Friday, August 30, 2019

Ptilostemon afer

I'm sure I've mentioned that I'm not a particularly gifted grower of plants from seed. I can count on my 10 fingers the seeds I've had success with, that is they've gone on to become full fledged plants. Let's see...zinnia, Moluccella laevis, Cerinthe major purpurascens, sugar snap peas, cucumbers, cucamelon, carrots and basil. Years ago I grew hollyhocks from seed, and now I can add Ptilostemon afer to the list! They're the thin green and white leaves with spikes, at the center front of the "holding tank"...

How did I know I wanted to grow Ptilostemon afer? Because when Peter, Alison and I made the trek to Far Reaches Farm last August I saw these and asked about them...

Kelly identified them as Ptilostemon afer but said they didn't have any for sale. He did offer to save me seeds and then brought a pack down to the HPSO's Fall PlantFest last September. Wasn't that nice? Not only did a very busy nursery guy remember I asked about a random plant, but then he brought me seeds and wouldn't let me pay for them...

I sowed those seeds late last winter (the pressure!), along with a few other kinds that germinated right away, the Ptilostemon afer did nothing. Sadly I did a crappy job of hardening off the other seeds that did grow and ended up tossing them. How did the Ptilostemon afer make it to this stage? Because I'd  resisted tossing the rest of the bunch and left them where I had to look at them and feel guilty. Thank god I did because these finally started germinating and growing, it took months before there was any sign of life, way beyond when I'd lost hope.

I ended up with six plants total. Three are still in holding, and three went in the ground.

They're super hardy so I will probably plant two more of the three in holding once our temperatures cool and the rains return in the fall. I'll hold on to one just for insurance sake, and plant it out in the spring.

Here's the cool thistle flowers I have to look forward to...
Ptilostemon afer 6 Copenhagen Bot Garden 140625
Photo: Jan Thomas Johansson (© 2014 Jan Thomas Johansson)

And if you're now thinking these look pretty cool and wish you could have them in your garden you're in luck, because they're available on the Far Reaches Farm website now! (thanks to fellow HPSO board member Richard Hoffman for alerting me to that fact).

So, emboldened by that success, I'm hatching another seed starting plan. This beauty is Bomarea hirtella (Zone 9), photo taken by my friend Eric Peterson, whose plant this is.

His plant set seed last year, he planted them, and experienced success. He now has plant babies and gave me one, that orange arrow is pointing at it, below. It's still tiny but I'm committed to growing it on to planting-out size.

My Bomarea (unknown species) has set seed every year it's bloomed, and it's been blooming for weeks now (orange flowers, below—hidden at the top of my Trachycarpus). I'm going try my luck with these seeds. I love this plant and would be thrilled to be able to make more. Wish me luck!

Weather Diary, Aug 29: Hi 82, Low 66/ Precip .04"

All material © 2009-2019 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

17 comments:

  1. Good luck with further seed sowing. It is one of the most gratifying things a gardener can have success at, in my opinion. Yes, some things do need a long time in the pot, some seeds require cold stratification, which means they need to spend a season in freezing temperatures, even under deep snow. I know it sounds like you'll kill the seeds, but you won't. I've been sowing Gladiolus papilio 'Ruby,' Diphyllea cymosa and Sinopodopyllum hexandrum this past week. It might be quite a while before I have babies of some of them.

    Kelly is the best.

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    1. I'm not going to get too crazy. Sitting small goals, like the Bomarea. I think a big issue for me is space. And yes, Kelly is the best.

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  2. Growing form seeds is challenging and gratifying (if they germinate). When there is a back story to the seed collection it's even better. Ptilostemon afer has awesome leafs, I wish it was easier to pronounce. Baby Bomarea is hilarious, smaller than the arrow that points it out... I hope there will be progress reports.

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    1. Baby Bomarea didn't like our heat-wave (97/98) but it's still alive.

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  3. Congratulations! I'm not much of a seed grower either but, like you, I've been gradually trying more and more. Patience is most definitely a virtue. I've relied on seeds I can direct sow but I'm tempted to pull out that rudimentary kit (with grow lights and seed trays) I purchased several years ago - after I get the other half of my house back.

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    1. Sadly the only place I can direct sow with any success is in the two driveway stock tanks.

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  4. oooo...i love thistle-y plants!

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    1. Maybe I'll get seeds, which I can pass on to you!

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  5. Bravo! What a cool plant. You've definitely hit the big leagues with this one.

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  6. Many years ago I ordered very expensive Delphinium seeds from New Zealand , performed the complicated stratification, got them to germinate, grew them on a bit and planted them out and they were eaten to the ground by the damn snails in one night. A painful lesson !

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  7. Woohoo, plant babies! My need to try some Ptilostemon. I'm planning to try a few new ones this year.

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  8. Congratulations! Nothing beats raising a plant from seed to maturity. Hopefully will embolden you to start more. Selecting seeds of plants not seen in the trade opens up so many doors.

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    1. I'm starting small with the Bomarea, well see where I go from there.

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  9. I am impressed! I used to have some luck with seeds but succulents from seeds have been a virtual bust for me, so I've given up most seeding attempts altogether. You've inspired me with your way-cool selections, Loree.

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