Gunnera tinctoria

Good morning.......more ideas going...Have any of you grown this or known anyone who has, I have been toying with the idea of growing this. I have seen it in my area and just love the leaves.....but....it takes up so much gardening space. I was wondering if I started it and didn't like it could I get it out of the garden without much pick axing...lol
Thanks for any input...just dreaming again!
Carla

I don't know anything about it but the nursery right near my house has a huge gunnera growing. I don't know if it's tinctoria or manicata. She's only open a few days a week right now but I can ask the next time she is.

Welcome outta...Thanks I would love to have personal information on this plant. You can read all you want about plants but personal experience is always much better.

I posted late on your last posting, You will get the best help here...I needed help choosing plants to intermingle with my daylilies and was so happy with all the suggestions. I planted over 100 different daylilies last spring and know I will be sharing some either this spring or next...it all depends on how fast they take off. I hope to meet you at the spring swap....

Dreaming of Spring....Carla

G. manicotta is the "common" one, Like the two big specimens next to the gate at Sunnyside Nursery. Tinctoria is less well known around here and if you find it to be something you don't like I would be glad to either buy it or trade you for it. If thats agreeable it looks like you have a win-win situation. Removing it shouldn't be difficult as they are boggy plants and require soggy marsh-like soils.One of this year's projects is to rebuild my bog garden (I hope, fingers crossed) and add more Gunnera species.

How is your back ? Hope it is well enough to have a great year of gardening.

Hellooooo Robert,

So nice to hear from you! I have been busy this holiday season and only had chances to pop in and read posts...it is so nice to have things slow down and for life to get back to some normalcy???

As long as I stay warm and out of the dampness my back seems to be fine...it is when I decide I need to be outside longer than the insulated overalls work that I run into some trouble..lol The nerve pain is gone and the other is very tolerable...thanks for asking....Now my big question...how is the sciatica? I feel for anyone with this annoying painful situation and because I have experienced it many times I know once you have it you will continue to have problems for the rest of your years...it flairs up at the most inopertune times.

We need to plan some time together in each others gardens in the spring! Sharing is fun! I met grrrnnnthumb (however it is spelled?) and wife at the fall trade...we are all close enough to trade without a meeting place!

As for the plant I am asking about...I found it online while browsing for a nice large leaf plant...I am considering purchasing it, if I do not like it I will pass the whole plant along to you...If I do I will share a piece...how does that sound to you?

We need to plan a chat and tea time!

Anticipating SPRING!,
Carla

Glad the back is better. Hope it will give you lots of gardening time. Two shots and a bunch of pills and the sciatica is OK. Tea sounds great, and that new Vinaccio coffee place at Fourth and 51st Ave. is cool too. Soft chairs and a fireplace. Our yard has gone to pot with little if any work since August. Can't wait to get started again.
robt

Close enough on the spelling Carla. I'm the one who can't spell, lol. I'm sorry I didn't get to spend more time introducing myself at the swap, too rushed with the brugmansia meeting.
On the tinctoria, I believe Jim Eichner, the host of the Green Elephant swap has (had?) dozens of these in one gallon pots to trade (started from seed). You should drop him a line.
- Tom

Hi Tom, How is your daughters garden coming? I did speak to your wife longer than you...lol
I will try Jim...I have not met him yet since he was not at the swap, I will try to contact him on the other sight!
Thanks for the suggestion, Carla

Well she planned on being at her place for a long time, but the landlord sold out to developers. She's really bummed. So most of her new plants we dug back up, and they are either in pots in my holding area or a couple we had to plant here in the the ground, like the 3' tall white chinese tree peony.
She hopes to be settled in at a more permanent place by spring so we can start replanting.
- Tom

Hi Gunnera lovers, I have gunners manicata and tinctoria and purpensens the ground cover one. Manicatta is the bigest one and tinctoria is still really big but i think a little more of a cut leaf. I have them both forsale but I have had trouble growing them here since I am more of a drought garden and my pond is in a frost pocket. My dad has some frome me and each leaf is 6' across they are huge. They like it moist and are big feeders. You also need to cover the crowns with the dead leaves make a little hat over the crown. I have been doing some work on my pond and hope to plant one again. I have dug a big one up before and it is messy and they are really heavy and you do need a pickaxe or sharp shovel. Good luck Heidi and Dragonfly

Carla -

Did you see this post from earlier in the year?

