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Helichrysum cymosum?

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Alice

  • Hero Member
Helichrysum cymosum?
« on: January 17, 2014, 08:38:23 PM »
This Helichrysum is doing well in our garden. Not more than 20 cm in height but with a diameter of about 1.5m. It is a very effective ground cover, even suppresses Oxalis pes-caprae!
Looking at a previous post by Mike I think it might be Helichrysum cymosum, as identified by Oron. Can somebody confirm, please?
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Amateur gardener who has gardened in north London and now gardens part of the year on the Cycladic island of Paros. Conditions: coastal, windy, annual rainfall 350mm, temp 0-35 degrees C.
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MikeHardman

  • Hero Member
    • www.mikehardman.com
Re: Helichrysum cymosum?
« Reply #1 on: January 19, 2014, 09:26:14 PM »
Alice,
'suppresses Oxalis pes-caprae' - wow!

My little plant is doing nicely, about 30cm across and fairly sparse; no flowers yet, but I look forward to them.
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Mike
Geologist by Uni training, IT consultant, Referee for Viola for Botanical Society of the British Isles, commissioned author and photographer on Viola for RHS (Enc. of Perennials, The Garden, The Plantsman).
I garden near Polis, Cyprus, 100m alt., on marl, but have gardened mainly in S.England

Alice

  • Hero Member
Re: Helichrysum cymosum?
« Reply #2 on: January 20, 2014, 02:16:55 PM »
Yes, Mike.
There were some Oxalis pes-caprae around the perimeter but none in the centre of the Helichrysum. I add that we are overrun by this oxalis otherwise.
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Amateur gardener who has gardened in north London and now gardens part of the year on the Cycladic island of Paros. Conditions: coastal, windy, annual rainfall 350mm, temp 0-35 degrees C.

Jill S

  • Full Member
Re: Helichrysum cymosum?
« Reply #3 on: January 28, 2014, 04:34:58 PM »
Alice, a few days ago my son waxed quite lyrical about the dreaded yellow peril (O. pes-caprae) saying how pretty and fresh it looks and how much he enjoys the scent of the flowers when sitting surrounded by it, so maybe it has some good points? I did suggest he didn't stay still too long in one place though, we also have a rampent super abundance however much is removed each year.
Jill
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Member of RHS and MGS. Gardens in Surrey, UK and, whenever I get the chance, on Paros, Greece where the learning curve is not the only thing that's steep.

Alice

  • Hero Member
Re: Helichrysum cymosum?
« Reply #4 on: January 30, 2014, 11:21:36 AM »
Once upon a time I also used to like the dreaded O. pes-caprae, Jill. It provided some cheerful colour in winter and then disappeared completely by May. But having seen the trillions of plants that emerge so tightly packed (you are right, if you stand still it will overrun you!), I have changed my mind. It must suppress so much of the local flora and seriously deplete the soil of water.
This year we removed a lot of it by hand and filled a compost bin (diameter about 1.8m). I wonder if it will produce any compost at all. We also sprayed a small patch with glyphosate to see if it will make any difference the following year.
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Amateur gardener who has gardened in north London and now gardens part of the year on the Cycladic island of Paros. Conditions: coastal, windy, annual rainfall 350mm, temp 0-35 degrees C.
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John J

  • Hero Member
Re: Helichrysum cymosum?
« Reply #5 on: January 30, 2014, 11:51:46 AM »
We have masses of Oxalis and every so often we fill sacks with it and give them to one of our neighbours. She has a chicken farm on the outskirts of the village (free range) and they love the stuff. Eating the eggs they produce gives a sort of vicarious pleasure!
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Cyprus Branch Head. Gardens in a field 40 m above sea level with reasonably fertile clay soil.
"Aphrodite emerged from the sea and came ashore and at her feet all manner of plants sprang forth" John Deacon (13thC AD)
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anita

  • Jr. Member
Re: Composting oxalis.. An important warning
« Reply #6 on: April 08, 2014, 11:06:49 AM »
Alice,
A word of warning with O pes caprae, you will need to be very confident that your compost has reached high temperatures if you are planning to use it in your garden as the oxalis plants have a really diabolical tendency of setting tiny little brown bulbils even after being pulled from the ground roots and all. If your compost does not reach high temperatures during decomposition these bulbils will survive and will be spread around your garden. For this reason if you wish to eliminate oxalis from your garden by hand weeding ( and it is possible) you must not leave the plants as mulch as you will just be perpetuating your problem. The plants should be collected and burned. It's taken me 10 years but I have gone from pulling wheelbarrows of the evil blighters to mere handfuls. Anita
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Dry mediterranean climate, avg annual rainfall 530mm, little or no frost. Winter minimum 1C, summer max 45C
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