Epimedium 2012

[McDonough]

Mark, I think yo would feel like a child in a toystore over there   

True enough, with the simple suggestion of "enjoy" and a link, I arrived at the state of epimedium ecstasy

[McDonough]

Well Mark, I feel very happy to be close to Thierry! Ideally I would be close to Thierry, Darrell Probst of Koen Van Poucke, Daniele Monbaliu of Crug Farm and Pan Global Plants...Then I would be the happiest man of the world...^^

I know what you mean Geoffrey, I feel fortunate to be relatively close to Garden Vision Epimedium, although so far as Darrell Probst's epimedium hybridization efforts, he has moved on to Coreopsis hybridization, so I'm not sure what his plans are for Epimedium from this point forward.
http://nargs.org/smf/index.php?topic=442.0

It is just a small glimpse of what he will propose this year, he said that in 2013, it will be more interesting...We'll see.

Based on the link you provided, I'm sure there will be dozens of exciting new hybrids worthy of introduction.  Now, if we could only get them over here in the USA!

Unfortunately, as many nurseries these days, he can't do everything he wants. For example, there would be very interesting to hybridize species such as platypetalum or ecalcaratum, actually two of my favorites, but species with small flowers don't pay enough attention to people, they like big colorful flowers, though showy (as for Heuchera, people tend to prefer more colorful, and this is true for many plants, unfortunately).
Epimedium brevicornu, for example, few people interested, while it is in my opinion an excellent species. As for Epimedium pubescens, which is in my top 10 here.

Geoffrey, you and I think alike, I couldn't agree more! I find some of the small-flowered ones (like E. campanulatum) pure delight, and I want to work with species like campanulatum and setosum.  I think I have photographed E. brevicornu more than any other epimedium, because a mature plant forms an outstanding clump in the garden, rather distinct from many of the other species.  I only have E. pubescens in the "Shaanxi Form" that Darrell introduced, notable for being hardier than typical E. pubescens, and it has quickly climbed to the top of my list of favorites.

Here is an E.ecalcaratum hybrids breeds by Mark Libert in Belgium, its flowers are smaller than those of ecalcaratum, a little beauty. But unsaleable according to Thierry. (I think it's a cross between ecalcaratum and a wushanense or something like 'Amber Queen'/'Caramel')

Wow, that's a very special one, even if flowers are small they are in such abundance, and look at the orange color, superb!  Too bad such delights are considered unsaleable, but that's okay I suppose, it will take the efforts of dedicated "eppie" fans (such as ourselves) to play around with hybridization and possibly create new worthy hybrids unencumbered by the demands of large scale marketability.  I believe there is a niche market for small, neat plants, just as there is for large flamboyant ones.

Hybridizations that Thierry doesn't make, but you do Mark, are with grandiflorum and other japanese species. Not really his cup of tea, they're more capricious here.

There strong rationale to cross Chinese evergreen species with the Japanese deciduous types such as grandiflorum.

You know, I can send seeds if anyone is interested. It's just that the seeds remain viable during shipping.

Yes, we should talk about that, I'll send a PM.  I have sent small moist-packed seed envelopes of Epimedium seed in 2010 to a number of people and they were received well, might be a good way to increases one's epimedium gene pool, and I'm happen to share.

[McDonough]

Geoffrey, is the photo of the Thalictrum hybrid showing 'Splendide' or 'Purple Rain', sure is something special.

By the way, does anyone have experience with Epimedium elatum?  It's not particularly attractive as a flowering plant, foliage is nice but flowers are few and tiny, but it has the attribute of being among the tallest species, reaching 4' (1.3 m), and could be an asset in a hybridization program.  Isn't much information out there on this species, it's in the Stearn monograph, and in a few links:

E. elatum
http://www.flickr.com/photos/arifk11/5387226746/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/arifk11/5387549964/in/photostream/

Description and drawing from Flora of Pakistan
http://www.efloras.org/object_page.aspx?object_id=116046&flora_id=5
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=5&taxon_id=250064598

[WimB]

Here is an E.ecalcaratum hybrids breeds by Mark Libert in Belgium, its flowers are smaller than those of ecalcaratum, a little beauty. But unsaleable according to Thierry. (I think it's a cross between ecalcaratum and a wushanense or something like 'Amber Queen'/'Caramel')

The one in the picture is one of Marc Libert's plants? Very nice....he seems to continue the great tradition of the botanical garden of the university of Ghent, where he works!

