Image of the day - 2012

[Hoy]

Here is the fishy plant now - or some of it, among ferns:

[Lori S.]

Cohan...
Thank you for the info about the Petasites. I have been afraid of that genus as the species I know get too big and invasive, but your species seems to behave itself!

No, they sure don't!  I have grown it (twice... I'm a slow learner  ) and pulled it all out after it started popping up everywhere.  They seem to be just as invasive as the rest of their kind.

Cohan, the jays and squirrels have disposed of all the bur oak acorns already here but perhaps it would be too big for your liking anyway?  Ours is "a small tree" though definitely tree-sized... about 20' now.  It was here when we moved in, so is probably 18-20-ish years old.  Our neighbor's, across the street, is slightly larger... about the largest I've seen here.  At the western edge of their range, in Riding Mt. N. P., Manitoba, they were quite small, maybe 10' in the competition of the hardwood forest.

[cohan]

Trond, Lori is right, our Petasites still spread- I have never yet had or seen one in a garden situation, but where they grow naturally there is never just one  I am going to try some in some plantings, of both species/forms, but they will not be close to anything delicate, and I will probably have them with either wild and/or mowed areas next to them..
I sent some pieces to Stephenb a couple of years ago, you could ask him how/what they are doing!
I think some bits of palmatus might be okay in one of your semi-wild woodland areas where they'd have enough competition- and they do not get as large by a long shot as the Japanese species- although I haven't measured, the largest leaf span for palmatus here is maybe something like 20cm, usually less, sometimes much less, and not very tall either. sagiattatus leaves probably get to around 30 cm long

On my wishlist is small northern frigidus/palmatus with actually pink flowers.... I've seen pictures..

Lori- 20 feet would be okay in some spots here,  though 10 feet would be even better I wouldn't mind a few small trees of various sorts in that 10-15 foot range!

[Lis Allison]

Which species of horsetail is it?

Looks like E. pratense, Meadow Horsetail. It is the only one with the branches like a wobbly line. E. sylvaticum has branched branches.... E. arvensis and E. palustre have stiff straight branches and tend to be much taller.

[cohan]

Thanks, Lis, I'll have to check that out..

[McDonough]

I'm watching the seed "cone" development on Arisaema sikokianum carefully, as my two largest plants set impressive spires of developing seed. These plants miraculously survived the storm-induced felling of an enormous sugar maple tree that caused considerable damage of nearly trees and plants, additional damage from unavoidable trampling by expert tree cutters.  But now I have a new fear, with the demise of this tree, and a whole swath of screen plants and younger trees alongside the country road where I live, these plants are now plainly in view from the street.

This afternoon I noticed some people who were walking by, they stopped and were pointing to something in the garden; when I approached they quickly continued on their walk; when I looked around to see what might be catching their attention, surely it is these large corn-like fruit structures, plainly visible now that the foliage is dying off.  Once these turn brilliant red, my worry is someone will help themselves.

One whole cone is allocated to my friend who gave me this species in the first place. She became ill and gave away most of her plants when she planned to move away, but fortunately she recovered, decided to stay where she is, and now would like to grow these plants again; she's a terrific grower of woodland plants including Arisaema.  Myself, I am going to make a dedicated sowing on the other seed "cone" to make a major increase in how many plants I have, a one-time push for significant plant increase.

[RickR]

 Those fruit cones certainly are impressive, Mark.  I think your fear is well founded.  It just amazes me that people think that picking flowers out of someone else's yard is not stealing, let alone a woodland garden.

You'll never stop people who really want to steal, but I think your only option is to cage them in with chicken wire (over the top, too) to show that they are for you only.

[McDonough]

Those fruit cones certainly are impressive, Mark.  I think your fear is well founded.  It just amazes me that people think that picking flowers out of someone else's yard is not stealing, let alone a woodland garden.

You'll never stop people who really want to steal, but I think your only option is to cage them in with chicken wire (over the top, too) to show that they are for you only.

I think you're right... this afternoon I was totally out of wire-fabric, need to buy more.  I definitely will do exactly that, wire them in to show they are protected and not for general picking.

[Hoy]

Mark, are the two plants one clone or different specimens? If they are different I would keep half of each cone and give away the other half of each to increase genetic diversity.
Hopefully nobody steals any!
Occasionally kids pick flowers along the road but only once to my knowledge, did somebody pick seed. And those were from a special peony; they weren't ripe either

[Harold Peachey]

Mark-A. consanguinium grows quite well in full sun so no worry there, also you will find that they produce copious numbers of side bulbs , more than enough to replenish your needs and those of friends and family.

[McDonough]

Mark-A. consanguinium grows quite well in full sun so no worry there, also you will find that they produce copious numbers of side bulbs , more than enough to replenish your needs and those of friends and family.

Harold, sadly I can't grow Arisaema consanguineum (thus far), I tried several times, both from seed and as tubers.  In my latest experiment, I planted out about 50-60 seedlings in 2011, and this spring just 3-4 seedlings showed up very late (in late June or July), and quickly either went dormant or died off.  Maybe as you suggest, I should try them in full sun, I had planted them in shade.

[Harold Peachey]

A. consanguinium emerge late here also, but immediately reach full size, often four feet or more.  They remain green and handsome up to hard frost.  I have them in a variety of situations as they reproduce so rapidly I always have many to give away.  They seem to thrive in average garden soil with decent drainage, not particularly well drained necessarily-good luck.  I always have corms to spare so if we cross paths sometime I will gladly pass a few on-I attended one BNARGS  meeting this year and plan to attend a few next year also- will let you know and perhaps we can meet there.

[cohan]

I've showed this plant elsewhere, but since this is the artsiest image, thought I'd put it here:
Townsendia parryi
more info here:
http://nargs.org/smf/index.php?topic=65.new#new

[RickR]

Definitely more artistic, and a perfect image of the day!
Great color hue.

I really like photos that show clearly parts of the plant, too, and this one is both.

[cohan]

Thanks, Rick! After the white flowers on my Waldhemia (right beside this plant, actually) I was happy to see a nice strong colour on this one Of course if it flowers in better weather in spring I presume stems will be longer and the flower will get paler as its open more..