Re: SPEC: Help with Identifications

>
>NARGS 1999-2000 I.chorophylla number 5492 - germinates like crazy and
>grows well but there is no such species as chorophylla.
>
How about I. chrysophylla?

Ian, your message highlights the problems with misnamed plants being 
distributed by less-than-knowledgable sources.  Several years ago I 
ordered "I. ruthenica" from a heretofore reliable supplier, and got 
I. sanguinea.  The supplier told me it had been grown from NARGS 
seed.  Earlier this spring I saw I. sanguinea labelled as "I. 
sibirica" in a nationally known botanical garden.  Another somewhat 
less prominent botanical garden persistantly labels clumps of I. 
cristata as "I. verna" despite being repeatedly told their 
identification is wrong.  A nurseryman friend tells me that despite 
rockbottom prices, he no longer orders stock from several supposedly 
reputable Dutch nurseries because they grow out seed and then market 
the plants as the named variety that was the parent.  Of course, they 
are nothing of the sort.

Gardening is booming and even the largest and most efficient 
nurseries are having trouble keeping up with the demand for plants. 
As a result, many that order are disappointed by substandard stock, 
"back ordering," and just plain stonewalling (this spring a nursery 
that had given me great service in the past was able to supply only 
one of four rather expensive items I ordered, and that one was 
evidently dead.  The other three items have been "back ordered" but I 
cannot get any answers via phone or email).  As a result, many 
suppliers are turning to sources of plants that are not reliable.

It really pays to make sure that the nursery with which you deal 
grows its own stock or uses an ethical supplier.  Eventually supply 
will catch up with demand and we will all be the better for it, but 
in the meantime it is "buyer beware," even from plant society 
seedlists.
-- 

Bill Shear
Department of Biology
Hampden-Sydney College
Hampden-Sydney VA 23943
(804)223-6172
FAX (804)223-6374
email<wshear@email.hsc.edu>
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