Being either an optimist or a fool - or both - and no, I don't want your
opinions, thanks ;-)) - I'm going to have another try at getting this to
germinate. I haven't sown them for two or three years and last time, I
sowed two packets and not one came up. Obviously, I can read the
directions on a seed packet but has anyone any secret hints, tips or
suggestions for getting some success this time?

--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
Perennials & shrubs online

Sacha wrote:
Being either an optimist or a fool - or both - and no, I don't want your
opinions, thanks ;-)) - I'm going to have another try at getting this to
germinate. I haven't sown them for two or three years and last time, I
sowed two packets and not one came up. Obviously, I can read the
directions on a seed packet but has anyone any secret hints, tips or
suggestions for getting some success this time?

No. Maybe it's one of those plants which germinates only from very fresh
seed.

I've tried many times and given up. I grew it from a young plant purchased
from a nursery around 20 years ago and was very impressed with it when it
flowered later that year. But it lived up to its monocarpic nature,
unfortunately. Well, actually, it didn't set seed...

Since then, I've only ever seen it in flower in one Yellow-book garden, and
that was about 5 years ago. I was as impressed with it then as the first
time I saw it in flower.

I think you have to ask yourself why such a desirable plant is almost
unknown and barely available (do any of the sources who mention it in The
Plant Finder actually have it available for sale?). I wonder how common it
is in its native habitats?

--
Jeff

On 11/2/09 16:41, in article , "Jeff Layman"
wrote:

Sacha wrote:
Being either an optimist or a fool - or both - and no, I don't want your
opinions, thanks ;-)) - I'm going to have another try at getting this to
germinate. I haven't sown them for two or three years and last time, I
sowed two packets and not one came up. Obviously, I can read the
directions on a seed packet but has anyone any secret hints, tips or
suggestions for getting some success this time?

No. Maybe it's one of those plants which germinates only from very fresh
seed.

I've tried many times and given up. I grew it from a young plant purchased
from a nursery around 20 years ago and was very impressed with it when it
flowered later that year. But it lived up to its monocarpic nature,
unfortunately. Well, actually, it didn't set seed...

Did you have it in the garden, Jeff? It was in the garden here and looked
wonderful for a whole summer and that was that. I think it probably isn't
warm enough here with long enough sunlight hours to make it set seed but
that's just my guess.

Since then, I've only ever seen it in flower in one Yellow-book garden, and
that was about 5 years ago. I was as impressed with it then as the first
time I saw it in flower.

It's absolutely beautiful, IMO.

I think you have to ask yourself why such a desirable plant is almost
unknown and barely available (do any of the sources who mention it in The
Plant Finder actually have it available for sale?). I wonder how common it
is in its native habitats?

You sound like my husband who says there's a reason some plants aren't sold
in many places! I believe it's from Turkey originally but I can't say I've
ever seen it there - big country, though. If we can get any of these to
grow, I think they'd be good conservatory plants. Maybe!
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
Perennials & shrubs online

Sacha wrote:
(snip)

Did you have it in the garden, Jeff? It was in the garden here and
looked wonderful for a whole summer and that was that. I think it
probably isn't warm enough here with long enough sunlight hours to make
it set seed but that's just my guess.

I think I planted it out in my Sussex clay! But I could have left it in
decent potting compost in a moderately large pot - I can't remember (pauses
to search for tablets...).


Since then, I've only ever seen it in flower in one Yellow-book garden,
and that was about 5 years ago. I was as impressed with it then as the
first time I saw it in flower.

It's absolutely beautiful, IMO.

I agree. It really should be a Magnolia-type shrub, flowering every year
reliably, not a bloody awkward biennial/perennial :-( Why couldn't nature
get it right???


I think you have to ask yourself why such a desirable plant is almost
unknown and barely available (do any of the sources who mention it in The
Plant Finder actually have it available for sale?). I wonder how common
it is in its native habitats?

You sound like my husband who says there's a reason some plants aren't
sold in many places! I believe it's from Turkey originally but I can't
say I've ever seen it there - big country, though. If we can get any of
these to grow, I think they'd be good conservatory plants. Maybe!

The RHS Dictionary of Gardening states that it comes from the E.
Mediterranean. If, like other Michauxia species, it also comes from Syria
and N. Iran, then that might well put it in the company of Oncocyclus
irises. Then it would be no wonder that it is difficult in cultivation!

By the way, have you ever tried germinating the seeds with the help of
giberellic acid?

--
Jeff

On 11/2/09 17:41, in article , "Jeff Layman"
wrote:
snip

By the way, have you ever tried germinating the seeds with the help of
giberellic acid?

I can't even say it! I'll look that up and ask Ray where he keeps it. ;-)
Seriously, can you tell us what this is and what it does - sounds of
interest to everyone.
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
Perennials & shrubs online

In message , Sacha
writes
On 11/2/09 17:41, in article , "Jeff Layman"
wrote:
snip

By the way, have you ever tried germinating the seeds with the help of
giberellic acid?

I can't even say it! I'll look that up and ask Ray where he keeps it. ;-)
Seriously, can you tell us what this is and what it does - sounds of
interest to everyone.

