New 2011 Introductions

New introductions primarily from our own wild seed collections that will become available during the course of the new season. Here divided into 3 sections:

Herbaceous to tuberous including a few ferns

 

Temporary text for you to see while we construct our 2011 introductions

Aconitum sennanense v. incisum BSWJ11032 was growing as a relatively short upright species to 1m, with a terminal inflorescence of bright blue helmets, when we found it on a steep hillside amongst a vast colony of Iris japonica under tall conifers. It so happened that Adenophora maximowicziana BSWJ11008 was collected just a bit further north in Gifu western Japan in part shade. A most unusual looking wiry species with a mass of small slender palest blue pendant flowers in succession for months. A. aff. trachelioides BSWJ8614 is at the other end of the spectrum being relatively robust growing, forming a compact slowly expanding clump of stems to 90cm tall. With heart-shaped leaves and by mid-summer bearing broad pale blue bell-flowers on long slender side branches. A. verticilliata BSWJ8608 is a distinct species bearing tiered leaves in whorls of 3-6 up the slender stems to 1.5m tall. Terminating in a large diffuse inflorescence, of distinct blue flowers from May to November. Back to Japan for another endemic, Ainsliaea uniflora BSWJ11336 a definite woodlander, forming a basal rosette of deeply lobed palmate leaves with tall slender wands of pendant purple protruding ray flowers encased in scaly bracts. Anisodus carniolicoides BWJ7501 is more intriguing than beautiful forming a stout clump of lax stems with a steady supply of the large flared bell-shaped flowers typical of the potato family. Intriguing is also a fair description of our new Asarum, A. cardiophyllum BSWJ11742 and A. aff. caudigerum BSWJ12164 are both collected from limestone areas of northern Vietnam. With dark green glossy leaves and purple-brown flowers, the first mentioned possessing long spidery tips to the flowers. Similar in that spidery aspect is the deciduous form of A. caudatum from North America. A. magnificum also joins our long list with silvered leaves and a bi-coloured flowers. More intrigue with Aspidistra aff. daibuensis 'Tidy Trim' BSWJ6866 a small form of this Taiwanese species we found in 1999 in the south of Hualien County. Of the same species A. 'Totally Dotty' BSWJ3236 was from further into the mountains in 1996. Both cultivars will be formally described at the end of this text. Begonia ferruginea BSWJ10479 meanwhile is a charming white flowering species which had formed a large colony in dense moist shade on the high Cordillera de Talamanca in Costa Rica. Cestrum roseum BSWJ10255 has been offered before, but with the incorrect name, this is a fine red flowering species from Mexico, which we are still trialing for hardiness. Amongst our many members of Convallariaceae is a new batch of Japanese Clintonia udensis with its broad foliage. Followed by Disporum cantoniense v. y-tiense HWJ104 a recently named variety we discovered in northern Vietnam, distinct for the length of its dark red flowers. Maianthemum bifolium ssp. kamtschaticum v. minimum is a very long name for a tiny plant, which supposedly originates from Yakushima, Japan, but the only place we have seen it was back on the mainland on Kyushu. M. flexuosum v. erubescens BSWJ10403 is a reddish flowering variety of this Central American robust species. We find most of these grow far better in well drained evergreen shade. Continuing with the same family Ophiopogon aff. caulescens BSWJ11287 was a collection from Java with large fruit whereas O. intermedius BSWJ8244 is additional sturdy collection from northern Vietnam with pale purple flowers. Peliosanthes teta v. humilis RWJ10044 is an additional low growing collection from Taiwan, with parchment-like corrugated foliage. While Peliosanthes caesia BSWJ5183 is one of our recently named discoveries, with quite different inflorescences of pale blue flowers, this time from northern Thailand. Never pleasant having to eat one’s words, but on identifying Polygonatum cyrtonema from mainland China within a long grown stock that has finally reached flowering size, I have to accept that the species from Taiwan is re-classified as P. arisanensis. Another re-classification from Taiwan is Tricyrtis ravenii BSWJ3229 an identity that we have been struggling with for years, that has again only recently been described. Heloniopsis leucantha is yet another new name to cultivation, this genus seems to be a difficult one to obtain any reliable information for classification. However I have finally acquired a copy of a paper