What's looking exotic in June.

Discussion in 'Tropical Gardening' started by pete, Jun 2, 2012.

  1. PeterS

    PeterS Total Gardener

    Joined:
    Mar 18, 2005
    Messages:
    6,662
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired
    Location:
    N Yorks
    Ratings:
    +4,013
    Pete - I am amazed at the thought that Dracunculus vulgaris is totally hardy. Though totally hardy in Kent may not be the same as hardy in Yorkshire. However it suggests that it tolerates colder weather and this may be why its quicker to get out of bed than some.

    LongK and Kristen - thanks for the info.

    I have an Arisaema speciosum that is already in flower and has decent sized leaves (I am told that in fact it is all one leaf). But my Arisaema tortuosum is only an inch high. I was worried that the A. tortuosum wouldn't appear at all, as it was so late, until I read that it is naturally a late starter.

    Presumably this must just be a matter of temperature - the tuber cannot be aware of day length or anything else if its buried. I find a light box does wonders for giving seeds an early start, so why couldn't we have a heat box to do the same for tubers and rhizomes? Like a seed, presumably once a tuber has started into growth, it has commited itself, and must continue even after removal from the heat.
     
  2. pete

    pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

    Joined:
    Jan 9, 2005
    Messages:
    47,718
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired
    Location:
    Mid Kent
    Ratings:
    +84,358
    I'm pretty sure Dracunculus is hardy Peter.:blue thumb:

    I might be talking rubbish, but a lot of these types of plant flower before leafing up.
    So if its going to flower it will begin growth earlier than a tuber that is just growing leaves.
     
  3. sal73

    sal73 Total Gardener

    Joined:
    Sep 4, 2011
    Messages:
    2,833
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Bedford
    Ratings:
    +2,998
    No Pete you are not talking rubbish , lost mine in 2010 winter , but i reckon if it would have been in a dry soil and some mulching would have sure survived like the 3 years before , but yes hardy plant .I `ve never replaced because my miss just didn`t like it and small bad as well , but impressive plant.
     
  4. longk

    longk Total Gardener

    Joined:
    Nov 24, 2011
    Messages:
    11,381
    Location:
    Oxfordshire
    Ratings:
    +23,089
    Yes hardy, but needs to be dry. Lost several offsets as a result of cold and wet. So just safer grown in a pot. Next year I'll just sink the pot.
     
  5. PeterS

    PeterS Total Gardener

    Joined:
    Mar 18, 2005
    Messages:
    6,662
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired
    Location:
    N Yorks
    Ratings:
    +4,013
    Pete - I was thinking about heat in respect of things like my Arisaema tortuosum, another Aroid, which has only just started to move.

    LongK - please do tell me about offsets. Should I be expecting some from my Arisaemas ? and how many ? and presumably you can seperate them and grow them on but it will be a while before they are big enough to flower?
     
  6. sal73

    sal73 Total Gardener

    Joined:
    Sep 4, 2011
    Messages:
    2,833
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Bedford
    Ratings:
    +2,998
    Yes , at the end of the season you should find 2/3 small bulblet , found 6 last year out of 3 bulbs , left them in sand to overwinter , lost 2 (i can`t find them) and this year they are almost half the size of the original bulb. It always nice to get small plants and swap them at the end of the season.
     
    • Like Like x 2
    • stephenprudence

      stephenprudence GC Weather Guru

      Joined:
      Jul 17, 2010
      Messages:
      1,719
      Gender:
      Male
      Occupation:
      General Asisstant (for now), and full time immatur
      Location:
      Wirral, Zone 9a
      Ratings:
      +2,368
      Lost a Trachycarpus fortunei to rot today, a fairly sizeable one too.. there is now a huge gap in the garden to fill.. so the answer to this thread is not much at the moment here!
       
    • longk

      longk Total Gardener

      Joined:
      Nov 24, 2011
      Messages:
      11,381
      Location:
      Oxfordshire
      Ratings:
      +23,089
      At least your sense of humour remains.................
       
    • longk

      longk Total Gardener

      Joined:
      Nov 24, 2011
      Messages:
      11,381
      Location:
      Oxfordshire
      Ratings:
      +23,089
      My A.tortuosum bloomed ages ago! A.costatum is only just doing it though.

      As far as offsets go I never get any on my Ariseama. Maybe I'm too conservative and should put them in the ground, but having lost too many to winter wet I'm reluctant to do this again.
      Dracunculus on the other hand produces offsets willingly in pots! They grow separately.
       
      • Like Like x 1
      • PeterS

        PeterS Total Gardener

        Joined:
        Mar 18, 2005
        Messages:
        6,662
        Gender:
        Male
        Occupation:
        Retired
        Location:
        N Yorks
        Ratings:
        +4,013
        Sal and LongK - many thanks for the info on offsets.

        Sal - I thought I replied last night - but obviously didn't press the post button.

        LongK - its interesting that you A. tortuosum has already bloomed. As I said mine is hardly one inch high. Which brings me back to the thought that we need heat to start them off.
         
      • longk

        longk Total Gardener

        Joined:
        Nov 24, 2011
        Messages:
        11,381
        Location:
        Oxfordshire
        Ratings:
        +23,089
        Very much the case, although A.speciosum did it for me weeks ago without the heat........
         
        • Like Like x 1
        • Kristen

          Kristen Under gardener

          Joined:
          Jul 22, 2006
          Messages:
          17,534
          Gender:
          Male
          Location:
          Suffolk, UK
          Ratings:
          +12,667
          Mine too ... but I had expected it to put up a flowering stem first?
           
        • pete

          pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

          Joined:
          Jan 9, 2005
          Messages:
          47,718
          Gender:
          Male
          Occupation:
          Retired
          Location:
          Mid Kent
          Ratings:
          +84,358
          RE. dracunculus
          Mines never been kept dry, its in fairly heavy clay on the allotment.
          I'm wondering if the problem might have more to do with slugs eating the tubers rather than cold and wet.
           
          • Like Like x 1
          • pete

            pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

            Joined:
            Jan 9, 2005
            Messages:
            47,718
            Gender:
            Male
            Occupation:
            Retired
            Location:
            Mid Kent
            Ratings:
            +84,358
            Stephen, never heard of that before, I have small seedlings surviving everything the winters can throw at them.
            Was it newly planted?
             
          • longk

            longk Total Gardener

            Joined:
            Nov 24, 2011
            Messages:
            11,381
            Location:
            Oxfordshire
            Ratings:
            +23,089
            Could be..............

            I've just never had any joy with them in the ground over the winter, even before the last couple.
             
          Loading...

          Share This Page

          1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
            By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
            Dismiss Notice