Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum

Bulbs => Bulbs General => Topic started by: mark smyth on November 25, 2010, 03:54:43 PM

Title: Scilla madeirensis at Kew
Post by: mark smyth on November 25, 2010, 03:54:43 PM
A very impressive Scilla at Kew http://www.kew.org/news/kew-blogs/giant-madeiran-squill.htm (http://www.kew.org/news/kew-blogs/giant-madeiran-squill.htm) and I want one  ::)
Title: Re: Scilla madeirensis at Kew
Post by: TheOnionMan on November 25, 2010, 04:10:46 PM
wow, that is impressive.  I like the pots with just the mounded bulbs before any leaves or flowers!
Title: Re: Scilla madeirensis at Kew
Post by: mark smyth on November 25, 2010, 04:24:49 PM
I do also. They look like Hyacinthus non scripta bulbs that have been eposed to the sun
Title: Re: Scilla madeirensis at Kew
Post by: Carlo on November 25, 2010, 05:25:16 PM
I WANT it.
Title: Re: Scilla madeirensis at Kew
Post by: Maren on November 25, 2010, 05:43:33 PM
I saw them last week in the Kew Alpine house and was completely bowled over. There were two large terracotta pots filled with these magnificent flowers, about 2 1/2 ft high, sorry 75 cm. The flowers looked like a sky blue form of Scilla peruviana.

What also struck me was that the foliage was completely pristine and unmarked. I took a chance and said to the attendant: "Amazing what they can do with plastic these days!". Fortunately she understood the joke and that it was meant as a compliment. We had a long chat about cultivation. Sadly I didn't have my camera on me. I may go back next week. :) :)
Title: Re: Scilla madeirensis at Kew
Post by: Paddy Tobin on November 25, 2010, 06:49:51 PM
By chance, Mary brought back a plant, a single growing bulb, from Madeira recently. We saw it growing in the Botanic Gardens in Funchal though only a very few were in  flower. It looked as though clumps had been divided earlier in the year and there were many single growing spikes and only a few clumps. Those in clumps were in flower while the single bulbs were not, obviously delayed by the disturbance.

Photograph from the Botanic Gardens, Funchal, below.

Paddy
Title: Re: Scilla madeirensis at Kew
Post by: angie on November 25, 2010, 06:53:51 PM
I WANT it.

So do I

Mark thanks for showing us it, it's really nice.

Angie :)
Title: Re: Scilla madeirensis at Kew
Post by: WimB on November 25, 2010, 07:35:46 PM
If you want to try it from seed, you can find it here: http://www.rareplants.de/shop/product.asp?strParents=&CAT_ID=0&P_ID=8770&strPageHistory=search&numSearchStartRecord=1
Title: Re: Scilla madeirensis at Kew
Post by: Darren on November 26, 2010, 08:27:41 AM
A kind Madeiran forumist sent me some seed a couple of years ago. Take a hint from the pictures and grow it with the bulbs at the surface . I didn't realise this and now have few survivors as they are prone to rot if buried  :(
Title: Re: Scilla madeirensis at Kew
Post by: Paul T on November 30, 2010, 02:11:53 AM
Strikingly beautiful.  Thanks for showing us Mark and Paddy. :o
Title: Re: Scilla madeirensis at Kew
Post by: Arda Takan on January 23, 2011, 12:57:39 AM
Even the colour of the tunic of the bulbs is amazing!  :)
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