Hardiness of Petrocoptis pyrenaica?

Submitted by Lori S. on Sat, 01/30/2010 - 19:15

Is anyone growing Petrocoptis pyrenaica? I am curious about its cold tolerance. I grew Petrocoptis pyrenaica ssp glaucifolia recently, producing several plants, but with zero success at over-wintering. It is a beautiful thing that blooms in the first year from seed and constantly throughout the season, so it was not a total loss, but I'm wondering if it's worth trying again? If you have experience with it, I'd love to hear about it.

Comments


Submitted by Boland on Sun, 01/31/2010 - 07:01

Lori, I only saw them in the lower altitudes regions of the Pyrenees so I will guess they are not particularly hardy, especially in a zone 3-4.  Even if they were, they are short-lived.  Anything that flowers in the first year from seed is apt to be short-lived in the long term.  Yours is such a lovely plant it may be worth growing simply as an alpine annual.


Submitted by Kelaidis on Fri, 02/05/2010 - 15:01

Petrocoptis have not been long lived for me: I haven't grown them in a long while and this may prompt me to try them again. I generally remember them lasting two to three years max.

A classic example of an alpine best grown from seed. I don't ever recall seeing these offered by a mailorder nursery in the USA.

This is my first post!


Submitted by Lori S. on Sat, 02/13/2010 - 19:41

Well, being the indefatigable optimist that I am about growing plants, 2 to 3 years in your area, Kelaidis, makes it sound to me like I should be trying it again!

I got the seeds from the NARGS seedex... and do I recall correctly that they were offered by someone again this year?


Submitted by HeLP on Thu, 04/08/2010 - 14:01

I grew this plant last year from Seed ex seed.  Wintered it over in the garage and it went over except that it had nice green tips on all the stems.  I put it in the greenhouse in mid March and it promptly died.  I did save seed and have a few seedlings started to try again this year.


Submitted by Lori S. on Fri, 04/09/2010 - 07:42

Peachey wrote:

I grew this plant last year from Seed ex seed.   Wintered it over in the garage and it went over except that it had nice green tips on all the stems.  I put it in the greenhouse in mid March and it promptly died. 

Well!  Hard to know what to make of that kind of behavior, isn't it?


Submitted by RickR on Mon, 03/26/2012 - 07:35

After reading this thread two years ago, I put Petrocoptis pyrenaica seed on my want/watch list.  I ordered NARGS seed in the second round last year and planted a couple weeks ago in room temperature.  They are up now.

Not really remembering well why I wanted I, I googled the name and guess what came up first on the search... this thread!

So any more follow up info? . . . Lori, Harold, Trond, Panayoti, anyone?


Submitted by Hoy on Mon, 03/26/2012 - 14:31

RickR wrote:

After reading this thread two years ago, I put Petrocoptis pyrenaica seed on my want/watch list.  I ordered NARGS seed in the second round last year and planted a couple weeks ago in room temperature.  They are up now.

Not really remembering well why I wanted I, I googled the name and guess what came up first on the search... this thread!

So any more follow up info? . . . Lori, Harold, Trond, Panayoti, anyone?

Sorry Rick, I've never tried this one! But according to RHS Dictionary of gardening Petrocoptis (which is the Greek equivalence of Latin Saxifrage!)  is hardy down to -10 - -15C protected from excess winter wet (nothing for me then  ;)). Can be expected to flower first year from seed and often grown as an annual.


Submitted by Palustris on Mon, 03/26/2012 - 15:05

Survived here for me this Winter with very dry cold (-10c) but not last Winter when it was much wetter. In the Alpine house it keeps easily. Try Petrocoptis crassifolia if you can get it.


Submitted by Lori S. on Sat, 04/07/2012 - 09:53

Well, I have one seedling of Petrocoptis pyrenaica ssp glaucifolia to give it another shot with, so it better work!  :D
I'd love to try Petrocoptis crassifolia, especially if it should have a better chance of overwintering.