Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum

Specific Families and Genera => Amaryllidaceae => Topic started by: Hans J on October 25, 2007, 03:05:39 PM

Title: Pancratium maritimum
Post by: Hans J on October 25, 2007, 03:05:39 PM
Hi all ,

here are some pics from my last holiday in the mediterranean sea :

Pancratium maritimum from the island of Karpathos

Enjoy
Hans
Title: Re: Pancratium maritimum
Post by: Hans J on October 25, 2007, 03:07:46 PM
I have collect some fruits from this plants - if anybody is interestet .....
the seeds are now near ripe !
Title: Re: Pancratium maritimum
Post by: Anthony Darby on October 26, 2007, 12:03:48 PM
I have some bulbs from PC but they have never flowered. Has anyone flowered them in northern parts?
Title: Re: Pancratium maritimum
Post by: Casalima on October 26, 2007, 12:14:54 PM
I've seen them growing on the coast of Galicia. No cold temperatures, but very wet and windy.

No photos, I'm afraid.

Chloë
Title: Re: Pancratium maritimum
Post by: Michael on October 26, 2007, 07:29:51 PM
Hello Hans! I also don't grow them, but i know they occur in Portugal, near the sea. Their common name is "Narciso das areias" (Daffodil of the sands). Very nice pictures!
Title: Re: Pancratium maritimum
Post by: Hans J on October 26, 2007, 08:03:42 PM
Hello Hans! I also don't grow them, but i know they occur in Portugal, near the sea. Their common name is "Narciso das areias" (Daffodil of the sands). Very nice pictures!

Hi Michael ,

Thank you for your compliments !
They greek people says also Narcissus to this plants , it is true - this plants grows more or less in pure sand .
Do you know also Pancratium canariense ?
I have it never seen .

Title: Re: Pancratium maritimum
Post by: Michael on October 30, 2007, 07:54:02 AM
No i have never heard of that one. But i can ask a friend of mine from Canary Islands to see if he has some seeds to send to you!
Title: Re: Pancratium maritimum
Post by: Hans J on October 30, 2007, 08:03:48 AM
No Michael, I have seedlings of P. canariense -Thank you !
But may be your friends could take few pictures ....it's would be interesting to see .
I grow also P. illyricum ( one plant ) but I had flowers in this years and some (very few)- I hope they will germinate......it is interesting : this seeds are totaly different
Title: Re: Pancratium maritimum
Post by: shelagh on October 30, 2007, 02:03:16 PM
Oh boy did those pictures bring back memories of searching for autumn bulbs in western Crete a couple of years ago, every beach had it's quota.
Title: Re: Pancratium maritimum
Post by: TC on October 30, 2007, 05:05:39 PM
Your pictures brought back pleasant memories of Crete about 12 years ago.  We went to Stavros just North of Hania to visit the location of the film Zorba the Greek and ended up doing Zorba's dance on the beach much to the amusement of some locals.  I remember the sand was covered in Pancratium maritinum.  In Cyprus they call it the Famagusta Lily.
Title: Re: Pancratium maritimum
Post by: Cris on October 30, 2007, 10:01:24 PM
Hi

I've seen P.Maritimum near a beach, it grows only in sand, it's incredible. I've heard that its roots grow so much deeper to try to find nourishment.

It was a two years ago, and I was not conscienced that sould not get wild bulbs from their habitat :-[, and I brougt two bulbs with me. I had to dig almost a 50cm to can reach the bulb. They are very big bulbs. I also brougth sand, so when I arrived home, I've planted it in sand moisted with a little bit of substrat. This year it gave flower, a very beatiful flower.

In the autumn I've also sown some seeds that came from Spain. They took almost two mounths to germinate, but not they are strong.

There are another Pancratium that i like a lot, but I did not found it yet: P. Zeylanicum. It is superbe.



Title: Re: Pancratium maritimum
Post by: jomowi on November 04, 2007, 09:33:14 PM
I am surprised that nobody has mentioned that this plant grows wild on a beach in SW britain, Devon I think.  It is introduced, not native.

