Looking for the bluest blue flowers, still

Wow! so many blue flowers, so little space.
I am very sorry for not the delayed thank you to everyone. As I have mentioned, between the fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, and helping a friend who is going through a devastating divorce, sometimes weeks go by before I can post again.

I sat down at my computer and shopped for all the plants, filled virtual carts with everyone's recommendations and the total was over 400 dollars! So I closed the carts, just ordered the seeds, which have already arrived, and now are tucked in pots in my greenhouse.

Thank you very much! I can't wait to see those blues!
Pixy, what is that gentian? And I would love to have the hydrangea nigra.

I did buy one plant which arrive last week, corydalis blue heron. I thought I had ordered china blue. darn. Now I'll have to order it as well.

Again, thank you everyone!

neofarmer I would happy to collect seeds from the china blue, but I am really not sure what to look for. Any ideas and I will try to get some for you. Or cuttings??? divisions??

Highmtn, it's fanflower, and it's an annual here - it's great in a mixed hanging basket.

That's funny, I was just looking at a corydalis that is blooming, golden leaves with purples flowers, and wondering how I would propagate it. ;)

I'll have to do a bit of research now, whoopie, one of my favorite things to do.

Let me know what you find out. It is a beautiful plant ..worth sharing with others!

Thanks Irwells, it is aptly named! I don't think I have ever seen it before.

I think there's a pink one, also, but I've only found the purple/blue around here.

Bea, it seems that corydalis free seeds fairly easily, but growing from seeds is not easy.

"Propagation: Since it is difficult to transplant, it is best to propagate Corydalis by seed. Unfortunately, as easy as it seems to seed itself in nature, it is difficult to germinate under controlled conditions because of complex dormancy requirements. It must undergo both warm and cold stratifications."

I guess the best thing to do is let it seed itself, then when any babies emerge, transplant them into pots.

Here is some information that makes it sound pretty difficult to grow:

"Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe, the seed rapidly loses viability if it is allowed to become dry[129]. Surface sow and keep moist, it usually germinates in 1 - 3 months at 15°c[164]. Germinates in spring according to another report[129]. Two months warm, then a cold stratification improves the germination of stored seed[134, 164]. Sow the seed thinly so that the seedlings can be allowed to grow undisturbed in the pot for their first year. Apply liquid feed at intervals during their growing season to ensure they are well fed. The seedlings only produce one leaf in their first year of growth[175] and are very prone to damping off[129]. Divide the seedlings into individual pots once they have become dormant and grow them on in a partially shaded area of a greenhouse for at least another year. Plant them out into their permanent positions when they are dormant."

Probably worth the money to just buy one! ;)

Neofarmer, every time a I see a post from you I get an overwhelming desire for a bear claw! Usually went thru Paulsbo on the way to my in-laws cabin on Dabob Bay.

This message was edited May 2, 2009 3:41 PM

neofarmer.. does sound like too much work for me and I am not patient when it comes to waiting around for years for something to bloom. If I see and seedlings..will let you know.

My daughters HS is holding a plant sale tomorrow. Should I see a China Blue..I will grab it for you!

Irwells, at first I thought you wrote bear hug! ha. You must have stopped at Sluy's bakery! I love their bear claws, too.

Bea, you don't have to do that! I can just order one. By the time you buy one and pay to ship it, it won't be any cheaper! But I sure appreciate the thought!

Back in the '50s when I was in high school, my best friend's mother worked in Sluy's and when I stayed over we got to stop in and get something on the way home. Ymmm!

Corydalis is quite easy to take divisions from, especially in summer as it goes dormant in hot weather. The yellow one with purple flowers is a cultivar sold by Terra Nova nurseries called 'Berry Exciting'. (Who gets paid to think up these names? Cool job.!) When grown in a situation it likes, it will seed itself a bit and it spreads slowly. I think you will like the Blue Heron variety. China blue is beautiful too. Corydalis lutea is a nice yellow flowered variety that does very well in the PNW. I remember seeing it naturalized a bit around an old house that my sister used to live in years ago.

Hey, Pix, do you know off the top of your head where is a good place to order Corydalis lutea from?

No, but it's supposed to be easy from seed, which I think would be true since it was naturalized nicely. JL Hudson used to carry them, but apparently they are out of stock. He's good about answering stocking questions, though, if you were interested in emailing him. I'll keep my eyes open for it. I like it, too.

Hmm. Good to know. I'll check him out. Molbak's has them in gallon pots, but they're so expensive, I can't remember how much (maybe $25?). Thanks.

That's seems ridiculously high for this plant, if you ask me. But then, I've never been impressed with Molbak's prices.

No, Molbaks' prices are almost always pretty high. I did find it at Forest Farm . . .

Yes, I figured they would carry it. Have you ever ordered from them? I know their reputation is excellent, but the shipping is prohibitive. That's getting to be the case most places now.

Oh yum - looks what's going to pop blue!
Meconopsis sheldonii

You lucky girl! I only have one left and it hasn't sent up a shoot this year. waa.
You have it planted in front of my OTHER favorite plant. If I could have a dream, it would be an entire woodland setting of Jmaples with Meconopsis planted by the thousands.

My life would be complete! :)

That would be very lovely!

