Dranunculus vulgaris Source & Related Question(s)

From: Doug Burdic <dburdic at presys.com> on 1997.09.11 at 01:43:42(1216) Hello All, Last year I was fortunate enough to obtain some small Dranunculus vulgaris from Rob in Australia and since my first unsucessful season of growing them, I have searched the internet looking for answers as well as any source for more plants without any luck.(Rainforest Gardens in Canada sells them, but not to Oregon) Either I am not looking in the right place, or else there just isn't anything written about this plant on the net!? I did manage to find two beautiful pictures of Dranunculus vulgaris along with a few words about the plant, but that is the extent of what I came up with while trying to answer my own questions. You can view these at the following URLs: http://www.dsoe.com/explore/gardens/dranc1.html http://www.palomar.edu/Wayne/ww0602.htm#arums My plants were potted in a sandy loam w/good drainage and lightly fertilized. Same basic treatment I gave all my Aroids which are doing great with this one problematic exception. The new leaves would elongate and then dry up before they opened. The roots were checked and looked fine, with no insect or fungus problems on the rhizome(tuber,corm,?). Out of 9 shoots, only one actually formed a true 6" leaf(height not width). This week I excavated and removed the rhizome, fully expecting to find mush, but all appears healthy? In fact, there are several new, white lateral shoots that give all indication of beginning their spring growth!(?) I had been prepared to put this plant through the dry dormancy in my shop with the others, but am now having second thoughts since I would imagine this succulent new growth wouldn't survive.Should this be stored in sightly damp peat instead? Any ideas, prayers or suggestions of what I did wrong & what should be done with these plants given the above information would be greatly appreciated, as well as any much needed cultural information you might have on this species. Finally, does anybody know of a commercial source for Dranunculus vulgaris or happen to have any larger ones that they would want to sell? I'm not obsessed with this plant...but close. Apologize for the length of this post and thanks in advance for any information you can give me. Best Wishes, Doug +More Doug Burdic dburdic@presys.com

From: jbauer <"jbauer at concordnc.com" at concordnc.com> on 1997.09.11 at 13:40:23(1218) Hi Doug, I bought my Dranunculus vulgaris from Breck's garden catalogue and planted it December 1, 1990. I live in North Carolina, plant zone 7. I consider it a strange growing plant. It will bloom, then the bulbs appears to rot, then it reblooms the following year. This past Spring 1997 I moved the bulbs before they bloomed. As a result of moving the bulbs, it did not bloom this year. It will be interesting to observe this plant's behavior next spring. I enjoyed the web site that you sent : http://www.palomar.edu/Wayne/ww0602.htm#arums +More Your first year experience with Dranunculus vulgaris sounds about like my first year experience, no bloom. What plant zone are you located in? Have you tried growing Cally lilies? These are hardy here in zone 7. I will have some seed shortly. You will need to store these seed inside over winter, then plant them out doors next spring,(that is if you have the same growing conditions as I have). Have you had any experience growing Arum italicum. They bloom then the bloom rots. Therefore I don't have any of the beautiful red berries that should develop around mid August. Maybe my Arums have some sort of fungus that could be treated? Any suggestions"? I'm very tired. Past my bedtime. Hope to hear from you. Judy Doug Burdic wrote: > > Hello All, > > Last year I was fortunate enough to obtain some small Dranunculus > vulgaris from Rob in Australia and since my first unsucessful season of > growing them, I have searched the internet looking for answers as well > as any source for more plants without any luck.(Rainforest Gardens in > Canada sells them, but not to Oregon) Either I am not looking in the > right place, or else there just isn't anything written about this plant > on the net!? I did manage to find two beautiful pictures of Dranunculus > vulgaris along with a few words about the plant, but that is the extent > of what I came up with while trying to answer my own questions. You can > view these at the following URLs: > > http://www.dsoe.com/explore/gardens/dranc1.html > > http://www.palomar.edu/Wayne/ww0602.htm#arums > > My plants were potted in a sandy loam w/good drainage and lightly > fertilized. Same basic treatment I gave all my Aroids which are doing > great with this one problematic exception. The new leaves would elongate > and then dry up before they opened. The roots were checked and looked > fine, with no insect or fungus problems on the rhizome(tuber,corm,?). > Out of 9 shoots, only one actually formed a true 6" leaf(height not > width). This week I excavated and removed the rhizome, fully expecting > to find mush, but all appears healthy? In fact, there are several new, > white lateral shoots that give all indication of beginning their spring > growth!(?) I had been prepared to put this plant through the dry > dormancy in my shop with the others, but am now having second thoughts > since I would imagine this succulent new growth wouldn't survive.Should > this be stored in sightly damp peat instead? Any ideas, prayers or > suggestions of what I did wrong & what should be done with these plants > given the above information would be greatly appreciated, as well as any > much needed cultural information you might have on this species. > > Finally, does anybody know of a commercial source for Dranunculus > vulgaris or happen to have any larger ones that they would want to sell? > I'm not obsessed with this plant...but close. > > Apologize for the length of this post and thanks in advance for any > information you can give me. > > Best Wishes, > > Doug > > Doug Burdic > dburdic@presys.com

