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Sphaeralcea ID'd as Sphaeralcea ambigua (syn. S. incana)

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Umbrian

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Sphaeralcea ID'd as Sphaeralcea ambigua (syn. S. incana)
« on: September 27, 2012, 03:45:24 PM »
Several years ago I bought a Sphaeralcea that I love for its clear pale orange flowers. It grows well to a height of 70cm+ but the stems are lax which make it difficult to place. Last year I planted a piece at the front of a small cut out bed between the house and the front terrace and allowed it to sprawl onto the terrrace. Now the flowers are in full view and draw a lot of comments. The trouble is the label is long lost and I have forgotten which variety it is, Oron...anyone...?
« Last Edit: October 04, 2012, 08:07:02 PM by Alisdair »
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MGS member living and gardening in Umbria, Italy for past 19 years. Recently moved from my original house and now planning and planting a new small garden.
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Alisdair

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Re: Sphaeralcea
« Reply #1 on: September 27, 2012, 07:06:53 PM »
It is a lovely gentle orange, Carole!
In Oron's absence in Scotland, I'd say it looks like Sphaeralcea incana... but that's open to correction!
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Alisdair Aird
Gardens in SE England (Sussex); also coastal Southern Greece, and (in a very small way) South West France; MGS member (and former president); vice chairman RHS Lily Group, past chairman Cyclamen Society

pamela

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Re: Sphaeralcea
« Reply #2 on: September 28, 2012, 03:02:56 PM »
Could it be the desert globe mallow?. Sphaeralcea ambigua???.... The colour and shape of the flower looks very similar. I brought 2 back from Mallorca a few years ago.
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Alisdair

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Re: Sphaeralcea
« Reply #3 on: September 28, 2012, 06:09:24 PM »
I thought S. ambigua was a definite possibility too, but thought that incana was that bit more likely to be available commercially over here. Incana's leaves are greyer than ambigua's, which might be a clue either way to your plant, Carole?
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Alisdair Aird
Gardens in SE England (Sussex); also coastal Southern Greece, and (in a very small way) South West France; MGS member (and former president); vice chairman RHS Lily Group, past chairman Cyclamen Society

Umbrian

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Re: Sphaeralcea
« Reply #4 on: September 29, 2012, 05:59:42 AM »
Leaves not really grey Alisdair, more a soft but darkish green, texture soft too . Three lobed with the end lobe elongated and the edges indented. Don't know if that helps?  My "Bible" for garden plants - the RHS Encyclopedia - only list 3 varieties - coccinea, fendleri and munroana and it would not appear to be any of those. I have grown munroana here successfully and love that variety too, again it has such beautifully coloured flowers, a very subtle shade of rosy red.Altogether a rewarding species to grow :)
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Alisdair

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Re: Sphaeralcea
« Reply #5 on: September 29, 2012, 11:58:35 AM »
So it does sound more like ambigua, as Pamela suggests!
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Alisdair Aird
Gardens in SE England (Sussex); also coastal Southern Greece, and (in a very small way) South West France; MGS member (and former president); vice chairman RHS Lily Group, past chairman Cyclamen Society

Umbrian

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Re: Sphaeralcea
« Reply #6 on: September 30, 2012, 07:02:52 AM »
 :)Think you were right first time Alisdair as further research through Google turned up a photo of incana that mirrors my flowers exactly. Leaf colour always a bit tricky as it can vary in different light, conditions etc and how one interprets ::)
I always use the Forum first for indentification if my books fail me but the site "Sphaerlacea Gallery "has some wonderful photographs  :)and I am really keen to get Munroa again now. Many thanks anyway.
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oron peri

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Re: Sphaeralcea
« Reply #7 on: October 04, 2012, 09:05:32 AM »
Sphaeralacea incana is under review at the moment,
the name accepted is S. ambigua
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pamela

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Re: Sphaeralcea ID'd as Sphaeralcea ambigua (syn. S. incana)
« Reply #8 on: October 04, 2012, 11:29:04 PM »
oh thats great to hear Oron. I'm glad I was correct, I was pretty sure it was S.ambigua. Some are diffident to try and identify when there are such knowledgable people around.
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Min temp 5c max temp 38c  Rainfall 550 mm 

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 Who asks, sees the roots."
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Umbrian

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Re: Sphaeralcea ID'd as Sphaeralcea ambigua (syn. S. incana)
« Reply #9 on: October 05, 2012, 06:49:53 AM »
Welcome back Oron :) - so do I take it that incana and ambigua are in fact the same plant?
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Alisdair

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Re: Sphaeralcea ID'd as Sphaeralcea ambigua (syn. S. incana)
« Reply #10 on: October 05, 2012, 07:57:51 AM »
They're not exactly the same plant. The "unresolved" question is whether features of "S. incana" which seem to suggest a difference from S. ambigua, such as the down on its leaves which make them look greyer than S. ambigua, are really sufficient to distinguish it as a separate species.
In general on this forum we tend not to correct such "unresolved" species names when people use them and when they are in common use. But here it was a question of giving the "right" name to your plant, which is why Oron followed the strict nomenclatural rules. I'm ashamed to say that I simply didn't check the current taxonomic position!
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Alisdair Aird
Gardens in SE England (Sussex); also coastal Southern Greece, and (in a very small way) South West France; MGS member (and former president); vice chairman RHS Lily Group, past chairman Cyclamen Society
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oron peri

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Re: Sphaeralcea ID'd as Sphaeralcea ambigua (syn. S. incana)
« Reply #11 on: October 05, 2012, 07:59:08 PM »
Thanks Carole,

Couldnt explain it better then Alisdair did...
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Min temp 5c Max 42c, around 450mm rain.

Umbrian

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Re: Sphaeralcea ID'd as Sphaeralcea ambigua (syn. S. incana)
« Reply #12 on: October 06, 2012, 07:54:36 AM »
Well done Pamela, you should never feel diffident about naming a plant ,you are quite an expert yourself now :) I know what you mean though ;D
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MGS member living and gardening in Umbria, Italy for past 19 years. Recently moved from my original house and now planning and planting a new small garden.
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