Jeffersonia

[RickR]

to have such a worry is the dream of many a gardener...

Good show! 

[Hoy]

Seedlings of J. diphylla are growing lustily, now I'm worried about being able to make a new woodland bed large enough to hold them all, the start of my "Jeffersonian woodland lawn".  In the overhead view (photo 1), you can see equally full flats of J. dubia in the back (center and to the left).

Like Rick, I wouldn't worry much! BTW, are the seedlings easy to plant out or do they sulk afterwards?

[McDonough]

Like Rick, I wouldn't worry much! BTW, are the seedlings easy to plant out or do they sulk afterwards?

They're easy as dirt   All kidding aside, they seem indifferent to being handled and transplanted. 

By the way, an interesting thing about both Jeffersonia and Epimedium seed, I kept some flats where I received no germination, and in the 2nd year, a few additional seedlings showed up.  I was most disappointed last year when seed of white Jeffersonia dubia (kindly sent to me by a SRGC correspondant) showed zero germination.  I held on to the flat, and this year, a single seedling appeared!

[Tim Ingram]

Those flats of Jeffersonia seedlings are pretty exciting to a nurseryman's eyes! Jeffersonia dubia was one of the first plants that hooked me on 'alpines' (from a picture in a book by Anna Griffiths), but we have never managed to grow it well - too dry I suppose. Those full flowered forms of Rick's and on the SRGC Forum are even more delectable, and also the striking variety Mark showed from Korea. There must be somewhere in the garden we could do better with them!

[WimB]

Seedlings of J. diphylla are growing lustily, now I'm worried about being able to make a new woodland bed large enough to hold them all, the start of my "Jeffersonian woodland lawn".  In the overhead view (photo 1), you can see equally full flats of J. dubia in the back (center and to the left).

I can really see how that would be a problem, Mark.  If I didn't live on the other side of the ocean....I would have gladly helped you...A flat more or less for my garden wouldn't be a problem, still have a lot of lawn to convert to woodland beds 

[RickR]

Propagation non-results:

You may remember that I wanted to divide a particularly wonderful J. dubia specimen.  Being apparently sterile, it's stems multiply vigorously, so I can easily afford loosing some.

     

When the leaves matured, I tried to cut six growing points off the side while leaving the plant undisturbed in the ground.  I cut vertically into the soil hoping I would get some roots along with the stems.  No dice.  This outer group of stems seemed to curl in, just under the soil surface, toward the center of the plant.  I think if I were to dig the the whole plant in the early spring (no, not going to do that!), the shape of the top of the plant would look like a mushroom, with a constriction below the crown, but "exploding" at the top with a multitude of pips.  This is unlike the growth of a regular J. dubia nearby.

So I had four usable short stems,  and stripped all but two leaves per stem.  Then "planted" them in a vermiculite/peat mix, and enclosed them in a clear plastic bag in Nearing frame conditions.  The extra leaves were so stiff and non-wilting, that just for kicks, I tried to see if they might root. I treated them as one might when rooting a tropical begonia leaf, with perhaps a centimeter stem,  and the leaf laid flat on the vermiculite/peat surface, with the main veins cut with a razor blade.  All other rooting parameters were the same.

     

Neither method was successful.  But what was interesting to note was that the individual severed leaves actually lasted longer before withering than the stems!

[Hoy]

A pity it didn't work! Did you try rooting hormone?

[RickR]

No I didn't, Trond.  That is yet another avenue to explore.  That and different times of the season.

Any thoughts on timing from anyone out there?

I forgot to mention on the pic of the cuttings you can see the withered flower stems if you you magnify the image.

[Tim Ingram]

When I first got the white form of Jeffersonia dubia and it had bulked up quite well, I tried dividing it. It was a great mistake; the divisions sat still for ever. Perhaps I should have caught it just at the point the plant was beginning to grow. It sounds to me like a ripe plant for tissue culture if hormonal treatment is likely to stimulate proliferation of callus-like growth that can then be stimulated to produce shoots. It does sound as though it might be triploid. Maybe if it keeps growing strongly it would eventually be possible to get large divisions that are not checked too much, to allow a bit more experimentation.

[McDonough]

Rick, maybe best not to tempt fate, and leave your glorious plant alone and just enjoy it, and take lots of pictures for all to enjoy. I'm getting superstitious with some plants, worried that attempts to propagate will kill them.

I took a photo of the Korean Form today, to show a couple blooms that had dropped their petals and red pods are developing. I later noticed the pod and remnant stamens and anthers form an amusing face.  Took another close-up shot, they look like little gesturing Jeffersonia monkeys  




Going back to yesterday's late afternoon photo, I didn't notice the "little guys", but they can be seen here too.  I thought the lighting dramatic, showing up the Pulmonaria and red Corydalis solida in the background.

[McDonough]

I just came across this, a Japanese nursery selling seed of a variegated leaf Jeffersonia dubia, photo is very small (scroll down), but it looks quite remarkable.
http://www.yuzawa-engei.net/08English/02SeedsCategories/02Seeds.html

Sometimes I should look closer to home, here's a photo of Jeffersonia dubia color forms right here on NARGS wiki, in the garden of nearby Jan Sacks and Marty Schaefer:
http://nargs.org/nargswiki/tiki-browse_image.php?&imageId=4248

[Hoy]

I can recommend the nursery Yusawa-engei. I have ordered both plants and seeds from them. The plants travel all the way from Japan to Norway in very good condition!

Although the flowers of Jeffersonia are ephemeral they (both species) are indeed worth a place in a garden! The leaves are decorative too.
I have a small batch of seedlings now waiting for planting out later

[Tim Ingram]

Those developing seed pods bring a whole new personality to the plant! Very nice pictures on the Wiki - I'm not so sure about the 'variegated' plant, but interesting that this is transmitted via the seed. It be good to try and multiply Rick's plant because if it is completely sterile I imagine the flowers last much longer than normal Jeffersonia; normally they are so beautiful, but so fleeting.

[Tim Ingram]

The long cold spring, and sudden change to warmer weather, has brought out plants all over the garden, and this white Jeffersonia is definitely one of the loveliest...

[IMYoung]

Thanks for the update Rick- I've posted a link to here from your
 thread on the SRGC Forum from last year.