Jeffersonia

[cohan]

So, 2 more to add to the list then...lol

[McDonough]

Jeffersonia are awakening, ready to flower.  A bit too overcast, cold and windy for the blooms to open, but maybe in another day or two.  On the left is J. diphylla with ephemeral emergence in fleshy red-purple tones, and on the right, the Korean form of J. dubia with even deeper ruddiness and rich lavender flowers held closed from the cold.

[Hoy]

Beautiful, Mark, both of them!

[McDonough]

Beautiful, Mark, both of them!

Thanks Trond, these are nice plants that I'm particularly fond of.  I also like their early flowering, blooming at the same time as Corydalis solida and Pulmonarias, both of which have started.

A few more views on this relatively mild sunny (but windy) early spring day, a State holiday in Massachusetts (Patriot's Day, and the running of the Boston Marathon).  Thought I'd share a few more photos, as I have to wait until next weekend to see them again.

Two views of the Korean form of J. dubia, in the second photo you get a peek at the red ovaries (typically they are yellowish green).


Two view of regular J. dubia, although my plants came from a friend and nearby gardener Marsha Russell, who had some darker colors. Today, the first flowers actually opened.


A small grouping of Jeffersonia diphylla in my woods.  I fear I shall miss their fleeting 1-3 day bloom period this year, now that I'm back to working.

[cohan]

Gorgeous, Mark!
I'm a latecomer to awareness of these plants, but find them very charming indeed!

On the subject of spring ephemerals, does anyone know of a seed source for this sort of thing? (woodlanders, spring things etc) Kristl has some ephemerals, and we know her methods are reliable..... any others that aren't simply people selling seed of doubtful validity in fall/winter?

[Hoy]

If you have some surplus seed, Mark.........

[McDonough]

I typically have lots of seed of both species; happy to share moist-packed seed which must be sown upon receipt.

[Howey]

Hi Mark:  Could you please add my name to the list for Jeffersonia dubia seed?  I too have J. diphylla and have been admiring its slow motion and eye catching emergence and will probably have plenty of seeds to give away when the time comes.  I expect J.dubia seed could be planted nearby - would have same requirements as to soil and exposure?  Fran Howey
 Frances Howey
London, Ontario, Canada
Zone 5b

[McDonough]

Hi Mark:  Could you please add my name to the list for Jeffersonia dubia seed?  I too have J. diphylla and have been admiring its slow motion and eye catching emergence and will probably have plenty of seeds to give away when the time comes.  I expect J.dubia seed could be planted nearby - would have same requirements as to soil and exposure?  Fran Howey
 Frances Howey
London, Ontario, Canada
Zone 5b

Sure thing Fran.  And yes, the two species like similar habitat, although the American J. diphylla will sail through more drought than J. dubia.  I haven't lost any J. dubia to drought, but the leaves tend to collapse much more easily in dry weather than diphylla.

[Hoy]

I typically have lots of seed of both species; happy to share moist-packed seed which must be sown upon receipt.

[Gene Mirro]

I planted some J. dubia seed from the NARGS (received 1/11, lot #1694) on 3/20/11 in an unheated greenhouse.  This was moist-packed seed.  It is germinating now (4/21/11).  I did not give it an initial warm period.  I assumed the moist packing took care of that.  Temperatures varied from 32F at night to 70F during the day.

This seed has very erratic germination.  I have some that are germinating two years after being sown.  It may have something to do with whether the seed has been dried.

[McDonough]

I planted some J. dubia seed from the NARGS (received 1/11, lot #1694) on 3/20/11 in an unheated greenhouse.  This was moist-packed seed.  It is germinating now (4/21/11).  I did not give it an initial warm period.  I assumed the moist packing took care of that.  Temperatures varied from 32F at night to 70F during the day.

This seed has very erratic germination.  I have some that are germinating two years after being sown.  It may have something to do with whether the seed has been dried.

Gene, I think you're right about the seed being dried creating the condition of erratic germination.  I believe the seed is best treated as ephemeral, like Epimedium, needing to be sown "in the green" as soon as the seed is ripe, then one gets fairly uniform germination the following spring after a long winter freeze.  Last year, as an experiment (and as a desire to greatly increase my Jeffersonia stock), in late spring 2010 I collected gobs of J. dubia seed, then made a new planting area in my shady woodland garden beds, an area 4' wide by about 4-1/2' long, and sowed J. dubia seed thickly through the area.  The seed was patted down on the soil, and covered with a thin layer of well decomposed pine bark mulch.  I checked today, and the area is thick with seedlings just emerging, I'm so excited.  There will many hundreds (thousands?) of plants.  I'll post some pics as soon as the seedlings get large enough to be photographed.

[McDonough]

Hard not to fixate on Jeffersonia, they're in their prime at the moment, most J. dubia in full bloom, but a few flowers on J. diphylla opening too.  Here are a few more photos of J. dubia.  In one view, you'll see that the forms I have are variable in flower color, some are of a good deep blue-lavender color.




One more view of a Korean form of J. dubia.  This form flowers before the others, and has flowers that are more fleeting.  Notice a self sown seedling on the left and bottom edges of the photo.

[Hoy]

Beautiful, Mark

[cohan]

Gorgeous, Mark!
Congrats on the new seedlings! a big patch would be wonderful