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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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Rheum nobile
Whilst at the alpine garden show the other day I spotted this fab looking and wondered if anyone grows it on here......need more info as it looks like it needs cold and I can do that? Check video out but forward it to 3mins 40 sec..............what the hell is that thing!!
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Thu Feb 10, 2011 7:22 pm |
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atropica
Joined: Wed Oct 31, 2007 7:00 am Posts: 129 Location: Newbury, Berks, UK
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Re: Rheum nobile
Wow, what an amazing plant I have the perfect place to grow it, the ridge of my house roof. I like Bob's (CGF) comments on his attempts to grow it - "Spoon-shaped reddish leaves, medium sized plant - likes high humidity and organic soil. Bugger. (Died - unknown reasons). Bobs Score=2.0" He should have tried it on his roof
_________________ Andy
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Fri Feb 11, 2011 12:44 pm |
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themes
Joined: Tue Aug 05, 2008 12:42 am Posts: 2148 Location: birmingham, UK
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Re: Rheum nobile
what an unusual plant
_________________ Regards,
Mo
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Fri Feb 11, 2011 1:59 pm |
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Paul Spracklin
Joined: Tue May 05, 2009 3:55 pm Posts: 2564 Location: North Thames delta UK
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Re: Rheum nobile
Anyone else having trouble reading that &*^&^%%$£ log in thing? Doing my head in!
I bought one from Kevock Garden Plants last year - it arrived as a 9cm liner (and it was over potted, fell out of the compost en route and left high and dry) that I left outside so I guess my attempts with it are over. I could imagine it replacing one of my agaves in a well drained spot.
_________________ visit my website - www.oasisdesigns.co.uk
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Fri Feb 11, 2011 3:43 pm |
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Steven
Joined: Sun Aug 10, 2008 4:02 pm Posts: 2486
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Re: Rheum nobile
Kev, I'm really fond of this one too, but I fear this species doesn't thrive here. A dutch friend of mine, who runs a nursery, has tried this one. It never flowered and the summer heat scorched it to bits. It doesn't like our warm summers! A similar looking species that I have seen flowered well for him is Rheum alexandrae, which could be a good substitute. http://www.henriettesherbal.com/files/i ... andrae.jpgI'm the first in the queue for a division from his.
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Fri Feb 11, 2011 4:47 pm |
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themes
Joined: Tue Aug 05, 2008 12:42 am Posts: 2148 Location: birmingham, UK
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Re: Rheum nobile
_________________ Regards,
Mo
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Fri Feb 11, 2011 5:12 pm |
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jwade
Joined: Sun Jan 09, 2011 3:00 pm Posts: 137 Location: West Sussex
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Re: Rheum nobile
Yes, this is a nice plant and I have often noticed it on the Kevock website, I'd imagine it doesnt do well outside (unless mollicoddled) because of its alpine nature, it can tolerate extremes of cold and comes from an upper alpine zone (Himalayas) and perhaps (I'm just guessing) that it starts growing at the slightest hint of warmth and consequently 'leafs' to early and perhaps can get damaged in that period. Who knows. Interesting information on the interweb points to it having translucent bracts for increased light transmission whilst blocking out harmful rays.
Wierd plant. Must stick out like a sore thumb on the landscape.
_________________ James W.
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Fri Feb 11, 2011 5:39 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: Rheum nobile
Thanks for the info guys, your link does not work Steven, though link should though Paul's experience with them is hardly first class. I would have thought this would need similar needs to my Espeletia which seems ok for the moment.
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Fri Feb 11, 2011 8:04 pm |
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Andy Martin
Joined: Thu Apr 24, 2008 8:58 pm Posts: 1279 Location: Oxford UK
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Re: Rheum nobile
Well according to daves garden they produce transclucent bracts that protect the flower from UV Radiation. Their seeds are available through the Alpine Societies wild seed list. All you need is £28 for membership... so expensive seeds perhaps
_________________ Lover of Yuccas,Palms,Nolinas,Schefflera.
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Fri Feb 11, 2011 11:32 pm |
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David Matzdorf
Site Admin
Joined: Mon Oct 29, 2007 4:06 pm Posts: 5321 Location: Islington, London UK
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Re: Rheum nobile
_________________ 51º33'07"N x 0º07'21"W
43m (142 feet) ASL
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Fri Feb 11, 2011 11:56 pm |
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Clive in London
Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2008 8:46 am Posts: 409 Location: London
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Re: Rheum nobile
I've just looked at a paper on the effects of temperature and climate on phototsynthesis of this plant - basically it points to a max photosynthetic rate at temps of about 12*C when it's overcast (which it is most of the time) increasing to a max at nearly 20*C when it's sunny so it would be a pain to grow as it would likely need to be in the shade for the greater part of the summer to avoid scorch, and would prefer to be cold then too. PM me if your interested.
That said it did say that leaf temps rose to about 40*C in habitat on very clear days which implies tolerance, and it has flowered, once, at Edinburgh BG about a hundred years ago so it's not completely impossible!
I'd have thought the bracts have many uses - UV protection but also to keep the flowers warm which would encourage pollinators and increase seed set too,a nd to keep the flowers dry in that sodden habitat.
I bought a very stocky R. alexandrae division from Cally last year, and it's in the garden and it seems easily pleased as long as it is soaking wet when the sun hits it or it flops horribly. Apparently it dislikes bogginess in winter so not ideal for the bog garden... Mines in a pot, this summer its going in a deep saucer. The one at Kew is amazing and has stunning autumn colour, which isn't something they normally have in cultivation apparently.
Kevin, that thing at 3.40 secs, what is it? My computer seems to show a gentian or am i missing a yeti??
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Sat Feb 12, 2011 2:12 pm |
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Steven
Joined: Sun Aug 10, 2008 4:02 pm Posts: 2486
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Re: Rheum nobile
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Sat Feb 12, 2011 2:32 pm |
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Paul Spracklin
Joined: Tue May 05, 2009 3:55 pm Posts: 2564 Location: North Thames delta UK
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Re: Rheum nobile
_________________ visit my website - www.oasisdesigns.co.uk
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Sat Feb 12, 2011 4:24 pm |
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Steven
Joined: Sun Aug 10, 2008 4:02 pm Posts: 2486
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Re: Rheum nobile
Paul, but they took these 56.7°C 2m above ground. I bet the sand dunes there heat up to much hotter temps! I wrote "in a flower meadow", that would be just above soil level in between the plants up to 5-10cm above ground. And that would matter for a ground hugging plant like R. nobile. I'm not sure what the temperatures would have to be in 2m above ground, when the leaves have reached +40°C, though.
The highest ever recorded temperature here in Germany was around +40°C only, again taken at 2m above soil. Nonetheless asphalt, brick walls, stone etc. (and flower meadows) heat up to much higher temps on a hot summer day.
My bet is the habitat of R. nobile in Bhutan never gets warmer than +20°C in summer, if at all.
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Sat Feb 12, 2011 5:23 pm |
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jwade
Joined: Sun Jan 09, 2011 3:00 pm Posts: 137 Location: West Sussex
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Re: Rheum nobile
Love the oddity of this plant, thats what I mean by sticking out like a sore thumb -> http://www.asianflora.com/Polygonaceae/Rheum-nobile.htm
_________________ James W.
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Sat Feb 12, 2011 8:31 pm |
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