Image of the day - 2012

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General Alpines

Moderator note:
With a new year comes a new thread! Here is the first post in "Image of the Day - 2012", which continues on from:
http://nargs.org/smf/index.php?topic=24.1560
Edit by Lori

Lori wrote:

Nothing in flower here either but with each day a second or two longer now, here are some mountain scenes and some local alpines to make us yearn for spring! Happy New Year, all!

Lovely pics Lori

Hoy wrote:

Lori, your pictures always make me feel guilty - guilty of sitting lazy in the sofa instead of getting out there where the diamonds are to be found ;)

I know how you feel Hoy ...well sort of :) Here i'm stuck finishing off a job for a client spraying with a knapsack around 5000 newly planted natives ,all the while i'm itching to get back up into the hills --anyway regardless of the work situation i've decided i'm away botanizing next weekend.

Here's a wee beauty-- Brodiaea terrestris with thick looking almost succulent like petals .Enjoying the dry warm conditions of the last 3 weeks .

Cheers Dave.

Comments

Lori S.'s picture

Lori S. (not verified)

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 7:16pm

The plants I've grown of Inula rhizocephala were from the same seed source and have got to about 15cm (6") in diameter, and about 3cm (1 1/4" tall).  I've only grown them in sun.

cohan's picture

cohan (not verified)

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 9:20pm
Lori wrote:

The plants I've grown of Inula rhizocephala were from the same seed source and have got to about 15cm (6") in diameter, and about 3cm (1 1/4" tall).  I've only grown them in sun.

Good to know-- very small! Interesting with some giants in the genus...

Trond Hoy's picture

Trond Hoy

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 11:40pm
Todd wrote:

Guess this topic should be moved to the Travels section.  I was in the Paramo east of Quito.  It was wet and cold but the sun broke through in the late afternoon.  I was on a birding trip to Ecuador and we were looking for some high alpine birds.  The birds were scanty but the plants were pretty cool.  Here is a Plantago rigida...not like any Plantago in our area!  It is more like a Bolax (Azorella) and hard as a rock.

Nice pillow, Todd, did you try?

Lori, I like that Inula better than the one I grow (Inula racemosa) which gets too big! (2.5m tall)

cohan's picture

cohan (not verified)

Wed, 01/18/2012 - 3:46pm

I think someone sent me seed of an Inula, I think its a big one, but have to look it up..lol I do love the small plants, but a few 2 m ones are cool too-- I have space for them- can't have only tiny plants :)

Lori S.'s picture

Lori S. (not verified)

Wed, 01/18/2012 - 6:53pm

Here's another small Inula which got to about 5" last year in its second year from seed (which is smaller than my Inula ensifolia), and possibly OK for the larger rock garden - Inula acaulis ssp. subacaulis. It started blooming in late July.

               

The seeds germinated in about 6 days at room temperature.  Seeds were collected by M. Pavelka from ~2000m elevation at Sipikor Dag, Turkey.

Tim Ingram's picture

Tim Ingram (not verified)

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 1:21am

These small inulas are really nice - I've tried rhizocephala but didn't give it the superbly drained conditions that Lori has and must try it again. Todd's picture of ensifolia 'Compacta' looks even nicer - a very 'tidy' looking plant. Like Trond I have only grown the large species, notably magnifica which seeds around. I wonder if anyone has grown the Himalayan species royleana; this is mentioned by British garden writers but I think hardly ever seen in gardens?

Todd Boland's picture

Todd Boland

Thu, 01/19/2012 - 12:59pm
Lori wrote:

The seeds germinated in about 6 days at room temperature.  Seeds were collected by M. Pavelka from ~2000m elevation at Sipikor Dag, Turkey.

Delightful but Turkey and Newfoundland don't mix!

Lori S.'s picture

Lori S. (not verified)

Fri, 01/20/2012 - 9:07am

Myosotis asiatica and Potentilla uniflora(?):

             

Trond Hoy's picture

Trond Hoy

Fri, 01/20/2012 - 1:01pm

A beautiful place to take a walk!

