Pelargonium endlicherianum, more Colorado dreaming!

Pelargonium endlicherianum is one of two oddball outliers in the genus that are found in Turkey or nearby, far from the center of the genus distribution in South Africa.  It is quite cold hardy, as evidenced by these exceptionally splendid specimens which I photographed in August in the display rock garden at LaPorte Avenue Nursery in Ft. Collins, Colorado.  There were many other treasures in that fine nursery too, but this was the grandest display I have ever seen of Pelargonium endlicherianum, though I did see it doing well in a few other gardens in Colorado.
This species is more difficult to grow in the eastern states, not because it can't handle the winter cold, but rather because it rots easily during hot humid weather. Success would be best in a well drained elevated spot, which is how it seems to be planted even in Colorado gardens.  I will try it in the future in the space near the wall at school, parts of that favored area get quite dry during summer, which is more like what happens to it in its native habitat.  Otherwise it can be grown as an alpine house plant, with careful attention to watering during summer.  Its bigger brother, P. quercetorum, from the Iraq/Turkish border (Kurdistan) is even more scarce in cultivation, but I hear it does well in New Mexico, and it does grow in Denver too. 

Candy Lilies 2011

Iris x norissi 2011-a pure yellow one

Iris x norissi 2011



Iris x norissi 2011--I like this pattern

Iris x norissi 2011

Iris x norissi- a late blooming self sown seedling

Iris x norissi-2011 another nice one

Iris x norissi 2011

As time goes on in my school garden, the candy lilies (Iris x norissi, formerly Pardancanda) continue growing and and adding to their numbers by self sown seed.  This year some new color combinations appeared.  Now that I have one of the ancestors of this group reaching flowering size, Iris dichotoma, I am looking forward to even more variation in both color and flower form in the future. I tried crossing I. dichotoma onto a late flowering orange and red candy lily (third pic up from above) and seed set, but it could be selfed.  I actually did not discover the Iris dichotoma flowers until they were nearly over, it blooms very late in the day and fades early the next day.  In 2012 I will be more alert, and also bank some pollen from the candy lilies if I find that they bloom before the Iris dichotoma, as most of them did this year.  The I dichotoma plants were young and flowering for the first time, hence they might not be blooming as early as older plants might.  I like plants that show variety, and endless color combinations are possible with candy lilies, and if backcrossed to I dichotoma I should also be able to get a more iris like flower as well.  These plants are very easy to grow, and set plenty of seed, and have no pests that I have seen thus far.  The biggest issue I have is controlling their numbers, removing less interesting variations, and moving plants that get too robust for more delicate neighbors.  

Diascia rigescens

Diascia rigescens in fall

D. rigescens flowers up close

This species of diascia is the best one I have grown thus far, although there aren't any ugly diascias, to be sure.  I grew it from seed from Silverhill, and it flowered nonstop from July to October.  It did not mind our rainy summer, wild temperature swings, crazy October snowstorm, and the several frosts of recent weeks (though the weather has been oddly mild overall).  While flowers are long gone, the leaves remain green (as do some other diascias), though that will be tested when lows drop one night this comin week into the teens (F) for the first time this winter.  My plants did set some seed, and diligent searching by yours truly recovered enough to assure another generation in case it does not turn out to be winter hardy.  I do think it lacks its natural pollinator here, though, because seed set is rather low in spite of my plants being genetically different (seed grown, not cutting grown) and flowering profusely.  If started early, it can be grown as an annual, though I do hope it proves to be perennial in my garden.  I am also growing D. integerrima, which does very well in Denver, but it bloomed sparsely in my garden this summer, although it did survive the previous winter.  I think it would flower better in a more typical drier and sunnier summer than what we experienced this year. I started seeds of Diascia fetcaniensis "African Queen" from Chilterns as well, these plants make much flatter mats than D. rigescens or integerrima, and flowered later.  They did not set seed and did not make as grand a display as D. rigescens.  Perhaps if they make it through the winter I will get more substantial flowering next year.