vetch, not veatch

lathyrus vernus

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Would that be perennial sweet pea, which I turned down when my sister offered me seedlings last year? Bummer! It looks great.

Meanwhile, I was looking all over for a plant I got at one of last year's swaps, Cryptotaenia japonica f. atropurpurea. The label was kind of hard to decipher, but the little plants are up and, man, are they cute, so I googled the part of the name I could read and... voila!

Dusky reddish foliage - with a silvery cast, my favorite leaf color. I have it in a shady woodland garden, probably a little drier than what it likes.

On the website Perry's Plant Picks (at UVM) it says that it will get to be 24" tall. Can anyone tell me if that's accurate? It's about 1" at this point, having just resprouted. This photo is from PPP:

It's apparently edible, so I'll plan to try a few leaves in a salad as soon as I think the plants have any to spare.

Whoever gave me this plant, thank you again. I think I may be in love (admittedly, not for the first time!).

Here is a link that might be useful: PPP: Mitsuba

diggingthedirt,

If you received your Cryptotaenia japonica purpurea at one of Annie's swaps (NH) than it was I who brought it. Just love 'Purple Japanese Parsley'... great in stir fry!

Actually, I have potted up a number of them to offer for sale at one of our local 'Farmer's Market' type sales/swaps at Tractor Supply in Merrimack, NH (this Saturday May 2nd). I also have Lathyrus vernus potted up... along with a number of the more rare or hard to find perennials including Glaucidium palmatum, Paeonia veitchii, Paeonia tenuifolia (pink form), Scapolia carniolica, Arisaema sikokianum, Arisaema sessile... etc. etc.

Not sure what I will be bringing to Annie's this year... I always try to bring something a little different.

lilysgarden

diggingthedirt

I forgot to answer your other question... 'No'... Lathyrus vernus is not the same as Perennial Sweet Pea. Perennial Sweet Pea can be very invasive.. that is Lathyrus latifolius. Lathyrus vernus is otherwise referred to as 'Spring Vetchling' and, although it will seed near itself if it likes its location, it is not invasive like its cousin.

lilysgarden

lilysgarden,
Nice rarities you have.
I'm sending you e-mail, maybe we could exchange something.

ego45

I had/have been a plant collector for more than 15 years... getting plants and seeds from here and abroad. A back injury about 5 years ago has made my garden become quite the jungle and I just need to clear out a few extras from my garden and seed beds. I had been an active member of NARGS but let my membership lapse after my injury... I would highly recommend joining to anyone with any type of plant collecting OCD's like myself. LOL

I cannot think of any particular plant that has my heart's desire right now... unless you just happen to have the Double Pink form of Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis 'Peter Harrison')?

Double Pink form of Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis 'Peter Harrison')?

I almost chocked when I saw this :-)
Just a few days ago in another thread on this forum I confessed that for the life of me I can't manage to grow any Sanguinaria :-(

Nan,
This is only my second year with Cryptotaerila japonica which was described by the nursery as follows; A Japanese woodland plant, deep dusky wine colored foliage and stems to about 12-18" shade to partial shade, moist to average soil. The term woodland plant caused me to pause long enough and ask my nurseryman how aggressively this plant was expected to spread, the answer was it should make a good size colony but not take over. In it's first year under the shade of a cherry tree with irrigation mine reached a height of approx. 12". I love, love, love, the coloring of Cryptotaerila japonica although mine does seem to be more iridescent silver than wine colored. I am thinking of pairing it with Caryopteris divaricata ÂSnow FairyÂ. What are you pairing yours with?

Can this be divided?

ego45

Sanguinaria will grow in most any good garden soil... not just woodland shade. Although it does perform best near and around deciduous trees, it grows in full sun here as well... the problem is that those grown in full sun will quickly loose their flower petals and those grown in the woodland will flower longer. You may want to give them a try again.

I grow Sanguinaria canadensis in the regular white and the pink forms, Sanguinaria tennesseensis and Sanguinara canadensis 'Multiplex'... I'm just missing the pink double form 'Peter Harrison'.

Such a beautiful spring species!

lilysgarden

Lathyrus vernus is best grown from seed and/or transplanted when a young plant... it doesn't like root disturbance all that much. I haven't ever tried to divide it... but... if you used Ferti*lome liquid root stimulator than you may just be able to do so. (it contains the rooting hormone Indole-3 butyric acid and 10% phosporus for strong root growth) I have done many test gardens with many different 'root' products and the Ferti*lome has done miracles in transplanting even the most difficult of plants... basically, if you get a nice, strong root base going on your newly planted perennials, trees and shrubs than you will have a much happier and healthier plant. (works on vegetable starts as well)

Just for yucks, I may go divide a clump to see how it does over the summer.

lilysgarden

Here is a link that might be useful: Ferti*lome liquid root stimulator