Re: adlumia fungosa, ampelopsis, etc
Susan wrote:
<Thanks Kristl -- don't consider it self-promotion, but helping with a
source, which I truly appreciate.
Do you have any further comments on either plant? Does the adlumia
reseed well? Is it easy to start from seed? Can you direct sow? Thanks
for any help. I will check out your catalogue.>
The Adlumnia fungosa is one of our most popular seeds both retail and
wholesale. In fact, this year the demand for it by nurseries throughout
the world has been quite astounding- so I imagine you will be seeing it
more regularly in the trade. Many good comments have already been made.
This is a subtle woodland plant with lovely ferny foliage and while it
performs well in full sun I find the (already pale) pearl pink flowers
look washed-out and less effective in this position.
We have it scrambling over some of the tall stumps of sugar maples we
left standing after the ice storm. It is interesting to note that while
it is a tendril climber, in the wild it is most frequently found on
shady woodland slopes, acting like a groundcover.
It is a biennial and self-sows copiously. However-- there is something
important you must be aware of if you are to establish it as a permanent
resident of your garden, which it eventually will become. And it is
this: unlike so many biennials which are easy, warm germinators, this
species requires cold to germinate. Translated, this means that unless
you plant it for the first TWO years when you are seeking to establish
it, you will not have it permanently.
I believe I need to explain this further. Assume you grow it from seed
this winter. You plant those seedlings out this coming spring. This is
not a plant that will EVER flower the first season, or in fact show any
signs of being a climber at all. It simply stays as a neat rosette of
ferny foliage, no matter how early you set it out in the garden. That
rosette will winter over to flower (and produce seed) the second year.
However, here is the hitch....that seed that falls will only be that
same-self low rosette of foliage the following year. You will have no
flowering plants that season. So, in other words, for you to get into
rhythm and have this plant self perpetuate, you need to set out
seedlings both the first year and the second year, allowing the first
batch you grew to self-sow its flowering year. I hope this is clear.
Even if you find plants to purchase, you will have to purchase them for
two years running. Better to grow them from seed!!!!
As Doug Green has mentioned, there are a number of Ampelopsis (Porcelain
Vine) species, and we have carried the seed of many of them over the
years (aconitifolia, humulifolia, with a few others in the works right
now). In the garden, the differences between them usually comes down to
foliage. They are all tendril climbers. A. brevipendunculata (native to
Asia) and its variegated form "Elegans" are the ones most commonly found
in the trade. I agree with Doug that this is an extremely vigorous
climber & should be watched.
It also self-sows with abandon, requiring cold to germinate. It will
normally flower and produce berries it's second year from seed.
As I mentioned earlier, the variegated form comes largely true from
seed, requiring a year to fully manifest it's variegation. Many of my
variegated seedlings are in fact much more striking in their variegation
than their vegetatively propagated mom. You can simply choose to keep
the plants exhibiting the best variegation..
We grow most of our species in full sun, but they do equally well in
part shade and the variegated form looks better there.
The flowers are entirely insignificant- they will come and go without
notice; and notwithstanding its rampant habits, I could not live
without this plant in the fall garden- there is nothing that carries my
late season like the absolutely beautiful berries of this plant. I am
not sure if it has been mentioned that they are shimmering shades of
porcelain blue, turqoise and amethyst-purple, often all at once. Michael
Dirr has commented that this plant is perhaps unrivaled by any other
woody plant in vitality of color.
I hope this has been helpful. Now back to stuffing catalogue envelopes.
Cheers.
Kristl Walek
Gardens North Seed
5984 Third Line Road, N.
North Gower, Ontario
Canada K0A 2T0
Phone: (613) 489-0065
Fax: (613) 489-1208
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