One of his best Thalictrum introductions for me is Thalictrum 'Splendide'. It's like a giant pink cloud in the garden when it flowers....I beleive he sells a white form of it now, too (forgot the name)!

He has new Thalictrum Wim, I don't know if he has already named all of them. He got a nice form with darker flowers than 'Splendide', 'Purple Rain'.

I think he named a big white one last year, I'll ask Daniëlle when I visit her this week, If I remember correctly she had one of those in her garden last year.....

[WimB]

By the way, does anyone have experience with Epimedium elatum?  It's not particularly attractive as a flowering plant, foliage is nice but flowers are few and tiny, but it has the attribute of being among the tallest species, reaching 4' (1.3 m), and could be an asset in a hybridization program.  Isn't much information out there on this species, it's in the Stearn monograph, and in a few links:

E. elatum
http://www.flickr.com/photos/arifk11/5387226746/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/arifk11/5387549964/in/photostream/

Description and drawing from Flora of Pakistan
http://www.efloras.org/object_page.aspx?object_id=116046&flora_id=5
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=5&taxon_id=250064598

Never seen this species in real life, Mark. I wonder if anyone here grows it....maybe Koen Van Poucke does?

[McDonough]

Thought I'd cross-post here to a topic on Tobacco Rattle Virus on the SRGC Forum, a virus that affects many plants, but apparently can affect Epimedium as well.  A question was put forth as to whether E. diphyllum 'Variegatum' was actually carrying TRV, I don't think it's a virused plant at all, just a true variagated leaf form.  Regardless, something to be aware of, particularly for those people enmassing a collection of "eppies".
http://www.srgc.org.uk/forum/index.php?topic=8738.0

[Geo F-W]

The one in the picture is one of Marc Libert's plants? Very nice....he seems to continue the great tradition of the botanical garden of the university of Ghent, where he works!

Absolutely. He earned many nice selections. Thierry sells one of them, 'ML405' aka 'Ghent Orange', nice one.

I think he named a big white one last year, I'll ask Daniëlle when I visit her this week, If I remember correctly she had one of those in her garden last year.....

Yes indeed, it's 'Splendide White', it's a really big one, more than 1,50 meters. A beautiful selection of 'Splendide'. But I don't have any photo of it.
He has 23 Thalictrums to its catalog yet.

It's 'Purple Rain' on my photo Mark, 'Splendide' is paler.

[Geo F-W]

Geoffrey, is the photo of the Thalictrum hybrid showing 'Splendide' or 'Purple Rain', sure is something special.

By the way, does anyone have experience with Epimedium elatum?  It's not particularly attractive as a flowering plant, foliage is nice but flowers are few and tiny, but it has the attribute of being among the tallest species, reaching 4' (1.3 m), and could be an asset in a hybridization program.  Isn't much information out there on this species, it's in the Stearn monograph, and in a few links:

E. elatum
http://www.flickr.com/photos/arifk11/5387226746/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/arifk11/5387549964/in/photostream/

Description and drawing from Flora of Pakistan
http://www.efloras.org/object_page.aspx?object_id=116046&flora_id=5
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=5&taxon_id=250064598

As Wim, never seen IRL.
Maybe Koen actually test it indeed, he should be asked.
I'll ask to Thierry.

[WimB]

The one in the picture is one of Marc Libert's plants? Very nice....he seems to continue the great tradition of the botanical garden of the university of Ghent, where he works!

Absolutely. He earned many nice selections. Thierry sells one of them, 'ML405' aka 'Ghent Orange', nice one.

Indeed, that one I know!! Daniëlle grows it too!

I think he named a big white one last year, I'll ask Daniëlle when I visit her this week, If I remember correctly she had one of those in her garden last year.....

Yes indeed, it's 'Splendide White', it's a really big one, more than 1,50 meters. A beautiful selection of 'Splendide'. But I don't have any photo of it.
He has 23 Thalictrums to its catalog yet.

It's 'Purple Rain' on my photo Mark, 'Splendide' is paler.

Yes, that's the one, both are on my "to buy" list for this year, they are "splendid"   

[WimB]

Geoffrey, is the photo of the Thalictrum hybrid showing 'Splendide' or 'Purple Rain', sure is something special.

