Lewisias-2011

[McDonough]

David, that was my experience growing L. rediviva in rainy ol' Seattle area (Washington).  They were planted in large raised sand mounds, some had flat rocks placed over the base of the horizontally planted rhizome with the eye exposed (the way they were found when I viewed them in the Wenatchee Mountains of eastern Washington State), and even with tons of rain and dreary conditions, they persisted and flowered outside in the garden.

[Doreen]

I too, am admiring with envy you Lewisia rediviva, Doreen. 

I assumed those were more flower buds in the photo, but am I wrong?

I am not sure I could grow that here, as it would still get a zone 4 winter.  But there were still Lewisia rediviva seed in the NARGS second round, so I ordered.  Some other(s) got them before me, though. So the experiment will wait.

Hello Rick. Yes, more buds still to open in the centre, and spent flowers to the outside, so it's good value, giving a colourful show for a couple of weeks. If you don't get any seeds from the Seed Ex (next week - can't wait!!!) I'd be happy to send you some if you give me your address.

[Doreen]

surely it would need summer cover like a choice bulb?

Dave and Doreen: Thanks for the lovely photos of L. rediviva in flower from New Zealand.  I took a photo today of what the plant currently looks like in the Northern Hemisphere.  We grow them outside with no cover in a very well drained sunny bed with no overhead watering when they are dormant in the summer. They seem to do best in a sand bed and this year I am experimenting with slow release fertilizer applied in the Fall to see if it helps in building the huge taproot. The really nice thing about growing this species is that it can take whatever winter weather is thrown at it from torrential rain to freezing cold.

I was looking at your superb YouTube clip of L. rediviva in the Okanagan, magic! I was there in 2007 (up that same road!) - flowers gone over but I spotted some seedpods, which I brought home and germinated and which are also flowering now.  (And yes, the tour leader OK'd it, as did our Customs!) Nice to see the variation in colour, flower size and petal shape from the wild collected seedlings. Striking similarities between where I live and the Okanagan, both fruit-growing areas and handy to ski slopes. We do freezing cold here but not torrential rain thankfully!   

[David Sellars]

Doreen:

You did well to collect seed at that site.  We were back there this past summer and most of the seed pods had blown away in that very windy location. We did find a few pods lodged in the brush so we were able to collect some seed.

I too love the colour variation in L. rediviva.  Glad you liked the video.

[Doreen]

Doreen:

You did well to collect seed at that site.  We were back there this past summer and most of the seed pods had blown away in that very windy location. We did find a few pods lodged in the brush so we were able to collect some seed.

I too love the colour variation in L. rediviva.  Glad you liked the video.

I was in luck then, finding a few pods. Would have liked to have seen them flowering up there, but having them here is the next best thing, reminds me of a superb holiday.