ORNAMENTAL PLANTS OF HORTICULTURE VALUE
Selection of perennials
Perhaps 150 species in the temperate regions of the Northern
Hemisphere, of which 100 occur in the FSU with most in the
Far East and East Siberia, and only a few in Central Asia
and the Caucasus. Some are known in cultivation. All parts,
especially the roots, are very poisonous and used for
medicinal purposes. Good for the wild garden and perennial
A. baicalense Turcz.
Eastern Siberia and Mongolia. On grassy sites on the
plains and mountains, in forests along the rivers.
Rootstock of two oblong tubers. Flower stem erect, leafy,
branched, 1 to 1.5 m high. Leaves grey-green to 10 cm x
12-15 cm, 5-parted to the its base, the lobes 2-3-lobulate.
Inflorescence a long, lax raceme with widely spaced branches.
Flowers large, 3 cm diam., blue or violet. V - early May till
October. Fl - June-July, for one month. Fr- August -
September. P - by seed or division. Does best in semishade,
on moist soil. Z 4 (3). New.
A. nasutum Fisch. ex Reichenb.
Caucasus (northern and eastern regions). In herbage among
shrubs in montane deciduous forests.
Roots rounded, tuberous. Stem erect, branched, to 1 m,
glabrous. Leaves palmate, lobed, the lobes linear-lanceolate,
acute. Inflorescence a long, loose raceme. Flowers numerous,
large, 3-4 cm long, light blue or violet. V - (St. Petersburg)
early May to October (April - October in the Caucasus). Fl -
more than one month, starting June or July. Fr - September -
October. P - by division or seed. Does well in semishade on
moist soil. Z 4 (3). New.
A. ranunculoides Turcz. ex Ledeb.
Eastern Siberia (southern and eastern regions, adjacent to
the Far East). In coniferous forests.
Plant taprooted. Flower stem simple, erect 70 cm. Leaves 2
to 4, long-petiolate, palmately 3-5-lobed to the middle or
deeper, the lobes trilobulate. Inflorescence a loose terminal
raceme of 7 to 10 flowers. Flowers large, 5 cm across, yellow.
V - April to October. Fl - June-July, for one month. Fr -
August-September. P - by seed or division. Does best in
semishade, on moist soil. Z 4 (3). New.
A closely related species is A. ajanense Steinb.,
from the Far East. It differs in its larger pale yellow flowers
to 6.5 cm. Z 4. New.
A. sczukinii Turcz.
Far East (southern regions), northern China, Japan, Korea.
In clearings and valley in forests.
Tubers subconical. Leafy stem ascending or half-climbing
150-250 cm tall. Leaves deeply palmately cleft, with 5-7 lobes.
Raceme inflorescence very loose. Flower numerous bright blue
2-3 cm long, frequently recurved. V - April - November. Fl -
August - October. Fr - September - November. P - by seed, sawn
fresh, by division. Cold-resistant, diseases-resistant,
self-sowing. Good for wall decorating in places with low
maintanance. Z 4 (3). New.
Two other species from the Far East have been tested and
recommended for zones 4 or 3: A. fischeri
Reichenb. 150-180 cm tall, leaves deeply palmately cleft,
flowers bright blue or white. Shady places. A.
raddeanum Regel. 100-130 cm, leaves dissected to base
into 5 segments, flowers blue-violet. Shady places. New.