The Myosotis is very similar to this one from Turkey:

Unknown Myosotis and morning view of Lake Van

 

Mark McDonough's picture

Mark McDonough

Sat, 01/21/2012 - 7:56pm

A trough with Alyssum oxycarpum. When not in bloom, the foliage is tiny, tight, and neat, a classic alpine; in bloom the stems extend to surprising length when considering the tiny basal rosettes, expanding into a fine show of golden blooms. In bloom early June, 2011.

Mark McDonough's picture

Mark McDonough

Sun, 01/22/2012 - 8:20am

Two views of Alyssum oxycarpum foliage in late March 2011.  I bought this as a seedling at a New England Chapter NARGS meeting in September 2010; I'm just going by the name as labelled.

Tim Ingram's picture

Tim Ingram (not verified)

Sun, 01/22/2012 - 8:53am

Mark - have you ever come across Alyssum serpyllifolium? I grew this years ago and the foliage was the exact same as you last photos but the flowers were virtually stemless. These little alyssums are great plants, but for most rock gardeners eclipsed by their bigger cousins.

Trond Hoy's picture

Trond Hoy

Sun, 01/22/2012 - 10:07am

Mark, A remarkable plant! Your last picture of Alyssum oxycarpum shows a very succulent-looking specimen but the first picture when the plant is in flower seems to show a more "normal" plant. Is the plant as succulent as the last picture shows?

Trond Hoy's picture

Trond Hoy

Sun, 01/22/2012 - 10:16am

A little colder the last day - cold air from east has brought dry and cloudless weather but much colder than we are used to this winter. The remaining sleet and slush has frozen solid. Though, the Crocuses just wait for more sun to open their flowers.

   

The witch hazel is flowering although the colder weather does that the flowers contract a little.

cohan's picture

cohan (not verified)

Sun, 01/22/2012 - 10:22am
McDonough wrote:

Two views of Alyssum oxycarpum foliage in late March 2011.  I bought this as a seedling at a New England Chapter NARGS meeting in September 2010; I'm just going by the name as labelled.

Great looking plant!

Mark McDonough's picture

Mark McDonough

Sun, 01/22/2012 - 11:55am

At one point I grew a number of dwarf Alyssum species, including several choice ones from Turkey, can't remember if serpyllifolium was among those I grew.  I was a bit alarmed with this species when the rosettes expanded and the stems grew taller and more diffuse than I would have imagined, but it was such a nice show for weeks, and then afterwards all the stem growth dried up and faded away, leaving behind the tiny "ropes" of succulent growth again, looking nice for fall and winter.  The silvery ropes of congested foliage remind me of the strange South American genus Nassauvia, specifically N. revoluta, although these are Asteraceae and obviously not related to Alyssum.

Lori S.'s picture

Lori S. (not verified)

Sun, 01/22/2012 - 12:01pm

The arrangement of leaves on A. oxycarpum is certainly reminiscent in appearance of that of various succulents.  Are the leaves actually succulent at all?  The alyssums I've grown so far have flat, rather rough- and dry-feeling leaves.  I'll definitely keep a watch out for seed of that one - terrific foliage.

Mark McDonough's picture

Mark McDonough

Sun, 01/22/2012 - 12:06pm
Lori wrote:

The arrangement of leaves on A. oxycarpum is certainly reminiscent in appearance of that of various succulents.  Are the leaves actually succulent at all?  The alyssums I've grown so far have flat, rather rough- and dry-feeling leaves.  I'll definitely keep a watch out for seed of that one - terrific foliage.

No, the leaves aren't actually succulent, they just look like they are by their arrangement, they are rough-scabrid to the touch as most Alyssum are.  I'm sure it made lots of seed but I never collected any, nor did I collect seed on much of anything else this year given my non-stop work demands and "working weekends", grrrrr.

Todd Boland's picture

Todd Boland

Sun, 01/22/2012 - 12:30pm

That Alyssum is worthy to grow for foliage alone!

