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johnw
Joined: Sun Mar 24, 2013 2:37 pm Posts: 240 Location: Halifax, NS
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Megaherbs
Fantastic article by a Russian author on off-limit Campbell Island's megaherbs. The NZ Gov. got rid of the rats which almost wiped out the megaherbs, once gone the megaherbs came down from their last refuges on inaccessible mt. cliffs and started re-populatin their former territory within 3 years. Heartening and mind-boggling.
john
Last edited by johnw on Thu Feb 16, 2017 12:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Wed Feb 15, 2017 3:14 pm |
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Kev Spence
Site Admin
Joined: Mon Oct 29, 2007 3:59 pm Posts: 10902 Location: Loughborough, Leics, central UK
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Re: Megaherbs
Wow nice link John those pictures are superb what fantstic plants and probably growing in the only place that they would thrive in but I would still like to have a stab at replicating that climate.
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Wed Feb 15, 2017 4:52 pm |
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themes
Joined: Tue Aug 05, 2008 12:42 am Posts: 2148 Location: birmingham, UK
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Re: Megaherbs
the first pic reminds me of a certain roof garden
_________________ Regards,
Mo
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Wed Feb 15, 2017 10:07 pm |
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Martinnicklin
Joined: Fri Oct 05, 2012 9:06 pm Posts: 2675 Location: Telford UK
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Re: Megaherbs
Now that's my idea of paradise.
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Wed Feb 15, 2017 10:45 pm |
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Martinnicklin
Joined: Fri Oct 05, 2012 9:06 pm Posts: 2675 Location: Telford UK
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Re: Megaherbs
For some reason my computer will not let me access the article again to read if the names of any of those plants are mentioned. However, if they are not, for those interested and for people like me who have never heard of these megaherbs, wiki names them. I especially like the pleurophyllum. I have never heard of this plant but it is certainly a stunner.
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Thu Feb 16, 2017 9:11 am |
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johnw
Joined: Sun Mar 24, 2013 2:37 pm Posts: 240 Location: Halifax, NS
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Re: Megaherbs
All the plants are impossible to grow elsewhere, thought I heard someone on the Hebrides had minimal success with one plant (=maybe the Bulbinella), but it's likely too warm even there for these plants, as well they need rich volcanic soils.
Yes the plants are listed on Wiki as you say.
Also google MacQuarrie Island which has a few more exotics including a Metroseideros. The success there came more slowly due to bad weather and rabbits were there as well, with trained dogs they eliminated them - quite a read on that aspect. The rat poison drop had a horrible mishap.
john
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Thu Feb 16, 2017 12:51 pm |
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SilverShaded
Joined: Fri Jul 01, 2016 7:37 pm Posts: 60 Location: Cheshire UK
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Re: Megaherbs
Love the picture of the kakariki parrot! We used to breed them and had them breed and hatch eggs at -10C in 2010 winter, not bad for a parrot!
_________________ Mark
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Thu Feb 16, 2017 8:58 pm |
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junglejason
Joined: Mon Nov 28, 2011 1:49 pm Posts: 206 Location: arthog, gwynedd, wales
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Re: Megaherbs
_________________ Change the face of the UK, plant at least one palm a year. Jason
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Fri Feb 17, 2017 8:49 am |
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johnw
Joined: Sun Mar 24, 2013 2:37 pm Posts: 240 Location: Halifax, NS
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Re: Megaherbs
Would you think the Faroe, Shetland or Iceland would all be too cold and/or warm or lacking proper soil?
Friend said he saw a few megas in a special cold-wind house they had erected in the Hobart BG and the plants looked dreadful. May have been part of the scheme to get them back to McQuarrie Island as some plants were getting to critical levels before the extermination attempts started in earnest. They apparently had raised some backups by seed at HBG, I hope they got them back to McQuarrie Is. in time.
Last edited by johnw on Sat Feb 18, 2017 9:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Sat Feb 18, 2017 5:04 pm |
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Martinnicklin
Joined: Fri Oct 05, 2012 9:06 pm Posts: 2675 Location: Telford UK
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Re: Megaherbs
In a way it is good that some plants remain impossible to grow outside their natural domain. It makes them special ... although I wouldn't have said no to some of those beauties.
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Sat Feb 18, 2017 6:19 pm |
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Stone Jaguar
Joined: Tue Oct 06, 2009 5:12 pm Posts: 147 Location: Guatemala City, Guatemala 1600 m.a.s.l.
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Re: Megaherbs
Thanks so much for posting this link. Gorgeous images of amazing plants truly "at the ends of the earth".
Yes, I can imagine if they would survive in northern Europe, they would face seed collecting pressure.
J
_________________ "He prayeth well, who loveth well
Both man and bird and beast."
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Mon Feb 20, 2017 4:21 am |
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Adrian
Joined: Sun Feb 07, 2016 7:32 pm Posts: 185 Location: Folkestone Kent UK
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Re: Megaherbs
Such beautiful images, thanks John for finding that story. Made me reflect on this gardening lark, what we try to achieve nature; if left alone, exceeds by a mile. Quite stunning.
Having said that............. I was also thinking that if my now branched Cordyline indivisa continues to grow and thrive maybe where I live will support some of these beautiful plants, it's foggy here 3/4 of the year maybe that's what they like. I'd love to try some of them!
Adrian
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Mon Feb 20, 2017 7:05 am |
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Stan
Joined: Wed Oct 31, 2007 5:52 pm Posts: 10687 Location: Hayward- S.F. Bay area Ca.
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Re: Megaherbs
Some might survive in foggiest coastal areas of northern California..if watered all summer. There is one that is sold- whats the one with the yellow flowers and shiny green leaves on white stems? Seen it for sale. I think Kev has one too. From one of those islands.
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Mon Feb 20, 2017 9:06 pm |
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johnw
Joined: Sun Mar 24, 2013 2:37 pm Posts: 240 Location: Halifax, NS
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Re: Megaherbs
Likely one of the S. African spp. rather than B. rossii.
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Thu Feb 23, 2017 3:03 pm |
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Kev Spence
Site Admin
Joined: Mon Oct 29, 2007 3:59 pm Posts: 10902 Location: Loughborough, Leics, central UK
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Re: Megaherbs
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Thu Feb 23, 2017 4:54 pm |
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