Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
General Subjects => Flowers and Foliage Now => Topic started by: Paul T on March 01, 2008, 09:47:53 PM
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Howdy All,
March stuff!! Will be posting some pics shortly. :)
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These Zephyranthes candida aren't in my garden. They're in a garden at a local nursery. Get no care and attention, nothing special at all. They get a bit of runoff from the road above them, but nothing in particular watering-wise either apparently. Fairly impressive display, to put it mildly!! I can barely flower teh darn things, but I haven't exactly been trying very hard to be honest. Given the exclamations in one of the other topics about some in flower..... I figured this mass would be enjoyed by many viewers!!
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OOH! Yes, very nice display!
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And some more pics.....
The pale form of Colchicum cilicicum is always ones of the first to flower for me each year.
I adore Cyclamen rohlfsianum with it's lovely twisted petals and unusual leaves. Looks like I'll have a few of them flowering this year, so will be setting seed on them if possible. Some nice leaf markings amongst them as well.
This yellow form of Cyrtanthus mackenii almost glows. Took me ages to actually GET a yellow one as they usually ended up just the normal orange. Doing well for me now, although I'd like to get some of the other colours such as the pastel pinks etc (I have white, yellow, and the bright orangey species type).
And lastly for now the Haemanthus coccineus is fully open, so I'm posting a pic from above to show the flowerhead.
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Nice pictures Paul. I've just sown seed of Cyrtanthus mackenii so if I eventually get one with the same colour as yours I shall be well pleased.
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David,
Do you already grow any mackenii?
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No I don't Paul, this is my first attempt at Cyrtanthus. It is part of my self- inflicted programme to have a go with as many Southern Hemisphere and North American bulbs as I can to eventually see how many I can get away with in my maritme climate. Most of my programme is from seed from the last SRGC Seed Ex, together with a few fairly common species (Ixia and Sparaxis) where I bought some fairly cheap bulbs and planted them last Autumn to see what would happen. So far they are looking good with about 6-8 inches of growth. I already had some Brodiaea (Triteleia?) Queen Fabiola that flowered last Summer and I left these in the garden to see if they would come up again. So far I have a very healthy looking clump with a couple of inches of growth. Maybe I will post a list of what I am trying from seed without boring everyone rigid.
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Some pics taken in the last day or two......
The Gladiolus montana is a relable flowering miniature species, only getting to about 8 inch tall. Can't miss it flowering though as good solid pink.
The two Nerine species are the earlier types to flower here. For some reason N. angulata which is always reliable doesn't have a flower as yet, so maybe it is just biding it's time this year? N. laticoma has flowers about an inch wide, while N. masoniorum is closer to 1cm wide, but perfectly formed and ruffled.
The Sternbergia lutea are coming into flower more each day. Nice splash of golden yellow in the garden.
And lastly is a small Wahlenbergia that grows wild here. It forms little colonies and has long slender stems and these little flowers that are a bit over 1cm wide. I have left some on my nature trip to grow and flower there, carefully weeding around them each year. They are never going to get invasive, and the tiny blue-mauve flowers appear over a long time. Rather cool really!! 8)
Enjoy!!
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Hi Paul,
the Nerine laticoma has just gone onto my list of plants to look out for as I seem to be building up a collection of species nerines, but I'd not seen that one before as has the Gladiolus. Thanks for showing us them.
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That is a super little Gladiolus Paul. You know the usual question :D :D And do you have a species name for the Wahlenbergia?
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Sue,
No problemo. Glad to help feed your Nerine addiction. N. angulata and N. masoniorum are my favourite of the small species I think.
Lesley,
I am not aware of my G. montana ever setting seed, but I'll see if I can do some hand pollinating in an attempt to get it to. I'll see if I can find out what the Wahl species is and get back to you.
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Great Pix Paul !
That Gladi has me droolin too.. so if there's a lot of seed..... ;D
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Thanks Luc,
You I can probably send a corm to if you want... I know that lesley's quarantine won't allow it though. happy to send you one when they're dormant if you remind me.
Sue,
Here's a pic of the Nerine laticoma that I took today. It shows it fully open, as the other one was still obviously only opening once you see it today. Lovely little thing, that is for sure.
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Lesley and Paul,
I think the Wahlenbergia species is W. sericea ,but I'm not a 100% certain.
Whatever it is , it is a beauty, as are your two Nerine species ,Paul. I only grow N.masoniorum myself. The Daffodil season has started here , with N. serotinus in bloom.
