That's a good one Root. I might just have to mention that cultivar to John tomorrow. Thalictrums are particularly hard to keep in our greenhouses so any one of them that likes warm and humid would be worth a try. I've always wanted to grow them, just never had the right conditions. Adele

Let me know if you all get it?

Root, Do you know if this is an Asian or native one? I have both types, but I would prefer more of the native ones. All of mine came back this year with NO watering whatsoever. I do have them in partial shade.

No, the 'delavayi' type is from eastern Tibet and western China. PDN list several but aside from one hybrid (?) they're all from elsewhere too. Easywildflowers.com list Thalictrum dasycarpum as a native. This site list some others..... http://www.henriettesherbal.com/eclectic/dmna/thalictrum-dioi.html and digging dog list mostly non natives I believe... http://www.diggingdog.com/pages2/thalictrum.php

I asked John about the thalictrum today. He said he has actually carried the 'Hewitt's Double' in the past. He was getting ready to place the last couple of orders of the spring and told me he would look for it. He's pretty good at bringing things in that people suggest if he can find it at a good enough price. Adele

Hewitt's Double has done pretty well for me and came through last summer without any particular attention. I've also got T. rochebrunianum, which seems to want more moisture; 'Black Stockings' (although the stems on mine weren't all that black last year); T. kusianum; T. ichangense (which I'm happy to say came back this spring); and for natives T. flavum and something I dug up at a rescue site that looks like it might be T. revolutum. I didn't realize I had so many until I started listing them. I guess this qualifies as one of those plants I can't pass in a nursery.

Trying to post a pic of my Thalictrum 'Black Stockings'.

Here is a link that might be useful:

Nikki, I really like that!

I don't think I've ever heard of Thalictrum before now, but I really like it and can see a lot of possibilities for it in my garden beds!

Adele, Let us know for sure! I'll have to come find you so you can point it out to me... That place is so big I always miss some of the best goodies.

Karen, How difficult is it to find the native Thalictrums in the wild?

I've seen our native thalictrums a few times, mainly in low areas along rivers, which is where the rescue site was. I haven't seen them often, but maybe I haven't looked carefully enough. Alicia might have a better idea. Her property seems like it might be a place they'd like to grow. Mine is too high and dry, although the one I brought home from the rescue settled in nicely despite how dry it was last year.

Root, I've seen them at 2 of the saves i've been on, and gotten some. Both were fairly moist sites- close to streams- areas that would flood occasionally. I also gathered some seed from some i saw growing in a wild place in PA last summer and most of it has germinated (winter sown). Not sure what color it'll bloom- the save stuff from NC pretty much has all bloomed white. I don't know what species i have- they are hard for me to tell apart. My mentor has a pale purple kind that seeds around her garden and i have some of that, too. I can gather seed for you this fall if you want- mine hasn't seeded around yet, and i'm reluctant to dig any of the parents out. None of the wild ones or even Betty's is anywhere close to as dense or floriforous as that pic, but i grow mine in dappled shade, where they seem to do well for me (and where they were in the wild). I like the foliage, which looks so much like columbines. It's a great mingler- though it's tall when it blooms it's so airy, you can place it about anywhere.

Thanks Tammy I'd still love to purchase the Hewitt's. Need some of that instant gratification, and that is a gorgeous plant! ... but I'd like to try either or both of your seed varieties! Once I see it in person it'll help me to identify it in the wild. Don and I are having so much fun with this.

You need to try to go on a save when there are other experienced diggers there. They'll help by ID ing things for you, and pointing out what's great, stuff you'd never see, and stuff you might like but could be a weed. Tom Harville is probably the best, but i don't know how often he gets out your way. He's the state club president right now. Very funny & always wears yellow. I learned so much just by tagging along near him the first few saves i went on. It's so much easier to have someone point something out than to try to match up book knowledge and a real plant.