published in 2004 which confirms that the above name covers the species which has long been cultivated in the UK as H. kawanoi. Hence H. kawanoi BSWJ11148 is quite different to what has been cultivated under this name. This is the smallest species we have grown, with a distinct flowering period, from autumn through winter on a short scape, the flowers distinguishable from all other species by the tepals being longer than the stamen. Eryngium longirameum BSWJ10351 joins the ranks of our Central American species, this small species with blue flowers was actually growing in swampy conditions when we found it with Andrea Jones who accompanied for her photographic skills. Melanoselinum decipiens may well be another umbellifer, but I suspect it will resent the wet, originating from Maderan slopes. Filipendula yezoensis BSWJ10828 is a recently identified collection for us, gathered in the north of Honshu in 2005 and displaying its broad white inflorescences for the first time last year. Hedychium villosum v. tenuiflorum KWJ12305 was easily distinguishable as it flowers for months, a diminutive evergreen species where we collected the abundant seed in northern Vietnam. Another ginger we are adding is Roscoea purpurea 'Brown Peacock' well known for its bronzy foliage. Eomecon chionantha is back on the menu after a long absence, but be careful as it can spread. We have been offering Hylomecon erectum for a number of years, yet reluctant to list it as the name is considered to be a synonym of H. japonica. Whatever we are growing differs from this in its larger longer lasting flowers. Impatiens 'Emei Dawn' DJHC98415 may not sound familiar, but is one and the same as the species from China introduced under this accession number last year. The same could be said for I. omeiana 'Ice Storm', which has finally achieved respectability after making do with ‘silver leafed’ for so long. I. namchabarwensis is new to us, given to us as a gift, one that we will surely be grateful for. It is another hardy low-growing species, but with blue flowers. Isodon longitubus BSWJ11027 is mention again merle in consequence to a name change from Plectranthus. Phlomis atropurpurea BWJ7922 though is a welcomed return, after our failing to keep up with demand, we finally have some good stock. Manfreda variegata BSWJ10234 has recently been transferred to the Agavaceae family, in fact the RHS Plant Finder lists it as an Agave. Maybe I should not comment on such changes as I have such little experience with this family, but I find the two genera difficult to marry. Mitella acerina BSWJ11029 and M. furusei v. subramosa BSWJ11097 are two more Japanese species well worth cultivating in a woodland garden. The first mentioned with larger foliage than any other we cultivate. Has anyone taken a good close look at the flowers of these? Intriguing as opposed to impressive. Sedum beauverdii ssp. sapaensis HWJ824 is a prostrate growing species with linnear leaves which turns out to be a new variety, yet another of our discoveries only recently described to science. We have grown Serratula coronata v. insularis BSWJ8698 for some time as our accession number indicates. We find it to be a good garden plant flowering for a long time, but unfortunately for us, does not produce vast quantities of seed every year. Thalictrum aquilegiifolium v. intermedium BSWJ10965 is a second collection of this dramatic species. This variety possessing only minor differences to the casual observer, such as being shorter than the lofty 2m of its partner. Tigridia immaculata BSWJ10393 is quite different from our previous collection of this genus, this time from Guatemala. Where it grew at a lofty altitude near the summit of Volcán Zunil, where it only formed small plants. For us it flowers from mid-summer at only 15cm tall the orange-red flared flowers being pendant on wiry peduncles. The first of the ferns we are introducing this season is Adiantum andicola BSWJ10448 from Guatemala an elegant species on black lustrous stems contrasting with the grey-green triangular fronds. Araiostegia pulchra HWJ1007 is from Vietnam, with even finer divided fronds than any we grow. Davallia mariesii BSWJ4448 from an older collection in Korea has a similar habit, but much shorter. Sphenomeris chinensis BSWJ6108 is a collection from Yakushima, that I have to admit I am not able to differentiate from Araiostegia parvipinnata, which according to all the floras does not grow there. We have grown Osmunda asiatica for many years to build up sufficient stocks to introduce this new species into cultivation, were it not for the tall spore-bearing fronds I would find it difficult to identify.