Brian Wilson
Aberdeen
Title: Re: Pancratium maritimum
Post by: David Nicholson on November 05, 2007, 09:35:14 AM
Brian, do you know which beach in Devon please?
Title: Re: Pancratium maritimum
Post by: Anthony Darby on November 05, 2007, 10:02:02 AM
Anyone flowered it is a pot in the UK?
Title: Re: Pancratium maritimum
Post by: David Nicholson on November 05, 2007, 08:32:13 PM
I am surprised that nobody has mentioned that this plant grows wild on a beach in SW britain, Devon I think.  It is introduced, not native.

Brian Wilson
Aberdeen

Found it, (information not the plant) See http://www.aphotoflora.com/page32.html

Title: Re: Pancratium maritimum
Post by: jomowi on November 05, 2007, 08:40:26 PM
David

In one word no! someone once told me they had seen it and it is refered to in Stace "New Flora of the British Isles".  Try Google.

regards

Brian Wilson Aberdeen
Title: Re: Pancratium maritimum
Post by: Maggi Young on November 05, 2007, 08:51:10 PM
That link you gave is interesting, David.... amazing what is growing , escaped, around the place!
Title: Re: Pancratium maritimum
Post by: David Nicholson on November 06, 2007, 09:51:49 AM
That link you gave is interesting, David.... amazing what is growing , escaped, around the place!

The location given for the plant, Slapton Sands, is about 30 minutes drive from where I live. The bay covers a fairly big area but if someone tells me when the optimum flowering period is I will attempt to seek it out.
Title: Re: Pancratium maritimum
Post by: jomowi on November 06, 2007, 08:54:39 PM
Might be worth looking even now.  I have seen flowers quite late in the mediteranean area although Stace says summer.  The leaves are also quite easily seen, look in the dryer sand above the high tide line.  the flowers are fragrant.

Regards

Brian Wilson
Title: Re: Pancratium maritimum
Post by: jomowi on November 07, 2007, 07:49:15 PM
To make it harder, the "Interactive Flora Of The British Isles" refers to only 5 plants

Brian Wilson Aberdeen
Title: Re: Pancratium maritimum
Post by: David Nicholson on November 07, 2007, 08:33:45 PM
The words 'needles' and 'haystacks' spring to mind! Never mind I will have to have a go. I think we are promised a gale this week-end and if it is a South Westerly Slapton Sands is THE place to be.
Title: Re: Pancratium maritimum
Post by: Maggi Young on November 08, 2007, 01:44:42 PM
Quote
I think we are promised a gale this week-end and if it is a South Westerly Slapton Sands is THE place to be.
I don't know about the weekend but we are being blown off the face of the earth at the minute... that's what it feels like, anyway! I wouldn't be going anywhere near our beach in this, that's for sure.
Title: Re: Pancratium maritimum
Post by: Luc Gilgemyn on November 08, 2007, 02:41:02 PM
I've heard it's the remains of "Noel" that have come your way Maggi...
Title: Re: Pancratium maritimum
Post by: David Nicholson on November 08, 2007, 07:55:02 PM
Thought you might like to see a picture of Start Bay which contains Slapton Sands the UK site of Pancratium maritimum.

Title: Re: Pancratium maritimum
Post by: Maggi Young on November 08, 2007, 07:57:58 PM
Apart from the body of water to the right, it looks quite like St Cyrus, just south of Aberdeen!
Title: Re: Pancratium maritimum
Post by: David Nicholson on November 08, 2007, 08:10:05 PM
Sorry I had meant to include some other information with the picture. Slapton Sands was where the American forces trained for the Normandy Invasion (World War 2). At that time the residents of the village of Slapton, as well as of many other very small villages in the area, had to leave their homes in order that they could be used for training and billeting purposes, over 3000 people were affected. A large number of American service men lost their lives as a result of live ammunition being used in training exercises and at one stage a German U Boat got into Start Bay and many were killed. The official figures say that some 800 men were lost in the training exercises but it is still said today that many bodies were buried in secret mass graves in order to disguise the real scale of the losses.

The lake that can be seen in the picture is Slapton Ley and is a freshwater lake retained by the shingle bank of Slapton Sands. It is now a nature reserve and field study centre. Good for bird watchers too.
Title: Re: Pancratium maritimum
Post by: David Nicholson on November 08, 2007, 08:10:39 PM
Apart from the body of water to the right, it looks quite like St Cyrus, just south of Aberdeen!

