Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
Bulbs => Bulbs General => Topic started by: Hristo on January 09, 2010, 11:41:04 AM
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Moved from 2009!
Flowering after a 5 / 6 year gap, what I have as;
Lachenalia bachmanii
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THat's nice Chris and very early. Looks as if it could be one of the scented species?
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chris, how do you make out with these tender bulbs you have inside? do you have problems with midwinter light? do they go outside part of the year?
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Hi Lesley,
Sadly, no this isn't scented and is further regarded as being of botanical interest only in at least one of the monographs on this genus. Not so exciting when compared to other species I guess.
Cohan,
All ( apart from some that ended up outside - R.tetragona and G.tristis ) our tender bulbs are pot grown on windowsills, we are lucky in that in re-building the house intereior ourselves we bult in fairly deep windowsills, we have no North facing windows and the majority are large South and West facing windows. If the bulbs are started into growth late August into Eearly September lower mid winter light levels don't seem to be a big problem, certainly less of a problem than they were in the UK growing in a heated greenhouse.
I'll set up a short thread for photos of the windowsills!! :D
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Hi,
Re recent discussions about raising gladioli fromn seeds, here is a photo of the "Bag" method I use for all SA bulb species. It is vital that the soil is sterilised before sowing.
reards, James.
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Hi,
Re recent discussions about raising gladioli fromn seeds, here is a photo of the "Bag" method I use for all SA bulb species. It is vital that the soil is sterilised before sowing.
reards, James.
Does any body in the South use this method for SA seed? bye Ray
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James,
I've never sown my SA bulb seed this way, I am intrigued however by the possibility of getting more species on the go by stringing them up in the window! Have you made any comprisons between germination rates in and outside of a bag?
Cheers
Chris
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James i never tried it like that either but never really had a problem with my seed germinating but i haven't tried a lot of the trickier plants gladiolus are my my favourates when it comes to south african stuff but this year i am going to order a lot more moraea and others so will adopt this method for them,my only question is do i need to have got my seed set up in the bags before summer so as to get the full summer temps?
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I don't use this method for bulbs (oddly though, I do use it for Conophytum and other South African succulents) but It is a good way of saving bench space!
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The last of the Massonia for this season.
Massonia depressa is the biggest species and the first picture has my hand for scale. It (the flower, not my hand) has copious nectar and a yeasty smell, which is apparently related to it being pollinated by gerbils in nature. It doesn't seem any more attractive to our local rodents than the other Massonia though. It certainly doesn't attract many insects however (and there are not many around in january anyway) so I will need to hand pollinate if I want seed.
The second pic is a closer shot of the inflorescence and the final shot is a close-up of one flower. I'm experimenting with the new lens I got for Christmas and the last shot (cropped) was hand-held, in natural light, from a metre away, I'm quite pleased with it! It shows the nectar.
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I'm quite pleased with it
Indeed, why not be pleased both with the picture and the plant, Darren ? :)
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Darren lovely plants and I cant get over the size 8), your plants look so healthy. How old is the plant that you are showing.
Will look forward to next years season.
Angie :)
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That's a very good shot Darren.
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Hello Davey,
I sow all my SA species during the English autumn/early winter, they seem to need cool (not freezing!) night temperatures to germinate, in habitat they would not survive as seedlings in an African summer.
good luck, James
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I follow Brian Mathew's advice. Winter growers I sow in September and summer growers I sow early March.
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While I don't have problems with SA bulbs seed in general, I DO have, with Gladiolus species so I may try this interesting method. You mention sol James. Is it actually SOIL, or a more humusy, gritty mixture such as one might use for potting alpines?
If the window were not needed to put light into a room, one could put two or three strings of pots across the window and save even more bench space. :D I guess the attachments on the sides would need to be very strong and secure to prevent the whole lot crashing down, likewise the string itself.
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James,
Any info on germination rates?
Cheers
Chris
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Angie - those Massonia are about 5 years old. They reach flowering size in only 3 (sometimes 2)!
Seed germination: I usually sow my SA bulb seed in late august (my birthday is my reminder to get the job done). I usually get germination in late september to early october and there is still enough time to get a good amount of growth so the seedlings are not too tiny when winter arrives. James is right - the cool nights are crucial but a significant difference between day and night temperatures is also very beneficial and for this reason I won't sow SA seeds from November onwards as the days are often not warm enough, plus the little seedlings are quite vulnerable once the weather deteriorates. That said - I'm still getting new seedlings from this years (2009) august sowings!
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Hi,
Re recent discussions about raising gladioli fromn seeds, here is a photo of the "Bag" method I use for all SA bulb species. It is vital that the soil is sterilised before sowing.
reards, James.
i put most seed pots into ziplock bags--there is little chance i could keep anything moist enough if they werent enclosed in some way, and this is the easiest; hanging them is a different twist!
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Lesley- When I refer to soil I mean my standard John Innes/grit potting mix, but this is my first try with glads so I can't report on their long-term preferences. The seed bags are strung on wire to avoid snapping. If you were to try this method on an indoor window it would need to be in an unheated room to get the all-important day/night temperature difference.
Hirsto-of the three glad species I tried from seed this year, I have had about 50% germination in g. alatus and 80% in hyalanus and arcuatus. As to other genera, massonia depressa 50%, m. pustulata 90%, ornithagalum thrysoides, 70%, lachenalia, mixed results, some species 90%, others still waiting, sparaxis tricolor came up like cress-anyone want to exchange next year?!
Darren- worth knowing about the need for high day temperatures, I probably sowed some seeds too late this year.......
Cohan-yes, zip lock bags everytime!
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Thanks Darren, that's good news to me I thought your plant would be really old to get to that size. Thanks again for sharing your knowledge and images of your plants. I manged to keep my greenhouse around 5c only went down to 4c once so I thought that's not bad considering the temperatures we have had. When my electric bill comes in I shall just have to remember this is my hobby and if I am going to heat my greenhouse in the winter I better grow as much of these plants as I can and enjoy my greenhouse in the winter.
James, loved your pots on a washing line thanks for sharing this with us, I take lots of notes and all this is so much help, just wish my brain would keep all this information there but sadly not so, I have to write everything down. It would be nice to see how some more pictures of how the plants develop.
Angie :)
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James - your 50% germination of alatus is 100% better than I've ever done. ;D
Angie - thank you for the update on your greenhouse temperature. I was actually thinking of you last week and was concerned that you had little chance of keeping the temperature up in your area. 4C would be absolutely fine so your plants will be quite happy. Thanks to the sunshine the temperature in my greenhouse on saturday was around 15C until I opened the doors. I actually used two full watering cans (filled in the bath as the water butts are frozen solid) and had to repot some wilted Ranunculus asiaticus into bigger pots they had dried out so quickly after 3 days of sunshine and very low humidity. As the sun gets stronger it is a real danger period for me . Often I have to leave the greenhouse closed up if still frosty at 6am when I leave for work and if this is followed by a sunny day then temperatures can easily get too high. However - this weekend the sun was very welcome and the greenhouse was warmer than inside our house which is why my "just popping down the greenhouse for half an hour" turned into 3 hours!