Ciao Otto.
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Otto,
Well I can always send you more Nerine species.... I just love them!! :D Wow, Narcissus already? I have seedlings of serotinus coming along from Hans J. here on the forum. I think every seed germinated and has survived. This will be their third growing season I think. I know it'll be a few more years until they flower, but I can dream. If you get a chance to take a pic I'd love you (or Fermi) to post it.
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A first flowering---Crocus vallicola x NARGS sown feb/05.Gosh what a beauty--i feel another obsession coming on.
Early last year i split my clump of Cyrtanthus obrienii growing in the alpine house and tried it outside in a trough ,(with pan of glass over the top during winter ),where it has survived.
Lost the name of the plant in the 4th pic ???.I should know it.
Tricyrtis macranthopsis.
Zephyranthes primulina--lovely combination of yellow with pink veins.Easily grown from seed if anyone is interested.
Cheers Dave.
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t00lie, Crocus vallicola is one of Ian's favourites...... I'm beginning to wonder if you two aren't long lost twins!
Is your No. 4 a tradescantia/ commelina type thingy ? Crikey, I can remember nothing tonight... sorry :-[
Love the Tricytis .... mine gave a first flower last year so I've got great hopes for this year :-X
I have been bowled over by Fermi's assorted rain lilies and now you are showing this cute Zephyranthes primulina.....it looks quite little, is it a neat wee thing?
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Not long lost twins Maggie --rather just kindred spirits.
Commelina rings a bell and the plant in question is about 45cm in height so it's likely to be C. tuberosa.Thanks.
The Zephranthes isn't a wee thing --about 20 cm high with a good sized flower --it's bucketing down here at the moment so i can't give you definite measurements.Does not mind summer rain and would i think grow well in one of your glasshouses.
Cheers dave
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Does not mind summer rain and would I..... 8) think grow well in one of your glasshouses.
Do you indeed? That sounds very promising
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Dave,
Commelina coelestris!! A fav of mine as it is a true blue. Glorious colour!!
I noted yesterday that my Tricyrtis macrantha ssp macranthopsis is flowering as well, but you beat me to posting a pic. I saw it a couple of years ago where the stems had been staked upwards.... just a vertical progression of flowers and looked fantastic. I am growing mine on a shelving unit this year, so it is hanging down beautifully and starting to open from the bottom up. I think the whole thing will be in flower in a week or so and will look stunning I think. I just love it!! ;D 8)
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Paul: spelling = Commelina coelestis
C. tuberosa is from the same group isn't it? What's the difference between them?
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Maggi,
I didn't know that!! Shall file that away in memory.
No idea what the difference is..... the one I have has a crown, rather than anything I'd call actual tubers, although I suppose that the slightly swollen roots could be regarded as tubers? I don't know tuberosus.
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I think that in fact Commelina coelestis and C. tuberosa may be pretty much synonymous... though they may have been described by different authorities........so they probably ARE the same, then!! ::) ;D ;D ::)
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Despite the heat, many bulbs have decided it is actually autumn and have started to flower!
A few days before this was taken (on March 8th) there was no sign of growth and then out came Cyclamen graecum
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This morning it looked like this!
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Lycoris elsae is also doing well:
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And though this Lycoris radiata has bloomed by itself,
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another clump in the rock garden has 5 stems but all still in bud! Along with L. aurea which will flower soon.
For those who like yellow here is my favourite little yellow Sternbergia, S. sicula (ex Crete via RRW) which started on March 6th in the Old Rock Garden.
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Another "clump" is now in flower in the Upper Rock Garden through a mat of Pultanea pedunculata, a native pea flower.
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cheers
fermi
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Great stuff Fermi. My L. radiata are in bloom too at the moment, which makes a nice change as they tend to skip most years. none in the ground flowered, but a couple of pots have. No signs of any other species though, despite growing a few of them. Must put the others into very large pots or put them in the ground I think, as they rarely if ever flower for me in the pots they're in. Cyclamen are going made here too!!
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Here's some additions to join Fermi's wonderful pics....
A nice strong pink Amaryllis belladonna which despite it's strong colour retains the old "forward facing" flowerhead, unlike the bigger multiflora hybrids.
