Syneilesis

[Hoy]

Nothing to offer here re. flowering... I still have only single-leaf plants, but I'm pleased that both S. aconitifolia and S. palmata have made it through 2 winters now!

Winters - no problem! Slugs are!!

[McDonough]

Mine haven't opened yet.  Withholding a final judgment, but so far it looks like prenanthus is the better flower.  Actually, we have a very nice wild pendant species that grows in the moist areas here.

I have grown a couple "not too bad" Prenanthes species in the past, the nodding flowers on some are kind of "interesting".  So, here's two much better photos of Syneilesis aconitifolia flowers today.  The flowers opened more, and when adorned with "protruding bits" it is an amusing site at close hand, the sweet scent of the flowers wafting on this hot day (90 F, +32 C).

[Howey]

What a lovely plant!  One to covet.  Ordered seed from the Seedex last year but got something quite different that I'm still trying to identify.  Will try again this year and hope I get the right seed this time.  Did someone mention the flowers are pendant?  One of the photos shows them on long stems that poke out (extrude?) beyond the leaf - unlike the Podophyllum peltatum it is often likened to.  Fran

Frances Howey
London, Ontario, Canada
Zone 5b

[RickR]

My talk of pendant flowers was about Prenanthus spp.  Syneilesis flowers are upright and do extend way above the foliage, as the previous pics show. 

My plants are from the NARGS seed ex with seed collected in 2007.  Every single seed germinated.  They were winter sowed on February 3rd and left outside here in Minnesota.  Most emerged April 18-25.  Seedlings are curious things, as they produce only one leaf the entire first season, that is very different from the mature leaf form.

You can see in a previous pic here: http://nargs.org/smf/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=252.0;attach=4043;image first year seedlings of Syneilesis intermedia in the lower left quadrant.  S. aconitifolia seedlings look exactly the same.

[Howey]

Rick - if you are able to get such results from sowing seed outside in "winter" in your zone 4a, then it should work for my zone 5b too.  Can hardly wait to try it that way.  Guess the only way Syneilesis resembles Podophyllum peltatum is the way it emerges from the ground and then the umbrella leaves.  Will check to see if they are the same family.   Fran

 

[Lori S.]

Fran, rest assured that it, "winter sowing", (which seems to be the name currently applied to an age-old method, as though it's something new  ) works in much colder zones than yours.  The only real difference from "random" seed germination in nature is that one would usually control things somewhat by planting the seeds up in a pot, which may or may not be kept covered.

[RickR]

When I winter sow, I plant up the pots inside, water from the bottom, and then they drain uncovered for a day (or two if I don't get to the them) still inside.  Then I enclose the pots in a clear plastic bag and put them out side.  If temps are below zero F, I might put them in the garage for a few days first, before putting the outside.

[Howey]

Lori and Rick - Thanks so much for the info re sowing Syneilesis outside.  Interesting to note that S. is a member of the Asteraceae family while Podophyllum is Berberidaceae. 

Frances Howey
London, Ontario, Canada
Zone 5b

[Gene Mirro]

I have some seeds of S. aconitifolia to give away.  Let me know if you're interested.

[cohan]

Interesting-- sort of Petasites meets Antennaria... Lori, where did you get seed? probably a seed-ex?

[Lori S.]

Hi, Cohan
Here are my records below... both are "easy, warm germinators":
Syneilesis aconitifolia   NARGS 2008; #2905; garden   - Started indoors Feb. 13/08; sprouted Feb. 18.
Syneilesis palmata      Gardens North                           - Started indoors Feb. 9/08; sprouted Feb. 18.

[cohan]

Thanks, Lori. I didn't recall the name from Gardens North, but then, there is a lot to know on that list!

[McDonough]

These plants are really showy upon leaf emergence.  Here are two views taken the same morning recently, one before the sun was fully up, the second taken in morning sunshine, thus a different look.  Syneilesis aconitifolia:

[RickR]

My Syneilesis spp. haven't even poked out of the ground yet!

[Lori S.]

The first furry little troll is finally emerging...