Might be a little bit warmer ;D
Title: Re: Pancratium maritimum
Post by: Stephenb on November 19, 2007, 11:17:21 AM
Sorting through my pictures from the summer, I came across this shot of Pancratium from Kew (in the Queen's Herb Garden next to Kew Palace). 15th century herbalist, John Gerard, has a few advisory words on the subject. Hope the text is legible. If not, I'll type it out for you....
Title: Encore Pancratium Maritinum!
Post by: Chrisx on October 10, 2008, 11:13:24 AM
Hi all
I am new to the group and an interested but inexperienced gardener.  Just posting a brief update on PM:  We have just returned from Halki - tiny island off Rhodes - and saw sea daffodils for the first time.  Absolutely gorgeous and the scent - heavenly. 
My Greek is not that good but the local name for it is Zaforás and I was told that it only ever grows in sand and very near the sea.  So - to all those trying to grow it - maybe it needs a little salt in its diet?  A firm in Cornwall is apparently selling bulbs so I just have to try growing them.  Wish me luck!  :-)
Title: Re: Encore Pancratium Maritinum!
Post by: Maggi Young on October 10, 2008, 11:47:03 AM
Hi, Chrisx, welcome to the Forum.... good luck with your bulbs.... we'll expect photos of your progress, of course!


By the way, I'll merge this with another Pancratium thread, for the sake of neatness!!  ;)
Title: Re: Pancratium maritimum
Post by: Cris on October 10, 2008, 12:50:14 PM
Hi
I've some seedlings that germinated ver well in sand.

A few weeks ago I went to a beach were grow p.maritimum and I saw little seedlings germinating, it was amazing. I've some photos that I'll show you, I must discharge them from the phone. ::)
Title: Re: Pancratium maritimum
Post by: Chrisx on October 10, 2008, 01:47:06 PM
Many thanks - I only wish I had had the nerve to collect a few seed heads while in Halki!  Am currently working on some drawings of Zaforás - so you may get those as well. 

One question:  I noticed that the wild ones that I saw had yellow anthers - whilst the variety as sold by the firm in Cornwall (from the photo) had white anthers?  Is this a bad pic or different variety?

(http://Zaforas 01.JPG)
Title: Re: Pancratium maritimum
Post by: Renate Brinkers on November 02, 2008, 06:32:50 PM
Here are some pictures of Pancratium maritimum we saw in Andalusia. There have been some restaurants at the strand and we saw that some of the owners have been very carefully with them. They builded small fences to protect them, well knowing that they will dissapear when the next hotel is "growing" in the sand.
Title: Re: Pancratium maritimum
Post by: Renate Brinkers on November 02, 2008, 06:34:08 PM
another one
Title: Re: Pancratium maritimum
Post by: Paddy Tobin on November 02, 2008, 08:31:19 PM
Renate,

Lovely photographs. I have a nice pot of foliage at home but have never had a flower.

Paddy
Title: Re: Pancratium maritimum
Post by: Renate Brinkers on November 17, 2008, 10:33:02 PM
Hi Paddy,

me too but next year I hope it will change because this P.canariense flowered the first time and this species like P.maritimum and one unknown species are growing for the first year like they should.
It is really remarkably that all three species (8 plants all together) started to grow good nearly at the same time and one of them flowered). That can not be a coincidence - I just have to find out what happend to give so much better conditions than the last years.
Maybe we both have the luck that P.maritumum flowers next year.
Title: Re: Pancratium maritimum
Post by: Folypeelarks on November 18, 2008, 12:14:04 AM
I also have some of these plants in my home.First, The bulbs formed leaves and after that they dissapeared.I thought that they'll flower but another group of leaves appeared.Now, They are still growing and I don't know what will happen..

