Alpines - June, 2012

[Lori S.]

How's about an update to get us into June?
Close-up of flowers on Rheum rhizostachyum:


Buds on Silene bolanthoides:


Rhodiola rosea:
 

Another Rhodiola... labelled as Rhodiola roseum purpureum when I bought it locally, but I'm not sure absolutely sure if that is correct; it has remained very small and has been going dormant after blooming, which seems odd:


Phlox hendersonii:


Aquilegia laramiensis:


This is not quite the floral extravagance that I hope for in the future, but I guess it's okay for a second-year seedling - Erigeron nanus, bless it's little heart :    


Linum cariense:


Euphorbia capitulata, as the flowers go from yellow to orange:

[Lori S.]

Oxytropis megalantha:


Dryas octopetala:


Androsace albana, from SRGC seedex seed in 2011:


Arenaria kansuensis, starting to flower:


Campanula turczaninovii, from seed in 2010 - according to Graham Nicholls, a tap-rooted sort; the buds are rather intriguing, almost black:
 

Rosularia turkestanica:

[RickR]

Lori, you never cease to amaze us with you never-ending plant menagerie.

Do rosularias change colors with the seasons similar to semperviviums?

[Lori S.]

Well, I don't know about never-ending (though I am busy replacing what I kill... sigh) but there's a couple of new things there... many thanks though!!    I haven't really noticed that Rosularia change colour so noticeably as Sempervivum.

Eremostachys speciosa has opened, and the thickly-furred stem has suddenly elongated...

       

First flower on Pyrrocoma uniflora, planted in 2009:

[Hoy]

How's about an update to get us into June?

June?? The temperature is more like March. I am dressed in the same way as in winter exept I wear jandals

Lori, of all your gems I really fell for the Eremostachys!

[Todd Boland]

I also am intriged with that Eremostachys!  That gentian is freaky too.

BTW Lori, I'll be in Calgary the end of the month but will immediately head down to the Bighorn and Bearstooth Mountains.  I'll be in Calgary July 9-14 if you want to get together for lunch or dinner...my treat this time!

Trond, it is Junuary here too...a solid week of only 5-7 C!  Last June was a writeoff and this June is even worse!  If it wasn't for two weeks of above normal temps in mid-May, our trees would not have a leaf.  Now, the lilacs have been in bloom two weeks and still look as fresh as they day they opened.  We have also had strong winds...the north bed next to my house has been shredded...guess I have to revisit planting it out in Ligularias!

[Todd Boland]

Just a few plants I shot today before my fingers went numb.  The seeds of Geum reptans look so neat right now.

[RickR]

The flower stem on the Eremostachys speciosa is so thick an substantial.  Is it a biennial?

Todd, I never knew Geum did that swirly thing!  I've never been much of a fan of the genus...
Regular lilacs (S. vulgaris) were duds this year for us.  May temperatures most of March, and March temperatures most of April really did a number on the flowers.

[Todd Boland]

I have 5 species of Geum but I must admit, Geum reptans is the creme-de-la-creme of the genus...but also the trickiest to grow, at least for me.  Others do not have such fancy developing seeds although Geum triflorum is also pretty cool (but its flowers are not nearly as nice).

[Lori S.]

The flower stem on the Eremostachys speciosa is so thick an substantial.  Is it a biennial?

The genus is said to consist of perennials, according to eFlora of China.

[Tim Ingram]

Todd - that geum is an absolute work of art! There is a lot more to plants than flowers (!), especially for the nurseryman who spends a lot of time scanning seedlists. Geums seem to vary from the very demure to the completely flamboyant - but they mostly do poorly in our dry garden. I have heard others describe reptans as very special.

[Lori S.]

Sounds good, Todd... perhaps I can drag you out on a hike in mid-July?  

Update on Eremostachys speciosa... I've been away since Monday, and have come back to find it in full bloom; it kind of reminds me of Pedicularis, which I always enjoy seeing:
   

Update also on Campanula turczaninovii - it is a very dark, rich purple-blue with a white-furred calyx... the narrow, funnel-shaped flower form is reminiscent of C. uniflora (which I see with much smaller flowers than this in the wild here).  It's 33cm (13") tall, planted in soil that I have mentioned is rather richer than need be perhaps; I suppose it might well be more  compact in the lean, mean condition of my later beds.
   

Edit:  A later photo with the flowers more open...


Update on Androsace albana:

[Krish]

Todd,Lori nice pictures. It is raining now.Here are some from my garden.

[Lori S.]

Very nice, Krish,and well done with the daphne especially!

Aethionema glaucescens:

[Krish]

Thanks Lori.The Daphne is 3 years old and so far doing well.The weather system from Alberta has moved to Saskatchewan. It is raining all day today too.Hope to get a break on monday.
I went out to take some pictures in the rain.The Dianthus and the penstemon are from NARGS seeds.