Roldana petasites Q

[durnovaria]

Picked one of these up frop the Abbotsbury plant centre over the weekend.
I am hoping that its the plant that i saw there a few years ago growing in a large pot.I am pretty sure that it was labelled as a Senecio at the time.A large plant with yellow daisy flowers.I hope that i now have one!.Any information would be lovely :D .

[Chad]

A huge thug,  4M tall and across when not confined to a pot.  Under cover it flowers in late winter into spring with vast arrays of stridently yellow ragwort flowers. Branches root wherever they touch the ground, so it can become a bit of a thicket if not watched. Stooling it after flowering keeps it 'fresh' and controlled.

Outside its winter blooming is less impressive as it gets wind battered.

Top growth is frost hardy to about -3C, and I haven't tested it cold enough to know its root hardiness.  Very leafy and extraordinarily vigorous if well fed. Not fussy for soil type.

Its brother, the one with red hairs and a purple back to the leaf, is nomenclaturally disputed, and is probably Roldana oaxacana, but may be found under the invalid name Roldana petasitis var. cristobalensis, or just Roldana cristobalensis.

Any specific questions?

Chad


ps.
An Australian video about it that Paul should avoid. 

[durnovaria]

Many thanks Chad.I am hoping to keep it a little under control in a pot.I can overwinter it under cover.Maximum pot size 15 litre would you think?.

[Chad]

Minimum pot size 15L.

Or plant it out and overwinter a rooted cutting inside. That could be in a smaller pot.

Chad

[AndyC]

Mine has only been in the ground a couple of years but already I recognise the traits Chad has described. It received more damage from stormy winds than from frost. Partially snapped branches have rooted where they hit the ground so I'm on the way to a thicket.
IMG_6295 by Andy Cowlishaw, on Flickr

[Chad]

Andy your flickr photos are wonderful.

Two along from the Roldana is...



Tell us about it please.

Chad

[AndyC]

Chad, I grew that plant about 10-12 years ago in my old garden. I knew it as Vasconcellea cundimarcensis but that might not be its true name, V. pubescens?
The seed came from Jungle Seeds. I think the picture was taken in its second year after it spent the winter in my polytunnel.

I don't use my Flickr account much so all the pictures on it are from my old garden. I only used it because the 'Add image' button didn't work.

[Chad]

That's hugely more impressive than I ever managed in pots.

If I have it again it will get it planted out in the tunnel.

Thanks

Chad

[MartinNicklin]

Yes that’s a stunning plant. I assume it’s the same as the one I saw last year planted in the hot borders at Powis Castle? Since seeing it, I set my sights on it but have been put off by the wildly differing reports I have read about its hardiness, ranging from 0 to a need for about 10*C. Has anyone any true idea of how low it can go? For me it would need to be able to survive just above zero.

[Chad]

Happily deciduous at -3C in the tunnel potted. Dead at -5C potted.

I'm told the rootstock is hardier in the ground, but I haven't tested it [yet].

Chad