Renate, the plants which You show are very nice.But the hotels are continuing to ''grow'' everywhere for said and the fate of such lovely flowers may not be good..   
Title: Re: Pancratium maritimum
Post by: Renate Brinkers on November 30, 2008, 10:35:22 PM
Hi,
I think you are right, there will be not a lot space for them left and I think the plants I made pictures from don´t exist now - the hotel "grow" faster.
Title: Re: Pancratium maritimum
Post by: TC on December 01, 2008, 08:20:30 PM
One of the " joys" of scanning old slides is that you find pictures that you have not seen for years.  Here is one taken in October 1994 on the beach at Stavros in Western Crete, where Zorba the Greek was filmed.  I can remember that I was amazed that this beautiful scented flower was growing in pure sand about 20 yards from the sea.  In Cyprus, they called it the Famagusta Lily.  I brought back some seeds but they refused to germinate.  The West of Scotland can never generate high enough temperatures for this beauty.
Title: Re: Pancratium maritimum
Post by: Maggi Young on December 01, 2008, 08:37:14 PM
Nice scan, Tom !
Title: Re: Pancratium maritimum
Post by: Gerdk on December 02, 2008, 07:15:00 AM
What a good quality, can we hope for more interesting plants?

Gerd
Title: Re: Pancratium maritimum
Post by: TC on December 02, 2008, 12:52:33 PM
Gerd,
It depends on what you call interesting!  I have a large collection of slides taken in Crete, Lesvos, Rhodes, Cyprus when I had a fascination for bee orchids.  However, I would photograph lizards, insects, butterflies and almost anything that took my fancy.  My main interest was in birds and military aircraft.  I also have a large collection of plant pictures from the SRGC shows over the past 15 years.  My problem is that over the years my filing system has broken down  - except for aircraft  - and I have the plants scattered around under holidays, family and other obscure headings.  I have about 60,000 slides and about the same in B/W and colour negatives.  On a good day, I can scan and adjust 100 slides.
So, if I work at it everyday, I will finish in 2012.  The rarest plant I have photographed was Wright's Gardenia on the small island of Aride, on the Seychelles. This is its only location and flowers exactly 14 days after rain.  We just happened to be there at the correct moment.  I will put together some scans that I think may be interesting to some people.  I have some rather good ones of Anchusa Caespitosa taken high up in the Lefka Ori in West Crete.
Title: Re: Pancratium maritimum
Post by: Joakim B on December 02, 2008, 02:37:51 PM
Tom
I for one would like to see bee orchids so if You happen to come over these when working I bet a lot of the other orchid enthusiast here would also appreciate to see them.
So thanks in advance and happy to get what you can provide
Kind regards
Joakim
Title: Re: Pancratium maritimum
Post by: Gerdk on December 02, 2008, 03:11:28 PM
Tom,
It seems there are good chances for a lot of interesting pics for the different fields of interests which are united in this Forum.
For me personally nearly the whole range of subjects mentioned by you is indeed interesting. The military aircraft maybe an exception but a bird photographed with a plane will be o.k.  ;D
So, I hope we will be able to look forward to some lovely pics from your collection.

Gerd
Title: Re: Pancratium maritimum
Post by: Anthony Darby on December 02, 2008, 08:32:27 PM
Many thanks - I only wish I had had the nerve to collect a few seed heads while in Halki! 
(http://Zaforas 01.JPG)

I don't understand. The seeds are plentiful and there is no problem collecting a few. I only wish my purchased bulbs would flower in the alpine house. :(

My main interest was ........ military aircraft. 

A bit risky photographing them in Greece, Tom. ;D
Title: Re: Pancratium maritimum
Post by: TC on December 02, 2008, 09:32:18 PM
The Greeks are paranoiac about cameras anywhere near their military establishments and I was never stupid enough to take a camera near them except once, by accident.
We went looking for orchids in Rhodes and climbed up a steep hill through the scrub.  We walked along a rough road  for half a mile and then heard gunfire.  I thought it was the usual Greek pastime of blasting any living creature as "sport" . Then it changed to burst of automatic fire.   My instinct was to creep up and see where the firing was coming from.   We had blundered into an Army firing range.  I could see the firing butts about 800 yards away and me festooned with binoculars and camera.  My poor uncomplaining wife was dragged at speed down the hillside through thorns and heaven knows what else until we were far enough away to relax.  When I get round to posting some of the pictures you will know how hard won they were!
Title: Re: Pancratium maritimum
Post by: Anthony Darby on December 02, 2008, 11:15:33 PM
Good job you saw only their butts Tom. At least then, although, presumably not a pretty sight, they weren't facing you. ;)
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