Sternbergia 2009

[Hans A.]

The first Sternbergia started to flower - the white one: Sternbergia candida

[Gerry Webster]

Very nice Hans. Which cyclamen is that & what are the red berries?

[Hans A.]

Thanks Gerry - its Cyclamen hederifolium (a bit to weedy ) and Ruscus aculeatus.

[Gerdk]

Just beautiful, Hans!
It seems S. candida feels at home outside in Mallorca!

Gerd

[David Nicholson]

Very pretty Hans.

[Tony Willis]

Very nice Hans good to see it growing outside.

[fermi de Sousa]

The first Sternbergia started to flower - the white one: Sternbergia candida

Hi Hans,
can you tell us how you grow this one? I've only managed to flower it once and I wonder now if it is too hot where it is. Yours look nicely shaded.
cheers
fermi

[Hans A.]

Yes - it seems to feel like home here.

@ Fermi, this species and also St. fischeriana grow in difference to the other species in the (light) shadow of shrubs or stones in a heavy limesoil in my garden – cannot say if they grow in nature in the same way  as the few pictures of them taken in habitat (for example from Oleg Polunin) normally just show the flowers – but if I remember well in literature it is mentioned to grow together with Cedrus libani.

[Anthony Darby]

I have Sternbergia fischeriana, but no flowers this year.

[Gerry Webster]

Yes - it seems to feel like home here.
@ Fermi, this species and also St. fischeriana grow in difference to the other species in the (light) shadow of shrubs or stones in a heavy limesoil in my garden – cannot say if they grow in nature in the same way  as the few pictures of them taken in habitat (for example from Oleg Polunin) normally just show the flowers – but if I remember well in literature it is mentioned to grow together with Cedrus libani.

I grow S. candida, along with other sternbergias, planted out in a S facing, permanently covered bulb frame which is kept completely dry in summer.  Although a few of my plants flower regularly I would not describe them as free-flowering under these conditions & I have wondered whether a cooler situation might be better. The other sternbergias flower freely.

I recently discovered this site -

http://www.cyclamen.org/cse97Tsit.htm

which records Cyclamen Society Expeditions. It gives a clue as to how the sternbergia  grows in nature.

"97/10T

21/04/97 Mugla province. Mendes Dag, near Fethiye. Alt. 1440m. Shade: 100%; Aspect: North; Slope: 10-90°; Soil pH: 8.3; Soil type: Rich red soil over limestone. North facing cliffs and slopes thinly covered by mainly Cedrus libani. Moist soil in crevices, on ledges and under Cedar. Heavy soil, humus rich. A large population.
Cyclamen trochopteranthum growing with: Phlomis fruticosa, Quercus coccifera, Colchicum macrophyllum, Sternbergia candida, Chionodoxa forbesii, Cedrus libani, Juniperus foetidissima, Gagea sp., Corydalis ?wendelboi "

[Maggi Young]

Moist soil in crevices, on ledges and under Cedar. Heavy soil, humus rich.

Telling info, that, indeed, Gerry.

[Hans A.]

Thanks Gerry - so I am not growing them to wrong and I am glad my memory (still) does not fail  - once tried to grow one bulb in a sunnier position,  but it did not like it, so I planted it back in my shadier part of the garden.

[fermi de Sousa]

Thanks Gerry - so I am not growing them to wrong and I am glad my memory (still) does not fail  - once tried to grow one bulb in a sunnier position,  but it did not like it, so I planted it back in my shadier part of the garden.

I guess I'd better shift mine this weekend!
cheers
femi

[udo]

Two spring flowering Sternbergia today:

Sternbergia fischeriana from S-Turkey and Syria
    ``         candida from SW-Turkey

[art600]

Dirk

Nice to see Sternbergias in February.