From: Al Wootten <awootten at NRAO.EDU> on 1997.09.11 at 13:46:08(1219) Doug Burdic writes: > Finally, does anybody know of a commercial source for Dranunculus > vulgaris or happen to have any larger ones that they would want to sell? > I'm not obsessed with this plant...but close. > I may recall incorrectly, but I think that the Daffodil Mart in Gloucester Virginia was selling them last spring. I live very near there and had meant to get some but somehow never quite got there. Clear skies, Al +More +---------------------------------------------------------+ |Al Wootten, Slacktide, Sturgeon Creek at the Rappahannock| |Astronomer (http://www.cv.nrao.edu/~awootten/) | |genealogy homepage http://members.tripod.com/~astral | |Deltaville, Virginia (804)776-6369 | +---------------------------------------------------------+

From: Rand Nicholson <writserv at nbnet.nb.ca> on 1997.09.11 at 13:59:12(1221) Doug Burdic wrote: >Hello All, > >Last year I was fortunate enough to obtain some small Dranunculus >vulgaris from Rob in Australia and since my first unsucessful season of >growing them, I have searched the internet looking for answers as well >as any source for more plants without any luck. (snip) >The new leaves would elongate >and then dry up before they opened. The roots were checked and looked >fine, with no insect or fungus problems on the rhizome(tuber,corm,?). >Out of 9 shoots, only one actually formed a true 6" leaf(height not >width). Same here, except the leaves on my plants did open, however, many died back after only a month or so. My plants are still growing and still (slooowly) sending up few more leaves, but they never became robust as did my other Aroid tubers. I only achieved a leaf height of about 10 cm. >My plants were potted in a sandy loam w/good drainage and lightly >fertilized. (Snip) My plants were container planted in a soiless mix with added organic compost and extra perlite for excellent drainage, but were not fertilized at all. >Any ideas, prayers or >suggestions of what I did wrong & what should be done with these plants >given the above information would be greatly appreciated, as well as any >much needed cultural information you might have on this species. (snip) >Doug Burdic >dburdic@presys.com I ditto and double this plea for help. Kind Regards, Rand +More Rand Nicholson New Brunswick Maritime Canada, Z 5b

From: Zzzadig at aol.com on 1997.09.11 at 14:50:09(1223) I bought mine from Plants Delights. It is a FABULOUS plant. Hope mine keeps spreading. Julie +More

From: eduardo gomes goncalves <eggon at guarany.cpd.unb.br> on 1997.09.12 at 01:59:53(1236) Hey, I had the same problem with Rob's Dracunculus... Should it be some kind of botanical Jet-lag? Or maybe the Australian blues? Eduardo. +More On Wed, 10 Sep 1997, Doug Burdic wrote: > Hello All, > > Last year I was fortunate enough to obtain some small Dranunculus > vulgaris from Rob in Australia and since my first unsucessful season of > growing them, I have searched the internet looking for answers as well > as any source for more plants without any luck.(Rainforest Gardens in > Canada sells them, but not to Oregon) Either I am not looking in the > right place, or else there just isn't anything written about this plant > on the net!? I did manage to find two beautiful pictures of Dranunculus > vulgaris along with a few words about the plant, but that is the extent > of what I came up with while trying to answer my own questions. You can > view these at the following URLs: > > http://www.dsoe.com/explore/gardens/dranc1.html > > http://www.palomar.edu/Wayne/ww0602.htm#arums > > My plants were potted in a sandy loam w/good drainage and lightly > fertilized. Same basic treatment I gave all my Aroids which are doing > great with this one problematic exception. The new leaves would elongate > and then dry up before they opened. The roots were checked and looked > fine, with no insect or fungus problems on the rhizome(tuber,corm,?). > Out of 9 shoots, only one actually formed a true 6" leaf(height not > width). This week I excavated and removed the rhizome, fully expecting > to find mush, but all appears healthy? In fact, there are several new, > white lateral shoots that give all indication of beginning their spring > growth!(?) I had been prepared to put this plant through the dry > dormancy in my shop with the others, but am now having second thoughts > since I would imagine this succulent new growth wouldn't survive.Should > this be stored in sightly damp peat instead? Any ideas, prayers or > suggestions of what I did wrong & what should be done with these plants > given the above information would be greatly appreciated, as well as any > much needed cultural information you might have on this species. > > Finally, does anybody know of a commercial source for Dranunculus > vulgaris or happen to have any larger ones that they would want to sell? > I'm not obsessed with this plant...but close. > > Apologize for the length of this post and thanks in advance for any > information you can give me. > > Best Wishes, > > Doug > > > Doug Burdic > dburdic@presys.com > >

