Calostemma purpureum

[Paul T]

Howdy All,

I thought I'd post a pic here for those of us who might be growing this little Aussie native.... Calostemma purpureum.  I have just a single stem in flower for me this year, and I expect that will likely be all I'll get, but it does mean that this planting in the centre of my crocus garden looks to be working, as they bulbs are now properly maturing to flowering size.  Hopefully this is the first of many stems I'll get in the next few years.    This is a pink variety, unlike the "usual" red and yellow ones.  I can dig up other pics I have taken elsewhere in the past if anyone is interested in seeing more of them.  Anyone else who is growing them, please feel free to post some pics here.

Enjoy!

(Remember to click on the pic for a larger version)

[David Nicholson]

Very nice Paul. I don't know if anyone over here is growing them though, wonder if Darren is?

[Alessandro.marinello]

beautifulst Paul, I have not never seen a form with opened petal, would appeal to me to have seeds of this 

[angie]

Paul that is beautiful. Wish I was growing it 

Angie

[Paul T]

beautifulst Paul, I have not never seen a form with opened petal, would appeal to me to have seeds of this 

Alessandro,

I think it is a timing thing.  The flower seems to be upright in bud, outward facing and open when it is at it's peak, then the flower droops as you can see in the rest of the flower stem.  I've so rarely had them flower that I haven't observed whether this is standard for other forms as well.  By the sound of it you do grow some of these.... what colours do you have?  If you don't have this pink then I am happy to send you some seed as these would usually set them I think.  I'm never quite sure whether they're apomictic or not, but given this is the only one I have flowering, any seed should be pretty much true to form I think.

[Alessandro.marinello]

Paul
thanks, I add a photo of the form that I possess

[Paul T]

Alessandro,

That looks like the more traditional "red" and yellow one from commerce.  There is also a yellow form (formerly called Calostemma lutea, but now just part of purpurea) that has much more open wide flowers.  Then there are ranges in between.  I have posted pics in the past of red and yellow combinations elsewhere on the forum, which have the shape of the yellow but varying amounts of red in the centre.  There is also a white species, which I have never yet seen in person, and a whole range of colours occurring naturally, which we never see in commerce at all unfortunately. 

[fermi de Sousa]

Hi Paul,
I did post a pic earlier of Calostemma purpureum(note the gender!)
at reply #102: http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=6624.msg186254#msg186254
I've grown the yellow form and Pat Toolan has the white form growing around her place naturally!
cheers
fermi



Edit by Maggi to add full link to fermi's previous post.

[Paul T]

Fermi,

You're spot on, I'd never clicked to the purpureum. I shall edit and correct.  Yes, I was aware you had posted a pic in the Southern Hemisphere topic (I think?) but thought that the genus deserved a topic of it's own, hopefully for others to post in as well.  Wishful thinking that more grow them. 

I do grow the yellow form as well as the red and the pink one I showed the photo of.  I have some other seedlings from a friend that could be of unknown colours, so I live in hope.    Hopefully Pat can show us a pic of the white near her.

[arillady]

Your wish is granted Paul
The white Calostemma - no idea of the species
Pat

[Paul T]

Pat,

So they open pink and fade out to white.  A combination I've never even seen pictured before!!  VERY nice!!!!!

[Maggi Young]

name change of thread to Calostemma purpureum

[Maggi Young]

The white Calostemma - no idea of the species
Pat

Very attractive indeed.

 As I've said elswhere, I wish I had the facilities to grow these bulbs.   

[arillady]

Paul what is the best reference to Calostemma to see if these have been described
Would be interesting to have a 20' x 20' native reserve!!!

[Paul T]

Pat,

No idea.  My understanding is that there are a miriad of different shades of colour.  The white that is known as Calostemma alba or Calostemma scott-selickiana (spelling?) from north Queensland I think both refer to what is now a species of Proiphys.  I HAVE heard of pure white traditional Calostemmas (i.e not a Proiphys, but really a Calostemma) but never seen them, and there are yellows, yellow and red combinations, red (with the yellow throat, like my pink has a yellow throat), and other colour shades within that.  I do not know if there is any authority on these, although I know there are a few Aussie collectors of them.  If I had the space, I would grow a heap of them, but then I'd also have to find them available which wouldn't exactly be easy.   I like the blend of colours in yours.... it's white and yet it isn't.    There really aren't that many photos of colour forms of them, except I know I've posted pics in various places of the colour forms that are found at the Bot Gardens here in Canberra.