Show me your Gunnera

[Alicehunter2000]

What a fantastic looking plant..........does anyone grow these? How hard are these to grow from seed? Is there a reliable source for small plants? Thanks, I would really like to try these.

[Jeff in St Pete]

David, I'm not sure how well they would do in your area. They are cool weather loving plants and would probably not make it through a hot summer in FL. These plants grow well in the Pacific Northwest and maybe CA, but usually not in hot humid environments. The only place I have seen them growing in Costa Rica is high up in the mountains where it's much cooler.

Here are some growing at La Paz.

Junglegal for scale

[ariscott]

Whoa!!!!! Nice..... Pity is a cold climate one... Oh well.

Regards, Ari

[Alicehunter2000]

It is hot in the summer here, but we do have cool fall, winter and spring. I thought these loved humid environments. I have a shaded areas next to water.........I might still try it........nice picture.

[_Keith]

I have failed twice at growing them (manicata as I recall.) Until I see someone do it successfully here on the Gulf Coast, I will not try again.

[Al in Kona]

Wish I could grow the Gunnera too but the only places I've ever seen them or heard of them growing are cool climate areas. Here is a pic I took at a high elevation area in Costa Rica in May of 2008.

[John Case]

They require shade. They'll hold up to some heat, but afternoon sun is death.

[jdapalms]

They grow great on the east side of the big Island. I have two that I planted out about 6 months ago. I will try to get a picture in the next few days.

Jerry

[Al in Kona]

They grow great on the east side of the big Island. I have two that I planted out about 6 months ago. I will try to get a picture in the next few days.

Jerry

Jerry, do you know which Gunnera sp. you have planted at your place in Hawaii or where it is native to? I know there are many different species from different "cool climate" areas, some being a bit more tropical than others, that's why I ask. It would be nice to know which Gunnera species can actually

grow in some warmer climate zones.

[peachy]

I grew Gunneras at my old house. Such great impact plants and very fast growing.. Since living here in the hot north however, I have had no luck whatsoever trying to grow them again. I have tried planting them at different times of the year, going through each season without success. I really miss having some in the garden, but then I miss Hydrangeas, Fuschias, Regal Pelargoniums and Lilacs equally as much I guess. Jeff, the species in your photos have rounder leaves than mine did.

Peachy

[Kris]

Lovely still and a beautiful plant,i did try few seeds of this plant...nothing germinated. Since anything big or jamboo sized i love it.

[Jose Maria]

The Gunneras in Costa Rica grow along the panamerican highway , but at least above 2000 metres above sea level, lower than that they just disappear....This is cool weather all year round, and they do fine in shade.

I´ll post some pictures later.

[MattyB]

Here's a huge clump growing in Vancouver, BC Canada. These were 8 feet tall.

[palmmermaid]

I tried one of these here in South Florida but it quickly died in the summer heat. And it was in a really damp spot.

[Jose Maria]

These are Gunneras that grow along the Panamerican Highway, build during the second world war all the way from the USA to Panama. In Costa Rica it reaches 3400 metres above sealevel. For many kilometres there are Gunneras , among some interesting alpine vegetation.

My hat is to show the size...of the leaves....

Edited August 13, 2009 by Jose Maria

[junglegalfla]

I wish I could grow these! When I posed for that picture that Jeff posted, I felt dwarfed. A Dr. Seuss moment. What an amazing plant!! These will not grow in FL Alice. Save your money!

[Alicehunter2000]

[BigFrond]

I got rid of mine because it was too big and the leaves are like giant sand paper. I would plant this again if I have at least one acre.

[han]

Wow nice plants just growing beside the highway! I did try to grow Gunnera manicata sometimes back, but this tropical highland plant simply didn't make it in my climate. No luck

These are Gunneras that grow along the Panamerican Highway, build during the second world war all the way from the USA to Panama. In Costa Rica it reaches 3400 metres above sealevel. For many kilometres there are Gunneras , among some interesting alpine vegetation.

[Kris]

Dear Jose Maria

Lovely stills and that too big size ! Very beautiful i meant the plant & your photography.And thanks for pointing out that they are plants growing in cooler regions of the world.

Lots of love,

Kris

[southlatropical]

Here in S. Louisiana it died about a month ago.

[jdapalms]

They grow great on the east side of the big Island. I have two that I planted out about 6 months ago. I will try to get a picture in the next few days.

Jerry

Jerry, do you know which Gunnera sp. you have planted at your place in Hawaii or where it is native to? I know there are many different species from different "cool climate" areas, some being a bit more tropical than others, that's why I ask. It would be nice to know which Gunnera species can actually

grow in some warmer climate zones.

Al,

The plants that I planted came from Costa Rica and I believe that they are Gunnera insignis. Below are a few pictures.

[Jose Maria]

Lovely stills and that too big size ! Very beautiful i meant the plant & your photography.And thanks for pointing out that they are plants growing in cooler regions of the world.

