Miscellaneous Woodlanders

[WimB]

One of the first woodlanders to flower here:

Ypsilandra cavaleriei

[McDonough]

One of the first woodlanders to flower here:
Ypsilandra cavaleriei

Wim, I've been admiring photos of this unusual genus over on SRGC, seems to be a popular genus in Europe, I have never met seen this plant in North American gardeners, although I don't "get out that much". This is a genus I must look into, as I like small (and early blooming) Liliaceae for the woodland; thanks for showing this one.  Did you grow yours from seed, if so, how long to get a plant to flower?  What are the plant's moisture requirements, wondering how it would do in my dry woodland conditions.

[McDonough]

The name Ypsilandra is unusual, and sort of fun to say.  Not very familiar with the genus I looked it up in Flora of China, and I learned a lot about it, the related genera Heloniopsis and our own Eastern US Swamp Pink" Helonias bullata.  I share a miscellany of pertinent links.

Ypsilandra is a small genus of 5 species, and only one species each in Heloniopsis and Helonias.  At one point, all species were classified as Helonias.  The Flora of China separates out Ypsilandra and Heloniopsis by the inflorescence type:

Ypsilandra:  Inflorescence racemose or spicate
Heloniopsis: Inflorescence umbellate or umbellate-racemose

Another Ypsilandra species was shown recently on SRGC, Y. thibetica, reminds me of Scilla autumnalis:
http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=6656.0;attach=270616;image

From the Flora of China page on Heloniopsis orientalis:
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=114957
...good line drawing:
http://www.efloras.org/object_page.aspx?object_id=60560&flora_id=2
...photo on SRGC
http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=6656.0;attach=270572;image

Tanaka (J. Jap. Bot. 73: 102--115. 1998) reduced Heloniopsis and Ypsilandra to synonymy under Helonias. However, a recent molecular phylogenetic study by Fuse and Tamura (Plant Biol. 2: 1--13. 2000) confirmed that Helonias Heloniopsis and Ypsilandra are not mixed with each other, and they each deserve independent generic status.

More discussion on the Helonias, Heloniopsis and Ypsilandra on the Flora of North America site, where the single N.American plant Helonias bullata is covered.
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=114956


Helonias bullata
http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=HEBU
Photo taken in Marsha Russell's garden, Littleton, Massachusetts.


...Helonias bullata image on SRGC:
http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=1722.0;attach=65503;image

...New Jersey State publication, scroll halfway down for two photos, one showing habitat:
http://www.state.nj.us/pinelands/science/current/kc/

...US Forest Service page on Helonias bullata:
http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/rareplants/profiles/tep/helonias_bullata/index.shtml

...photos of Helonias bullata taken at the Garden In The Woods, New England Wild Flower Society, Natick Massachusetts:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/arborboy/386153091/in/faves-7623220@N04/

[WimB]

I like Ypsilandra and Heloniopsis a lot too. I'm afraid they wouldn't like your dry summers though  . I'm fairly certain Heloniopsis would not survive a year if its roots dry out. I have problems with some of the Heloniopsis, since even though we normally have "Belgian" summers (meaning with a lot of rain and rain and rain...), we sometimes can have very hot and dry summers too. You could try this Ypsilandra since it seems to be a lot stronger, but no guarantees. I didn't sow this plant and it has never set seed for me...I guess the pollinators are absent here (maybe I should start walking around with a paintbrush  )

Here's another picture of Ypsilandra cavaleriei from today.

[WimB]

I've only ever seen Y. cavaleriei and Y. thibetica either. I didn't even know there were three other species. I'll post some pics of Heloniopsis when they are flowering here. As for Helonias: that is a really stunning plant. I've tried it from seed a few times but was never successful. I guess I'll have to buy a plant.

[McDonough]

Oh my, your Ypsilandra is even more beautiful today... so delicate... gorgeous!

I am planning to make a new garden in a singular low spot (still up on a hill) in my garden, when I envision the ability to grow plants needing more moisture.  In spring, I can't mow the grass in this small area until about June because water run-off from the hill passes through and my tractor mower gets stuck in the mud.

Regarding Helonias, this is a true swamp plant, has to be grown with its feet in water, at least that is how I've seen it growing here.  North of me, in Southern New Hampshire, Dr. George Newman has a fantastic woodland garden of 4-5 acres, surrounded by wetlands and swamps.  He puts "waders" on and plants the swampy areas with Helonias, where they grow to majestic proportions, taller than you might imagine... most impressive.  My friend Marsha Russell, grew her plants in large tubs outdoors, the tubs sitting in a 6" deep pool of water in almost full sun; her plants did not grow as tall, but always flowered splendidly.

[WimB]

Oh my, your Ypsilandra is even more beautiful today... so delicate... gorgeous!

I thought so too 

I am planning to make a new garden in a singular low spot (still up on a hill) in my garden, when I envision the ability to grow plants needing more moisture.  In spring, I can't mow the grass in this small area until about June because water run-off from the hill passes through and my tractor mower gets stuck in the mud.

