Plant of the Month for March 2022
Daphne mezereum f. alba
GENERAL INFORMATION:
Daphne mezereum f. alba is an early flowering shrub. One name is February Daphne. Our climate in Southern Ontario is too cold for this name to fit! They flower in England in mid February. The flower buds open here in late March. Buds form in the fall and are clustered alternately along the ends of the twigs. The flowers are fragrant, small, whitish, 4-petalled and tubular. Small leaves appear as the clusters of flowers fully open. These leaves are 2 cm long, more or less elliptical and mid dull green.
Daphne mezereum f. alba - flowers
Green berries (actually drupes, 6 mm long) turn orange in July. They fall off at the touch when ripe and are often eaten by birds and chipmunks. Uneaten seeds readily germinate under the parent plant.
Daphne mezereum f. alba - berries
The berries, sap and bark are poisonous.
Life Cycle: Small deciduous shrub.
Size: 1-1.5m tall, 1m wide after about 10 years.
Bloom Time: March, April.
Native to: Europe across to Siberia.
Habitat: Woodland, forest margins.
Cultivars: D. m. f alba ’Bowles’ White’ and ‘Paul’s White’ are said to have purer white flowers. It is unlikely these are still available due to DSDS (see below) and seed sourced supplies.
CULTIVATION:
Light: Part shade to full sun. Protect from hot weather.
Soil: Well drained, neutral to alkaline, fertile but moisture retentive. Small plants succeed best as Daphne resents root disturbance.
Water: Mulch to prevent water loss
USDA Hardiness: Zone 4-7
Companion plants: Snowdrops and other early spring bulbs, hellebores, small hosta
Daphne mezereum f. alba with spring bulbs
Pruning: Minimum. Remove dead or damaged wood.
Problems: All my shrubs have died between 5 and 10 years of age. I find a plant has wilted overnight. This is probably Daphne Sudden Death Syndrome (DSDS), a disease that suddenly kills the plant. There is nothing to do to treat this fungus. Avoid cutting older branches helps. Luckily my plants have been replaced by seedlings growing under their parent.
Flower buds survive low temperatures till they start to open. Then very low temperatures will damage them.
Daphne mezereum f. alba - winter twig
Mulching is important to prevent the roots from drying out. Watch for aphids. We have plenty of birds which seem to keep problem insects at bay.
Propagation: Seed, root, softwood and hardwood cuttings. I have not attempted cuttings.
Seedex availability: Usually ORG&HPS Annual Seed Exchange
Germination Tips: Remove pulp and plant fresh outside. If dry, rub gently with sandpaper, soak in warm water. Then repeated cycles of 4°C, then 20°C for 3 months each.
(Text and images contributed by Anna Leggatt)
Plant of the Month for February, 2022
Eranthis hyemalis, the winter aconite, is an early bloomer, heralding spring. It often flowers through the snow, soon after the first snowdrops.
Eranthis in the Snow
Eranthis in Ice
A curved stalk drags up a flower bud, surrounded by finger-like bracts. It straightens, opening to a 5-8 (usually 6) sepalled yellow cup above a ruff of bright green bracts. Petals are reduced to nectaries. Central follicles are surrounded by numerous stamens. Leaves, similar to the bracts, grow up as the flowers mature.
I remember a patch several metres wide in England when I was a child. My Grandmother planted them in the 1920s. They were still there in 2009!
Other Species and Cultivars:
There are eight species and many cultivars. These include:
Eranthis cilicicia (Cilicicia Group) blooms a little later with slightly larger flowers and more deeply dissected bracts and leaves.
Eranthis x tubergenii is a hybrid between these two species with larger, sterile flowers
Eranthis x tubergenii ‘Guinea Gold’ has deeper yellow flowers, bronze leaves and is scented
Eranthis pinnatifida and Eranthis stellata are white flowered.
Eranthis hyemalis ‘Flore Pleno’ is one of several double cultivars
Eranthis hyemalis ‘Moonlight’ is light yellow, found in an Ithaca NY garden.
General information:
Life Cycle: Long lived perennial tuber
Dimensions: Inflorescence 2.5 cm across. Height 10-15 cm tall as the flowers mature
Bloom time: Late February to April. The leaves die down as shade increases and the soil dries.
Distribution: E. hyemalis is native to eastern Europe to Iraq. E. cilicicia - western to central Asia. The white species grow in the far east.