With regard to temperature management: I do use bubble insulation when there is a frost forecast but take it down on the south side once the weather becomes a bit milder, even for just a few days (I will take mine down tonight). The other sides stay bubble-wrapped all year round. In fact the north side is lined with 5cm thick polystyrene sheet up to eaves level and then covered with mirrors. This helps maximise insulation and reflected light from the side which gets no direct sun anyway. If I had a south facing wall I'd just use a lean-to. The south side I keep clear as much as possible to let the light in, and only insulate when absolutely necessary. Whenever external temperatures are above freezing the house is left fully open and the heater switched off.
My current electric fan heater is now powered via an external thermostat from TwoWests (range 0-40C). It is set to come on at approx 1 or 2C. Most winters in our area it barely bothers switching on. This year has been an exception, but I've been pleasantly surprised at how little time it has actually been running.
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Darren I am always saying to my mum just going to check on my greenhouse and before I know it its nearly lunch time, but my mum knows exactly what I am like and she never worries. I laugh if we are out for the day and the temperature is dropping quickly I am always saying better get back home as I have left my greenhouse open. I think some of my friends think I am a bit daft, but I don't care I get so much enjoyment from my plants and I don't want to kill off what I have took ages to acquire.
I to wasn't sure about the watering I just gave a small amount but like you the other day I gave most of my plants a water. I have to remember which ones not to water so I have a board up on the greenhouse wall with all my instructions.
Hope to see plenty more pictures of your garden in the spring, the last pictures looked so interesting.
Will your roof top garden be alright.
Angie :)
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I feel the same way as you Angie. My timetable pretty much revolves around my plants and they are my escape from life's little trials. I'm accustomed to people thinking I'm mad (I'm not rich enough to be eccentric), I don't really care either. I've been disappointed by people but rarely by my plants.
Thanks for your kind words, I guess I haven't posted many open garden pics for a while, or even on the new forum at all. I'm certain the roof garden will have survived this OK. I'm equally certain that my Vaccinium nummularium will have popped its clogs (it was badly damaged by last winter), and that the closely related V delavayi next to it will be untouched!
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I really do have to think about heating my greenhouse if I want to continue bulb growing and this might well have to be my last year of growing hybrid Primulas. If our winters are going to get colder I don't think I can continue to grow bulbs and Primula together.
What kind of heater do you use please Darren?
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James - your 50% germination of alatus is 100% better than I've ever done. ;D
Me too, I've never had this species germinate, from several batches. AC has told me that many bulb seeds will have fungus attached to them, killing the embryo, so that storing with a dusting of Captan is a preventative of damping off. Or I may try Susan B's sterilization method with some newly donated seed. How about sowing the seed then simply watering with a can of water with the correct amount of fungicide in it? Then maybe putting into ziplocks or covering with food wrap until germination?
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Lesley - thank you for telling me this. G alatus has been a source of much frustration! I will try your idea regarding following Susan B's technique when I get some more seed.
David - my heater is a Hotbox 2.8kw and easily copes with keeping my 7x2.4m greenhouse frost free in our quite mild area so I think it would work for you also. However I cannot really recommend the same model because its internal thermostat only goes down to 6C which is rather warmer than necessary and wasteful. This is why I later bought the separate external thermostat (an extra £50) to over-ride the internal setting and only allow power to the unit once the temp drops below 2C. If you shop around (TwoWests is a good starting point) you can find fan heaters which have thermostats that can be set down to 0C. One where the fan runs constantly and the heater only kicks in when necessary would be good - Mine can no longer do this as it gets no power at all now when the temp is above the set point.
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Well I'm glad that my seeds of alatus never were able to read this topic, they wouldn't have expired immediately in disgust. :o I lost my original plants, but was given seed by someone many years ago. Plenty of them germinated, and knowing me I didn't manage to sow them fresh. First one flowered this spring, I posted a pic. Best not to mention how long it has been in the seed pot and how long ago it "should" have flowered. ;)
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Lesley-I have never tried sterilising the actual seed, but I always zap the compost in the microwave for a few minutes prior to planting in pots that have been soaked in boiling water. The compost is always wet when I zap it to avoid the need to water with unsterilised water, when it cools I sow the seeds and put the pot into a zip-up bag as shown. Then I just keep an eye on them and remove any seed with signs of mould.
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I just checked my pots of Gladiolus alatus. I have seedlings
from Silverhill - 3 from 2006, and at least 24 from 2009. I
did not record how many of the 2006 seeds germinated. Both
lots were sown in summer and took two months to begin
germinating.
I sow almost all seeds in ziplock bags and put them in pots
only when they germinate.
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Darren, Alberto actually said to me that storing the seeds, dusted with Captan, prevented the fungus from destroying them, but I imagine that a dusting as they are sown would have the same effect. Still, I'd better be accurate.
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Diane, if the seeds germinate in these bags, how do you then handle them into pots? With tweezers on each individual seed or just lay the lot on the pot?
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Diane,
I am tending to do that more and more now as well, I think it was you talking about it earlier that encouraged me to start. It saves so many pots sitting about waiting for disasters to befall them. You can also move them around easily into the house or the fridge. I just cut the bag with a knife and then put everything part way down the pot, they only take a few days to sort themselves out. I always use perlite to germinate them in. It means in this weather I can still sow any seed which arrives.
By the way just had a look and saw that Glad. alatus germinated in the summer with March 2009 sowing from silverhills, maybe this years seed was particularly good.
Susan
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I almost-fill a pot, open the ziplock bag, dump out the contents
so they distribute themselves over the whole surface of the pot,
and top-up with compost. I don't usually touch the seedlings
at all, though if there were only a few seeds and they all land
in the same spot, I will spread them out carefully.
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Thanks Diane. Presumably then, you put into pots almost as soon as you see germination starting in a few seeds.
A few years ago I tipped over a pot of Juno iris seeds and was thrilled to see that a couple were acturally starting to germinate, with the root protruding from one end of the seed. I carefully covered these over and expected the seedlings to come through the surface within a few days at most. In fact it was almost 4 months before they showed through.
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Yes, I put the whole lot in a pot even if only one seed has
germinated. There isn't usually a need for speed because
the reason I germinate them this way is that they are slow-
growing. For example, a couple of pots of Galanthus, sown
last May, germinated in November and have just poked a bit
of green above the soil.
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Lesley-I have never tried sterilising the actual seed, but I always zap the compost in the microwave for a few minutes prior to planting in pots that have been soaked in boiling water. The compost is always wet when I zap it to avoid the need to water with unsterilised water, when it cools I sow the seeds and put the pot into a zip-up bag as shown. Then I just keep an eye on them and remove any seed with signs of mould.
