Hippeastrum 2017

[Cfred72]

Good surprise tonight on returning from work. It is now three years that I buy a bulb of hippeastrum papilio (so-called) every year. This is the first year that I really have one. I will try to get seeds ...

[François Lambert]

I would have preferred these to flower a bit later in the year, because the lack of light during this dark period of the year makes the plants grow thin up.  Anyway, for the first time flowering for me is Hippeastrum Striatum.  And more flowerscapes are still emerging from the overcrowded & too small pot they are growing in.

[Maggi Young]

François, do you think  that  crowding in a smaller pot is a benefit to get more flowers?

[François Lambert]

Hi Maggi,


I often read that Hippeastrum will do better when grown in too small pots.  Which is partly confirmed by my own experiences, with other hippeastrum I have fine results even if they have plenty of room in their pot.

Now, these Hippeastrum Striatum have formed a compact layer of bulbs in the small pot they are growing in - so compact that when I water them from above it takes a couple of minutes before the water penetrates the soil under the bulbs.  One other thing that may have triggered flowering is a short dry period sometime in November.  The foliage looked like it was withering and no new leaves were developing.  So I decided to give them a winter rest and stopped watering them.  A couple of weeks later I noticed a flower stalk and fresh leaves growing, so I started watering them again.  Right now almost all the bulbs in this pot are making new leaves, and - I assume - only the two biggest bulbs send flowers up - 2 stalks per bulb.  Although big in this case is probably still very small compared to other hippeastrum bulbs.  Seems that in habitat these bulbs grow on river banks, so a dry spell may be the trigger to encourage bulbs to flower and set seed when conditions are best for subsequent germination.

[Maggi Young]

Interesting information, thank you!

[Cfred72]

I forgot to show you a more beautiful picture of Hippeastrum papilio when it was flowered.

[Cfred72]

I told you I was going to try to get seed pods. I passed the brush brush in the pollen then on the stigmata. The next day the flowers faded. Today this is what the fruits in formation look like.

[sokol]

Are the seed pods still growing or did they suddenly stop? I have never been successful with mine and they did never flower at the same time.

[jshields]

Are the seed pods still growing or did they suddenly stop? I have never been successful with mine and they did never flower at the same time.

You can store Hippeastrum pollen dry and cold for almost 12 months and not lose the fertility.

Jim

[Cfred72]

Are the seed pods still growing or did they suddenly stop? I have never been successful with mine and they did never flower at the same time.

The seed pods continue to grow. I have a second seed of the SRGC seed exchange that has just germinated. I had placed a picture of germination by flotation on the following link at the bottom of the page : http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=6490.750

[sokol]

You can store Hippeastrum pollen dry and cold for almost 12 months and not lose the fertility.

Jim

Thanks Jim, I did not know that they last so long. I did not expect the second plant to flower for the third time within a year. Otherwise I would have tried it in that way.

[François Lambert]

I still had a faded flower stalk on my Hippeastrum Aulicum (including the anters with pollen on them) when my Striatum was flowering.  I tried a cross between the two - although the Aulicum pollen was about two months old and kept at room temperature.  I will see if any seeds are formed.  Right now it does not look like the seedpods are developping.

[johnralphcarpenter]

Hippeastrum aulicum.

[Cfred72]

The seed pods continue to grow. I have a second seed of the SRGC seed exchange that has just germinated. I had placed a picture of germination by flotation on the following link at the bottom of the page : http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=6490.750

Seed pods wilt. I think they abort, I will not have seeds of these pods. On the other hand, a third seed of the SRGC seed exchange germinated. One apparently disintegrated an empty envelope and two others still waiting.

[François Lambert]

Frédéric, Hippeastrum have a strong reputation of being self sterile.  And often it is the same clone sold all over Europe ... still self sterile.  i hope your seedlings will grow well so that in a couple of years you can have as many seeds as you like.

My cross Aulicum X Striatum seems to succeed, the seedpods are growing.