Parry's easter daisy

[Kelaidis]

I think the ONLY way to grow townsendias well is in troughs. In fact I think all my best ones are in pots, which is the only way they are reliably perennial. In fact, even the biennials and annuals, like Townsendia parryi, come back reliably from seed in troughs. This is yet another trough in Wildflower Treasures at Denver Botanic Gardens (or in this case, it's actually an antique Indian mortar (or is it pestle?) that has had a hole drilled through the bottom. It's been pretty much given over to Townsendia parryi, one of the flashiest easter daisies, but one that is invariably monocarpic. In this trough, however, it self sows with abandon and comes back year after year (as well as popping up all around the trough on the outside too...plants refuse to obey orders you know).

[RickR]

That shows you how much I know about Townsendias:  I didn't know any of the species had such tall flower stems.  The Townsendias we had at our MN arboretum rock garden bloomed very nicely.  I didn't get to see what seed was produced.  I must investigate this spring . . .

[McDonough]

That's an awesome stone planter, with equal awesomeness planted with T. parryi in such profusion.  I've grown this in the past, but have not had any success with reseeding itself, thus it expired from my garden.  One that I got as T. rothrockii has been doing well in a trough, and I upload two photos taken in 2009.  The buds form in late autumn, and there they stay all winter long, nestled close to the heart of the tiny rosettes... looking good the last couple days where the snow finally melted off the trough it is growing in.  It made lots of seed in 2009, which I scratched into bare spaces in this particular trough, but no seedlings yet.

[Kelaidis]

Great pix of your rothrockii, which look true to name. It's a strange little taxon: I have only found it growing abundantly once in the Collegiate range (above Oliver Twist Lake on the road near Mosquito pass: athe highest pass in Colorado over 13,000'). I also found one or two plants near Horseshoe mountain: it is really a very local plant in the Leadville limestones.

But something that looks rather like it is extremely abundant on the sandstone barrens of the Uncompaghre plateau, much lower in elevation, and much drier. Your plant looks a bit like the ones from this locality. Since the Mosquito/Sawatch plants grow only near permanent snowbanks,  and the Uncompaghre plants grow 4000' lower on dry rocks, one might think they represent at least different ecotypes, and possibloy distinct species...

[Lori S.]

Townsendia parryi in the eastern slope Rockies near here:
 

[Lori S.]

And I think this one is T. condensata, from the general characteristics and the ciliate leaves (having a marginal fringe of hairs), also from the Rockies near here.  What say the experts?  EDIT:  Nope, it's T. parryi.

[Todd Boland]

My first exposure to Townsendia was T. parryi growing near the interpretation centre at Frank's Slide, Alberta.  It's flowers are huge compared to most Townsendia.  I've never treid growing it. 

I have 4 species of Townsendia germinating now and based on your comments Panayoti, I'll grow them in my troughs!  I recall fondly your blooming Townsendia in your home troughs last March when I visited you.  Seems I hit a good season last year.  Had I visited this March, I would not see too much blooming.

[Kelaidis]

Lori,
   Great pic of the Townsendia, but afraid it is DEFINITELY NOT T. condensata. The latter has foliage covered with long, silky hair...I honestly think you just have a stemless T. parryi: it is variable as to stem size: at high elevations in intense wind and sun it can be virtually stemless. Least that's my opinion!

[Lori S.]

the Townsendia, ... is DEFINITELY NOT T. condensata. The latter has foliage covered with long, silky hair...I honestly think you just have a stemless T. parryi: it is variable as to stem size: at high elevations in intense wind and sun it can be virtually stemless.

Thanks, Panayoti - I will assume you are right.  I find this very confusing though - my local plant book describes T. parryi as having leaves that are glabrous above, whereas when I zoom in the photo, the leaves are hairy... though, I suppose, they are not "villous", as T. condensata is said to be in the same reference...  arrgghhh!  

[Kelaidis]

I'm basing my comments on the gestalt of the plant...it just LOOKS like a miniaturized parryi...

Townsendia condensata is a wooly ball of fluff: unlike anything else in the family. It is surrealistic in its wooliness and unmistakable. Definitely not this little morsel.

[Lori S.]

Thanks, Panayoti - I'll keep my eyes peeled for it.

Despite the early date, here are flower buds on Townsendia leptotes:

[McDonough]

Thanks, Panayoti - I'll keep my eyes peeled for it.

Despite the early date, here are flower buds on Townsendia leptotes:

Lots of promise in those buds!  I think it is useful to provide photos of such as these, to document what a plant looks like at various times of the year.  So I provide a view of my plant of Townsendia rothrockii today also showing promising buds (the foliage a bit winter-beaten), and a view from 2009 post-flowering showing the seed heads.

[Lori S.]

I agree completely!  When I am growing something unfamiliar, I am usually testing hardiness, and the first thing I wonder in spring is whether it is evergreen or herbaceous... or alternatively, dead, LOL!

[McDonough]

I agree completely!  When I am growing something unfamiliar, I am usually testing hardiness, and the first thing I wonder in spring is whether it is evergreen or herbaceous... or alternatively, dead, LOL!

Exactly.  So, the little Townsendias are evergreen (at least the two species we're growing), and the buds are actually visible in the fall and winter, tucked deep into the rosettes.  I've been watching them over the past several weeks, and suddenly they are swelling and the involucre color is deepening.

[cohan]

I have a couple of parryi, in first time bud ( they are a couple of years old, but only planted in the ground a year ago) one is nearly ready to open.. wonder if they will survive the forecast -9C thursday morning ? wonder if covering would be of any use?