I'll need to come back to this when I have a little more time. AC has let me know that some fungicides, e.g. Benlate (which we may no longer buy or use) when watered onto sown seed, have the effect of inhibiting germination, exactly the opposite of what we would wish for. So I need to study A's notes further rather than risk misleading seed sowers. Perhaps if AC himself would contribute here it would be very helpful.
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This is all really interesting and I do feel inspired to have another go with alatus! I've rarely sterilised seed in the past and I will now think about it at least for those that regularly damp-off (Calochortus are especially bad here).
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Hi all:
Here is my Freesia viridis flowering today, just one year after sowing. Mine are scentless, at least in the day. Maybe they scent in the night.
I really like that charming and mimetic Freesia.
(http://C:\Users\Friki\Desktop\Nueva carpeta (8)\Freesia viridis. juanba.jpg)
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Juan, your picture hosting site does not seem to support the image upload to the forum.... here is your photo, uploaded from my pc.......
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Thank you very much Maggi
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My pleasure to help, Juan. :)
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I bought it as Massonia echinata, but... I think it is Massonia depressa.
T.
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Hello Tomas, My first thought was to agree with you, Massonia Depressa is the one I think of as having smooth leaves, with echinata having pustules, but I saw the plant of echinata below at Wisley this year and it also has smooth leaves, perhaps there is some variation in this species? either that or Wisley have the wrong plant too!
-James
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Here are a few more massonias, also at Wisley, I must get some more of these..........
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Fermi da Sousa in one of the Southern Hemisphere threads posted some pictures of M. echinata. As I remember them, they were closer to pink or reddish pink while all the depressas I've seen are close to white, with only creamy-white stamens not pinkish as in the picture above from Tomas.
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Lesley, I don't grow M. echinata! ???
Maybe it was Paul T?
cheers
fermi
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At the end of the 2009 thread James and Darren were talking about Pelargonium incrassatum.
I just re-potted mine so thought it might be of interest to someone to see what it looks like in summer.
Pelargonium incrassatum rootstock as unpotted:
[attachthumb=1]
and cleaned up before re-potting into a gritty mix and topped with 2cm of grit,
[attachthumb=2]
cheers
fermi
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Your photos have just provided a good start to my lessons for today fermi: if I had been presented with that second photo un-named, I would not have had any idea what it might be. :-X
I knew I didn't know much about perlargoniums but I didn' know how much I didn't know...... :-\ ;)
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Hi Tomas - Looking at the flowers I'm pretty sure your plant is depressa too.
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Hi Tomas,
I agree with the others that your plants are M. depressa - the flowers are quite distinct. The leaves are not always relaible in identification with regard to pustules. M. depressa usually has smooth leaves but rarely can be pustulate. M. echinata can have smooth or hairy or pustulate leaves - the ones we have at Wisley happen to all be smooth leaved.
Cheers
Paul
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Hi all,
Has anyone out there ordered from d'oblong nursery? I just came accross their website and some of it is very tempting, are they a good source? Also, how would I go about acclimatising winter growing bulbs if I bought any from them right now?
Many thanks, James
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Sorry Fermi, must have got my wires crossed - again. :(
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James, Darren, Paul - thank you. So I'll change labels...
T.
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This will be either the last or second to last of my Lachenalias to flower;
Lachenalia mutabalis :D
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some of you will remember my sad story of a seed shipment from SA last year which seemed to be mostly stale seed that didnt germinate :(
i didnt ask for replacement, but did mention to them the results (not must mine, but several friends with various species/genera simultaneously) and they offered to send replacements-but then the issue was figuring out what would be worth getting since they said their field collector was working on a book this year..
after a rather long dragged out period of slow/no replies,delays, odd reasons, the seeds suddenly arrived in the mail in december (including those for my friends in the u.s., so i had to send those on)..
and i eventually got them sown-even though most are things that probably should have been sown in fall, waiting til next year didnt seem a great choice with seeds that dont have much of a shelf life..
so now i have germination on 2 ledebourias (galpinii and luteola), bulbine favosa (a miniature succulent sp), 2 haworthias (koelmaniorum and limifolia-not bulbs, succulents) and an Ornithogalum sp nova (dont know much about it, should be miniature, with 'beautiful leaves', perhaps one of the dark one leaf types)..so, 6 out of 9--much better than last year, and still early on, i still hope at least for germination on Lachenalia trichophylla..
so, a question about the Ornithogalum--it came up within 2 days! about 20 seedlings (outnumbering all the other species put together), which look like tiny, thin thin single leaves, now a couple of inches tall, all bent near the end, with the seed coat at the end.. it is going under lights in daytime-trying to keep hours below 12 for a winter grower, but i dont have a dedicated short day light set for these yet..does this very fragile growth (imagine alfalfa sprouts without the leaves) sound normal, or should i be putting it even closer to the lights (the distance has been fine for cyclamen, ledebouria, sempervivum, townsendia, etc..)
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Hi Cohan,
Glad you got some resolution to your seed issue.
I have no experience of growing under lights but I tend not to worry too much about etiolation in seedlings - due to space constraints mine usualy live under the bench in shade until they approach flowering size. Your biggest problem might be vulnerability to damping off or other fungal problems so I think a fan might be useful.
Two days is remarkable for a bulb seed. Some albuca are very quick (a week or so) but two days is amazing. (I'm not counting those amaryllids which germinate almost before they fall off the plant!)
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Hi Cohan,
Glad you got some resolution to your seed issue.
I have no experience of growing under lights but I tend not to worry too much about etiolation in seedlings - due to space constraints mine usualy live under the bench in shade until they approach flowering size. Your biggest problem might be vulnerability to damping off or other fungal problems so I think a fan might be useful.
Two days is remarkable for a bulb seed. Some albuca are very quick (a week or so) but two days is amazing. (I'm not counting those amaryllids which germinate almost before they fall off the plant!)
thanks for the reassurance darren..
so far, knock on wood, i have had no damping off on any seedlings; this is a rather dry climate, especially in winter (no central heating in use, but we keep it pretty warm in here with the wood heater, and of course warm under the lights in the daytime; i usually keep a pot of water on the wood heater to add a bit of moisture to the air)...so any kind of fungus or rot is not common; of course its wet inside the baggies, but still have not had any fungus..
i did prop the pot on something today to put it nearer the lights, and opened the bag just for reasons of heat build up..
i just checked the packets, and the ornitho that is up says it was collected in nov/dec of 08, and the one that has not yet, is from oct 09!
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Fermides, I'm very surprised seeing your Pelargonium incrassatum dormant now !!!
Mines are in full growth, and I wonder if I could change their growing season as I'd prefer to have them growing here in our sunny summer than in our cloudy winter !
Has anyone some experience with 'seasons inverting' ??
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Sown 2009, this Freesia laxa originates from seed from Michael and comes from his 'Pink Hybrids'
Looks very much like the pictures of 'Joan Evans' that I can find on the internet.
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Chris, pic here (and not a good one!) from mine last year for comparison.
