Looking for some water hawthorne at a reasonable price?

[adavisus]

Yup tubers can be tough cookies. You would probably lose them if they freeze through, so some reliable frost free storage would be needed, the bottom of a pond is usually a safe bet for Winter. David Curtright would probably notice how long its season is in the Northern end of the state, lol

Trick is with Water Hawthorn, knowing it likes a mild range of temps to grow enthusiastic, that can be a bit limited in the USA as the volatile climate tends to swing from too cold to too hot over many parts with not enough moderate 'in between' climate that it prefers

In NC WH will bloom 8 months of the year, if the severity of Winter is mild and frosts are brief...

Regards, andy
http://swglist.wordpress.com/
http://www.pinterest.com/adavisus/pondering/

 

[topofthehill1]

This is all so confusing. Because my pond is in the 50-60 degree range for a long portion of the year. But we never have those high temperature of North Carolina. The bottom of my pond seems to over winter lilies fine. But things like parrot feather do not do well until the fall.

 

[adavisus]

Sounds like water hawthorn would do very well in your temperatures. Who knows what inhibits growth where you are of what is usually an invasive fast growing plant like parrots feather. You have not defined what your pond is like, its aspect or configuration, you don't specify what the ph or soil is like, what environmental factors might be an influence.

It's not a bad idea to clue self up with a couple of books on the subject, before making a pond

 

[timvz]

I've been wondering how they produce seeds. Do they self pollinate, or does it require two plants?

 

[timvz]

One other comment about difficulty growing these guys. Soil medium made a difference for me. I tried basic kitti litter type medium first, and the plant didn't do very well. I probably didn't have enough nutrients in my pond at the time. Since then I switched to actual soil and added some fertilizer tabs. I put the tuber close to the top of the soil and covered everything with an inch of sand/lava rock mixture. My hawthorne has been growing like mad since then.

 

[adavisus]

Tim, Water Hawthorn self pollinates, then the seed forms

Clay has the molecular character of binding with other chemicals, it would in effect soak up fertiliser and be an obstacle to fertilising a plant. Ordinary fertile soil has much less clay in it so the delicate roots of water hawthorn would be able to penetrate the softer medium and absorb nutrients much better in ordinary dark loam

Regards, andy
http://swglist.wordpress.com/
http://www.pinterest.com/adavisus/pondering/

 

[EricV]

Does anyone in Zone 5 grow water hawthorne? I'm thinking ahead to what I want to do in the spring and this sounds like a logical addition to run counter to the lilies. I've found several places that sell it for $8-10/bulb, so I'm happy to take the risk on a few of them.

 

[brokensword]

Andy; question; am I trying to 'store' the plant/tubers inside for the harsher winter or am I trying to keep it growing, should I put it in my basement under lights? Temps tend to be cooler, so I'm considering trying your suggestion. My sample does okay, maybe 10-12 blooms in the late spring and I typically sink it to the bottom of the pond. But from your post, I gather mine would bloom better if protected a bit more than I'm doing?


Eric; I have WH and am in Mi, zone 5b, I believe. My WH doesn't look like Andy's but it's been growing in my pond for 4 seasons now, so you should have some success. I think I may be under-fertilizing though and will treat it more like lilies. I usually lower the pot below ice level and haul it up in the spring. As noted to Andy above, I think I'll overwinter in my basement, just to see if it grows more like his in the picture.


Michael

 

[addy1]

Does anyone in Zone 5 grow water hawthorne? I'm thinking ahead to what I want to do in the spring and this sounds like a logical addition to run counter to the lilies. I've found several places that sell it for $8-10/bulb, so I'm happy to take the risk on a few of them.

Colleen up in Canada grows it and it grows beautifully. I think she is zone 2-3
I have it growing here, I just ignore it, it dies back and regrows.

 

[EricV]

@addy1 is yours growing well now? Last I saw from you (few years ago?) you hadn't really seen it after the first season. Or am I not remembering right?

 

[j.w]

I think @callingcolleen1 has Hornwort not Water Hawthorne. My Water Hawthorne was growing pretty good for the past several years and now it seems to have disappeared. I'm in zone 7 or 8 and it even put out tons of little babies from the seeds it drops off into the water. They were all sprouting and floating around. I should have rounded them up and planted them and I would now have tons but I didn't do it and now I have none
Here's a picture of it, may it RIP.

 

[addy1]

Duh! I was brain slipping thinking of hornwort, not hawthorn................so sorry. Yeah it disappeared

@addy1 is yours growing well now? Last I saw from you (few years ago?) you hadn't really seen it after the first season. Or am I not remembering right?

 

[callingcolleen1]

Sometimes weather conditions change and some plants either flourish or die off. Drought can impact the ponds as natural rainwater makes it more conducive for good plant growth. During the drought we had in spring/summer of 2015, mist of my hornwort died off. This year it has made a recovery.. Will take a couple good years to get lots again in ponds.

Tap water in most places very hard and higher PH. That impacts plant growth.