Katie I have yellow corydalis. By the bucketful. I leave what I want and pull the rest. I can send it with the other stuff. I think if I send it as fast as possible it will make it.

Oh, I went out and check on the Meconopsis sheldonii and it does have a bud starting to grow up! Yea! Somewhere I have a bag of seeds that I saved from last year. Something to start in the greenhouse I guess.

I've had Georgia Blue Speedwell for about 4 years, it is a very easy to grow perennial. It spreads a little more each year, and a few seedlings pop on now and then. It blooms early and repeats later. It looks like a true blue to me. Mine gets sun from noon-ish to early evening (faces west).

I don't see an exact match in the DG Plant Files. I'll look up the info I have and maybe post it.

Viv

Is it this Veronica?
http://www.bluestoneperennials.com/b/bp/VEGBS.html

Kayte, here's a question for you. Are you willing to pinch the bud off your Meconopsis to get a bigger plant and more blooms next year?

I had several plants last year and let all but one bloom. I just couldn't wait! But I did pinch the bud off last year, of the one that is trying to bloom this year. But it does not seem to be any bigger or heartier than it was before.

Neofarmer, I have always though of veronica as tall and spiky, but I do grow the plant that you are looking at. I got it from my mom, and she had lost the tag, so maybe, maybe not. I absolutely love it, but honestly I have it more as a purple blue in my mind than a blue. Are you coming to the roundup? I don't have a lot to share as the dogs have carved a path through my main section of it, but I can definitely come up with patch for an avid blue collector. Let me know!

I am certainly hoping to be there! Is there a set date? Place? I would like to mark it on my calendar.

Neo,

This is the link for the official details:

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/962968/


Make a day trip of it or better yet, stay with everyone for the weekend! It should be a really good time! Hope to see you there!

No pinching here. I waited too long already!
My other Mecs are going to bloom too, but there are different kinds & who knows? The slugs decimated two plants to the nibs, so i am being vigilant. The nepaulensis should go any day. One looks quite sad, but has a nice fat bud.
Yes - that's a prostrate Veronica. A very pretty blue - they do well if they like the drainage. One of mine lags - I just can't seem to get the drainage right. Need more grit I think.

I didn't realize there were so many kinds. I picked up several last year from Heidi, but I don't even remember what they were, so the colors will be a surprise.

I let the blue one bloom last year so I could collect the seeds. Now I can't find them!

Can you kill slugs with a shotgun?! That is how I would have felt. ;) I caught the chickens digging around mine early this year, so put a wire sleeve around it. I kept putting wire sleeves around plants until I realized that it was the chickens that I needed to put the wire around. They whine about it, but once everything started coming up, they were starting to do some serious damage. They ate the tops off of several of my oriental lilies before I realized what they had done. Also ate the alliums. Guess they are all part of the onion family and taste yummy.

no shotgun, so I chop them in half: so glad it doesn't make 2 of them.
When something is injuring my plants, I like to resolve the situation on the spot. Those tiny ones hiding under rocks & leaves are the worst.

Funny, I do the same. Walk around with sharp scissors and snip them into thirds. I figure they die faster that way, wouldn't want them to suffer. It may seem harsh but its fast. The idea of salting slugs seems soooo mean. Or I could starve them to death slowly with the chelated iron. Which I do when there is a renegade that I can't catch. I don't have many slugs now because I went on slug patrol everynight with a flash light!

Neo, I am laughing to myself with images of chickens rolling around in little wire balls like the hamster balls! I had meant to post the pic of my prostrate veronica (you DO learn something new every day) with my last post, but somehow didn't quite get it there. This pic is it.

My dad passed away unexpectedly last year, but he had invented something for organic slug control that I have vowed to move forward in in his name. Nothing hugely out of the ordinary, but a lifesaver in my eyes...will have it's official introduction at the roundup. It makes me cringe as I hate to hurt any living thing, but the teeny ones I do use my version of "sluggo" (ammonia and water) in a squirt bottle as they are way too small to try to cut. Has made a dent, but still way too far to go!

Anyone ever try the beer in the pie tin method? They get so drunk they can't make it out of the tin?

i would need a Beer-moat around my property...

Patricia - thank you. I'd love to have some of the corydalis lutea if you have some to spare. I love the idea that it reseeds.

I found a little tiny pulmonaria seedling in my new beds this year. I have no idea how it got there - my pulmonaria is many feet away and I've just taken this bed back from Mother Nature. But I'm not complaining!!

Slugs aren't so bad for me yet this year. But there is still time . . .

Gardennut, welcome!!

I hope you can make it to the roundup, and you as well, Neo.

Kathy

Rarejem, I'm looking forward to any new kind of organic slug control. I use whatever search and destroy method is at my disposal at the time. Ammonia and water, scissors, throwing them in the road, you name it. This year I started baiting for them really early (not that they ever sleep or hibernate) and I've been religious about it every week. So far, I think it's working as I have not run into much damage. I'm going to have pretty hostas this year.
I used to use the beer trick, but it was too gross. Plus I have too many gardens for that.

I was looking forward to hostas with no holes in the leaves this year, too. But the chickens bit the tips off before they were even up! So a lot of the leaves are missing their tips this year. boo hoo.