pewter Veil' and 'Ruby Ruffles". 'Pewter Veil" is "the result of H. americana backcrossed to selected forms of 'Montrose Ruby'. About 'Ruby Ruffles', Heims says only that it "was kin to 'Chocolate Ruffles'", which was a cross of 'Ruby Veil' with H. micrantha 'Ruffles', itself a sort of "one-off" seedling (Heims calls it "a one-in-a-million shot") of H. micrantha.
Now, even if you are, like me, a genealogist and work up a family tree herem you can see that all of this is some complicated (and not always fully disclosed) breeding! So, the chances of gathering seed from "Amethyst Myst", planting it, and getting a seedling that is an "Amethyst Myst" --- or even close --- is also a "one-in-a-million" shot. You are just as likely to get a plant like your "Bright Green", which looks something like "Mint Frost" and is a gorgeous plant. (I want a piece of it! And of "Pink Mottled"!)
I have a bunch of "Bressingham" seedlings coming along in a seed flat, about 2 weeks from transplanting, mostly with their 2nd true leaves now. They are really nifty, and I am anxious to see what they turn out.
LeBug's method of collecting works fine for me, at least it has with my "Pluie de Feu", and I'll do the same with my others as they mature, plant a bunch and see what I get.
If you want to play around with the various species of Heuchera --- plant the seeds, grow them out, maybe cross some, or just let them cross themselves and self-seed, check out the offerings at Alplains http://www.alplains.com. Heims mentions Alan Bradshaw (seed collector and owner of Alplains) as a source of the seeds that have gone into several of the Terra Nova hybrids. I have an order in for every heuchera species he is currently offering and can't wait to see what that will generate down the road.
Wouldn't it be fun to have a "round-robin swap" of seeds collected from our own heucheras, grow them out and see what we get? Maybe the next "Marmalade" (my current favorite).
Cheers, Potagere
Thank you for so much very interesting information Potagere. I was fascinated throughout reading it. Now I can understand much better how all my beautiful seedlings have evolved. I've come to the conclusion that just allowing my Heucheras to cross (even to cross with my Tiarellas. Who knows, we might even end up with some very new Heucherellas!!) and just collecting any seeds that *might* be on the plants, then sowing those...as you said in your post, and just seeing what comes up. I think there could be some beautiful new plants amongst the seedlings.
Oh yes, I am all for doing a seed-swap with anyone else who might be interested.
Potagere, I would be happy to send you a piece of my bright green Heuchera when it gets large enough for splitting. That applies to any of my Heucheras that you might like too. As you are only just across the channel we could have some fun doing trades if you would like to.
I have several other really nice seedlings that are just about ready for photographing, so will post here when I have had time to do so.
Terri
Terri, I'm glad what I wrote was helpful!
You offer of a division from "Bright Green" sounds fantastic! I can hardly wait! Grow, baby, grow!
Maybe we can put together a group Heuchera Seed Swap at the end of the summer, when all of our babies have flowered and set seed.
Meanwhile, why don't you visit : http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/868979/ and join the Euro 2008 Perennial Swap!
In fact, everyone here is welcome to join in. You don't have to be European. We have one trader from Kashmir!
Potagere
Terri1948,
Your collection is absolutely wonderful. I have just fallen in love with Heucheras & hope as I learn I will be able to help you build on your collection.
Thanks for all the beautiful pictures.
Debbie
Bubba1,
The spikes are the coral bells flowers - yes they develop into seed. I'm not sure of the correct way & time to collect the seeds. I would suggest that you search the forums on how to bag the seeds. Hope this helps alittle.
Debbie
Hi, bubba1,
You don't really need to bag these at all. Unless you're really greedy or have a small national park that you want to plant with "Palace Purple"! Each one of those little flowers can produce almost 1000 seeds! I just let my flowers finish and, when they are starting to dry, I cut the stalk near the top, collect the flowers in a large envelope (then remove the entire stalk for aesthetic reasons), shake the envelope up a bit, discard the chaff, and there you are. I don't worry at all about losing some seeds, because I could never use all of them anyway!
By the way, "Palace Purple" is a 'variety', so what you get from the seed may have some variation. Also, if you have other heucheras in the garden, or your neighbour does, all bets are off! Pollinators love these plants so much that they hybridize freely.
Potagere
No. These are the only two I have. I have had a hard time warming up to the heuchera, but I like this particular color. I only bought two and have had them several years. These are still the only two I have. I think they have reproduced, but I think it came from root, as now each have multiplied to three but they are all right up against each other. I thought I would try to catch the seed and see if I could make some more. No problem with cross pollination, as my neighbors don't plant a stitch of anything in their yards. Nothing.
Go for it then!
The seed are TINY, so plant them VERY sparsely. They are quick to germinate, but slow to grow. If you can keep them indoors, in a greenhouse or coldframe over the winter, you should have some plants to put out in the Spring. You can also divide your big ones.
Here's my 23 'Bressingham Hybrids' seedlings! Aren't they cute? In full sun, no less. But only to have their picture taken!
I seeded these about 1 May. Just transplanted them to single cells yesterday. Lost a couple in the process.
Slow going, but at least they don't get all leggy and awkward like my petunias and lettuces!
Potagere
Potagere, those are great looking seedlings. I don't have the room, the set-up or the patience to try this.... I do have the itch though. Keep us updated on their progress. Nice.