RHS Garden Hyde Hall - Dry Garden- Puzzle No. 4

[ideasguy]

I couldnt find the label for this lovely white plant

Location: The Dry garden
The puzzle is the white plant located at the centre of this photo:


and heres a close up:


another general view of the plant, a litle closer than the first photo:

[Tom]

This a minefield. It is compositae. Chrysanthemum? Leucanthemum? Nipponanthemum? Argyranthemum? We need a Compositae expert on the forum. Tom. Good plant though.

[ideasguy]

Yes, I'm sure it belongs to one of those Genera.
The close up may yield a clue. Note a) the fine lacy foliage and b) The reflexed petals.
Judging by the darker gold centres I THINK    the reflexed petals are on spent bloooms

Ive been amazed by how much detail my photos are revealing on close inspection.
Not only that, but some very significant plants in the frame of a photo in which I was focused on a prominent plant.
Ive concluded that my rush around the gardens was only enough to permit a cursory appreciation of the vast planting which is there to behold.
More than enough to encourage me to revisit.
Hopefully the CD I produce will help any recipients to do their homework before their visit!

[Palustris]

?Anthemis tinctoria alba?

[ideasguy]

Thanks for the suggestion Eric.
I think you have put me on the right track, with the right Genus!
I couldnt find a good web site showing A. tinctoria alba

However, Ive looked up the plant list for the Dry Garden, and theres only one Anthemis (rather surprising!)
Anthemis punctata subsp. cupaniana
The list was revised May 08, but it could be missing your Alba, of course!

Heres a few links, and the flowers and descriptions seem to fit the one in their list:

http://www.wildchicken.com/nature/garden/nature_200_149.htm
says Ht 50cm spread 1m

http://www.plantpress.com/plant-encyclopedia/plantdb.php?plant=1546
says height 20cm (only 8 ins) spread 70

http://www.dkimages.com/discover/Home/Plants/Classification/Tracheophyta/Magnoliophyta/Magnoliopsida/Asterales/Asteraceae-Compositae/Anthemideae/Anthemis/Anthemis-punctata-subsp-cupania/Anthemis-punctata-subsp--1.html

http://www.dkimages.com/discover/previews/930/689793.JPG

What do you think?

[Tom]

I found this image of A punctata cupaniana on google don't know if it helps though. www.wildchicken.com/.../anthemis_punctata_sm.jpg

[ideasguy]

Thanks Tom
Couldnt get that link to work. Can you find it again?

But... referring to the other link to the Wild Chicken web site:
http://www.wildchicken.com/nature/garden/nature_200_149.htm
The flowers look very similar, dont they?

[Palustris]

Telling Anthemis apart is not easy and often all you can go on is the colour.

[ideasguy]

I agree with you wholeheartedly.

Identifying a plant is not easy.
In some genera, theres so little difference between cultivars that a photo is not enough.

Its good to get the genus as a starter. As Tom has pointed out
RE:

This a minefield. It is compositae. Chrysanthemum? Leucanthemum? Nipponanthemum? Argyranthemum?

My comment? Theres a lot of "Daisies" !

Worse still, even when you buy a plant with a label, you are trusting the supplier to have it right, or that the label hasn't been switched at the garden centre etc.
Hence the expression "Bought as" when referring to plants