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/776937/

I just sent Jim an e-mail, told him that there'd be a few of us at his winter sowing event on the 12th and asked if he had anymore of the gunnera available for trade or giveaway. I'll let you know what he says.

He told me to invert a pot over the crown of mine so they wouldn't split with the freezing rain. I've kept them under cover, but the frost still killed back the leaves that were out. I'm putting mine in shade up at the top of my property - it never totally dries out there, though I'm not sure how much water the plant will want. And I'm not "dying" to haul water to the other end of my acre to keep it really wet. Will have to experiment.

Glad to hear your back is doing better. I find that my sciatica is worse when I'm tired and my posture is poor - stretching and keeping my stomach muscles tightened really helps me a bunch. Should be doing those crunches . . .

Katie

Katie....all I can say about that post is....WOW how cool!

Heidi....When we come in the spring I will have to get tinctoria...I love the cutleaf! I was going to buy it online but I can wait! Please save one or two for me! I will have to find a good spot to put one and put in some new moister soil....I am in a sand area...an old strawberry field. But I love this plant and will put a soaker hose underground if I have too...lol

I sure will I think they are 14.00 then you get a discount for being Daves garden. I have even taken an old plastic 50 gallon barrel poked some holes in it and barried it in the garden and filled it with good manure and soil filled it and it is almost like a hiding bog. I would suggest a little more sun than less. Some people sau shade but then you only geta few leaves. A garden I wouked in for years had then in full sun and 3 of us were standing under one leaf. It was too cool. Linda Cochrans garden has been in a number of mags and books so you might have seen her gunneras and they a tinctorias. See you in the spring. I will save you a beast. They might be potted up but My prices should still be resonable heidi and dragonfly

Thanks so much I can't wait... I figured I would get a pot and bury it so I could better control the soil...That idea is just great!
Happy potting,
Carla

In all of the places I've seen Gunnera, it seems they have summer burns on the leaves if they are not near water. I've growin them in soil that wasn't always moist during summer and they dwindle. A friend has some tinctoria growing in her backyard with the spines on the petioles so wants to get rid of some as it's not safe for the kids. A pic of the flower.

Hi Growin you are right about the sunburn. Lindas are in a bog a swamp year round. I think if they are in sun they need more than a drip irrigation. They ones in shade I have seen have about three leaves. So maybe some protection from the late afternoon sun. My dads are in full sun all day and they are orobably 20 ' feet across he is a good waterer. A monster I don't know if they have any pictures but truly impressive. Heidi

Sorta like this...?

This from Jim today:

"I'll bring a few gunneras for Carla if she just can't wait for spring.
But If she waits until March 1, when the gunneras have gone through the worst of winter I will bring a bunch of them to the spring Green Elephant too."

Katie

I can wait....Thanks so much katie!

Hi Growin yes that what my folks looks like that is a monster. Too cool you definatly need a spot for one. Heidi

Growin do you know if that is manicata or tinctoria?
- Tom

Gunnera manicata

Here's an article and images with the differences:
http://www.rnzih.org.nz/pages/Gunnera_tinctoria_and_G_manicata.htm

Thanks, growin. I wasn't aware of the differences before.

I think I've got that right. Up here we cut the leaves off and turn them upside down over the crown to protect in winter. It's quite common to see that where you find Gunnera. I was doing volunteer stuff at VanDusen Botanical Gardens in the southern hemisphere garden and they have both. I'll take some good photos of both this year with the differences so it's easier for everyone including myself.