Galanthus October 2020

[Hannelore]

The autumn proceeds:

The first 'Pink Panther' is open.


Reginae-Olgae is raising its head.

[Chad]

I have finally been convinced that Pink Panther does have some pink pigment in it.

John's blog post has a picture, but in 'the flesh' it is more obvious.

Does anyone know if the pink pigment has been characterised?

Or, has anyone got a big enough clump that we could sacrifice the flowers to do an extraction and chromatography?

I'm guessing it is the same pigment as in Acis rosea, but I don't think that has been characterised either!

Chad

[Maggi Young]

Lovely  photo  from John Jearrard of 'Pink Panther' - I definitely  saw  mine  as  pink when I  got  it  last  year so I am anxiously awaiting  this  year's   bud- which is  almost  ready  to  open - to show  its true  colour  soon! I'll ask the  Bulb Despot  to  photograph  it  for  me when it  does -   it, and  the  'Blanc de  Chine' in the  pot  beside  it  have  both  got  roots  out though, so getting a  decent  shot  may  be  tricky. The  BD had  to wriggle  a  lot  to  get  a  shot  of  'Blanc de  Chine ' for  tomorrow's Bulb Log! 

[Gail]

I'm guessing it is the same pigment as in Acis rosea, but I don't think that has been characterised either!

Chad

I was guessing that too and as an aside wondering if anyone has tried crossing Acis with Galanthus...

[Chad]

Galanthus, Acis and Leucojum hybrids have been repeatedly attempted and as far as I know none have succeeded.

From first principles it is a big [but not impossible] ask.

Chromosome counts, though with some variability, suggest Galanthus 2n=24, Acis 2n=16,  and Leucojum 2n=22.

So a 'new' intergeneric hybrid would probably need to go for polyploidy at the same time as hybridity to be viable.

That isn't impossible, but you would need to do an awful lot of the cross to be likely to get a viable offspring.

Chad

[Gail]

Thanks Chad, interesting but I suspect it is one of those things I'll put on the "if there were but time enough" list...

[Hannelore]

Yes, it's pink. My Group of Pink Panther today:

[ielaba2011]

Last year some two friends in the forum, very kindly, have sent me Galanthus reginae-olgae bulbs - I wanted to try this species since it is supoused to be better suited to my climate. They have now competed full circle in my garden and they are starting to flower for the first time.   I think this was a success. New noses are coming through from the ground and they look healthy!

Thank you to @Ashley and @Gail for 'Blanc De Chine'.

 'Tilebarn Jamie' is also producing at leats two noses, still developing. 

[Hannelore]

"Blanc de Chine" will definitively be the next on my wishlist!

[ashley]

Well done Jaime
They're flowering at the same time here, but under glass. 

[Anne Repnow]

'Pink Panther' is always the first G. reginae-olgae to flower here. I find that the pink hue shows particularly well in older flowers.

[Anne Repnow]

G. reginae-olgae 'Ruby's Green Dream' is clumping up nicely

[Edgar Wills]

G. Reginae-olgae


G. Reginae-olgae 'Casper' with what is left of pink panther.

Still waiting for g. Bursanus to open to try and sample the smell.

[Edgar Wills]

G. bursanus opened, couldn't smell so much actually.

[Gail]

Perhaps it needs a warmer day?