Habitat: Woodlands
Cultivation: Buy tubers in the fall as early as possible. Soak in luke warm water for 12 hours before planting in groups 5-10 cm deep, in deciduous shade to morning sun. They will soon clump up and form a mat. They can grow in a lawn. However, do not mow till the leaves start to wither.
Companion plants: Crocus, Hellebores, Hosta
Eranthis self seeding on mound
Soil: Humus rich alkaline to neutral well drained soil.
Water: Do not let it dry out when dormant.
Hardiness: USDA Zone 4-7
Propagation: Plant “In the green”. Dig up clumps after flowering, divide and replant.
Seeds are recalcitrant. Direct sow outside as soon as the seeds turn from green to black. They will germinate in the late winter, with the seedlings emerging as the plants flower. They withstand frost.
I have had no success with Eranthis seeds from exchanges.
Notes: It is toxic like all members of the Ranunculaceae. Don’t nibble on the plant! Symptoms of poisoning include vomiting, diarrhoea, disturbed vision and cardiac arrest.
Animals avoid eating leaves.
No pests or diseases.
Source of pollen and nectar for early pollinators.
I have 100s of plants, nearly all E. hyemalis. There are a few E. cilicicia or perhaps the hybrid. Dry summers may have reduced the numbers of the later.
I am looking for other cultivars.
For more information:
https://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/index.php/Eranthis
(Text and Images contributed by Anna Leggatt)
Plant of the Month for January, 2022
Here in Toronto, I start looking for Galanthus nivalis, (Milk-flower of the Snow), the common snowdrop, in mid-December. Tips are visible whenever the snow melts. I expect to see the first flowers in mid-January, though they may not appear till the end of February. Those in colder spots may not open until late March. There are now thousands in our garden so we have flowers from February to May.
Galanthus elwesii 2021/02/03
Species and Cultivars:
Galanthus nivalis is native to Europe. Two thin grey-green leaves grow from each bulb. A leafless flower stalk can be up to 15 cm high with a dangling white “bell”. The three outer tepals are like long thin spoons. The three inner tepals are much shorter and are not curved. They are characteristically marked with a greenish U over the terminal notch.
Galanthus nivalis
There are many hybrids and cultivars although there are only 20 species. Galanthophiles will pay $1000s for a new form with different markings. I am content with a few distinct forms.
G. nivalis F. pleniflorus 'Flore Pleno' grew on an ivy-covered bank close to my home in England. Cut flowers were thought to be unlucky in the house. However, we gathered bunches to sell for church fund raising. These bulbs were planted about 1900 and made a fine show as we walked past after our wedding in 1965.
Galanthus nivalis 'Flore Pleno'
I have some clumps of double snowdrops here which are rapidly bulking up. There are 5 or 6 outer tepals and many inner ones.
At first glance, Galanthus elwesii, the giant snowdrop, appears similar, though larger. It grows up to 25 cm tall and the wider leaves fold around each other. The inner tepals have green tips and bases. The amount of green varies considerably.
Galanthus elwesii
Galanthus elwesii - longer tepals
Some I grow include:
- ‘Magnet’ has long stems so the flowers twist in the breeze.
- ‘S. Arnott’ has tepals which spread out more.
- ‘Green Tips’ has green on the tip of the outer tepals. Unfortunately my clump, though growing well, has only a faint hint of yellow, not green.
- My favourite just appeared in the garden (I am always checking). They have shorter outer tepals which stick out looking like little propellers. Look out for different forms. Many choice bulbs just appeared in gardens and the wild.
Galanthus elwesii "propeller"
Snowdrops with yellow markings on the tepals and a yellow ovary are sought-after forms. I have some. However, is the yellow caused by a mineral deficiency or lack of light? I will be excited if they stabilize.
Galanthus nivalis - yellow form
Galanthus elwesii var. monostictus flowers in November. The tepals look more like G. nivalis. This is in my alpine house till it bulks up. One of our members has G. elwesii Hiemalis Group which flowers outside in December.
Cultivation: Plant the bulbs as soon as possible in the early fall. They do not like drying out so first soak them in warm water for a few hours. Deciduous shade and woodsy soil is best though they will tolerate some sun and heavier soil in Southern Ontario. For the earliest flowers, plant in front of a south-facing basement window. The leaves are not attractive after flowering. They soon die down. Hosta and fern leaves hide these. Clumps of Hemerocallis planted on the south side of your snowdrops also make the leaves less obvious.
