Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum

Bulbs => Bulbs General => Topic started by: johnw on October 05, 2016, 07:43:40 PM

Title: Grown old awaiting a flower
Post by: johnw on October 05, 2016, 07:43:40 PM

Lycoris radiata, the spider lily.


Bought 3 bulbs Aug 1975, now 300+ bulbs and the first flowering of one likely Oct 2016 - 41 years later.


Must have liked the summer.


johnw
Title: Re: Grown old awaiting a flower
Post by: johnralphcarpenter on October 05, 2016, 08:09:13 PM
Congratulations!
Title: Re: Grown old awaiting a flower
Post by: ian mcdonald on October 05, 2016, 08:17:19 PM
Growing old is compulsory, growing up is optional. :)
Title: Re: Grown old awaiting a flower
Post by: Maggi Young on October 05, 2016, 09:07:37 PM
We can never call you a quitter, John!
Title: Re: Grown old awaiting a flower
Post by: johnw on October 05, 2016, 10:20:49 PM
We can never call you a quitter, John!


Maggi


My Rheum nobile and Gaultheria sinensis pursuits might just change your tune....


john ; )
Title: Re: Grown old awaiting a flower
Post by: Maggi Young on October 06, 2016, 01:45:45 PM

Maggi


My Rheum nobile and Gaultheria sinensis pursuits might just change your tune....


john ; )
  ;D ;D You notice I'm not letting on the things I've given up on!!
Title: Re: Grown old awaiting a flower
Post by: Anthony Darby on October 10, 2016, 09:57:28 AM
Mmm. No point in importing seeds then. :(
Title: Re: Grown old awaiting a flower
Post by: Mark Griffiths on October 10, 2016, 02:20:56 PM
I thought I was patient waiting a decade for various things to flower but that takes the record!
Title: Re: Grown old awaiting a flower
Post by: johnw on October 17, 2016, 01:42:59 PM
The big day!


johnw - +20c predicted today - mid October!



Title: Re: Grown old awaiting a flower
Post by: fermi de Sousa on October 17, 2016, 01:49:54 PM
Congratulations!
Now - will it set seed?
 ;D
cheers
fermi
Title: Re: Grown old awaiting a flower
Post by: Mark Griffiths on October 17, 2016, 02:05:54 PM
spectacular!
Title: Re: Grown old awaiting a flower
Post by: fixpix on October 17, 2016, 05:43:14 PM
Congrats!
Title: Re: Grown old awaiting a flower
Post by: johnw on October 26, 2016, 09:08:19 PM
Will I age further awaiting seed?  I've heard its sterile....


john
Title: Re: Grown old awaiting a flower
Post by: jshields on October 26, 2016, 09:29:47 PM
Will I age further awaiting seed?  I've heard its sterile....

john

Probably, John.  Most L. radiata are the triploid var. radiata.  There is a fertile diploid, form, var. pumila.  It is much less hardy than var. radiata, in my limited experience here in Indiana (USDA zone 5).

Jim
Title: Re: Grown old awaiting a flower
Post by: arilnut on October 27, 2016, 11:11:49 AM
Hi John & Jim.  I have the fertile form and get some seed every year.
It does fine in zone 6 Kansas.  I also have 2 other varieties which never set seed.

Regards
John
Title: Re: Grown old awaiting a flower
Post by: johnw on October 27, 2016, 11:58:35 AM
John  - So I assume it tooleafs out in the autumn an d  is in full leaf all through the winter.  I don't think that cyclke wiould fly here where the cold stays around for so long despite Z6.  We also lack your blistering heat and humidity.


Jim  - Do you grow L. radiata v. radiata outdoors?




john
Title: Re: Grown old awaiting a flower
Post by: arilnut on October 28, 2016, 12:08:29 AM
That is correct John.  I could send you a couple bulbs to try.  I think it
would do fine with you.  Back when I was young in Nebraska zone 5 they
grew there for mom.

John B
Title: Re: Grown old awaiting a flower
Post by: jshields on October 28, 2016, 01:00:24 AM

Jim  - Do you grow L. radiata v. radiata outdoors?

john

I tried to grow radiata v. radiata outdoors here in the woodland garden.  It survived for quite a few years, and during that time it flowered twice.  That was early on.  Eventually, it stopped flowering in the autumn and put up fewer leaves.  Finally, it simply disappeared.

Once burned, twice wise:  I planted radiata v. pumila up against the wall outside the greenhouse.  It never bloomed there, and also eventually disappeared.  So much for wisdom....

I can heartily recommend LL. chinensis, longituba, x-caldwellii, and sprengeri outdoors in the garden in USDA zone 5.  Mine do great here.  Also, several hybrids involving radiata (presumably v. pumila) and the hardy species do well here, surviving and blooming.

Jim
Title: Re: Grown old awaiting a flower
Post by: johnw on October 28, 2016, 01:59:53 PM
That is correct John.  I could send you a couple bulbs to try.  I think it
would do fine with you.  Back when I was young in Nebraska zone 5 they
grew there for mom. John B


John  - Thanks so much for the offer but that would require a phyto.  If you have a few seeds to spare that would be great but time is running out if they take another 40 years! ; )


johnw - coldest night to date +2c, 5c now.
Title: Re: Grown old awaiting a flower
Post by: johnw on October 28, 2016, 02:05:05 PM
I can heartily recommend LL. chinensis, longituba, x-caldwellii, and sprengeri outdoors in the garden in USDA zone 5.  Mine do great here.  Also, several hybrids involving radiata (presumably v. pumila) and the hardy species do well here, surviving and blooming.Jim


I have much the same experience with L. squamigera, the bulbs shrink and fade up, even ones in pots come up too early and then die down after a few weeks.  I often wonder if the bulbs come infect with nematodes.


The species you mention would be worth a try but I never see a seed source for  them.


johnw
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