Gibberellic acid (URL:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gibberellin) - note
spelling - is a plant hormone. But if you can say Michauxia
tchihatcheffii you shouldn't have trouble with gibberellic acid.
--
Stewart Robert Hinsley

Sacha wrote:
On 11/2/09 17:41, in article , "Jeff Layman"
wrote:
snip

By the way, have you ever tried germinating the seeds with the help of
giberellic acid?

I can't even say it! I'll look that up and ask Ray where he keeps it.
;-) Seriously, can you tell us what this is and what it does - sounds of
interest to everyone.

Google is your friend here. But I'm not sure it is easy to obtain in the
UK - 'elf and safety rules about supplying chemicals, and all that. Still,
if you are able to order some, and knowing that everything in the UK is on a
database somewhere, you may find you get a visit from the Boys in Blue:
http://www.rollitup.org/advanced-mar...llic-acid.html
(I see that one of the tabs on this page is to "Live Chat". Can you imagine
what that entails whilst "under the influence"? The mind boggles -
really!).

--
Jeff

Hello Sacha

In article ,
Sacha wrote:
Being either an optimist or a fool - or both - and no, I don't want your
opinions, thanks ;-)) - I'm going to have another try at getting this to
germinate. I haven't sown them for two or three years and last time, I
sowed two packets and not one came up. Obviously, I can read the
directions on a seed packet but has anyone any secret hints, tips or
suggestions for getting some success this time?

I think that this may be a question of seed viability rather than technique.

I grew a few of these some years ago, and they germinated OK with my normal
technique. ie damp sterilised mixture of multipurpose & vermiculite with pot
in a plastic bag and a little bottom heat.

For me this was just the start of the problems (Slugs love them and so do
white fly.) I did manage to grow a couple of plants until they flowered and
the flowers are magnificent, but I came to the view that they were too much
hastle, and have not tried again since. I did not manage to ripen any seed.

John

--
John Rye
Hadleigh IPSWICH England
http://web.ukonline.co.uk/jrye/
--- Using RISC OS Six an Acorn StrongArm RiscPC and under VARPC ---

On 12/2/09 11:02, in article , "John Rye"
wrote:

Hello Sacha

In article ,
Sacha wrote:
Being either an optimist or a fool - or both - and no, I don't want your
opinions, thanks ;-)) - I'm going to have another try at getting this to
germinate. I haven't sown them for two or three years and last time, I
sowed two packets and not one came up. Obviously, I can read the
directions on a seed packet but has anyone any secret hints, tips or
suggestions for getting some success this time?

I think that this may be a question of seed viability rather than technique.

I grew a few of these some years ago, and they germinated OK with my normal
technique. ie damp sterilised mixture of multipurpose & vermiculite with pot
in a plastic bag and a little bottom heat.

For me this was just the start of the problems (Slugs love them and so do
white fly.) I did manage to grow a couple of plants until they flowered and
the flowers are magnificent, but I came to the view that they were too much
hastle, and have not tried again since. I did not manage to ripen any seed.

John

Thanks, John. I think. ;-) I don't think we have a problem here with
propagating conditions, having heated benches and all but I think you must
be right about seed viability. This time I've bought from Chilterns and
last time I used a different supplier. Their blurb says they've received a
new batch of seed (or WTTE) so we'll see what happens. I'm also going to
ask Derry Watkins of Special Plants if she has them She used to do them but
I didn't think to look through her catalogue before - silly of me.
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
Perennials & shrubs online

Sacha,

Ray Brown lists this if Derry can't supply and his seeds tend to be
rather fresher than some of the larger seed companies. Might be worth
contacting him. With regard to getting the seeds to germinate, try
sowing them on the surface of moistened, heat-sterilised, low nutrient
compost (I used just peat and sand when I raised some) and stretching
cling film tightly over the container to maintain very high humidity
until germination. A temp. of about 21C seems to do the trick and if
there's a night-time drop, so much the better. The seeds seem to need
light to germinate, so don't cover them.

As for pronunciation, I've always said Mitch-awks-ee-ah chi-hatch-eff-
ee-eye and have never been pulled up on it.

On 12/2/09 19:42, in article
, "Dave
Poole" wrote:

Sacha,

Ray Brown lists this if Derry can't supply and his seeds tend to be
rather fresher than some of the larger seed companies. Might be worth
contacting him. With regard to getting the seeds to germinate, try
sowing them on the surface of moistened, heat-sterilised, low nutrient
compost (I used just peat and sand when I raised some) and stretching
cling film tightly over the container to maintain very high humidity
until germination. A temp. of about 21C seems to do the trick and if
there's a night-time drop, so much the better. The seeds seem to need
light to germinate, so don't cover them.

Thanks, David. I'll do that. On one of the pop benches we have a little
'tent' for extra humidity so I'll pop them in there.

As for pronunciation, I've always said Mitch-awks-ee-ah chi-hatch-eff-
ee-eye and have never been pulled up on it.


I'm not entirely surprised...... ;-))

--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
Perennials & shrubs online