Lots of love,

Kris smilie.gif

That is very important; some plants from tropical higlands, simply cant handle the heat.

I´ve brought all kinds of plants from cooler areas to the lowlands where I live, almost sealevel, and these plants slowly but surely wither away...and die. Some plants cant stand a change of being transplanted even only 1000 meters in altitude lower......

Many of these plants, were from colder climates,and I believe were " left behind" , so to speak...in the mountains after the glaciations ...that afected Costa Rica here too. I guess many of these plants might grow very well in cooler areas of North America....

[Al in Kona]

I hear or read somewhere that there are big Gunnera growing natively in Chile, South America. Anyone know about that one?

[Morabeza]

Great thread! Gunnera are wonderful plants. I agree with what has been emphasised here, in that these plants need cool night-time temperatures if they are to grow well, regardless of what species is being grown. I'm sure there is some variation with tolerance of various factors within the genus. Certainly the windward higher elevations of Hawai'i Island would provide that as in Jerry's case.

For those who don't know, Hawai'i has its own endemic species of Gunnera petaloidea a.k.a. 'ape'ape See: http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/faculty/carr/gunnera.htm

The Chilean species G. manicata favours the milder areas of California for cultivation. Milder in terms of both high and low temperatures. In the coastal fog belt they will grow well in full sun, provided they are very well irrigated. Here is one of many well established at the San Francisco Botanical Garden, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, California http://www.flickr.com/photos/morabeza79/3521538384/ . Inland daytime temps of 100°F (38°C) and upwards can be a bit too much for it, and certainly in those conditions full sun is not very realistic for long-term growth.

I think this is possibly one of the greatest differences between horticulture in California vs. Florida (and other mild winter gulf state regions) diurnal temperature differentials. Some plants don't mind having it or not having it, but many simply refuse to grow properly (or at all) without a significant temperature drop each 24 hour cycle - be them particular orchid species, palm species, etc...

[Morabeza]

Last week a neat article about Gunnera species appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle: http://m.sfgate.com/sfchron/db_41182/contentdetail.htm;jsessionid=E65C732982C0289B18FA7625C5F264C1?contentguid=ujmovPs1&storycount=39&detailindex=6&pn=&ps=&full=true

[Al in Kona]

Last week a neat article about Gunnera species appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle: http://m.sfgate.com/sfchron/db_41182/contentdetail.htm;jsessionid=E65C732982C0289B18FA7625C5F264C1?contentguid=ujmovPs1&storycount=39&detailindex=6&pn=&ps=&full=true

This has got to be the most thorough information I've ever read about Gunnera, pretty much covering all the known species around the world. Thanks so much.

[plamfrong]

JD, I'd agree with Gunnera insignis on those, and the ones pictured by Jose Maria. I grew this for a long time and that's exactly what it looked like, but I finally killed it about a year ago. It is not very cold hardy or at least it wasn't for me compared to G. manicata and tinctoria/chilensis. I had another species, which I never could identify, from a lower altitude in Costa Rica that was even more difficult to maintain - I think I killed them all within a year. Examples of G. insignis and another Central American species (killipiana? something like that) can be seen at UC Berkeley BG. Or at least they used to be there.

G. manicata is actually from Brazil. Even so, it likes/needs a cool climate. G. chilensis/tinctoria is from Chile (and, I think, farther north in the Andes) and it seems to be the species best adapted to colder gardens such as in the PNW - although G. manicata is also possible here with some protection. The Vancouver clump pictured by MattyB looks like the real deal manicata but nearly all plants labeled G. manicata I have seen in cultivation are actually G. chilensis/tinctoria incorrectly labeled.

A small species G. magellanica also does well in the Pacific Northwest, as do two very rare, small New Zealand species, and G. perpensa from South Africa. As far as giant species go, there are a couple from the Juan Fernandez Islands that would be exciting to try - G. masafuerae and G. peltatum I believe.

Here's a picture of a Gunnera manicata on the Oregon Coast:

http://www.angelfire.com/bc/eucalyptus/iansplants/gallery/33/g.html

Edited March 2, 2010 by plamfrong

[8er-moni]

:drool: Beautyful plants ... I bought a little one today

... and will try to cultivate her during the "warm" season" in a pot with holes on the pondside - and take it in winter in the cold cellar.

Winter outside will not work really (only with protection)...

I hope it will work and the plant can grow a litte bit larger in the pot

[chris.oz]

Likes it boggy. Edge of a pond

[8er-moni]

Thanks!

[DoomsDave]

They won't make it here in so-cal except right at the beach, in the shade.

But, well worth the trouble, if you can get one to thrive.

Booooyah!

[Geoff]

plants in Golden Gate park, San Francisco

[chris.oz]

plants in Golden Gate park, San Francisco

Geoff , you give great photos !