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Hi David,
Thanks for those, is your white as 'clean' as it looks in the picture? I would say the white in mine is a little off white. maybe moving slightly towards pink! Would make sense given their heritage?
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Chris,here is what Joan Evans should look like.
Freesia laxa, Joan Evans
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Charming variations on a theme, Chris, David and Michael.
Chris' flower has, to my eye, a pleasingly rounded flower outline.
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Thanks Michael, yes that rather clears it up I think!
I have the Joan Evans you sent but haven't flowered them yet.
So inspired have I been by the seed you sent I've ordered up
Freesia grandiflora from Silverhills and have crossed ssp azurea
and your shell pink hybrids onto viridis.
Great thing is I get to see the results this time next year, you gotta love em!! ;)
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Hi David,
Thanks for those, is your white as 'clean' as it looks in the picture? I would say the white in mine is a little off white. maybe moving slightly towards pink! Would make sense given their heritage?
Chris, from what I can remenber the white was a very clear white. It might not be when (if) it flowers this year as I put it in the garden to see how hardy it was ???
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David ,it should survive provided it is not too wet.
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David ,it should survive provided it is not too wet.
........ in Devon Michael, wet!! noooooooooooooooooooo ;D
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I know the feeling David, what I should have said, if it was in a well drained site. ;D
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My freesia laxa subsp azurea opened the first flower today,it is usually finished at this time.
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Michaeel, my ssp azurea has been and gone!
Today, another first flowering from the 'Plum Hybrid' seed has yielded another semi-alba form.
Petals less rounded and the pink marks less distinct, the anthers however have pink stripes!
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That's nice Chris,I like the pink stripes on the anthers. The hyb seed in a kind of a lucky dip isn't it.
Did I send you any corms of the plum hyb.?
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Hi Michael, yes you sent me 'Plum Hybrid' corms which were distinctly plumy! Think I posted pics on page 2 of this thread.
I am enjoying the lucky dip nature of the seed you sent, since I can't imagine a bad F.laxa it's all pleasure, pleasure , pleasure! Got three or four more plants that should flower over the next 10 days!
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Chris:
'Joan Evans' is like in Michael's photo. If it is not the same color then it is not 'Joan Evans'. Cultivars of Freesia laxa are true only when propagated vegetatively, from daughter corms. Seedlings, although at times stunning, diverge a lot.
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I guess technically even if it was indistinguishable from 'Joan Evans' it would not be 'Joan Evans' as it's the product of another cross. Perhaps I should think of a name???? :D ;)
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Perhaps I should think of a name???? :D ;)
Don't think of a name. Don't even THINK of it. :D
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Well if that ain't just a red rag to a bull!!
1) Freesia laxa 'Michael's Gift'
2) Freesia laxa 'Lesley's Challenge' ;) ;) :-*
;D ;D ;D
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;D ;D ;D
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Well I guess you'll think of a name and then double it, add 6, grow from seed then take away the name you first thought of. And the answer will be..... another variation on a well known theme. :) ???
I'm surprised you are sending me a kiss Chris. Thought it would more likely be "silly old cow." ;D
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Here are a couple of nice lachenalia in flower at Kew yesterday............
lach. pustulata
lach. unicolor
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It's late summer/early autumn bulb time here and that means South African bulbs especially!
Last Friday I thought only two Crossyne flava were going to flower this year,
[attachthumb=4]
But on closer inspection I found two more just emerging
[attachthumb=1]
[attachthumb=2]
Three days later and they're also in flower, and they're the "pinker" form.
[attachthumb=3]
cheers
fermi
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Superb fermi !!!
how lucky you are growing this bulbs in the ground.... they looks gorgeous !
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Superb fermi !!!
how lucky you are growing this bulbs in the ground.... they looks gorgeous !
I second that you are so lucky.
Angie :)
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just a little seedling update, from the replacement order from SA mentioned before--all the seedlings previously reported are doing well:
the first ornithogalum, O sp nova (from a place i can't read the name of on the packet, and can't find in the catalogue...lol) is still going strong, with thin oniony leaves,several inches long, at least 2 per plant; all they said on the packet is 'beautiful leaves' so i have no idea what it should look like, but i'd think more than plain green grass..
Bulbine favosa likewise has skinny oniony leaves, 2 each, now--after so long from the original order, i couldn't remember what this plant was supposed to look like, but i finally looked it up in the catalogue: these are the final leaves, or near to it! it is supposed to have dense clusters of thin wiry leaves over a caudex, tall spikes of typical yellow bulbine flrs; i have form B, the dwarf, but no indication of how dwarf that will be....
Ledebouria galpinii and luteola each have 2-3 leaves, no sign of spotting yet on luteola (supposed to be a heavily spotted form from devon), some of the galpinii have texture already..
eeriospermum did not germinate, as expected; lachenalia still has not;
the second ornitho had not either, so i took it and the lach and put them on the floor in the back hallway, where there is a draft from an unused back door, and little heat from the stove reaches; i left them a day or two, then brought them back out, meaning to put them there at night, but didn't for a couple of days--then i noticed the ornitho had germination! it may be unrelated, but it seems possible the cold stimulated the germination..i put the lach back over there;
this ornitho is supposed to be one of the forms of unifoliatum with a single flat greenblack leaf--of course so far its just more onion sprouts!
i did take pics of everything a while back, but didn't finish editing, and now they are outdated...lol need a new round..
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They look like fireworks, very beautiful show Fermi!
Here is Geissorhiza splendidissima with its special metallic shine.
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Well captured Miriam !
Fantastic blue ! :D
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Here is Geissorhiza splendidissima with its special metallic shine.
That acid yellow deep in the throat against the dark purple is terrific. 8)
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Bulbine alba in flower syn. B.triebneri :)
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...and I thought Bulbine were all yellow- there's always one that likes to be different (or maybe there are more?)!
Flowering here on a windowsill is Cyrtanthus falcatus. The original was bought as a very small bulb maybe 10 years ago and it took some time to reach flowering size.
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What a beauty Simon. Well done.
I am still waiting for the Cyrtanthus contractus seedlings of last year to emerge. Seems they have been dormant a bit too long, maybe they are awaiting a bit of steady warmth in the greenhouse.
johnw
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Hesperantha vaginata - :o
Is it hardy in Ireland?
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What a beauty Simon. Well done.
I am still waiting for the Cyrtanthus contractus seedlings of last year to emerge. Seems they have been dormant a bit too long, maybe they are awaiting a bit of steady warmth in the greenhouse.
johnw
I'm trying for seeds on this one, John. I tried last time it flowered, but it didn't set. Does anyone know if it is self-fertile.
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Rogan distributed seeds of this species some time ago but they could have been from a wild collection as I recall he posted a super picture of it in the wild, so there would have been lots of cross pollinating.
