Scoliopus

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Scoliopus is a rare relative of Trillium confined to the Redwood forests of the western USA. One species in California, one in Oregon.

In the garden they thrive in Trillium conditions, light- or part-shade in a humus-rich, moist yet well-drained soil. Fully hardy here and trouble-free, they like to be left alone to establish and clump up, without disturbance.

We try to list these in late autumn as soon as they are dormant but growth starts again VERY early in our climate and plants despatched after December will be in growth and may even have flowered.

Ordering possible from both Autumn and Spring lists.

Scoliopus hallii

Classically hallii differs from the only other species, bigelowi,i in being smaller and growing in Oregon, rather than being larger and Californian.

Few people seem to have made further comparisons. My own observations are based only on two strains, but consistently hallii is smaller and has far less leaf spotting. The flowers are caramel rather than black, have downwardly reflexing, rounded petals and are lightly fragrant. (The Californian bigelowii smells of wet-dogs, and has the unnecessarily cruel nickname of Fetid Adder’s Tongue (US spelling rather than correct spelling)!).

Side by side the species are unmistakably different even to the beginner. There are only two species in the genus, here is your chance to grow the rarer one.

Easily grown in half shade in a humus-rich soil. Hardy here for over 30 years and trouble free. Be prepared for very early flowering. This is usually un-postable after February for that reason.


Scoliopus halliiscohalhal	£8.50
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