|
Post by lloyd on Aug 8, 2011 20:16:31 GMT -5
This thread is the official thread of the OPPF (me).
My Indian Paintbrush plants are growing and flowers are out on both the sulphurea and miniata. These are not supposed to flower till the second year so this is a good sign that they are doing well. Pictures to follow. The host and parasite are both coming back for their second year. A bit of a poor showing this year probably because of the super heat wave.
My West Australian Christmas tree seedlings are growing in a pot of Bermuda grass (really an Australian grass species). Getting bigger.
The Viscum minimum infecting a Euphorbia horrida cutting is flowering. I'm waiting for berries so I can infest my E. polygonum "snowflake." The viscum seems dormant now.
Still waiting for Orobanche hederae in my English Ivy pot. Maybe try a dormancy in the garage this winter. English Ivy is BORING!
Waiting for correct host seeds (Berkheya radula) for Harveya speciosa.
Euphorbia flanagani as host for Hydnora africana seeds.
Chilean hosts seedlings growing for Tristerix verticellatus. The seeds came but damaged with no germination. Better luck next year.
Trichocereus chiloensis waiting forTristerix aphyllus seeds, winter 2012-3 hopefully.
Australian mistletoe seeds here (likely not viable) Host Acacia trees a few inches high.
Looking for more.
Wish me luck!
|
|
|
Post by H2O on Aug 9, 2011 10:27:05 GMT -5
Good luck Lloyd!!! Can't wait to see some flowers!
|
|
|
Post by lloyd on Oct 5, 2011 22:06:09 GMT -5
Viscum minimum growing and flowering on host Euphorbia horrida Castilleja miniata Castilleja sulphurea
|
|
|
Post by 31drew31 on Oct 5, 2011 23:27:15 GMT -5
Very cool Lloyd, the first two shots are my favorites.
|
|
|
Post by lloyd on Apr 26, 2012 23:17:07 GMT -5
I just got a 16" rooted Trichocereus chiloensis. Hopefully it will grow and I will be able to get some viable Tristerix aphyllus seeds this December/January. Now that's a weird plant!
|
|
|
Post by Apoplast on Apr 28, 2012 14:54:31 GMT -5
Hi Lloyd - It looks like you've got a nice collection of plants there. I hope you can get Tristerix aphyllus going, it's like the Loranth version of Viscum minimum. Good luck, and keep us updated.
|
|
|
Post by lloyd on Aug 29, 2012 13:24:06 GMT -5
I couldn't get Harveya speciosa to grow. I suspected the wrong host was the problem. All I could find on the web was a reference to a 1932 South African journal article. Only two places anywhere that sold copies. One was from the publisher for a crazy amount of money for a little pamphlet. Finally found a copy for 9 pounds Sterling from England. Just got my copy. Berkheya radula is the preferred host and both seeds are available at Silverhill Seeds. Might buy some dew seeds too. Per ardua ad astra.
|
|
|
Post by Rick Hillier on Aug 29, 2012 20:23:47 GMT -5
Loyd, you would have to post a pic of a euphorbia... my favourite plant lately... kind of brings tears to my eyes
|
|
|
Post by lloyd on Aug 30, 2012 15:33:09 GMT -5
The Euphorbia picture is above.
|
|
|
Post by dvg on Sept 5, 2012 15:12:37 GMT -5
How are the parasitic plants coming along for you this year Lloyd.
Do you have any of your successes to update for us?
dvg
|
|
|
Post by lloyd on Sept 5, 2012 17:03:57 GMT -5
Indian Paintbrushes came back but not too strong. I think the weather was too hot. WA Christmas tree is growing slowly. Viscum minimum seems dormant although the host is growing. It's really hard to get hosts growing and harder to get parasite seeds. Still plugging along.
Parasitic plants are the new frontier for horticulture as far as I can see. I'm talking about interesting plants not dumb ones like dodder or super invasive weeds like Striga.
|
|
|
Post by dvg on Sept 6, 2012 12:06:45 GMT -5
Parasitic plants are the new frontier for horticulture as far as I can see. I'm talking about interesting plants not dumb ones like dodder or super invasive weeds like Striga. Haha, "dumb ones": is there really such a thing? What the new frontier is viewing on the horticultural horizon is a genetically modified hybrid cross between CPs and PPs, producing a plant that truly wants to rule the world... ...holding dominion over both animal prey and plant host alike! dvg
|
|
|
Post by lloyd on Feb 23, 2013 23:51:02 GMT -5
My Euphorbia horrida got mealy bugs from a Lithops I bought at Sheridan Nurseries (Should have done a better check?). Unfortunately the mealies only attacked the Viscum minimum! I treated it with 99% Isopropranol (even the roots after I cleaned the soil off). I've replanted it. The Viscum is inside so hopefully it should pop out again. Treated the lithops the same way.
|
|
|
Post by dvg on Feb 25, 2013 17:32:43 GMT -5
Mealy bugs can be difficult to uncover, sometimes until they have really established a foothold in a collection.
Always a good idea to quarantine new plants to try and prevent the spread of buggies, but even with that, insects are always present to some degree in our homes.
I try to spray my collection with neem oil a few times a year to keep potential pests at bay.
dvg
|
|
|
Post by lloyd on Jul 4, 2013 21:08:03 GMT -5
After a major set-back (mealy bugs & toxic treatments) my Viscum minimum is coming back! Now that I know which flowers are male and female, I'm hoping to get some berries sometime. My Indian paintbrush came back but is really poky, maybe they'll flower this year. West Australian Christmas trees died and I'm trying to germinate some more. Various hosts growing for South African, Chilean and Australian loranths and Orobanchaceae (or not-Harveya berkheya is impossible to germinate).
"No matter how they try, they'll never make me cry"-Jane Fonda in Cat Ballou.
|
|