I just love the variegation on Arundo donax variegata. Pristine white markings that age to gold. I've attached a closeup of one of the leaves to show the markings, plus a pic of the plant. I grow it planted into a water bowl as a bog plant as it likes to stay damp, plus it can be a little vigorous so this limits it somewhat! ;D
This is one of my clumps of Haemanthus coccineus which is in flower at the moment. Very noticeable right now!
Another Lycoris radiata to add to Fermi's shot from above. The most wonderful red colour to it, with those great radiating stamens!!
And lastly, another pic of Nerine masoniorum which is in full flower right now. The flowers are almost crystalline when you look at them up close, as they sparkle in the sun.
Enjoy!!
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Biarum davisii....
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You got the darn thing to flower...... mine never have. Congratulations!!
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Nor mine!
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You got the darn thing to flower....
Neither has the person who gave it to me, which only shows it's dumb luck.
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Don't undersell yourself Rob. Otto in Olinda flowers his well. He may be lucky (I think he's very skillful) but he ain't dumb.
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Rob,
You have a marvelous Biarum, but it is not B. davisii.
This is B. davisii.
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Franz,
Your picture is much closer to the one Otto showed before. I'm sure you're right. I'm not surprised - this is a pass-along plant which has refused to flower for a long time. Can you suggest a possible ID, since I'm sure my donor and I will both want to change our labels.
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Rob, I'm not certain, but a friend grows Biarum davisii marmaris or marmarisense .....I think this may be your plant. It is a bit more cylindrical than davisii, which is more chubby, as I understand it. Chum got it from Rannveig Wallis, I think, but as she doesn't have a website, we can't go check her list to see if there are pix :-\
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This is Otto's, taken last April.
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Thank you Maggi.
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Rob,
Was Rob your donor? Just asking as if so I need to change my labels as well, plus from memory he donated tubers to the ABA at one point. I'd noted that your pic was of a much more elongated flower than I'd seen in the pictures, but just figured it was cultural differences.
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Paul,
Yes.
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When you look at Otto's, I am thinking that his is probably the same form as Rob's. His doesn't have that chunky look either I think, although it is a bit squatter than Rob's. They're all nice, but not as "cute" as the pics of davisii I have seen (and the one that Franz posted).
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Rob.
Sorry I was wrong. I think it is Biarum davisii ssp. marmarisense
Thank you Maggi.
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Franz,
Thanks for confirming the ID.
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Nice coincidence.... on the AGS website, here: http://www.alpinegardensociety.net/servlet/htmlservlet/shows/results/shows2008/shows/kent/images/Ray_Drew/sizedIMG_1110.JPG.html there is a photo by Ray Drew of a painting by Rannveig Wallis of the Biarum!! Small world, isn't it!
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Just in case you'd forgotten here's my favourite Sternbergia, S. sicula, yet again:
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I can't remember if I'd already posted a pic of this campanula I got from the AGS Seedex 2007 as C. cashmeriana, which I'm hoping is true to name.
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The latest of the Lycoris to flower is L. aurea,
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The weather is cooling off again, so hopefully this time Autumn is really going to start!
cheers
fermi
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It looks right Fermi. Here's mine.
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I planted it originally in a trough and I think it's in just about every trough now and in the paths and in many other spots as well. This one is in a pot of Tulipa tarda. I never collect seed from it but obviously there is plenty and it gets about. It's never a problem though and is pretty wherever it grows.
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This is a good pure white Cyclamen hederifolium. It flowers before the leaves come through. Like 2000 other things, it's in a pot awaiting planting out.
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I've left it too late for pics of the blue gentians. With the heat we've had in recent weeks they're past their best now. This white is very good, just a greeny/gold on the outer buds with no trace of the muddy purple shades that some whites have. Rhododendron hanceanum nanum to the right has a few autumn flowers.
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A small section of bulb pots all of which were to repot but it didn't happen. I've simply not had the time. So I've been weeding them in the last few days and will give a small dose of potassium sulphate, water that in then leave them to it, for winter. Most are frits but a lot of crocuses, narcissus, tulips, oxalis, erythroniums, galanthus etc etc. About 1000 in all. The autumn crocuses are already coming through as are some of the oxalis.
You mention autumn Fermi. There's a hint of it here in the early morning with a subtly different "feel" to the air and the first autumn colour is showing, very late compared to recent years. The bellbirds' song has a different sound too. But we had 34C here on Tuesday. It was still 32 at 10pm and impossible to sleep through that night. Back to 24 today so there's still plenty of heat. And no rain. :( :( :(
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That looks like a very good Campanula Lesley !