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Seed set on wild Cyrtanthus species was not very good last season (...or perhaps I was too lazy to collect), but there's always next! I'll inform you'll if I have better luck this year, so don't give up hope... :)
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Mark - I suspect that the Hesperantha vaginata would not be hardy in Ireland. I have enough spare material now to try it in the bulb frame next season but I reckon another winter like this one would see it off! I wish I could grow these outside like Miriam can.
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A first and unexpected flowering here of Sparaxis villosa, from seed sown in 2007. The main group of bulbs are in their own pot, this one turned up in a large pot along with Bonatea speciosa. I had thought it was an escaped Tritonia crocata ( by the leaf ). It has actually had an extra season in this pot as it went dormant for a month after growing in the summer and then went back into growth over the winter.
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Nice one Chris.
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Cheers David, she is small and beautiful, has black nectar guides in the tube.
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Chris,
It is beautiful. Is it part of your 'windowsill' cultivation?
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Hi Robert,
Yes it's part of the windowsill crowd.This was a very nice surprise as I've not been expecting flowers from the 2007 SA sowings until the winter of 2010/2011. Maybe I'll have to experiment with trying to get two growing seasons out of each year! ;)
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Lachenalia trichophylla, details the leaves to hook
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very small flower Androcymbium dregei
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Always something different and always something very well grown. Well done Alessandro.
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Nice but very different. I always like green flowers.
What odd leaves the Lachenalia has. :-\
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Lachenalia pustulata and seed pods of Veltheimia bracteata.
Arnold
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Alessandro,
that's one of my favourite lachenalias - I must try it again soon; the foliage is so amazing!
Oxalis lobata is making a bit of a show where it can squeeze through the teucrium!
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cheers
fermi
edit by maggi: Oxalis lobata is from South America!!
Whoops! Re-posted to the other thread!
cheers
fermi
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Lachenalia trichophylla, details the leaves to hook
i have exactly two seedlings several weeks old-just a half inch or so of green shoot... i'm hoping and waiting....
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Thanks David, Lesley and Fermi
Cohan, the bulbs of this species are little , a centimeter dimension flower
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Ordered my frst seed from Silverill Seed back in 2000, nearly 10 years after sowing, Ferarria undulata flowers for the first time. Probably should have gone to flower much much faster than this, but it has moved alot!
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Wow, what an extraordinary, exceptional looking flower Hristo - congratulations on its flowering after a decade - what patience you have..and therefore rewards :D
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Ordered my frst seed from Silverill Seed back in 2000, nearly 10 years after sowing, Ferarria undulata flowers for the first time. Probably should have gone to flower much much faster than this, but it has moved alot!
Wonderful Ferarria Chris - does it smell? Some of them are meant to have an unpleasant odour??
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Ordered my frst seed from Silverill Seed back in 2000, nearly 10 years after sowing, Ferarria undulata flowers for the first time. Probably should have gone to flower much much faster than this, but it has moved alot!
Wonderful Ferarria Chris - does it smell? Some of them are meant to have an unpleasant odour??
I think this glamorous flower looks more like a sea creature from the blue lagoon, so I'd be expecting a strong smell of the sea! ;)
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Thanks RR,Gail and Maggi,
Yes, I'd heard that Ferraria smell like manure, but to me they smell strongly of Savlon, so medicanal rather than agricultural I suppose.
I see what you mean Maggi, some kind of exotic perfume combining Pancratium maratimum with jasmine and seafresh ozone, sort of perfume for Aziz maybe? ;) ;)
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Yes, I'd heard that Ferraria smell like manure, but to me they smell strongly of Savlon, so medicanal rather than agricultural I suppose.
I see what you mean Maggi, some kind of exotic perfume combining Pancratium maratimum with jasmine and seafresh ozone, sort of perfume for Aziz maybe? ;) ;)
I am sure that Aziz has exactly that sort of perfume handmade for him and incorporated in massage oils, too!
I would not be surprised if the Ferraria did smell bad, because flowers with those brown/green shades and "lumpy bits" are often fly pollinated and so pong rather than scent the air!
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Ordered my frst seed from Silverill Seed back in 2000, nearly 10 years after sowing, Ferarria undulata flowers for the first time. Probably should have gone to flower much much faster than this, but it has moved alot!
stunning flower! is that its foliage we see behind?--basic grassy green bulb stuff?
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Ferrarias make me think of tarantulas!
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Maggi, Aziz and massage oils, my mind refuses to go there!!
Cohan, more 'sword' like as in Gladioloi leaves maybe, I'll post a pic of the form on Sunday.
Lesley, I'm afraid to go iin the kitchen to make tea now............
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Tarantulas are OK really as long as you don't frighten them or poke with a stick. They can be stroked quite safely - if you have a mind to. ;D They're big enough to think of as small animals rather than large creepy crawlies, though I suppose Maggi would take some convincing of that. ;D ;D
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Tarantulas are OK really as long as you don't frighten them or poke with a stick. They can be stroked quite safely - if you have a mind to. ;D They're big enough to think of as small animals rather than large creepy crawlies, though I suppose Maggi would take some convincing of that. ;D ;D
Lesley: have you any idea how difficult it is for me to perform my Forum duties while clinging perilously to the light fitting on the ceiling? For a start, having a stick long enough to reach the keyboard is a trial............ ;D
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Congrats on getting that ferraria to flower from seed Chris. My own from seed bought the same year are still not there and i have to rely on corms i bought once from monocot nursery, these flower each year. Ferraria seem painfully slow to get to any size from seed! I'd love to grow some of the more colourful species like F.densepunctulata.
I note with interest your comment on their smell. I can't detect much at all myself but the flies certainly can. I have noticed that this is not constant either - some days they crawl with flies but on other days they don't. unless they are like arums and the smell only lasts a short time after the flower opens? maybe the flies are not evident on the days I only get to the greenhouse after work and the smell has already gone?!
BTW - I love spiders! and reptiles & amphibians of all sorts. I was one of THOSE little boys whose pockets were places nobody dared go....
The only wildlife that gives me the creeps are earwigs.
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BTW - I love spiders! and reptiles & amphibians of all sorts. I was one of THOSE little boys whose pockets were places nobody dared go....
The only wildlife that gives me the creeps are earwigs.
Did you not see the David Attenborough film on earwigs? They are such good mothers!
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So the new name is freesia laxa? easier to spell and remember.
I got my Joan Evans as a freebie in a pot of Oxalis obtusa. It's now officially a weed in the greenhouse along with Cyclamen persicum and the greek repandum type mongrels, oh and leucojium niicas..er..nicca..the one from Nice.
I'd like to get the freesia going in the garden but it doesn't seem to persist. it prefers the company of P.allionii, Cyclamen etc.
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Gail, I remember Attenborough's comments about earwigs being good mothers. Of course that make them endearing to the female of the species. (Our species, I mean :))
Sorry Maggi, I'll not introduce further coments or photographs of tarantulas. Perhaps a tarantella instead?
