Alpines in June

A new month, a new thread. It is coming into Erigeron season around my parts, so I'll start with E. aureus 'Canary Bird'. Got this one from Beavercreek two years ago.

Erigeron vetensis...grown from seed that came from Panayoti Kelaidis. We have this one in our alpine house at work...never tried it outside.

In the wild, our native (only one) Erigeron hyssopifolius is also blooming.

At the MN Arboretum Rock Garden - Erigeron scopulinus. A sparse bloomer for us, not sure why that is. It's a very small, flat, mat forming plant.

Here is my Podophyllum with 3 lobes...no markings to speak of either

Arisaema sikkokianum

Anemone multifida 'Lutea' (sown last year as A. magellanica)

Another of my so-called P. bungeana...this one has much smaller flowers than my first one.

This message was edited Jun 1, 2009 6:22 PM

Aquilegia canadensis with Rhododendron tapetiforme

I see you have a variegated leaf form of sikkokianum too.
Those are wonderful "black" flower stems on the anemone.

Gosh Todd, that Pulsatilla pic is the spirit and image of mine when they were small - leaves and flowers. The source of my seed was the NARGS seed exchange 2005, and I looked back to see the donors - three of them. The seeds get mixed together before distribution. I don't recognize any of the names, but I do have them, if it might help to piece together verification. I have never question the identity of this one. It was only the second year I tried any alpines from seed, and of course back then, believed the package label as gospel.

As an update report, I had the dickens trying to find any pollen on the anthers of Iris minutaourea. There were only a few grains that I actually saw, and I tried different ages of flowers. I am happy (I guess) to report that I do have one seed pod, and it was with the grains that I saw. Hope it is filled . . .

On the other hand, Iris reichenbachii needs no help at all.

Keeping my fingers crossed in regards to the iris seeds!

I'm delighted that my Phyliopsis Sugar Plum survived the winter. Most of the Calluna and Erica around here took a hard beating this winter.

Lewisia season is starting...first time I've bloomed L. brachycalyx...lots of buds to come

and L. stebbensii...waiting for more flowers to open on L. glandulosa and pygmaea as their flowers are rather small.

All very pretty Todd and Leftwood :-)

Todd - my Lewisias haven't started flowering yet, except L. nevada which was in the coldframe last winter so it got a head start.

I grew this from seed marked as Lewisia longipetala, but it looks like Lewisia nevadensis to me .......

Rann

Gentiana dinarica or at least I bought it as that ..... my perennial book says that G. dinarica doesn't have green spots ..... so maybe it's G. acaulis or some other gentian ? Looking at photos on the internet, most of the photos of G. dinarica had the green spots ..... so either no one has the right plant or my book is wrong (?).

Rann

Rann, the lewisia does look like nevadensis...I have longipetala as well as some hybrids and they are all pink shades with different foliage...strangely, nevadensis is one of the more common species lewisia and I don't have it.

The acaulis group of gentians are a real mess. Our BG has grown acaulis for years but according to my 'keying out' it is actually angustifolia 'Frei'. They are beauties regardless!

Delosperma basuticum, so far, I have found to be the best of the genus for here. WAY better than nubigenum - nice and compact, way more floriferous, and not as picky about winter wet.

Seen here also is out native Escobaria vivipara.

basuticum is the only one that it reliable here as well. The on ein our alpine house at work is in full bloom but mine outside is just starting to bud.

Lewisia stebbensii is looking better and better

and a new charmer...I grew this Campanula alpina from seed last year. The plant was so small I did not expect blooms this year but here it is! The whole plant is not much larger than a silver dollar!

in the new crevice garden...A. discolor...not sure how it differs from A. flabellata 'Nana'..maybe even smaller in size but its a first time bloomer so the jury is out on that.

Mertensia lanceolata...I'm amazed how well this dry-lander has performed for me.

Geranium 'Lissidel'...lovely silvery foliage

a funky pick of G. angustifolia 'Frei' with a black cardboard placed behind

and even thouh not an alpine, I grew this Paeonia mlokosewitschii from seed. After 4 years it has bloomed for the first time. Much more pink that I expected.

Thanks Todd - yes they are beauties whatever the name! :-) Wonderful plants! edited to add: That Campanula is just too cute! :-)

Leftwood - Gorgeous! Is this Delosperma actually hardy? It looks like something that would grow in a southern desert ..... if both you and Todd can grow it, could it possibly survive up here??? I'm intrigued ...... ;-) lol

Here's another gentian I'm very excited about, opened it's first bloom yesterday ....... grown from seed last year. Gentiana bavarica

Rann



This message was edited Jun 7, 2009 11:35 AM

bavarica looks very similar to verna...must be part of that same group...a group I am hopeless at growing!

Rann, I expect Delosperma basuticum would do fine for you. Just give it a well-drained spot that is reasonably warm. I'll keep you in mind if mine sets seed.

Sounds like that Campanula alpina is going to be monocarpic. Apparently, the species can be sometimes.

Berberis thunbergii 'Concorde'. More dwarf than Crimson Pygmy, and the flowers are rather showy. The leaf sheen is very dull, just like the bloom on a grape. It gives the plant a very cool (temperature-wise) look. Very amenable to the rock garden, IMO.

Berberis thunbergii 'Aurea Nana' is also ideal for the rock garden...very tight and bright. I have to get cuttings from the one at our BG.

This message was edited Jun 8, 2009 6:19 AM

That one is nice.

Any idea how cold hardy Aurea Nana is compared to the other yellow berberis that flood the nursery market?

And I had forgotten to comment on how quickly you got your peony from seed to bloom - fantastic!!!

I grew three others but they are still a few years away from blooming I expect. The mlokosewitchii has four stems so is well on its way to being a specimen plant.

Not sure how hardy the Aurea Nana is...it certianly survives in central Nova Scotia where temps can fall to -30 C.

Yes Todd, the bavarica looks very simila to G. verna ....... I've tried growing that one a few times with zero luck ... I have a very tiny plant in my raised bed that I bought a few years ago that is barely hanging on and hasn't grown at all. All the more excitement to get flowers on this one so soon :-)

The berberis are both very neat looking Todd and Leftwood ..... haven't seen these dwarf cultivars around here.

Here's Phlox subulata:

And Geranium farreri:

Oxalis enneaphylla 'Rosea'

i am going to have to keep an eye out for Geranium ferreri. Very nice!

Not an alpine, but it is a dwarf species:
Tradescantia tharpii

It blooms 2 weeks earlier than ohioensis, tops out at 17inches and is much more tidy with shorter leaves.

If my Geranium farreri sets seed I'd be willing to trade it for some fresh Jeffersonia dubia seed ;-)

Here's Veronica prostrata:

Rann

Hi all,

This strange flower is Rohdea japonica.

I would like that Rann. Unfortunately my multiple petal dubia has never set seed, and this year is no exception. But My other regular one does. And since you reminded me, I just went out to check on the seed pods. The first couple are barely cracking, so seed is definitely ripe in those, and more to come, so I will be sending you some soon. This is a regular lavender form. Dmail me your address and I'll send them off. These seeds should set down roots this season, but not send up a leaf until next spring.

Might anyone else like some?

Rann, your Veronica sure is floriflerous!

Goldenfish, a very interesting Rohdea. Those are seed pods, right?
And is the whole species variegated, or do you have a certain cultivar?

Thanks Leftwood! :-) How exciting!

I'll D-mail you :-)

Rann