Propagation: Seed needs to be fresh sown outside and kept shaded and damp. Some will germinate the following spring. I have self-seeded clumps in the lawn. Divide large clumps after flowering “in the green” with the leaves still healthy. Replanting 5-6 bulbs together works best.
I would like a form with nearly all green flowers, also a better yellow and one with really green tips.
A must for snowdrop fanatics: Galanthus Group
Contributed by Anna Leggatt
Globularia repens is an uncommon alpine that is perfectly suited to the rock or scree garden. It spreads fairly quickly for such a small plant and makes a nice cushion display.
Globularia repens 'nana', photo by Robert Pavlis
Globularia repens is the most common name in the nursery trade, but a few sites name it as Globularia repens 'Nana'. I tried to find out if nana is really a different plant but it is still unclear to me. Pictures in the wild show a smaller form as well as a larger form. The latter has leaf growth that is not quite as tight and flower stocks that are taller. Many forms have flowers sitting just above the foliage and I think those are the true nana form. I suspect that the short version is the only one found in horticulture and for that reason the nana part of the name has been dropped.
Globularia repens 'nana', photo by Robert Pavlis
It is a subshrub, making woody stems that root as they creep along the ground, allowing for easy propagation. The pictures here show my plant, which is grown from seed.
Other common names include creeping globe daisy, Globularia nana, leather-leaf powder puff, dwarf globe flower and matted globe daisy.
Globularia repens, taller wild type, photo by Gilles
Globularia repens
(glob-yoo-LAR-ee-uh REE-penz)
Life Cycle: subshrub
Height: 2cm (1in)
Bloom Time: summer
Natural Range: Pyrenees and in the southern Alps
Habitat: rocks, walls, crevices, crests in very stony places, both in limestone and siliceous soils
Synonyms: Globularia cordifolia, Globularia oscensis, Globularia borjae, Globularia nana
Cultivation of Globularia repens:
Light: full sun
Soil: variable, well drained
Water: dry
USDA Hardiness Zone: 4- 7
Propagation: seed, division, softwood cuttings
Are you interested in an easy to grow exotic orchid for your garden? Roscoea cautleyoides isn't a real orchid but the flowers sure look like one.
Roscoea cautleyoides is one of the more popular species in this uncommon genus, which is to say that it is quite rare in gardens. That is surprising given the beauty of these plants. It is a member of the ginger family, but unlike other gingers it is fairly hardy. Everything I found on the internet said it was a zone 6 plant, but it has been in my zone 5 garden for several years now. The key to growing it in colder climates might be to plant it deep. I can't remember how deep I planted it, but it was probably about 6" deep. This plant has contractile roots and will pull itself lower if you plant it to high. Roscoea tibetica and Roscoea alpina are also hardy in my zone 5 garden.
Roscoea cautleyoides, by Robert Pavlis
The root system resembles a dahlia with a short vertical rhizome which is attached to tuberous roots. It is late to show above ground and usually does not make an appearance until early summer. At that time pseudostems are produced that are formed from a tightly wrapped cone of leaves. As it grows the leaves partially unravel as the flower develops above them.
Roscoea cautleyoides, Credit: Botany Ca
If you need to move this plant or want to divide it, it is best to wait until it just shows itself above ground. Then gently dig down to find the rhizome, which can be quite deep. This species is reported to be able to handle conditions that are sunnier and drier than other Roscoea species.
Roscoea cautleyoides, by Robert Pavlis
The flower has three petals, a top dorsal which is the largest and appears as a hood and two lower ones that point down. The structure in the middle looks like petals but are actually four sterile stamens (staminodes). The lower two are partially fused together to form a lip giving the flower its classic orchid look. The most common color is a pale yellow, but they can also be purple, white or pale pink.
Roscoea cautleyoides
(ross-KOH-ee-uh kawt-ley-oy-dees)
Life Cycle: perennial
Height: 45cm (1.5 ft)
Bloom Time: mid summer
Natural Range: western China (Sichuan and Yunnan), 11,000 ft
Habitat: pine forest clearings, grasslands and alpine slopes
Synonyms: na
Cultivation of Roscoea cautleyoides:
Light: part shade
Soil: sandy humus
Water: moist but well drained
USDA Hardiness Zone: 5- 9
Propagation: seed, division
