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Re: [PRIMROSES] Polygonatum and Podophyllum

In a message dated 98-01-03 23:59:05 EST, Marge Talt wrote:

<<
 We need some others who grow these plants in various conditions to speak up
 here and add to the knowledge base!
  >>

I've been growing the Mayapple/Mandrake (Podophyllum peltatum) for about 6
years.  I was warned about it's aggressive nature so summer of '96 I dug it
all up and moved it to an area thick with Silver Maple roots (Acer
saccharinum).  I had to dig up some missed pieces of it from the original area
several times, but I think I have I got it all now.  (The soil in this part of
my yard has alot of  sand/rocks for the first 12" and then clay below it.  It
slopes gradually torwards a pond in back)  I don't water this area very much
and it will get quite dry in between.

I've grown the Solomon's Seal (Polygonatum commutatum? biflorum? -there seems
to be some disagreement over the species name - is commutatum a tetraploid
form of biflorum?- and P. b. 'Variegatum').  Neither one increases very fast
for me.  I bought the variegated one about 4 years ago and planted it under a
Red Pine (Pinus resinosa) and it stayed at just 2 stems for the first 3 years,
very dissappointing.  Finally last summer it increased to 5 stems and I
separated it into 2 plants because I wanted to put some in a new garden.  I
hope this will trigger some dormant buds for next summer.  Maybe it didn't
increase very fast because of the dry conditions under the pine.

These gardens get dappled light, at most, throughout the day.

Cindy Johnson
White Bear Lake, MN
zone 4a
cidjohnson@aol.com
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