Monday, April 16, 2012

Foliage Follow-up: Podophyllum and a few other things…

During our recent visit to Cistus I fell hard for the dramatic foliage of the Podophyllum delavayi…
Surely you can see why? Such dramatic markings on big leaves, what’s not to love? Especially en masse.
This one came home with me.
And look, it’s about to bloom!
Here’s a shot of the more “traditional” Podophyllum pleianthum at the nursery…
And their unfolding blossoms…
My Podophyllum pleianthum, it looks like something has been snacking doesn’t it?
This must be the year my Podophyllum peltatum starts to bulk up, since I have multiple shoots emerging from the ground.

This one is doing an odd double head deformed thing…

The Syneilesis in the background of this shot mirrors the shape of the Podophyllum.

Veratrum californicum, love the pleated leaves!

The elongation of the main trunk on this Echium (sold as Echium x wildprettii 'Rocket' but also identified as Echium pininana), along with the shorter leaves at the tip, point to the pending arrival of the big bold bloom spike.

The trunk itself has been undergoing changes. Turning purple and spouting what look like little buds.

The branch at the base of the main trunk shows no signs of blooming. There were two other, even larger, branches I cut off last fall, wanting to let some light fall on the other plants in this bed.

In the front garden the little sister Echium (they were bought at the same time but this one is much smaller), also shaping up to bloom…

Also out front this Echium wildprettii is showing all the signs…
While its sister (I seem to buy Echiums in pairs!) is not, which is fine as I would like it to stick around all summer.
Finally my sad little Echium candicans 'Star of Madeira' has died back to just its main trunk, but at least there are leaves sprouting…
Visit Pam’s blog Digging for more Foliage Follow-up links!

27 comments:

  1. I can see why you fell for those pretty, mottled leaves of the Podophyllum. They look especially appealing in the 2nd photo. But my fave is still the echium...sigh.

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    1. Pam I feel so lucky that we had a mild winter and I get to see the Echium bloom, I thought for sure they'd be dead come Spring.

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  2. I agree with Pam. Those mottled leaves are very nice. But, the echium is gorgeous.

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    1. Be sure to check back as I'm sure I'll have lots of bloom pictures when the time comes.

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  3. Beautiful foliage, love colors on the Podophyllum and those pleated leaves on the Veratrum californicum.

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  4. Oh man, I love your veratrum! I've been holding off on planting some because they are so poisonous and I have friends with roaming toddlers. Maybe they just need to go in the back of the bed; they are too pretty.

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    1. I had no idea, but then I guess that means it's right at home in the danger garden right? I will share that mine (and the only other one I've seen in a garden) starts to look ratty about mid July, in fact it just basically dies back. I thought it was something I was doing wrong until I saw this same pattern in the other garden. Make sure you plan for that or you'll have a big ugly spot.

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  5. I can't even put into words how excited I am to see those echium bloom!!!! It looks like it is going to be an epic bloom day/foliage follow up kinda year!!!!

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    1. Ya it's kind of crazy how excited I am too, but in a bittersweet way as I really love them as foliage plants.

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  6. I've seen that mottled Podophyllum in show gardens, but I can't find one for sale anywhere. I just have to come down to Cistus some weekend I guess. I have to admit, not only was I admiring your pretty foliage, I was also most definitely coveting your colorful gravel. Do you remember what kind it is? Is it basically just pea gravel?

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    1. Yep...you need to make a road trip! Our gravel is the next size up from pea gravel, when I was researching what we should get I read many a warning that cats look at pea gravel as kitty litter...that's a problem I don't need.

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  7. I love that Podophyllum delavayi, one day I will have one in my collection!

    I grow "Spotty Dotty" and "Kaleidoscope" and I like them a lot. Unfortunately, the new emerging leaves are frost tender. Oh well, you live and learn.

    I like the look of your Veratrum californicum. I tried growing Veratrum nigrum once before and failed, but this year I am going to give Veratrum nigrum another go and I also picked up a Veratrum album Lorna's green when I visited Cally Gardens on Easter Saturday.

    The Echiums look cool. I remember those black and white photos you posted of them.

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    1. So do you have any problems with the new Podophyllum leaves being munched on like mine?

      I too am growing a Veratrum nigrum but before I noticed something went to town on it's leaves too...not as photogenic!

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    2. I do have more than my fair share of slugs, snails and other munchers in my garden, but thankfully my Podophyllum leaves are never touched.

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  8. I love the Podophyllum delavayi is a stunner especially when it makes a large clump.

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  9. Oh yes...I LOVE the Podophyllum delavayi...I've considered getting one for the past few years, and am stopped only with my lack of space. Then again, since you said that my Shredded Umbrella can take mare sun that I thought, I guess that opens up a spot in my shade garden!

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    1. Oh now I fear I may have sent you too far into the sun! If you want to come see where my 2 clumps are and judge for yourself you are welcome here anytime...

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  10. Podo is a delight in the garden! I have P. versapelle, which is often mislabelled as P.pleianthum, but its all about where the flowers are located. I have pondered P.delavayi but worry that it would not be tender here and it comes with a hefty price in the great white north! I have P.hexandrum v. emodi which looks similar to our native but with a smashing pink flower! I too love Veratrum and have taken to using the copper mesh to encircle its base as its slugs that are doing the most damage. Has yours bloomed yet? V.nigrum has the most stunning deep purple flowers on majestic tall spikes, but I have been told it can take between 3-5 years to bloom. I love the photo with Syneilesis in the background, it is another personal favourite!

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    1. I should have done the copper treatment on my V.nigrum, it just appeared so fast (and is so much smaller!) and now it is all chewed to bits! My V. californicum has not yet bloomed but I think it might just be fixin to do so!

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  11. Fabulous Podophyllum and thanks for reminding me of the Veratrum as this was a forgotten obsession from last year which I need to fulfil!

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    1. Something else to add to you list of "to-do" then? Good luck!

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  12. I found myself focusing on a few of your ground coverings....nice. The first photo looks like similar to my Rex Begonia...

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    1. Ah good eye Darla, I do see the similarity.

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  13. You are going to have a wonderful show of echium blossoms this year! And the veratrum looks surprisingly advanced and lush - I guess winter wasn't so hard on it this year.

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    1. Actually that Veratrum amazes me every year with the speed it attains stature, as long as the hail stays away!

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