Lewisia

Garden_of_Mu · Post by **Garden_of_Mu** » May 07, 2006 11:34 am

Third time is the charm (don't ask). Wasn't sure where to post these, but decided that since I treat them like a semp they'd be okay in here. Lost many until I found the key to what they like - well drained soil and lots of rock under their crown. Great blooms this year and I'm looking foward to collecting more.

KellieD · Post by **KellieD** » May 07, 2006 3:19 pm

Very good, Mike! I just love them against that new seating area you built!

Garden_of_Mu · Post by **Garden_of_Mu** » May 07, 2006 9:36 pm

Isn't that a good spot? I just love them with the brick and terra cotta. Can't wait until those chimney flues fill in and overflow. I gotta find more of those... they are great for the semps and small clumping sedums.

Post by **Chris_W** » May 07, 2006 10:39 pm

Thanks for the tips Mike. We just started some Lewisia and have been reading up on them. I read that they like moisture early up until they bloom and then like it almost perfectly dry. I'll have to find a little raised spot like yours to help it drain in the winter, or possibly put a clump at the edge of a raised bed.

Looks great

kHT · Post by **kHT** » May 08, 2006 12:24 am

Mike My girlfriend just picked up two of these due to my recommendation to treat them like a cactus. You will love them!

LucyGoose · Post by **LucyGoose** » May 08, 2006 3:59 am

Mike, I have never seen these or heard of them.,.....It sure is different and very pretty!!

LucyGoose · Post by **LucyGoose** » May 24, 2006 9:06 pm

I had a dentist appointment today, and yep i stopped at one of my favorite family nurserys.....Guess what they had?? Lewisia "Little Plum" Looks nothing like yours Mike that I could tell....Do you know the names of yours? They seem to be different. Of course I bought one though! I will un-pot it tomorrow as the pot was really wet from rain.

LucyGoose · Post by **LucyGoose** » Jun 06, 2006 9:10 pm

Here is a picture of what mine looks like......I really love it!! I haven't taken it out of what potting soil it came in yet.......

caliloo · Post by **caliloo** » Jun 08, 2006 8:10 am

Those are awesome!

And to think I passed on two yesteday (on the clearance rack!

) because I didn;t know anything about them!

I am just kicking myself now

I also love the way you have them in the terra cotta cimney liners... they look awesome!

Alexa

hostaguy · Post by **hostaguy** » Aug 07, 2006 10:42 am

Beautiful Mike!

I have quite a few this year, never had them before. I hope I don't kill em. I know one will live for sure, it's dry as a bone.

doublemom2 · Post by **doublemom2** » Aug 07, 2006 1:17 pm

I have a bunch of lewisias, and love them all. The trick is very very sharp drainage. Mike - I have most of mine in the little rock garden by my front door, if you remember that area.

The most common ones found at nurseries are Lewisia cotyledon Sunset Strain, which has a large color range. Little Plum did well for me for two years, and then died out. The one that I will buy the instant I find it is Lewisia tweedyi, it has huge flowers compared to the other. Another fun one is L. columbiana var. rupicola, a smaller plant with smaller pink flowers, but on very long flower stems, native to the northwest.

All are wonderful, just use lots of sand and crushed gravel to give them great drainage. Mine get water along with my other perennials all summer long, as well as our normal NW winter rains, and as long as they can drain really well they do great. They send out little offsets that you can break off and plant, just like a hen&chick.

Andi

hostaguy · Post by **hostaguy** » Aug 08, 2006 10:31 am

Stunning, Andi!

I'm going to replant the ones I'm worried about as you folks advised, before the rainy season starts.

Just for you Andi, Tweedyi (not mine, just pretty picture I found with Wenatchee in the background, I believe this is OHME GARDENs) If you've not been to Ohme gardens in Wenatchee, you must go sometime, it's a beautiful Alpine Garden.

Garden_of_Mu · Post by **Garden_of_Mu** » Aug 13, 2006 6:16 pm

Stunning photos everyone. Thanks for all the tips too. I'll be watching for offsets on these and for new ones at nurseries too.

doublemom2 · Post by **doublemom2** » Aug 13, 2006 6:42 pm

Hey Mike and Justin - if you ever see Lewisia tweedyi for sale at a nursery, you have my permission to grab one (or two) for me and I'll pay ya back

Pretty please?

Andi

hostaguy · Post by **hostaguy** » Aug 14, 2006 12:33 pm

Keeping my eye out for you Andi! Nothing like being a personal shopper.

Looks like I'll have to buy more than just 2, I'll need one too!

Gruntfuttock · Post by **Gruntfuttock** » Aug 17, 2006 6:57 pm

This is one I've had for about 3 or 4 years.

This year I bought 6 more to fill a narrow bed by the patio. This was taken just after I planted them in June.

Offshoots seem to grow against the parent tipping each other up at an angle, presumably their way to ensure they don't gather a pool of water in the middle causing rot.

Plant them at an angle if possible.

hostaguy · Post by **hostaguy** » Aug 17, 2006 7:24 pm

Gorgeous shots!

Andi, I'm going to Wells Medina Nursery after work, I'll look for tweedyi

I love living close to WELLS, dangerous, it would be fun to run into Bill or Melinda Gates there sometime.

hostaguy · Post by **hostaguy** » Aug 23, 2006 6:20 pm

Sorry Andi, no luck finding Tweedyi

I'm still on the look out

doublemom2 · Post by **doublemom2** » Aug 23, 2006 7:23 pm

Hi Justin - Thanks for looking at Wells for me... The last time I was there a month or two ago, I didn't see much that interested me, though I usually get into a lot of trouble there LOL!

How about when my girillas start school in September I come up for a visit and we can go nursery hopping for a day?

Andi

hostaguy · Post by **hostaguy** » Aug 28, 2006 5:11 pm

Cool Andi, I get into trouble too!

Yes, let's go Nursery Hopping on a Friday in Late Sept, early October. That way we can find some clearance deals