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Cheers Darren,
Once you get them to flowering size they bulk up quite well from that point. I have found sellers listing other species but when you get to the site they are always out of stock. Like you I think, I got F.crispa from Monocot Nursery many years ago, very relaible. I have another two species from seed, divaricata maybe and unknown,both Silverills again ( and 8 years from flowering!! :'( ). I may have another species but I'm not sure, it is just like crispa in flower but the plants are one third the size of my normal form, could be a sport. I want to gow it another year to make sure this is not just a 'cultural' effect.
Regards
Chris
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here some color from today :
Ornithogalum dubium
enjoy
Hans
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I like that Ornithogalum Hans. I don't grow it but the ones I have seen seem to get leggy and fall over in our light - but not yours!
This is Moraea ciliata. It has been producing flowers intermittently for over a month now. They have a lovely scent but don't last long. There is also a white form which I don't grow but looks very attractive.
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Nice Ornithogalum dubium Hans. The art, as PaulT reminded me when I showed mine last year, is to get it to flower again the following year ;D Needless to say mine hasn't :(
Nice Moraea Darren.
Most of my small collection of summer growing South African bulbs appears to have survived the winter. I re-potted a couple of them last week and Albuca shawii in particulata had masses of good quality bulbs.
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Very attractice Moraea Darren, I'm assuming it is seed grown? How long from germination to first flowering?
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This is what I got from a friend as Brunsvigia josephinae, just starting to flower
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There is some discussion in Australia about whether we have the true species.
cheers
fermi
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Chris - the Moraea was sown in 2000 and first flowered in 2005, so 5 years. I think i could now do better - seed sown 2007 looks like flowering next year so that is only 4 years. It is well worth growing despite the fleeting flowers.
David - thank you for the reminder to extract my summer growers from their hibernation and repot them!
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Miriam showed her Hesperantha vaginata out in the garden - here is my potful under glass. The next pic is Geissorhiza inaequalis.
I've spares of the Hesperantha if anyone would be interested. And likely to have seed too.
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That H. vaginata is some beauty, Darren!
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Thank you Carlo.
I was lucky enough to see it in the wild in 1999. It was growing in red clay which was drying out at flowering time. It must be like concrete in summer. The farmer told me that it was impossible to drive a tractor over in winter as it got so sticky. It is pollinated by monkey beetles (think of scarabs with furry edges!).
With me it likes a plunged clay pot as, ironically, it really suffers if kept too wet in winter here. The flowers only open fully for about two hours on sunny afternoons but last several days each.
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to smal flower, from the wonderful color
Ixia pumilio
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Does this Ixia vary in colour? Mine is not in flower at present but is a rich strawberry pink colour. Strawberries crushed with cream. :D
In flower now (early autumn) is Gladiolus carmineus. It may flower from now or through winter or in mid spring. It grows to about 30cms. I'll hand pollinate and hope for seed which I have had, before.
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Nice to see that in flower Lesley. Just collected loads of seed from mine this morning!
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well flowering in this time :
Homeria collina
I had earlier problems with flowers ...but since I use Phostrogen it look very nice :D
Hans 8)
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Very pretty Hans.
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:D thank you David !
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well flowering in this time :
Homeria collina
I had earlier problems with flowers ...but since I use Phostrogen it look very nice :D
Hans 8)
Looks wonderful and very healthy, Hans, and the position against the background shows the shape and colour off to perfection 8)
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;D thank you Robin 8)
The background was new build this weekend ....very heavy stones !
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A very good job - hope you are in one piece 8)
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Thank you ;D
slowly I recover .....
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Your H collina is a great colour Hans! I have usually seen a much paler version of it.
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Hi Darren ,
my plants comes from D.Fenwick ....wait until I repot ;)
Hans
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Hans,
that is a stunning colour for that homeria (now re-classified as moraea, I believe).
Autumn is a good time for South African bulbs here:
Oxalis flava (mauve-pink form)
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Oxalis ciliaris
[attachthumb=3]
Oxalis massoniana
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Oxalis hirta "Rosea"
[attachthumb=7]
and a trio of flowers on Oxalis melanosticta "Ken Aslett"
[attachthumb=5]
[attachthumb=6]
And Moraea polstachya has finally started flowering here,
[attachthumb=8]
[attachthumb=9]
cheers
fermi
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Fermi ,
Thank you :)
Yes - I believe also it is now Moraea ....
I have pollinate this flowers ....maybe when it was succsessful so I could send you seeds !
Ciao
Hans
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Well done Fermi on your 'Ken Aslet's. Must be your hot, central Vic climate. :)
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Hi Hans,
if you some spare I'd love to try it. It's allowed into Australia under either name!
Lesley,
3 flowers out of a 6" pan isn't a howling success, but a few more may follow! ;D I think it's only the second time I've had a flower on them! No sign of any from O. palmifrons though.
cheers
fermi
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Three IS a howling success compared with the 3 I've never had!!!
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Hi Fermi, M collina may be on the permitted list,but it is also on OZ noxious weed list.bye Ray
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Here is Drimiopsis comptonii in flower for the first time with me. Tiny little pink flowers. It is the first of the Ledebouria and Drimiopsis collection to flower this year.
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I thought Drimiopsis were reclassified as all Ledebourias?
http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract;jsessionid=EDF1BF5CD8DC21AAF1662E07D1688282.tomcat1?fromPage=online&aid=214959
.....A REVISED GENERIC SYNOPSIS OF HYACINTHACEAE IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA, BASED ON MOLECULAR EVIDENCE, INCLUDING NEW COMBINATIONS AND THE NEW TRIBE PSEUDOPROSPEREAE-J. C. MANNING a1, P. GOLDBLATT a2 and M. F. FAY a3
2003
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According to their work they felt it correct to lump the genera together, BUT there was no resolution in their tree when it came to Resnova, Ledebouria, and Drimiopsis. I prefer Lebatha's thesis, and that morphology between the genera is very distinct, except maybe Resnova. I've not grown Resnova spp before, but by photographs I don't see anything that separates them from Drimiopsis.
Aaron
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Thanks, Aaron.
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My first South African bulb to flower from seed and, wouldn't you know it?
No label in the pot. It is in with all the Gladiolus, and the leaves look right.
I would be pleased if someone can i.d. it.
Alberto has helped with the identification. The stigma is
divided into six parts, and the leaf has a thick midrib. So, it is not a Gladiolus,
but a Watsonia, perhaps humilis.
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Here is Geissorhiza corrugata. I got a few very small corms last September from the South African Bulb Group Exchange and quite frankly didn't expect any flowers this year.
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I'm going to resist the spin-off thread and put my SA gladdies in here ;)
First is G. watsonius. Second is G. orchidiflorus which is possibly my favourite (has a terrific scent too). :D
Then the next is now a Moraea but was formerly Galaxia citrina. First time I've ever seen the flower - it is only 15mm across and is open for only an hour or two. I'm sure it has flowered before but probably when I was at work!
Lastly is a mystery Lachenalia which appeared in the plunge. It is not a species I have ever grown so where it came from I have no idea. Nice though, and growing it in the sand has kept it nice and compact.