By the way, does anyone have experience with Epimedium elatum?  It's not particularly attractive as a flowering plant, foliage is nice but flowers are few and tiny, but it has the attribute of being among the tallest species, reaching 4' (1.3 m), and could be an asset in a hybridization program.  Isn't much information out there on this species, it's in the Stearn monograph, and in a few links:

E. elatum
http://www.flickr.com/photos/arifk11/5387226746/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/arifk11/5387549964/in/photostream/

Description and drawing from Flora of Pakistan
http://www.efloras.org/object_page.aspx?object_id=116046&flora_id=5
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=5&taxon_id=250064598

As Wim, never seen IRL.
Maybe Koen actually test it indeed, he should be asked.
I'll ask to Thierry.

I'll ask Koen, Daniëlle doesn't grow it, of that I'm sure!

[WimB]

This is what Koen says about this plant (which he doesn't grow!):

"E. elatum is  not garden worthy according to Mikinori Ogisu, who went to see the plant in the wild in Kashmir. There's one plant of this species in Kew Gardens, where it is slowly dying! Don't waste any energy on trying to grow this one!"

[McDonough]

This is what Koen says about this plant (which he doesn't grow!):

"E. elatum is  not garden worthy according to Mikinori Ogisu, who went to see the plant in the wild in Kashmir. There's one plant of this species in Kew Gardens, where it is slowly dying! Don't waste any energy on trying to grow this one!"

Probably true, the link I gave showing the plant in flower, shows that the flowers are virtually insignificant, but the foliage is very attractive, crinkly textured, and of course, a tall stature.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/arifk11/5387549964/in/photostream/

In terms of hybridization, the wider the gene pool the better, and sometimes a surprising characteristic can be imparted to hybrid progeny.  Case in point, this winter was a nearly snowless winter, thus a true test of the "evergreen" characteristic on the various epimediums listed as being evergreen.  Most did not fair too well this year, even E. wushanense became totally browned.  So, last weekend I took stock of which ones remained evergreen in reasonable form, and trimmed all the browned foliage off the others, only the following had foliage unfazed by winter dessication:  ilicifolium, sp. "the Giant", a davidii hybrid (not davidiii itself), brachyrrhizum, stellulatum, and all of my E. membranaceum x brevicornu hybrids!  It is surprising that the hybrids would be so reliably evergreen, when membranaceum foliage mostly behaves "semi-evergreen" here and brevicornu is deciduous.  Not sure why these hybrids are so winter resilient, but I'm not complaining.  

Hmmm, there is a possibility that my estimate of the putative E. membranaceum x brevicornu hybrids is in error; now seeing the E. stellulatum over-wintered foliage.  The seedlings were self-sown ones, found directly under the canopy of a large E. brevicornu plant, with E. membrananceum growing so close to it that flowert stems intertwined.  My hybrid plants are 4-5 yrs old now, and at that time, while I had E. stellulatum, it was planted far away in another part of the garden, and it was only a few years ago I moved that plant closer to where brevicornu and membranaceum are located. Logistically, it seems unlikely that stellulatum was involved, but I can't rule out what the bees might do.  So, I'll take a closer look this year to determine whethjer my plants are membranaceum x brevicornu or membranaceum x stellulatum.

Left:    E. brachyrrhizum over-wintered foliage, in great shape.
Right:  membranaceum x brevicornu? or x stellulatum?

[McDonough]

With an exceptionally early spring, followed by a record-breaking week of warm to hot July-like sunny weather, the epimediums are sending forth spring growth and their initially coiled flower stems.  The first to open a few flowers here is typically E. x versicolor 'Versicolor', a few blooms open today, but also beginning to bloom is E. pubescens "Shaanxi form" and E. "Asiatic Hybrid".  Now I'm worried about the sudden return to reality, with overnight temperatures predicted to plummet down to 19 F (-7 C) and 25 F in the upcoming couple of days.  I have no doubt that those "eppies" with just show tight growth buds will be fine, but those coaxed into soft precocious growth full of buds might be at risk of being whacked by frost.

[WimB]

In flower here today, the big unknown (not grandiflorum) Epimedium 'Azumino' 

[McDonough]

Hmmm, looks like a typical lavender-ish sempervirens bloom, I find that sempervirens can have more incurved or downturned spurs as compared to grandiflorum, but just a generalization.  Was it worth the wait?