From: plantnut at shadow.net (Dewey Fisk) on 1997.09.15 at 16:01:43(1250) >Don't you just love Spring ! > >Cheers, > Rob. Rob, After the heat we have had here in South Florida all summer ((supposed to have been the hottest summer on record)).... I, for one, am very glad Fall is just around the corner.... Dewey +More Dewey E. Fisk, Plant Nut THE PHILODENDRON PHREAQUE

From: Rand Nicholson <writserv at nbnet.nb.ca> on 1997.09.15 at 18:18:57(1251) >>Don't you just love Spring ! >> >>Cheers, +More >> Rob. > > >Rob, >After the heat we have had here in South Florida all summer ((supposed to >have been the hottest summer on record)).... I, for one, am very glad Fall >is just around the corner.... >Dewey > >Dewey E. Fisk, Plant Nut >THE PHILODENDRON PHREAQUE . said Dewey to Rob, both who do _not_ have to shovel moraines of snow. :( Rand Rand Nicholson New Brunswick Maritime Canada, Z 5b

From: eduardo gomes goncalves <eggon at guarany.cpd.unb.br> on 1997.09.16 at 03:33:03(1252) Rob said: > Sounds like your Dracuncs. are pining for the great southern land > from whence they came. > I find it takes about 18 months for Nth. hemisphere bulbs to change > their rythmn to our seasons. Well, mine are growing in the same Southern hemisphere than was in your land and they are still feeling the blues. I think they didn't enjoy the Ocident... +More > Give them plenty of light, don't overwater and show them lots of > Kylie Minogue and Nicole Kidman videos. You could also sing 'Waltzing > Matilda' or say 'Gidday Mate' whenever you pass.....that might fool > them. I think my tubers are still teenagers... Should I put a headphone around each pot and play Midnight Oil and INXS all over the time? Would it work? :-) Now I'm serious. I have seen something about this species (Dracunculus vulgaris) but I couldn't find any good data about its ecology. Next growing season I'll try my favourite mix (limestone grit/Dicksonia fiber/grinded bark, 1:1:1) and will also put it in a sunny spot, instead of the previously failed half shade. When I asked Rob a few tubers of it, my main purpose was to get some leaves to use in an anatomical survey. I already did it, but now I would love to cultivate this amazing plant. Is there any out there that knows something about the ecology of such species? Just like me, there are lots of desperate Dracunculus lovers crying all over the word... and waiting for your help!! Best wishes, Eduardo.

From: Rand Nicholson <writserv at nbnet.nb.ca> on 1997.09.16 at 12:40:57(1253) >Rob said: > >> Sounds like your Dracuncs. are pining for the great southern land +More >> from whence they came. >> I find it takes about 18 months for Nth. hemisphere bulbs to change >> their rythmn to our seasons. >> Give them plenty of light, don't overwater and show them lots of >> Kylie Minogue and Nicole Kidman videos. You could also sing 'Waltzing >> Matilda' or say 'Gidday Mate' whenever you pass.....that might fool >> them. I have just transferred one of my Dracunculus (from Rob's stock) from a large container to a housepot. It had just started growing about two weeks ago and it now looks as though it is serious about it. When the nights start to get chilly, I will bring it indoors and let it do what it wants to do until it goes down. Then I will give it a cold treatment and try it again in the spring. The other tubers I will let go dormant again and store normally (Unless anyone thinks that they need special storage. I kept these things dry in a paper bag at room temperature for months without any apparent harm; they all developed growing points in summer). We'll see what happens next year. The Heliocodicerous from the same shipment came right up in one of the worst cold and wet springs we have had for years and they are still going strong, all having developed mature leaves. No blooms on either the Dracuncs. or Helis. If _I_ sang "Waltzing Matilda," or anything else for that matter, to any plant; that plant would die a horrible death. Kind Regards, Rand Rand Nicholson New Brunswick Maritime Canada, Z 5b

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