Crocus and witch-hazel Trond...you are inflicting pain!  We just got nearly a foot of snow yesterday...winter has finally arrived...now three months to my first blooms.

cohan's picture

cohan (not verified)

Sun, 01/22/2012 - 4:55pm

I agree Todd-- I have a hard time considering any season/place 'winter' that has things flowering! We also have crocus flowering-- at supermarkets and flower shops!

Lori S.'s picture

Lori S. (not verified)

Mon, 01/23/2012 - 7:22pm

Well, here's another good wooly one then, Draba ventosa.  :)  It's native to Alberta, in alpine screes, though I haven't seen it in the wild yet.

           

Richard T. Rodich's picture

Richard T. Rodich

Mon, 01/23/2012 - 8:12pm

Ya know, making a longer and longer want list (two more now) has its advantageous.  I can compare my want list to the Seed Ex offerings, for instance, and my order practically makes itself!

Tim Ingram's picture

Tim Ingram (not verified)

Tue, 01/24/2012 - 1:32am

I hardly dare show a picture of a snowdrop after talk of deep snow and temperatures down to -30°C or below! Our climate is perfect for these plants and gardeners become quite obsessed about them, for good reason, they really light the garden up through these short days. I am growing many of them under rows of dwarf apples, along with other woodlanders that come on later. The variety, 'Trym', has become quite iconic for the repetition of the inner tepal markings on the outer tepals.

Trond Hoy's picture

Trond Hoy

Tue, 01/24/2012 - 2:13am
RickR wrote:

Ya know, making a longer and longer want list (two more now) has its advantageous.  I can compare my want list to the Seed Ex offerings, for instance, and my order practically makes itself!

Can't you just return the whole Seedex list and say: I take them all ;)

Trond Hoy's picture

Trond Hoy

Tue, 01/24/2012 - 2:30am

We have gotten a little colder weather now - the temperature has fluctuated around 0C so the snow doesn't melt. On the other hand there are less cloudy and we risk seeing blue sky :D

Tonight it is expected to be very likely to see Aurora borealis, even as far south as I am :o

Lori, I haven't considered growing any Drabas before but now I am tempted!

Tim, not much snow there! Your spring is more advanced than mine, but that is no surprise, is it ;)

BTW I am going to visit Norfolk in February (on duty, not holiday). Hope we get nice weather 8)

Tim Ingram's picture

Tim Ingram (not verified)

Tue, 01/24/2012 - 3:25am

Trond - some good alpine growers in Norfolk, especially of crocus! You are not going to John Innes by any chance? This is where I worked many years ago. A great county, if a little flat!

cohan's picture

cohan (not verified)

Tue, 01/24/2012 - 10:30am

Don't worry Tim- when its -30 we need to see flowers ;) Fortunately that weather is gone for now- we are back above normal with most days this week above or just slightly below freezing..
I planted some Galanthus in fall, hoping to see some flowers this spring, not sure if they are mature bulbs or not, but they certainly wont be flowering in January here :)

Todd Boland's picture

Todd Boland

Tue, 01/24/2012 - 10:45am

Tim, you are killing me with snowdrop images...maybe in early April I'll see mine.

And Lori, you are killing me with woolly drabas....I can only grow the fuzzless types.  Funny about that...I can grow Stachys byzantina, Antennaria and Lychnis flos-jovis but 'choice' fuzzies are next to impossible.

Trond Hoy's picture

Trond Hoy

Tue, 01/24/2012 - 11:27am
Tim wrote:

Trond - some good alpine growers in Norfolk, especially of crocus! You are not going to John Innes by any chance? This is where I worked many years ago. A great county, if a little flat!

Not sure I have time to visit anything - I am with 3 of our high school students on a EU funded project from Monday till Friday staying at Holt Hall.

Schier's picture

Schier (not verified)

Tue, 01/24/2012 - 12:02pm

Tim, I agree with Cohan, I love to see the flowers too.  It's just a different "world" here, although I admit a little envy as well!
Quite a ways until spring, but I must say that as soon as Christmas is over and the days start getting even a minute or two longer, I say spring is on the way...
and start sowing seeds.  Helps a little!

