Anemonopsis macrophylla - foliage collapse

[McDonough]

I noticed today that 3 out of about 10 main foliage stems have collapsed, pulling on them shows that they have detached and are blacked at the base.  Other stems also look like they are wilting a bit.  Weather has been sufficiently moist, and not overly hot, but it looks like the whole thing is rotting.  Any suggestions?  Thank goodness I have a whole crop of seedlings coming along, as I fear this plant is on its way out for some reason.

[WimB]

I experienced the same with a pot of white-flowering A. macrophylla seedlings last year (while they were in their third year)...the entire pot died. Next to it was a pot with filled-flowering A. macrophylla, which all survived. My guess was that the soil mix was not free draining enough and when we had a late frost after a period of rain...they didn't like that. But it was very strange that the seedlings in the pot next to it, which was filled with exactly the same mix survived...maybe it was some kind of fungal disease? I would treat that plant with a broad-spectrum fungicide!

[Howey]

While not an actual reply to the Anemonopsis problem, I feel this is one of the "cultural problems" in my garden.  Over the years I have found it necessary to employ chicken wire to protect many plants from the diggings of squirrels and skunks...especially when the plants are young and/or freshly planted pout. Have become rather adept at creating several styles of structures from small domes, funnels for small trees and lately, for newly trimmed and settled in Iris fans - this one is the  largest so far and is like a bottomless box I put over the lot.  So far it seems to work.  Often this will involve moving other plants out of the way but at least there is some hope now that my prize Iris (a pale blue fragrant one) will survive.  Fran

Frances Howey
London, Ontario, Canada
Zone 5b

[McDonough]

Thanks Francis for your suggestions of protecting plants in general.  I have been battling with a woodchuck and a sole rabbit that have been eating the tops of Vernonia lettermanii; I need to construct a cone or some sort of wire protection around it, to give the plant a chance.

As to my dying Anemonopsis, more stems have rotted off at the base and have been pulled out, but I believe a few side shoots look healthy enough to carry on the day.  Also, I have a nice flat of seedlings, and for the first time in a decade, self-sown seedlings have appeared nearby.

[Tony Willis]

Mark

I have had this problem in the garden and put it down to being too wet. I now grow my 'White Swan'in a pot in a frame.

As to the seedlings pricking them out has been a disaster in that I had ninety and all but ten died when I did this. They make very poor fragile roots at the seedling stage. If I get seed this year I will sow individually to avoid root disturbance

[AmyO]

As to the seedlings pricking them out has been a disaster in that I had ninety and all but ten died when I did this. They make very poor fragile roots at the seedling stage. If I get seed this year I will sow individually to avoid root disturbance

Tony....that is good to know!! The 'White Swan' seeds you sent me are now germinating and so I will be extra careful when pricking them out!

Mark...If this were my plant I might dig the clump up and clean away the rotting parts to get a good look at what is going on, then replant in another spot.

[McDonough]

Last year I sowed seed of Anemonopsis macrophylla from my own declining plant (was rotting off), and had surprisingly good germination. Last year (2012) I never got around to planting out the seedlings, but I'm pleased to see how the young plants over-wintered and leafed out in the last week or so; I have a new bed ready to receive this treasure.

[Gene Mirro]

If you use propagation domes and fluorescent lights after transplanting the seedlings, you might have higher survival rates. 

[McDonough]

But mine survived just fine without any special apparatus; they're ready to plant out.

[Hoy]

Mark, how was the germinating rate? Seems you got a good rate or had a lot of seed
I have just planted out seedlings from two different sources and have to more to go but these are later in growing. They all was sown and germinated last year but with a low rate so I don't bother separating them but plant in clumps.

[McDonough]

Germination rate was very high; it was seed collected off my own plant and sown fresh.  Now I can try growing them on, in a couple different garden locations.  I do the same, planting out small clumps of seedlings.  By the way, the tiny seedlings of Gentiana purpurea from your seed, were planted out last autumn, and they look good now and starting to grow, thank you!

[Tony Willis]

My seed from 'white swan' germinated fine last spring and I see the potted on seedlings in the greenhouse are now back in growth.

The seed I sowed in November has yet to show.

The seedlings from two years ago are up in the garden and the main plant which is in a pot in a frame is just showing.

It is a very slow growing plant from seed.

[Hoy]

Germination rate was very high; it was seed collected off my own plant and sown fresh.  Now I can try growing them on, in a couple different garden locations.  I do the same, planting out small clumps of seedlings.  By the way, the tiny seedlings of Gentiana purpurea from your seed, were planted out last autumn, and they look good now and starting to grow, thank you!

Thank you for your answer, Mark, and you are welcome! Hope the "søterot" make gardenworthy plants for you

[McDonough]

Germination rate was very high; it was seed collected off my own plant and sown fresh.  Now I can try growing them on, in a couple different garden locations.  I do the same, planting out small clumps of seedlings.  By the way, the tiny seedlings of Gentiana purpurea from your seed, were planted out last autumn, and they look good now and starting to grow, thank you!

Thank you for your answer, Mark, and you are welcome! Hope the "søterot" make gardenworthy plants for you

Trond, I almost poked my eye out on that word; I'll just call it Gentiana purpurea 

[Hoy]

Mark, you can try the English translation: "sweet root"! Actually it tastes very bitter I am told, but as it was a popular remedy against different illnesses you couldn't afford to offend the good spirit of the root!