Rain-lilies: Habranthus, Zephyranthes, Cooperia, etc. 2013

[arillady]

Fermi you certainly have a wonderful collection.

[jshields]

Zephyranthes guatemalensis finally blooming.  This came from I.B.S. by way of Charles Gorenstein in about 1997.  It never bloomed until I moved it to a larger pot a couple years back.



Jim

[Ezeiza]

Is it aa huge flower, Jim? This is one of the largest.

[Brian Ellis]

Here is a picture of a Zephyranthes grown from seed labelled as Z. atamasco var treatiae, the pictures on the web do not support this.  Could anyone tell me which it is please?

[ashley]

I'd say Habranthus tubispathus Brian, nice but not what you wanted.

[Brian Ellis]

Thanks Ashley, it is a lovely colour so I am very happy with it - and hopefully the seed labelled Habranthus tubispathus turns out to be Zephyranthes atamasco var treatiae and it was all an error in my labelling!

[krisderaeymaeker]

And Zephyranthes grandiflora . (not sure he is in the right topic?)

[Maggi Young]

And Zephyranthes grandiflora . (not sure he is in the right topic?)

From Mexico and Central America, I think -  so a near neighbour of South America  ...... now moved to this  "rain-lily" thread. 

[krisderaeymaeker]

From Mexico and Central America, I think -  so a near neighbour of South America  ...... now moved to this  "rain-lily" thread.

Thanks Maggi !

[fermi de Sousa]

Only 8 months after I posted its pic Zephyranthes primulina is in flower again (albeit not the same plant but from the same batch of seedlings)
cheers
fermi

[jshields]

Here is an out-of-season bloom on Zephyranthes guatemalensis, probably in response to having been cruelly un-potted, separated, and finally re-potted.

   

This is not a prolific producer of seeds, but makes a few when self-pollinated.  These seeds are not very fertile and the rare seedlings don't live long.  I think I need another clone to out-pollinate if I want good seeds -- which I do.  This also suggests to me that this species is not dependent on apomixis for its reproduction.

There is now a Rain Lily bench in my larger greenhouse, and the black tubes are the drip irrigation system.

Jim

[fermi de Sousa]

The rain-lilies are starting again - already!
Habranthus tubispathus in a couple of colour forms,
cheers
fermi

[Ezeiza]

Again, to Jim, is it a very large flowered plant? Because, guatemalensis is one of the two mammoth flowered species. This is enough to ID it.

[jshields]

Again, to Jim, is it a very large flowered plant? Because, guatemalensis is one of the two mammoth flowered species. This is enough to ID it.

Looking down on the flower, full face-on, it is in a pot that is 13 cm (ca. 5.25 inches) square.  The flower itself is still blooming but as it ages and as we now have cloudy skies, it is no longer opening fully.  Measuring the photo, it looks like the flower is 10.4 cm in diameter across the face.  This one is blooming far out of season and was just recently repotted, so this may not be completely typical behavior.  The original bulb came from people in the International Bulb Society who generally knew what they were doing where bulbs were concerned but most of whom are now deceased.

Without human or insect intervention, there seem to be no seeds formed.  This clone is poorly fertile when self-pollinated, giving only a few seeds, very few of which even germinate and essentially none of which survive. 

Jim

Jim

[Ezeiza]

Well, this is the confirmation that it is the real thing,  exceedingly rare in cultivation. A tropical species, it has been disappearing from collections over the years. The problem with such plants it is that they demand warmish winter dormancy.