The best Talinum

[Kelaidis]

If I had to pick just one Talinum, it would be this: Talinum brevicaule (formerly T. pulchellum) is found mostly in New Mexico. I obtained my starts as seed from Mesa Gardens years ago and this plant has grown contentedly in my succulent bed alonside cacti for many years now. Aside from heat and drainage, it does need a bit of summer water to keep blooming. Drynes in winter however!

[McDonough]

If I had to pick just one Talinum, it would be this: Talinum brevicaule (formerly T. pulchellum) is found mostly in New Mexico. I obtained my starts as seed from Mesa Gardens years ago and this plant has grown contentedly in my succulent bed alonside cacti for many years now. Aside from heat and drainage, it does need a bit of summer water to keep blooming. Drynes in winter however!

I love Talinum, all sorts.  I tried T. brevicaule, had it in a trough for a couple years but ultimately it died.  My trough was getting mossy, and to this day still needs a redo.  In the same trough, Talinum 'Zoe' bloomed well the first few years, then started to dwindle, although it is still alive 9 years hence.  This delight has a similar look and feel as T. brevicaule, it is supposed to be a hybrid between T. okanoganense x spinescens, or using more recent taxonomy where okanoganense = sediforme, T. sediforme x spinescens.  I have also seen the name Phemeranthus okanoganensus for T. okanoganense.  I'm confused!  All of my T. okanoganense (using the name I'm most familiar with), which were seeding all over the trough, has all been lost to the moss.  Must salvage T. 'Zoe' and Lequerella arizonica that still manage to survive this trough.   The misspelling "sedoides" corrected to sediforme, thanks Lori.

[Lori S.]

I think the current name for Talinum okanoganense is T. sediforme (rather than "sedioides"), no?

Here's one of them, whatever it's called at this moment in time.  Not so spectacularly-coloured but with a pristine charm to the flowers.  (Note the encroaching moss... I'll have to keep an eye on it.)  

I'm also testing T. spinescens - bright pink flowers - in a trough... seems lifelike in a skeletal yet rubbery way...  

[McDonough]

I think the current name for Talinum okanoganense is T. sediforme (rather than "sedioides"), no?

I'm also testing T. spinescens - bright pink flowers - in a trough... seems lifelike in a skeletal yet rubbery way... 

Thanks for the name correction... couldn't remember the spelling so googled "Talinun sed" and it gave me "sedoides" and I just hastily went with it.  Seems that a number of seed businesses are selling it under that misspelling.

Good luck with T. spinescens.  I grew it when I lived in the Seattle Washington area, a fascinating plant with taller thready stems and bright pink flowers that emulate some of the eastern Talinum in flower disposition.

[McDonough]

Just checked the Flora of North America Online at: http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=124954
and it seems that most all Talinum are now are Phemeranthus.  So, Talinum brevicaule becomes Phemeranthus brevicaulis (with synonyms eximium, pulchellum, youngiae, and Talinum sediforme becomes Phemeranthus sediformis with synonyms okanoganense and wayae.

Here's what the author has to say about sediformis and spinescens.
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=242415801
Phemeranthus sediformis is poorly known and merits further study in the field and better representation in herbaria. When its characters and their ranges of variation are better known, it may prove to be indistinct from P. spinescens.

What?  As I know and have grown both, they are completely and utterly different plants.

[Kelaidis]

The poor botanist who would lump Talinum spinescens and sediforme is in need of a stiff drink, at the very least. T. sediforme is very much more in the ilk of brevifolium to my eyes, but T. spinescens is utterly unique on many counts. For one thing, it's almost shrubby! I have some ancient plants that are practically bonsai. All other Talinum from the USA die to below ground. Also the spiny one has spines (leaf bases actually) and blooms only once in the spring, whereas all other Talinum in my experience are remontant.

I got 'Zoe' from that treasure trove called Mount Tahoma (a National Treasure if there ever was one! The first few years--probably because the soil was freshly mixed, rich and fluffy, it grew huge comparatively speaking, and set copious seed. When I grew the seed, it all continued to look like 'Zoe' vegetatively, only the flower color varied from pure white to magenta. I gave them all away and regret it now since it would have been fun to have them for crosspollination and developing a seed strain. I must fertilize my sizeable little 'Zoe' or take cuttings and see if I can't get it to set seed again!

I love these little Portucalaceous munchkins!

[Martin Tversted]

These are nice plants, I think I need to expand the collection from just Lewisias!
Martin

[Peter George]

I took a peek at two photos of my T. brevifolium taken last summer, and it is clear that mine are not nearly as 'tight' as Panayoti's. I guess there is a difference between Central Massachusetts and Denver!! My plant is 5 years old, and grown from Alplains' seed.

[McDonough]

Just to show that these little plants can be long lived, I previously showed photos of Talinum 'Zoe' (T. sediforme x spinescens), my plants growing in a trough in 2002.
http://nargs.org/smf/index.php?topic=124.msg755#msg755

In the ensuing years, a rock-hard crust of moss invaded my trough, the moss growing tight between the tiny woody stems on 'Zoe' and enveloping the plant to the point it would no longer flower, shrank in size, and was in risk or perishing.  In 2010 I disassembled some of the trough plantings, plucked out 'Zoe', and used a sharp awl to painstakingly feather out all of the moss suffocating the plant, then replanted in a pot with fine gravel much.  It flowered well this past summer (2011), although being at work when the flowers open in the sun, I never did get a good photo, just this one on an overcast day with a couple flowers open.



This tiny little plant is over 10 years old now, and managed to survive tough times.  Hurray for tiny talinums!

Of course, we have to remember, the former Talinum species are now in the genus Phemeranthus.

[Fermi]

Of course, we have to remember, the former Talinum species are now in the genus Phemeranthus.

Unfortunately our Customs people haven't learned that yet and withheld the packet of P. spinescens (despite Talinum being in brackets on the label!) but have agreed to release it now that I showed them a link to the (Kew) PlantList which showed the older "accepted" name as being a synonym.
cheers
fermi

[McDonough]

Of course, we have to remember, the former Talinum species are now in the genus Phemeranthus.

Unfortunately our Customs people haven't learned that yet and withheld the packet of P. spinescens (despite Talinum being in brackets on the label!) but have agreed to release it now that I showed them a link to the (Kew) PlantList which showed the older "accepted" name as being a synonym.
cheers
fermi

Fermi, hopefully they have released your Talinum seed by now and you have it sown.

Scanning through my digital photos again, I rediscovered a photo of Talinum 'Zoe' flowering nicely in early June 2011.




The little bean-shaped leaves sprout very early, this view taken 04-18-2011:

[Merlin]

Talinum--- I like them all. I have sown wild seed from a fair number of species but have been too lazy to ID most of them( if they come up at all). I thought I had some pictures of some of the other species but can't seem to find them, I will take some more later in the season. Here are a few that i have in the garden:
T.okanoganense

T. brevifolium??

T.spinescens

T.spinescens, in the early spring with just the beginning of regrowth.

[Lori S.]

Really nice, Jim!  The transformation in T. spinescens is quite amazing - wish mine did so well as yours.

[RickR]

Really nice, Jim!  The transformation in T. spinescens is quite amazing - wish mine did so well as yours.

Me too!  I am lucky if spinescens gets a half an inch or so of woody growth.

  Your is quite impressive.

[Hoy]

I would be happy for any growth of any Talinum! Seems to be better to try at my summerhouse than at home though.