Splendide brought down by all this rain :(

13 years ago

I have been so looking forward to the unique show of our Thalictrum "Splendide".

Like the bean stalk in "Jack in the Beanstalk" it kept growing and growing. I thought I was being proactive and kept staking it but after today's rain (rain sometime each day for the past many many days). All this water coupled with warm temps has led to too rapid growth.

So this afternoon I see that the top 3 to 4 feet has fallen sharply to the right! The whole plant, if straightened would be 12 feet!

Looking more carefully I see that these bent stalks, having lots of flower buds have split :(. I trim off as little as I can...not sure what will happen in terms of flowers.

(Does anyone have any experience giving "Splendide" a "Chelsea Chop" earlier in the season?)

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Comments (3)

miclino
13 years ago
a 12 ft perennial? wow
Patty W. zone 5a Illinois
13 years ago
Mine grow to six foot plus every year. I grow them thru towers may be 5 foot tall. Then use green twine to keep strongest stems straight. By the time I've wrapped twine around the top they stay up straight. Then top flowering branches from an umbrella of flowers at the top. Mine where brought for clematis but wasn't using them and they looked perfect for growing Splendide thru. Tomato towers would probably work as well. I post a pic tomorrow.
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Patty W. zone 5a Illinois
13 years ago
Not the best pic but towers really work well. Still allowing Thalictrum to look natural as opposed to tied up and from path you can no longer see the tower. Have not worked in any side branches yet. If you trim top you'll still get flowers from side branches but top flowers are the best.