Caltha leptosepala

[Weiser]

Caltha leptosepala  is quite common on wet sights across western North America. The lumpers and splitters do not agree on the number of subspecies (I guess that's normal ).
I have noticed that I see two forms, when I come across them in the Sierras. One form displays it's narrow sepaled flowers on longer stems 12"-18" (30-45cm) the other form has some what wider sepals displayed at 6"-8"(15-20cm) in height. In all other respects they appear to be equal.

I like the shorter form better.

http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=233500300
http://science.halleyhosting.com/nature/cascade/5petal/butter/caltha/leptosepala.htm
http://www.calflora.org/cgi-bin/species_query.cgi?where-calrecnum=1320
http://www.pnwflowers.com/flower/caltha-leptosepala-ssp-leptosepala-var-leptosepala
http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=CALEL7

The taller form





The shorter form

[Hoy]

Both forms are beautiful, John! Do they grow in full sun or does one form prefere more shade than the other?

[Weiser]

Both grow in full sun at alltitudes of 4000'-10,000' (1200-3000meters) from the populations I've incountered.

[Martin Tversted]

I want them, good supplement to our native yellow species.

Martin

[Hoy]

Both Caltha palustris alba and C leptosepala are in flower now. I have to plant more of both However, they are quite similar. Hope it is the right stuff!

[Lori S.]

Gorgeous, Trond!  They are quite similar, aren't they?  Caltha palustris (normal yellow-flowered form) gets very large in its native habitat here; that would seem to be one difference between it and Caltha leptosepala.

[Hoy]

Gorgeous, Trond!  They are quite similar, aren't they?  Caltha palustris (normal yellow-flowered form) gets very large in its native habitat here; that would seem to be one difference between it and Caltha leptosepala.

So far the palustris is the bigger one.

[cohan]

All really nice! The yellow C palustris is super common (but still beloved!) here but I'd love to get any different form! I guess seeds are short-lived, so not too often offered and probably unlikely to sprout when they are? (of course what I really want is the red(dish) Caltha fron China seen on SRGC

[Hoy]

All really nice! The yellow C palustris is super common (but still beloved!) here but I'd love to get any different form! I guess seeds are short-lived, so not too often offered and probably unlikely to sprout when they are? (of course what I really want is the red(dish) Caltha fron China seen on SRGC

Twice I have had the redflowered species. Both times slugs have eaten all of the plants almost before I have planted them out.
I'll look for seeds of the white one but I'm not optimistic as the flowers actually froze one of the very cold nights last week.

[cohan]

I think ours probably see frost regularly, since we are not 'frost free' (as much as we ever are) for several weeks or more after they start flowering..
Where did you get your seed for the red one? I think one or more of the Czech lists offered some, but with supposed short viability I wondered if it would be any good...

[Hoy]

I think ours probably see frost regularly, since we are not 'frost free' (as much as we ever are) for several weeks or more after they start flowering..
Where did you get your seed for the red one? I think one or more of the Czech lists offered some, but with supposed short viability I wondered if it would be any good...

I have to admit that I was a little astonished when I saw the flowers destroyed by frost. I did believe they could take some degrees of freezing but I don't know what else it should be.

I didn't sow the red ones, I bought both from online nurseries. Once was Chen Yi and the other I can't remember. Magnar Aspaker have a nice one!
http://www.aspaker.no/Caltha-palustris-var-11.jpg
The plants I had however were quite red with no yellow at all.

[cohan]

I actually forgot about those Caltha- I like those too-- they are different in leaf as well as flower from my local ones..

The ones I originally meant, are these ones (took some searching- there have been a lot of travel threads at SRGC since this- I had to go to page 14!
Instead of red, I should have said pink or purple-- there is a close shot here and  view of a whole purple mountain side!!
http://www.srgc.org.uk/forum/index.php?topic=3911.msg103200#msg103200

[Hoy]

That was a nice one! I have seen pictures before but forgotten all about it. Have to look for that one!

[cohan]

Its been a couple of years and more so maybe some vendors have plants by now.. either Holubec or Pavelka had some seed, but I don't know if it would still be good or not...

[stephenb]

I was in Northern Norway a few years ago and visited Magnar Aspaker and various other gardeners several of whom had variations on this red-flowered form which I've never seen anywhere else. They obviously like it up there. I also saw Chilean Caltha sagittata growing in the botanics in Tromsø (now Psychrophila sagittata I believe). Posting a few other Calthas I've spotted on my travels. Have also several in my garden, but have struggled with C. leptosepala (have tried several from seed including ssp biflora and ssp howelii). Have recently been researching the widespread use of Caltha spp as wild foraged food throughout the Northern hemisphere, hence my interest i collecting these - C. leptosepala is reputedly better tasting than palustris (NB! like most Ranunculaceae they must be thoroughly cooked or dried to remove the toxins!).

See the file names for IDs!

Caltha palustris Rimor Jensen
Caltha  sp.
Caltha sagittata
Caltha palustris var. himalayensis
Caltha polypetala
Caltha palustris 'Flora Pleno'
Caltha palustris alba

Edited to include names for search capability - Moderator