Vietnam

Staggeringly impressive recent introduction of this Solomon Seal species from - wait for it - Vietnam. This is similar to our favorite Polygonatum huanum (formerly as kingianum) but is just more of everything that is good. Large red flowers snug the whorled leaves on stems which reached 15' tall this year in the garden, and which remain green for us until temps drop below 20F. These are young plants but worth the wait!

We are smitten by the hardy gingers which we can grow and flower in our cold pocket garden and Cautleya is a genus that does just that. This species is a graceful member of the genus and ranges from Bhutan to Thailand. This collections hails from Vietnam and is often found growing on rocks, trees or rotting logs. This has the classic presentation for the species with clear yellow flowers and red calyces. We suggest mulching for winter.

This gesneriad (African Violet family) is from our collection just miles from the China-Vietnam border. Small narrow-necked yellow flowers over evergreen rosettes of leaves. We have seen this species in numerous sites including southern China growing on mossy rocks, fallen logs or epiphytically. Has proven hardy in our zone 8b winters with good drainage. A Far Reaches Botanical Conservancy Offering.

This subshrubby gesneriad from Yunnan-Vietnam border region is in a favorite genus and we have yet to see a Lysionotus that we don't like.  Evergreen foliage on semi-woody stems with creeping creeping stems which help to solidify its grip on the mossy trunks of trees or on rocky outcrops.  Long wiry pedicels hold oversized tubular white flowers nicely appointed in longitudinal pink stripes.  Best frost-free.

A collection of this rare and usually epiphytic evergreen Solomon Seal from Vietnam by Aaron Floden. This species has in the past been treated as a synonym of Polygonatum punctatum but Floden has determined it to be distinct and reinstated mengtzense as a valid species name. We love this kind of stuff! A small species less than a foot tall with small rounded white bells under the arching stem as the new shoot elongates and matures. These are flowering size and hardy to zone 8 for sure and no doubt can handle dips into zone 7. We have seen this in several areas in northern Vietnam and is always a treat to find. Our plant of P. mengtzense var. tonkinense is very similar and has handled short dips to 10F with no damage to its evergreen leaves and expect the same for this one.

A collection from northern Vietnam of this rare gesneriad by intrepid plant hunter Steve Hootman. This has vertical branches on a small shrub clad in dark green ranked leaves evocative of boxwood but that similarity is quickly dispelled when the tubular flame red flowers appear. The flowers are followed by interesting narrow and thin almost bean pod-like seed capsules dangling from wiry pedicels. Best grown frost-free, this likes an acid, free-draining soil as it is often epiphytic on trees or rocks. Excellent container plant which can be moved inside for the winter or simply kept as a houseplant as this is the same genus as the familiar Lipstick Vine. Steve, in addition to his mandated world-class expertise in Ericaceae, has in recent years developed an unprofitable but deeply personally rewarding interest - some might say obsession - in the Gesneriaceae and we are happy beneficiaries of his collecting prowess and now the trickle down effect has trickled further to you.

Alas, most Schefflera you have known and loved have been moved to other genera with just a scant handful remaining in Schefflera. Perfectly sensible for a very large genus spread over several continents. These are seed-grown from our plants from the recent first North American introduction. 

An uncommon variety of the standard evergreen Tongue fern found across East Asia. To this already attractive species 'Keikan' adds wide fronds with rippling deeply lobed margins resulting in a striking flame-like effect. Best grown in a well drained location or on a slope where it will happily spread by its trailing rhizomes.

This blueberry relative was an exciting find from a small mostly deforested limestone ridge in Vietnam. It was a small compact 12"-18" shrub growing both in the rocks and epiphytically with orchids on the few trees left. Evergreen with boss white tubular flowers and a red berry sheltered by 3 large red bracts. Edible. This will get larger with longer stems when growing in cushy cultivation.

