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A white flowered species with as pale blue reverse. From Bhutan, Tibet and China. A temperamental mountain plant that is unlikely to enjoy conditions
in Cornwall, even in the Alpine house, but I am determined to have a try anyway. Comes into flower almost as soon as the winter ends, completing its life cycle
with the benefit of melt water and dying back in early summer as the ground dries. My constant moisture and poorly defined seasons are not likely to suit it very well. I bought it from Edrom Nursery and their label says: "A choice rare woodlander with filamentous foliage which emerges in spring before the bowl shaped white, blue backed flowers. 30cm high, woodland conditions." In 1942 John Wall wrote in the JRHS: "Adonis brevistyla commences to produce blue-backed white flowers and ferny foliage when only 2 or 3 inches high, and continues to do so throughut the summer, gradually attaining to some 15 inches. At Wisley it thrives and decorates a small pocket on path level facing north." In 2000, Chris Grey-Wilson, writing in the JRHS said: "Adonis brevistya is one of the loveliest species in its finest forms with glistening white flowers in summer heavily suffused with blue-purple on the petal reverses. Established plants form substantial, multi-flowered clumps up to 30cm (12in) tall and twice as wide. It is a plant of semi-shaded banks and open woodland in the wild (from central Himalaya to western China), growing in deep humus-rich soils, which is exactly what it requires in the garden." Writing in 'The Plantsman'in 2016, Wim Boens says: "Native to Bhutan and western China, this species grows in humid places in full sun between 1,900 and 3,500m altitude. It has fine feathery foliage and reaches 30-40cm in height. The flowers, which are borne relatively late for the genus, appear in May or June and are clear white, but they emerge from vivid blue buds. In gardens with strong sun it grows best when lightly shaded at mid day, but at more northerly latitudes it will enjoy full sun as long as it has sufficient water. In contrast to other species, plants raised from garden-collected seed generally comes true, since most other Adonis have stopped flowering long before this species starts. It is occasionally offered under its synonyms of A. davidii or A. delavayi." |
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| 8th March 2018 | ||