David - the corms of that Geissorhiza are very small indeed! Just you wait until repotting time when you try to find the offsets... ;D
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Here is Geissorhiza corrugata. I got a few very small corms last September from the South African Bulb Group Exchange and quite frankly didn't expect any flowers this year.
Fantastic David its not one i grow none of my baby Geissorhiza flowered this year maybe next,whats the inside of the flower like is there any nice marking inside?
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Darren them there gladies are to die for two that are on my seed order list for this summer its really frustrating seeing all your gladies in flower seeing i only started with mine from seed three years ago i can't wait to start and show my babies flowering.
Diane well done on flowering your first seedling how long did it take?
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It's hard to say how long it took for my unlabelled Watsonia to bloom
because I started Watsonia seeds in 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, and
none of the names on my database match with the plant that is flowering.
So it will have to remain a mystery in all aspects.
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Darren,
Gladiolus orchidiflorus is one of my favourites, too. I just
have a few thread-like leaves so far. How long did it take for yours
to flower?
And how did you manage the background plaid using the same
colours as the flower?
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Diane, David, Darren, great treasures!
The G.orchidiflorus is a stunner!
Darren, your mystery Lachenalia has a look of
pustulata about it, the species is variable and
I have plants from seed without pustules on the leaves!!
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I think that the G orchidiflorus took an average of 4 years to flower but it is hard to tell as I had seed from several sources, only two of which turned out to be the real thing! I was lucky enough to see it in the wild near Langebaan in 1999 - just over the sand dunes from a lagoon full of flamingo.
The watsonius is the first flower at ten years old! I think this is more to do with my learning how to grow it than any innate slowness in the species. It and the similar huttonii frustrate me most years. I'm sure the pots I am currently using are too small and the resulting variable conditions at the root sometimes make the flowers abort. I've invested in some square deep pots for use at repotting time this year.
Diane - the background is accidental and I tried to blur it as much as possible! it is the wire mesh over the door opening behind the bench.
Chris - I agree with your pustulata idea. I have had seedlings of this in the past which I got rid of before they flowered - maybe I missed one. Wish I'd kept the others now. It also looks a little bit like latimerae but my only seedlings of this are just in bud now for the first time.
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Hi Darren
These 'late' season flowerers catch me out, bulbifera and aloides are all packed away but 'purpureo-caerulea' is flowering after
re-emerging from a batch of bulbifera with which it has languished and survived for 3 or 4 years. L.haarlemensis should be flowering within the next week or two. The Lach in the background is my late season pustulata, no leaf pustules and had the same flower form as yours, it has set seed in a big way!
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Funny how our seasons differ Chris, my aloides are only just in bud and will be very late this year. Rubida (autumn flowering) has already gone dormant. Most Lachs are still green and some still to flower. It looked today like we might get a few hot days which would send them over, but the forecast has suggested a bright but cool week ahead.
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The Watsonias and Gladiolus I've grown from seed have taken from 3-5 years to flower, when I can get Gladiolus to germinate at all, that is. :(
Chris, the Lachenalia seed arrived on Saturday, having duly been inspected and passed. Thanks very much. Raining lightly today but very warm, so a good sowing day. :D
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Darren, curious indeed, my aloides have always flowered within a week or two of bulbifera, even in the UK.
Lesley, glad they made it through the 'Green Curtain' that is you inspection process!! ;) :D
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I put this in the Plant Identification thread, but thought it useful to put it here too?
Yesterday we saw at the weekly Show in Lisse an unknown bulbous plant.
This plant was found in Eastern Transvaal on grassland (meadow?), near a place called Amsterdam.
The plant shown is about 40 cm.high. The leaves were not visible now, but are grassy like.
Is there anybody who knows what it is?
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I put this in the Plant Identification thread, but thought it useful to put it here too?
Yesterday we saw at the weekly Show in Lisse an unknown bulbous plant.
This plant was found in Eastern Transvaal on grassland (meadow?), near a place called Amsterdam.
The plant shown is about 40 cm.high. The leaves were not visible now, but are grassy like.
Is there anybody who knows what it is?
Albuca of some sort?? There are 60-70 species and I've only grown two so can't be more specific!
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maybe Bulbine or Bulbinella ?
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Geissorhiza aspera
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Three IS a howling success compared with the 3 I've never had!!!
Even a few more flowers on "Ken Aslet", Lesley!
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The yellow form of Oxalis flava produced a single flower on the weekend,
[attachthumb=2]
The cerise Oxalis hirta "Rosea"
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and its "Salmon" form
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Oxalis palmifrons,
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Oxalis kaajvoegensis,
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Oxalis massoniana,
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Oxalis polyphylla - unsurprising, in a crevice ;D
[attachthumb=8]
And Spiloxene alba
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[attachthumb=10]
cheers
fermi
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I like O. kaajvoegensis with its hirta/massoniana type foliage. I believe Bill D has it available so will order it.
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Moraea polyanthos
Arnold
New Jersey
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Moraea polyanthos
Arnold
New Jersey
Very nice Arnold --I have young bulbs from seed awaiting their first flowering .......
In the meantime providing some colour in autumn ---a Polyxena sps.
Love the combination of pale lilac striping on the inside --on the outside ,(as if someone has used a crayon), the striping takes on a blue colouring .
Cheers Dave
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It's probably P. longituba Dave. I have many hundreds of flowers out at present, and they have a powerful scent, en masse. :o
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I see exactly what you mean about the "crayoning" look, Dave.... are you sure Hilda hasn't been out there kidding you? ;)
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Moraea aristata.
This little group of bulbs are planted in a raised bed (second pic) 22cm deep, and survived three months of continuous frost down to -12c on quite a few nights. There is another group in the same bed but the flowers are not open yet.
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Gladiolus cunonius, in the greenhouse.
Romulea citrina ?
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Is that red gladiolus right out Michael? An odd shape, if so but a super colour. :)
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Lesley,that is as good as it gets.
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Some SA bulbs flowering for me now,
Polyxena corymbosa
'' ensifolia
Lachenalia rubida
Oxalis gracilis
bye Ray
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Ray ... love the Polyxena ensifolia thanks for showing your lovely plants.
Angie :)
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I still like the gladiolus Michael. Odd isn't necessarily bad. Often very good, in fact. Just different. :D
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Watsonia laccata
Romulea ? I won't even attempt to put a name on these two.
Romulea ?
Moraea atistata
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Lachenalia rubida
bye Ray
i really like this one! good leaves and flowers, and seems not too tall :)
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Watsonia laccata
Romulea ? I won't even attempt to put a name on these two.
Romulea ?
Moraea atistata
Michael, just a guess but the first Romulea may be rosea and the second possibly leipoldtii ???
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Michael
Moraea aristata is a stunning. Difficult to find seeds. Perhaps have you some seeds or bulbs to spare ? All the best
Dom
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No problem Dominique, I have sent you a PM.