Tongue Ferns are widespread in China and Japan where they can be epiphytic as well as lithophytic on rocks. Fantastic variants are being selected by the cult followers of Pyrrosia in Japan and "Tachiba Koryu' is one with evergreen blade-like leaves sporting rounded lobes along the margins. Does fantastic at Peckerwood Gardens near Houston. We have seen the species making impressive colonies on rock faces or in mossy rubble during various China forays and it is always like coming across an old friend in the forest. This is best grown in loose, well drained soil and would be happy in a rotting stump or lightly shaded scree bed.

Asian terrestrial orchid shared with us years ago by Adam Black at Peckerwood Botanical Garden with caveats as to species ID. It could be sinense or ensiformis or a hybrid of the two. Does well in the Southeast but protect from extreme cold there. We have not flowered this clone.

Young plants of a rare offering of this graceful woodland species from the borderlands of China and Vietnam. Upright plants to 10' that rarely branch with expected Schefflera - we mean Heptapleurum - green leaves. Umbels of black fruit in a raceme. Hardiness unknown but let's start with not very. A Far Reaches Botanical Conservancy Offering

This choice Tongue Fern is notable for the yellowish variegation on its evergreen 12" long leaves, and is likely conspecific with the clone sold as 'Variegata', Pyrrosia are easy but require great drainage and unless you are planting it in a stumpery, rockery or slope, you will need to seriously amend with gravel, bark or assorted detritus of life. Nice divisions from our stock plants.

This collection by Crug Farm from Fansipan in Vietnam of this very distinctive clumping grass is especially yummy with showy pink flowers in this form. The evergreen leaves are bold, broad and lightly pleated with the flower heads mingling among the upper reaches of the leaves. Solidly dramatic!

Collected by Floden-Mitchell-Wynn-Jones at Lao Cai, Vietnam at 2050 meters. This rare species is best suited for the naturalistic or wild garden as this makes a large shrub with the branchlets tipped in fingers of small and admittedly insignificant pale white flowers which contrast with the reddish stems and textured rich green leaves. From a purely foliage and stem standpoint, this may be the best in the genus and has good fall color to boot but is still a shrub best suited for botanic gardens or dedicated Asian flora plantaholics. Hardy to zone 8b.

Here's something good for zone 9 or a conservatory or a move in and out plant. This is a very fun Gesneriad from northern Vietnam collected by Josh McCullough from an area that likely sees some frost although we wouldn't put it to any severe test! This has late season large trumpets (if trumpets had an inflated tube) of pink/white flowers. Glossy green foliage, this would be a classic epiphyte growing on mossy or humus covered boulders and even in trees. This has been very easy for us in our cool greenhouse kept just above freezing in the winter, This would love the Bay Area!

Staggeringly good foliage Begonia collected by Ozzie Johnson at Bai Dat Sun in northern Vietnam that we previously offered as cf. villifolia. Large tan-green leaves with a later than 5 o'clock shadow of red hairs. Pink flowers play peekaboo in the foliage. A species not fully trialed for hardiness but zone 8b with protection such as a mulch of wood shavings.

Excellent lily species from Vietnam collected in 2011 and original seed sent to us by expedition member Aaron Floden. This has sizeable flowers on 2'-3' stems with strongly recurved tepals that vary from white to yellow overlaid on the face with ruby from light speckles to nearly solid. This has proved quite easy in cultivation.

F2 plants from the original wild collection of this rare species. This is a very handsome thing with superb glossy textured leaves and showy displays of red fruit. Just looking at it, we thought - bummer, can't possibly be hardy but heard from one of the collectors that it handled zero Fahrenheit so woohoo! We later saw for ourselves the reason why as we climbed on Mt Fansipan, "The Roof of Indochina' and saw this growing near the summit. A portion of the proceeds goes to support the mission of Far Reaches Botanical Conservancy.

Great foliage on this Wild Ginger from China which keys most closely to the species caudigerellum. A mist of white spray droplets on the leaves is especially vivid on the young foliage making this very desirable. Small tan to soft red flowers are a welcome addition. We have seen nice clumps of presumably this species in Vietnam looking fabulous on the forest floor among the bright buff trunks of Camellia trees.