Tuesday, April 03, 2007

Hepatica Acutiloba... Tough Plant For A tough Climate

This is becoming the winter that would not die; this morning it was warm, almost balmy, and still. Then out of nowhere the north wind began to huff and puff, dropping the temperature 30 degrees in a couple of hours, to drop into the twenties by tonight. As always happens when these late blasts of polar air arrive on our doorstep, I wandered about the garden, wondering what, if anything, to cover. In the end, I only covered a couple of rare fritillaries just getting ready to bloom.
One plant, at least, that I don't have to worry about is Hepatica acutiloba, the sharp-lobed hepatica (which has actually now been demoted to Hepatica nobilis var. acuta). Interestingly, we here in eastern Iowa are right on the dividing line, where you can still commonly find both the common round-lobed hepatica (Hepatica nobilis var. obtusa), and the sharp-lobed hepatica; just west and south of here, it's pretty much sharp-lobed country.
Overall, I think acutiloba (or var. acuta), is the single most satisfactory hepatica for harsh climates like ours; it is the single most vigorous, toughest, fastest-growing hepatica here... absolutely rock-hardy and always attractive. Perhaps its biggest plus is that it is the most upright hepatica; the flowers of other hepatica species get the flopsies when inclement weather returns... the sharp-lobed hepatica carries on, unbowed.
Posted by Picasa

// posted by IBOY @ 4:47 PM
Comments:
I live in Iowa City so we have the same wind and forecast. Do you plan to cover more things when and if the temperature goes to the upeer teens as they are predicting.
What is your experience with the hardiness of epimedium? I have some that are up 3-4 inches.
Philip
# posted by Blogger philip Mears : April 03, 2007
 
Philip... I never cover any of the epimediums; they are tough! I dunno about anything else... where would I start, with an acre of stuff? This early, if anything is damaged, it should come back ok.
Don
# posted by Blogger IBOY : April 03, 2007
 
We are supposed to be getting your 20 temps tonight. I'm worried about the magnolia blossoms just coming into full bloom. I think we'll lose a lot of them unfortunately. I planted several H. acutilobas last year but haven't seen hide nor hair of them yet. I hope they didn't die. We in the NE are about the slowest in flowering and leaf break this year.
# posted by Blogger Ki : April 04, 2007
 
You take the most gorgeous photographs Don.
# posted by Blogger Sally : April 04, 2007
 
Ki... the magnolia blossoms here are toast.
sally... thanks; I really don't send a lot of time with them... they are just snapshots. I really need a macro lens. My situation now is that I've got a great camera with a cheap lens (the opposite of what you should have).
Don
# posted by Blogger IBOY : April 05, 2007
 
Post a Comment



<< Home

This page is powered by Blogger. Isn't yours?