Daphniphyllums - delectable and desirable

Rising to Tim's anything-but-subtle bait, firstly I'll second his opinion that the D.aff. teijsmannii he got when he was here a few weeks ago is indeed a lovely foliage plant, the bold green leaves set off by their red stalks. I understand that it has produced its new flush of growth since he got it home. On Saturday I obtained, again at Crug, a young plant of D. glaucescens var. oldhamii, a variety that differs from the type species by its greater hardiness. This has young foliage with an alluring smokey bronze cast, but my favourite characteristic of this plant is that the mature leaves (unlike the young developing ones) have very striking steely pale blue undersides. I can't wait to see it as a small tree, or at least taller than I am.

They have 3 distinctly different daphniphyllums growing close together in the mound garden at Crug. One of them was in full flower & although the blooms were no great shakes - clusters of stamens mainly - it was great fun to shake the branches and see the clouds of pollen flying about.

Like Tim, I would be interested to learn how many more of these creatures there are. Crug also offer Dd.glaucescens, himalense v.macropodum (which l've also seen listed elsewhere as D.macropodum) and D.humile. But I expect that there must be others, possibly dozens. If I were starting from scratch with an empty garden, I'd be tempted to get my hands on as many species as possible, but sadly, my garden is already full to bursting point.

Einion Hughes,
Rhyl, North Wales. (Zone 8/9-ish)
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