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Thanks, Lesley,
your Camanula looks very similar though more compact, but then I'm growing mine in a Shadehouse. Would you recommend dividing up the pot of seedlings now or just potting on into a bigger pot? I could try one in a crevice area when the weather's cooler to give it a head start on next summer's heat!
cheers
fermi
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Fermi I'd divide up the pot when it's a little cooler and you've had a bit of rain. I would be too miserly either. Put a tuft of seedlings out rather than trying to separate each one. They never make a bog clump, just little tufts.
Luc, I'll send some seed later if I can capture some. It is a really nice species, said to be short-lived but my original in its trough is a least 10 years old now and still going strong. They love a really gritty or even gravelly place.
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Biarum davisii is flowering for me today!! Yeah!!
Unfortunately it is due to the fact that a little parcel arrived in the mail for me this week from Otto, which contained a tuber of Biarum davisii in bud for me. Nice to see it in person.
Having a look at this in person, plus seeing pics on the Net etc, I am thinking that this one of Otto's is somewhere between the straight davisii and the one of Rob's. it isn't as elongated as Robs, but nowhere near as chunky as any of the pics I can find of davisii. I've attached front and side view pics for people to view who may be able to help with identification for sure. Whatever it is it is just divine, although not as "cute" as the pics of davisii I have seen prior to this thread.
Thanks Otto!!!!!!! ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D 8)
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And a couple more flowerings for me at the moment...
Calydorea amabilis is a regular flowerer for me, and sets seed from anything that isn't dead-headed. I have three nearly fully developed seedpods that I haven't the heart to remove after they've done to all that work. It will minimise how many flower it produces this year though.
Another of the smaller species, this is Nerine humilis. Quite distinctive from the others. otto, this is one of the Nerines I sent you this week.
Thanks to IDs late last year I know that this splash of orange and yellow is Lobelia laxiflora. So glad the open garden owners gave me a piece. I just lvoe it, although still working out whether I am game to put it in the garden. Maybe a nice big pot to keep it constrained. ;D
And lastly for now (I'll post some Cyclamen pics in the March Cyclamen thread as well) is Bessera elegans. I VERY nearly lost it last season apparently, as there were only 2 bulbs left in the pot when I repotted. Glad to have not lost it as I love the little red satellite-dish looking flowers. Great colour combination, although you san't really see the deep blue in the stamens in this pic.
Enjoy.
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First jonquil of the season..... very, very early. These are from a seed strain that were trying to get a range of colours as early as possible (he was calling them Autumn Colour Strain). They normally start here by mid may, which is fantastic as it really is very early compared to most of the jonqs, but March is pushing it. Not just a single scape either, but there are 5 of them coming up on this clump, plus another lot has some buds starting as well. I'm very pleased with these as they extend the colour from the daffs and jonqs from mid May through until late spring. Traditionally June is pretty quiet here in the way of colour, but these will help once I establish clumps of the different seedlings in different parts of the garden. So far I have about 7 different combinations which range in start time from mid may to July. This year has been such a strange summer that everyone is confused!! ::)
Anyway, here's the pic of the first flower, open today.
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And a couple more pics taken a few minutes ago.....
Can't recall the name of this little species Scabiosa. Something like S. alpina var japonica or something like that, so if anyone can confirm that would be great.
The Hamemalis is just plain confused, as it shouldn't flower for months here. last year it was orange, but it was lighter when it opened as far as I recall..... but not THIS golden yellow as far as I remember? Only a small plant in a pot, but the whole thing is flowering and they are all pure yellow at the moment. i'm assuming they'll age to orange like last year, or maybe they won't because it is flowering out of season and totally confused?
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After a long ,hot and very dry summer, the soil is still bonedry , the first autumn bulbs, no rarities, are very welcome.-all in yellow for today.
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Very nice Otto. Great to see the serotinus and the assorted Sternbergia. Great Stuff!! 8)
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Paul this Jonquilla is interesting, because it would mean flowering in October here??
And a couple more pics taken a few minutes ago.....
Can't recall the name of this little species Scabiosa. Something like S. alpina var japonica or something like that, so if anyone can confirm that would be great.
S. japonica var. alpina.
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Luit,
Yeah, this is VERy early for this Jonquil, but it would still be flowering here in mid May. When do the first of your jonquils start flowering?