Regarding Helonias, this is a true swamp plant, has to be grown with its feet in water, at least that is how I've seen it growing here.  North of me, in Southern New Hampshire, Dr. George Newman has a fantastic woodland garden of 4-5 acres, surrounded by wetlands and swamps.  He puts "waders" on and plants the swampy areas with Helonias, where they grow to majestic proportions, taller than you might imagine... most impressive.  My friend Marsha Russell, grew her plants in large tubs outdoors, the tubs sitting in a 6" deep pool of water in almost full sun; her plants did not grow as tall, but always flowered splendidly.

With a low spot which stays damp you might be able to grow these plants. I look forward to seeing your project progress.

I've tried sowing Helonias in swamp-like conditions. In the same way I sow Sarracenia, Pinguicula and Drosera. But maybe they need another growing medium than a peat/sand mix?

[Hoy]

I have been looking for other species of Ypsilandra to grow here. I have had Y thibethica for years and it grows very well in a rather dry position in my woodland.
Picture taken March last spring:


..and a few days later:

It blooms early but not yet this year. I have never seen seed but I think youhave to grow different clones.
Seems that cavaleriei looks abit better but my plant grows in deep shade.

[cohan]

Interesting to see these! The Helonias is especially interesting! I wonder how hardy any of these are? None of your areas are cold enough to count...lol

[Hoy]

Interesting to see these! The Helonias is especially interesting! I wonder how hardy any of these are? None of your areas are cold enough to count...lol

Cohan, my plant has taken severe frost this winter without snow cover - unharmed! (Been down to -16C)

[cohan]

Good to know--means it might at least survive part of september here
seriously, of course, you never know--many things survive where you don't expect it--just look at Lori's garden  and of course, I don't know how cold it gets where these come from

[Hoy]

Good to know--means it might at least survive part of september here
seriously, of course, you never know--many things survive where you don't expect it--just look at Lori's garden  and of course, I don't know how cold it gets where these come from

Still awake Cohan I have just started my new day

What I mean is, if it takes that freezing it surely takes more. The mechanism for tolerating freezing certainly works in that species and the difference - for a plant - between say - 16 and - 30 isn't as big as between 0 and - 16. When the worst of winter strikes your plants are covered in snow I suppose?

[cohan]

I was still up--my time is one hour earlier than forum time, so it wasn't even 1 o'clock here

Wrightman's has an article on hardiness,
http://www.wrightmanalpines.com/article_6.asp
in which they say:
"Most of the plants we offer are hardy into very cold winter climates (lows of -30°C). Very few plants survive in places where temperatures dip below -40°C as there is an actual physical change in the water molecule below this level and only a few genera have developed the special adaptations needed to survive. Very few customers live in those regions, so it is not a condition we have to consider. "
Statements I find slightly objectionable  since, in fact, there are many plants living here, thank-you! and quite a few people too, however, maybe not many folks in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba etc ordering from Wrightman's....
We don't get many days below -40, it probably has not happened this year, or just barely, we were definitely at -38/-39 at least, a couple of times..however, plants for long term survival here should be able to take it!

Our snow cover is variable, more than Lori, but this is still a relatively dry climate; Usually we have snow before we get -40, but its not at all impossible for some spots (usually under trees, but could happen on a sunny exposed rock garden slope) to be bare in late winter cold spells-bare patches can appear in Feb, even though it wont be all gone for a long time after that, and we just had -38 in March;
Its also highly possible to get -30 any time from late October to December, before the snow cover is established; this year the snow came in mid Nov and has not left, but mid-Dec or later is common for lasting snow.... weeks of nightly frost, many lows to -10 and at least -20 will occur before we have any lasting snow..

[Hoy]

OK, both dry and cold then!
I recently read that some plants could tolerate -80^oC when exposed to low nonfreezing temps in fall! Can't remember which plants but that is much colder than any plants on Earth grow anyway.
I think the coldest temp measured in Norway this winter was almost -50 in December - but that was in the far north! .... and they have lots of nice plants too up there

[cohan]

OK, both dry and cold then!
I recently read that some plants could tolerate -80^oC when exposed to low nonfreezing temps in fall! Can't remember which plants but that is much colder than any plants on Earth grow anyway.
I think the coldest temp measured in Norway this winter was almost -50 in December - but that was in the far north! .... and they have lots of nice plants too up there

There is a danger for plants which are exposed --sometimes things like native Pyrolas may be exposed in late winter/early spring when the ground is still solidly frozen, and there can be damage to foliage.. of course they recover later, but things like Ledum (wild) don't look as good here as they do in places where snow is reliably deeper (farther west)..
Luckily,most of my yard and gardens present and future is the kind of area that holds snow longer, so most plants wont be exposed too early... fall/early winter is always a question, though....
The comment about the right fall temperatures setting up winter survival are worth noting--2009 we had a very warm fall, then suddenly very cold--it was very hard on plants that normally survive easily here...