Helleborus vesicarius - Pencil Sketch*
*This picture is based from a botanical sketch by Helen Campbell as published in the English Garden magazine (May 2016). Although I haven't drawn anything before other than stick figures and circles, learning to draw is my new hobby. And what better subject than plants?
Helleborus vesicarius is considered a rare plant that grows on a certain mountain region that extends from Turkey to Syria and Lebanon. It is highly toxic which explains why it can survive on hillsides where goats graze. Unlike the more common helleborus with gorgeous flowers, the balloon-like seedpods of Helleborus vesicarius is the most notable feature in this plant. I can only imagine that as the seedpods mature and break off from the plant that they would move around in the landscape easily with the wind. So the balloon-like characteristic of the pod is just another seed dispersal mechanism in nature.
Draw a plant you have not seen before
and learn something about it.
2 comments:
Excellent work buddy...
white tarpaulin
Hello, I read there a passage about H. vesicarius.
I'm looking for a solution to my problem with this species.
I currently have one plant, and I'm looking for seeds or other plants for cross-pollination. This species is almost self-sterile (not completely, actually).
I also had a young plant, grown from seeds obtained through self-pollination, but it was destroyed by heavy damage from wild boars.
My surviving specimen comes from seeds from Turkey, from a mountainous region.
It withstood the 2012 frosts (-18°C) without any problem, and is therefore much hardier than generally believed.
Furthermore, it grows in acidic soil, even though it's described as a basophilic species.
The soil is very well-draining, and the summers are very dry (which is rather good).
I live in a degraded Mediterranean climate, in a small mountain area (600m), zone 7. Unfortunately, I've lost my contacts in Turkey and Iran, or perhaps it's currently impossible to exchange seeds, or their priorities are different.
I fear losing the plant I have without offspring, so I'm appealing to all possible gardeners to try and find a solution (plant or seeds).
I can, of course, buy, but I mainly operate on an exchange basis.
I can offer many species in return, depending on the interest of potential donors.
If you could share this message, and if there are interested people, I can provide more information, including details about the plants I can supply. I have hundreds of species and varieties; the land is about 6 hectares, and even more, I'm slightly overgrown. I also have access to many friends' gardens where I've left plants that didn't thrive at my place... Botanical greetings
PS :
I am leaving in south of France...
Contact: antoinejosse11plantes@gmail.com
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