Thanks for the Scabiosa name confirmation. I almost had it right, just wrong order!! ;D I like it as it is small and well behaved.
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................. I like it as it is small and well behaved.
That's why I married my wife, but things change! ;D
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:o :o :o ;)
David,
You're on dangerous ground there I think. Obviously your wife doesn't read these forums then? ;D
I doubt the Scabiosa is going to change size much, but you never know re the well behaved. I really like it as it is a little mound of leaves and then good sized flowers in proportion to the plant's height (more or less). Seeds a little, but only a little.
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................. I like it as it is small and well behaved.
That's why I married my wife, but things change! ;D
The same with me David, but mine is still small. ;D ;D :D
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Luit,
Yeah, this is VERy early for this Jonquil, but it would still be flowering here in mid May. When do the first of your jonquils start flowering?
I only have some 'oldfashioned' Jonquilla in my garden and they start flowering the end of April or in May.
I presume all the others will be hybrids.
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Mine are obviously jonquilla type hybrids, but they were deliberately bred from all the earliest species and hybrids to extend the colour range in autumn. They have definitely done that here. In a normal year our normal jonquils (i.e named varieties such as Soliel D'Or etc) start in around July I suppose, some later. In strange years we can get autumn flowering from them, but to use this year as an example there are no obvious signs of them up yet, although I haven't checked at ground level. Pretty much all of these "Autumn Colour" seedlings are above ground now, although some are a half an inch up while others have flowers opening. While it is 6 weeks ahead of normal it is still kind of cool to have them flowering already!! :)
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................. I like it as it is small and well behaved.
That's why I married my wife, but things change! ;D
The same with me David, but mine is still small. ;D ;D :D
So is mine really Luit- not quite as small as she was, but are any of us ;D
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Hello again Otto, nice to see something of your garden at this time of year. It's almost a full year since I visited you. Doesn't seem like that. I'll be posting a little seed today, to you and others. I'm on 2 weeks of holiday from my job so catching up on lots of small things I've neglected. Keep well.
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Paul, remember that in Australia "jonquils" refer to Narcissus tazetta varieties(e.g. "Soliel D'or"), not just the "true" jonquils.
cheers
fermi
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Hmmm.... by inference that is not the case elsewhere? What should I be calling them then Fermi? ???
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Paul, remember that in Australia "jonquils" refer to Narcissus tazetta varieties(e.g. "Soliel D'or"), not just the "true" jonquils.
cheers
fermi
Well Paul, we were talking different plants.
Your jonquills belong to Div. 7 (in Daff Seek) and mine is Narc. jonquilla L.
That's why I wondered about your early flowering time.
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Hi Paul,
the nurseries try to get around it by referring to what most Aussies call "jonquils" as "multi-headed" Narcissus, but basically they are tazetta varieties or hybrids, like the Paperwhites and "Soleil D'or", but also "Grand Monarque" and "Straws". i think in Australia, especially in NSW, true jonquils are rarer to find as they seem to prefer to cooler climates whereas the tazettas love the warmer weather and proliferate quite well!
Last week I noticed a bit of colour at the base of a rock plant:
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On closer inspection and the removal of some dead flower stems I was able to reveal
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Colchicum montanum (syn. Merendera montana) which came via a friend who moved to Queensland but had got them from another Forumist, Lesley in Tasmania!
Hard to see against the white gravel in another rock garden bed, is the white form of Cyclamen graecum,
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just the one plant but kind Paul has sent me seed of his so I hope to increase the population someday!
Finally a pale yellow Zephyranthes hybrid, "Ajax" with its reddish stained exterior,
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cheers
fermi
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Howdy All,
After a bit of rain last week (after a month of nothing at all) we have had some rainlilies flowering here. I've attached two different coloru forms of Habranthus estensis which is one of (if not my very) favourite rainlily. It has nicely shaped flowers that look so very much like a miniature hippeastrum. Usually between 2 and 4 flowers per stem, unlike so many of the Zephyranthes and Habranthus.
After that we go to the other extreme.... Zephyranthes minima which is a tiny little thing that last for a few hours instead of a few days like the Hab. above. The flower is maybe a cm wide, and is usually gone by early afternoon. I grew this for a number of years before I ever managed to catch an actual flower open, but I still rather like it. once well established it produces lots of flowers, dramatically increasing your chances of seeing one open. ;D
And lastly a couple of Nerine species that are open right now. The good old faithful N. rosea which is planted out in the garden and flowering every year beautifully, and the N. humilis which I showed a closeup of a flower of last week. This is just a clump in a pot which has a number of scapes on it at the moment and I thought you all might enjoy seeing.
