Miscellaneous Woodlanders

[Lori S.]

Hmm, I know that the conventional wisdom says that snow cover is pretty well essential for wintering-over plants and that a lack of snow cover means certain death, but we normally do not have continuous or blanketing snow cover here (the last 3 winters being an exception in the last 14 years)... and on top of that, there are also chinook conditions that can raise the temperature by 30 degrees C in 12 hours.  Yet it seems like a really pretty good place to grow perennials  nonetheless (admittedly not near so good for woody species).  
I dunno... I haven't seen much reason to put a lot of faith in the conventional wisdom in general when it comes to gardening.  
 

[cohan]

I'm sure it depends a lot on what plant it is, and lots of other hardiness/cultivation factors! Snow cover, like many other things, being a factor some plants appreciate, some don't some couldn't care less
I don't know much about garden wisdom, conventional or other wise, but I have clearly seen the impact on some native species, as I mentioned above, of varying snow cover--some of the native evergreen woodland species, such as Pyrolas, are clearly damaged when  they are exposed by early melting in Feb, etc, followed, inevitably by deep cold (no doubt wind and sun exposure come into play in this as well, though of course those are components of the bareness to start with!)...their brethren in spots that do not melt early do not suffer the same foliar damage...

I also see a big difference between Ledum here--where it grows commonly in moist woods--versus plants in the foothills and mountains in spots which I presume to have a heavier snowfall (wetter in general, but the places they grow here stay quite moist all year, here, so I don't think its just a moisture issue) plants farther west are much taller, with much healthier looking foliage, our plants often seem to have winter damaged foliage, and don't grow as high, since snow cover is not usually that deep --note 'think' and 'presume' I certainly don't claim to have done scientific study on this subject   and there could be some other factor affecting them, unrelated to snow depth!

Both these examples refer to evergreen plants, and woody in the second case, so this doesn't necessarily disagree with Lori's observations...

Also my climate does have some significant if subtle  differences from Lori's a little less dry in general, less frequent and less dramatic winter warming episodes, and more/lasting snow.. On my property, these differences are enhanced by forest on two sides, and tree windbreaks on the other two, with a break (driveway!)  on one corner--,meaning, this is not a bad place for woodies, in general   Other than that, I have no idea yet of the success of alpine and dryland plants in general, here, let alone some of the exotic stuff Lori is growing  

[Todd Boland]

I just picked up a Ypsilandra thibetica at the WWSW last week.  We'll see how it does in Newfoundland where dry summers are not the norm!  I have Heloniopsis orientalis in a peaty site.  It blooms in late April.

[cohan]

Really nice plant, Todd! Good luck with the Ypsilandra--sounds like it should be a good fit for your climate..

[Hoy]

Todd, Heloniopsis orientalis is a plant I have tried to acquire for years. I have sowed seed several times - no germination and you never find it in the nurseries here.

[AmyO]

One of my many treasures from Plant Delights is a Paris polyphylla....I've never grown this before so does anyone have experience with it and can pass along any tips for getting it to thrive? I garden on a lake & streamside under large pines & hemlocks over ledge. I've got Trillium doing quite well and they grow wild all around here. 

[Todd Boland]

I've seen Paris growing under Beech forest, so I expect wherever Trilliums do well, Paris would be equally happy.

[McDonough]

An obscure genus that I find intriguing is Chloranthus, in its own family Chloranthaceae, a small genus of 18 species, many from tropical to subtropical areas in Asia.  Flora of China lists 12 species, and on this years NARGS Surplus Seed List 2 species are available, C. henryi and C. multistachys, although I'm not familiar with them.



The only reason I'm actually aware of the genus, is that I have seen and photographed a Chloranthus sp. in one of Darrell Probst's garden beds full of treasures he collected in China (see image above).  Looking through the FOC key, maybe it comes closest to Chloranthus holostegius because of the unbranched stems, and clasping scale-like leaves and terminal whorl of elliptic guard leaves that form a cup holding a small white candle of bloom. Chloranthus holostegius grows up to 2800 m, one of the few species native to such heights, another clue that the hardy plant shown above might be this species.

Such an odd looking plant, but alluring in a strange way.

[Hoy]

Mark, now I have placed Chloranthus on my wish list! I never really knew how charming it is till I saw your picture! Thanks

[cohan]

Chloranthus does look pretty cool... the name seems familiar.... a discussion elsewhere recently?

[Todd Boland]

That is certainly a charming plant!

[Lori S.]

Interesting... with the flower spike and tripartite leaf, it looks almost like an Asian analogue to vanilla leaf, Achlys triphylla... though it looks like the leaves remain much smaller?  (They are not related, however.)
Achlys triphylla, a western North American woodlander:
 

http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=ACTR

On the right in this link is Chloranthus japonicus:
http://tolweb.org/Chloranthaceae/20669

[cohan]

Interesting... with the flower spike and tripartite leaf, it looks almost like an Asian analogue to vanilla leaf, Achlys triphylla... though it looks like the leaves remain much smaller?  (They are not related, however.)
Achlys triphylla, a western North American woodlander:
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http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=ACTR

On the right in this link is Chloranthus japonicus:
http://tolweb.org/Chloranthaceae/20669

Achlys is nice too! Are you growing this?

[Lori S.]

Yes, another "zone 6" plant...  

I should mention... it spreads around a bit too loosely to be as attractive as Mark's photo of the Chlorathus, but I kind of like it.

[WimB]

Some "Woodlanders" which were flowering here in the last week

Heloniopsis orientalis 'Korean form'
Hepatica nobilis 'Rubra Plena'
Corydalis solida 'Elrond'
Corydalis solida 'Loth Lorien'

Two natives of your continent.

Scoliopus bigelovii
and Scoliopus hallii

and Primula maximowiczii in bud.