Lori S.'s picture

Lori S. (not verified)

Tue, 01/24/2012 - 9:39pm

Nice snowdrops, Tim!  Well, I suppose there might be signs of life here in another 6 weeks or so, weather permitting.  :rolleyes:

Here's Townsendia parryi in the wild:

                 

cohan's picture

cohan (not verified)

Tue, 01/24/2012 - 11:17pm

Nice Townsendia- the Androsace gives me the scale- big flowers! but I guess anything would look big beside the Andro...lol.. how high would this be?

Lori S.'s picture

Lori S. (not verified)

Wed, 01/25/2012 - 9:30pm

The Androsace chamaejasme tend to be up to about 5cm tall and the Townsendia is up to maybe 3cm tall... it is kind of hard to sense the scale with these close-ups.  

Phlox hendersonii growing in a trough:
     
             

cohan's picture

cohan (not verified)

Wed, 01/25/2012 - 11:07pm

The Androsace I know reasonably well, though I also know its height will vary; my question wasn't clear though, I was actually wondering what the altitude of the sites with the Townsendia would be?

Lori S.'s picture

Lori S. (not verified)

Thu, 01/26/2012 - 5:15am
cohan wrote:

Nice Townsendia- the Androsace gives me the scale- big flowers! but I guess anything would look big beside the Andro...lol.. how high would this be?

Oh, sorry!  That site is at about 2200m elevation on an alpine ridge.

cohan's picture

cohan (not verified)

Thu, 01/26/2012 - 11:21am

Thanks, Lori- I thought it was probably up high :)

Nice one Todd- how tall is the dwarf M stellatum? It also appears to have broader leaves than most here (plants in shade have broader leaves here, but a much more open, taller form) and less glaucous than plants growing in the open here..

Mark McDonough's picture

Mark McDonough

Thu, 01/26/2012 - 3:26pm
Todd wrote:

Maianthemum stellatum var. crassum...the dwarf Newfoundland form.

I think I have commented on this one before, love it!  Judging from the foliage this plant certainly has Juno Iris ambitions.  Is this dwarf NF form being cultivated?

Trond Hoy's picture

Trond Hoy

Fri, 01/27/2012 - 7:50am
Todd wrote:

Maianthemum stellatum var. crassum...the dwarf Newfoundland form.

Todd,if you ever get hold of seeds of this one! ;)

I have two other clones of M. stellatum and they are quite different. Does it grow in company with some Empetrum?

Trond Hoy's picture

Trond Hoy

Sat, 01/28/2012 - 12:44am

A very cosy and familiar look! Although it is flatter than most places here ;D

Here are a few pictures of my one of my favorite meadows on the island of Jomfruland:

The dominating species at this time of the year (early summer) is Armeria maritima, Lychnis viscaria and Saxifraga granulata among a dozen more:

       

Richard T. Rodich's picture

Richard T. Rodich

Sat, 01/28/2012 - 6:04am

Since we are showing meadows, here is a non-native one covered with flax.  I am totally ignorant as to what the flax field crop flower looks like, but these were growing among established grasses and a few other forbes, so I am guessing it is an introduced wildflower type. ???

       

Mark McDonough's picture

Mark McDonough

Sat, 01/28/2012 - 6:36am

Nice flowery meadows.  A number of times I tried getting Linum perenne established in my garden, and they failed to persist. But finally got some growing and seedling around.  Now it has become a weed and I'm ripping out hundreds upon hundreds of seedlings; I fear that my allium garden will become a flax meadow in a few more years.  Some pure white forms appeared too.

Mark McDonough's picture

Mark McDonough

Sat, 01/28/2012 - 8:17am

I recall taking lots of photos of the spontaneous white Linum perenne plants, but most photyos were terrible, taken with my phone camera.  The blue ones vary in shade, mostly light blue colors, not a deep as the ones Rick showed, and a passable photo of the white-flowered one on the right.

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