Enjoy.
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Beautiful, these Rainlilies Paul.
A pity that all Habranthus and Zephyranthus are flowering so short.
Might be the reason you almost never see them in collections.
They seem to grow fairly easy from seed, don't they?
Just read a chapter about Thad Howard in "The Plant Hunter's Garden" (B. Ward)
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Luit,
Yep, they grow easily from seed. A lot of them easily set seed, and some of them need a separate clone to do it apparently (or at least mine do). I've tried crossing the two estensis again this year despite no luck last year. The Z. minima I think self pollinates as every flower sets seed (sort of like Habranthus tubispathus, which I have seeds of for someone when we were discussing it a while back. Must work out who they're for) unless you dead head. Some of them can flower quite regularly through summer, after each decent downpour, and there are ways to get them to flower periodically by drying the pots then flooding them every 6 weeks, which will then stimulate a flush of flowers. They do very well here, although would probably do even better if they were in the ground or repotted more often than they are.
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Paul & Fermi, Lovely pictures and lovely plants thanks for sharingthem with us.
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Luit,
Yep, they grow easily from seed. A lot of them easily set seed, and some of them need a separate clone to do it apparently (or at least mine do). I've tried crossing the two estensis again this year despite no luck last year. The Z. minima I think self pollinates as every flower sets seed (sort of like Habranthus tubispathus, which I have seeds of for someone when we were discussing it a while back. Must work out who they're for) unless you dead head. Some of them can flower quite regularly through summer, after each decent downpour, and there are ways to get them to flower periodically by drying the pots then flooding them every 6 weeks, which will then stimulate a flush of flowers. They do very well here, although would probably do even better if they were in the ground or repotted more often than they are.
May have been for me Paul?
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David,
I don't think so, but if you're wanting some I can add that to the package when I send it? I'll PM you about it.
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Here's something a little unusual (well I think so anyway).....
I've been awaiting this for a couple of weeks now, since the scape first appeared. Sown in 2001 this is the first flowering of Cyrtanthus sanguineus x [ C. sanguineus x C. loddigesianus]. Only the one with a scape, but what a flower!! The flower is a couple of inches across (I can measure it if anyone is actually interested), but rather than being a trumpet shape like elatus it has more of a bowl in the centre (seen in the side shot as well). The colour is a lovely warm creamy base, with pink flushing on some of the petals. I think you can see it clearly enough in the photo to know what I am talking about.
I am VERY pleased with the flower as I had no idea at all what to expect. I'm looking forward to other seedlings flowering now to see if there is much variation.
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Very Nice!
cheers
fermi
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To finish off the month, here are a few more bulbs, including a few re-visited.
Acis autumnalis (syn. Leucojum autumnale) this is the one that I posted on Feb 15; it then died down due to the heat and has come up to flower again!
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With a few more blooms,
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the pink and white Cyclamen graecum.
And have I already mentioned that Sternbergia sicula is one of my favourites? I probably have, so here's just one more pic of it in the rock garden!
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And one of its "big sister" Sternbergia lutea at the base of a rock wall.
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cheers
fermi
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As Paul has mentioned, we've finally had some rain for the beginning of "real" autumn and rainlilies are showing off again.
First, here's the lovely pink Zephyranthes hybrid "Grandjax" (which I originally got from another Aussie Forumist, Ray Mills!
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I think it's a cross between "Ajax" and Z. grandiflora.
Then the pinkish form of Habranthus tubispathus
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And Habranthus martinezii
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cheers
fermi
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Lovely stuff Fermi, I do like the rainlilies.
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The apricot coloured one is especially lovely.
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Yesterday I went on a (very expensive) visit to Hokonui Alpines near Gore and among many other things bought a pot of Zephranthes flavescens. I give this name a little cautiously as I off-loaded most of my plants at Susan More's house and will introduce them to my place when Roger's away from home. Anyway, the Zephranthes could be flavissima or something similar. It's smallish, with fine foliage and stem and a wide-open flower of deep golden yellow, a gorgeous thing. There was only one in flower which I left so Louise could get a photo of it and, silly me, I hadn't taken my own camera.
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Hi Fermi and Lesley:
Fermi, the one in your image of H. "martinezi" is not that species, but just another form of tubispathus. Please look at the "ostrich feather" shaped stigma arms, that are typical of tubispathus in all its color forms and not present in any other habranthus and zephyranthes. This can be clearly seen in your image. If you want the real thing send me your adress as fresh seeds are ready.
Lesley, Zephyranthes flavissima is an partly aquatic species, extinct in the wild. Except in summer, the plants gre in the wild in flooded ground in rive banks with some 10-20 cm of water permanently. You need a dish or something shallow with water to place the pot on. The species is a subtropical one and increases freely by offsets.
As for the admittedly short period of flowering of Rainlilies, this is not true in warm climates for plants growing in the ground or really large containers. We have many of them in 20 litre containers and their flowering season lasts from one to three whole months. This is a kind of bulb where the bonsai effect is particularly harmful. When we had our collection in 16 cm pots, they produced a single flush of flowers per year and that was all. But, they changed their behavious completely when moved to big containers.
Best regards
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Lesley, Zephyranthes flavissima is an partly aquatic species, extinct in the wild. Except in summer, the plants gre in the wild in flooded ground in rive banks with some 10-20 cm of water permanently. You need a dish or something shallow with water to place the pot on. The species is a subtropical one and increases freely by offsets.
Oh heck, and I was about to plant it on my hot, dry bank. Thanks for this information. If subtropical, maybe I should give it some frost protection too?
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Dear Lesley:
Although it would probably not freeze outside it will merely linger on, as opposed to thriving if given warm conditions.
I must add that it is evergreen, not losing the foliage even when it is dormant in summer.
Regards
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Lesley,
This species is really pretty when in flower, but I must admit that I do get an occasional flush rather than growing them to perfection. Mine are in small pots, so I might move them to larger pots, but they get treated just the same as everything else in pots and don't get extra watering or cold protection. Interesting to hear that they are partially aquatic..... might see about moving mine to somewhere where I can water them more regularly. Still, they will do reasonably without ideal conditions, but as Alberto says they won't "thrive".
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Thank you both. I'll try for something warmer over the winter. I wonder if inside my kitchen would do, in a shallow bowl of water? I'll also pass along the information to my supplier, thanks.
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Dear Lesley:
Are you familiar with USDA zones? If so, the plant comes from a zone 10 region in full sun in shallow river banks.
A greenhouse? A sunny window facing north? It will not die if grown under cooler conditions but you know, there is this difference between a happy plant and a ghost......
Best
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But... sometimes somewhere in between teh two is perfectly acceptable. If we only grew plants that were in their perfect conditions then we'd never bother to try anything new, and have a fraction of what we try to grow now. If you only grow stuff that you know is in perfect conditions then to me you aren't really trying the full scope of possibilities!! ;D
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Lesley i obtained a plant of Z. flavissima over 12 months ago ,(from the same source as your recent purchase) ,and have kept it in its original pot .
I also treat it the same as Paul --ie no winter protection or additional watering.It survives okay and has increased in size but hasn't flowered this season which i put down to a lack of food/shady conditions.I'll also experiment with repotting and increased moisture levels..
In your slightly warmer climes ,(than mine), i'm pretty sure it will survive outside.
Cheers dave.
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Hi Toolie:
The no flowering is product of the difference between zones 8 and 10.
Regards
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I'd expect Louise at Gore (from whom I bought it) would be in Zone 8 as well. Not sure. Certainly she has more frost, snow and general cold than I do (in Zone 9) but also more rain so it's likely she could grow it better than I anyway. We'll see. I'm sure it will be hardy here; it's just whether it will flower well. Time will tell and I'll post pics in due course. Thanks for so much advice about one small species.
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Don't forget I am still holding it hostage, so it might have to survive above the snow line.
Susan
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Dammit! I forgot about that!
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I've had a note from Betty Clarke in Ashburton, who also has what she grew from seed as Zeph. flavissima and from her description it sounds right. BUT...Betty grows it in a hot dry trough, where, she says, it has just finished a period of 3 months' flowering, so maybe the very moist conditions are not entirely necessary?
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Hi Lesley:
It is possible. She seems to be doing things right, from the long (normal) flowering season.
Our plants are in a 20 litre bucket so there is no way to put a tray to hold water but instead we water daily and abundantly to mimick the conditions it enjoyed in the wild (actually, WET feet for some nine months in a frost free region).
Regards