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Dear Lesley,
Gladiolus cunonius used to be Anomalesia cunonia (...and Antholyza cunonia?), so no wonder it looks strange - it is totally confused! ??? ::)
It is a very pretty species and grows adjacent to the beach on the southern Cape coast - here it is growing in nature:
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now in flower Tulbaghia galpinii
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Just one from our garden and a few more from some friends' gardens taken on the weekend!
Nerine filifolia in our garden,
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Similar in flower, but not in foliage, Nerine angustifolia at Cathy Newing's Garden in Macedon,
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Still at Cathy's,
Nerine flexuosa "Alba", now considered N. undulata or something...
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Nerine bowdenii "Meninya Forrest" (but known as something else in the UK)
[attachthumb=5]
A pink nybrid,
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From Cathy's we walked down to visit the Garden of Stephen Ryan, who runs Dicksonia Nursery on Mt Macedon and is now the host of ABC's "Gardening Australia". I was most impressed with his rock garden with its array of oxalis and other bulbs.
A most impressive patch of Oxalis glabra
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Another Oxalis, possibly Oxalis tomentosa
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And Stephen's Oxalis palmifrons had a few flowers open at once!
[attachthumb=9]
And what is possibly yet another form of Oxalis flava,
[attachthumb=10]
cheers
fermi
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Stunned by your Moraea aristata Michael. It frustrates my efforts to flower it in a pot so I will try some in the bulb frame!
Here is what used to Gynandriris cedarmontana (now a Moraea). Biggest flowers of any of the 'Gynandriris' I grow at about 5cm across.
Then Lachenalia glaucina (I think), usually the last to flower for me.
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Rhodohypoxis white.
Moraea monophylla ?
Ledebouria cooperi
Ledebouria cooperi
Lachenalia ?
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Veltheimia bracteata
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What interesting red-striped leaves your Ledebouria has.
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Freesia Laxa.
Raised from the seed of Freesia laxa plum hyb.
Could it be a virus or just reverting back to type?
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Moraea lurida.
2-5 Ixia ?
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Lovely stuff Michael, that Moraea is a stunner. Here are a couple of my Ixia hybrids bought from B&Q about three years ago they stay in the garden and seem to take the frost without any problem.
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Michael,
the Morea wonderful! ::) Do you grow the Ixia (?) in a greenhouse?
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No,they are in a 30cm high south facing raised bed, 50-50 soil and grit.
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Is it a alkaline or a acid soil?
The south facing raised bed will be build this year.
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It would just be on the alkaline side of neutral, it is the old used potting compost left after potting on Crocus and Narcissus and other bulbs. They get no feeding of any kind so the soil is very poor in nutrients.
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Tritonia crocata 'Tangerine'
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:o Tritonia!! All I ever get is one or two flowering stems and lots of leaves
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To small bulbs Mark
give them something to eat
or you keep them to cold during the dormant period
or to short rest period
or to late planted
pity because they are beautiful
Roland
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Has anyone got experiance of how hardy Crinum bulbispernum is, can it live in an unheated green house in the UK? I have run out of space for amyrylliads in the house and need to move some out to make room for the more seed pots of new ones :-\
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Hello Peter
This one of the most hardy ones together with
Crinum X powellii
they are both hardy in the garden
plant them 25 - 30 cm deep
Roland
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Almost all my South African winter growers are now dormant, except for Ornithogalum dubium. But Gethyllis roggeveldensis has pushed up a flower today
Paul
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A very glamorous rarity, Paul....... are you keeping it pretty dry at the moment, until leaf growth begins again?
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Hello Paul
Nice Gethyllis roggeveldensis
I really need to visit the alpine department
next time
I stop normally at the bookshop and the coffee corner
with the good carrot cakes
although I think they are getting smaller
but sins my wife does not live in England any more
I am no member of the RHS any more
and I hardly visit Wisley because we have to catch the train back
for just a hour visit I find the entrance to expensive
I will try to stay one more day next time which give me some time to spend
Roland
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Hi Maggi,
Yes, I stopped watering these as the leaves started yellowing. They are now completely dry and will stay that way till September. It's odd how they push up their flowers once the leaves have gone dormant, but this is the way with all the Gethyllis. It's a pity the flowers last only a day or two, but this one is at least strogly scented.
Hi Roland. This is one of my own plants at home. We don't have any flowering size Gethyllis at Wisley, but I did take in a some seedlings to grow on.
Cheers
Paul
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Paul ,
Lovely Gethylis, cant wait till l get back down to Wisley, probally the end of July... I do wish I stayed closer but maybe not I think i would be like a fixture there.
My South African bulbs are all dormant now but I still have this wee nagging in the back of my head, no water, I would hate to lose these bulbs as they were given to me from a special forum friend. I have put them under my bench and will not water as this is the advice I have been given.
My heating bill for my greenhouse was ok and it was a cold winter in Aberdeen, I need to get some lighting sorted out but I just read about all that is available and then I am totally confused :-\. I wish someone would just come and say that's what you need it would be much easier.
Thanks for taking the time to show all the lovely plants at Wisley and your own collection.
Angie :)
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Lovely Gethyllis Paul. My Ornithogalum dubium treated being dormant as an art form and never woke up :(
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Hello Peter
This one of the most hardy ones together with
Crinum X powellii
they are both hardy in the garden
plant them 25 - 30 cm deep
Roland
Thanks Roland, Its going out tomorrow
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Is the Gethyllis one of those amazingly wiggly-leaved things? I'm pretty sure we've seen some here before. ???
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Getyllis is one of those things I didn't germinate ???
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Is the Gethyllis one of those amazingly wiggly-leaved things? I'm pretty sure we've seen some here before. ???
Lesley, you're thinking of Gethyum. ::)
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Ahhh... thanks David. Obviously I WASN'T thinking of Gethyum, but now I remember.
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Excellent pics everyone. Some stunning plants in there, that is for sure. :D
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Almost all my South African winter growers are now dormant, except for Ornithogalum dubium. But Gethyllis roggeveldensis has pushed up a flower today
Paul
Wisley
truly beautiful, how many years it has the plant?
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these are two small
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exquisit Alessandro, are they from seed?
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exquisit Alessandro, are they from seed?
i agree!
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One of the South Africans flowering here at the moment..... Moraea polystachya, this one a dwarfer form that only grows to 18 inches tall. It has been flowering for maybe 2 months already, with no real signs of stopping as yet. Brilliant!!
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Hi Alessandro,
The Gethyllis that flowered are 6 to 7 years old from seed. This is the second time that they have flowered - the first was last year.
Paul
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Wisley
mine compliments, if it regulated the seed I have some possibility? :P
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One of the South Africans flowering here at the moment..... Moraea polystachya, this one a dwarfer form that only grows to 18 inches tall. It has been flowering for maybe 2 months already, with no real signs of stopping as yet. Brilliant!!
Paul
beautiful , but I must make attention, I cannot grant other diseases, the Moraea family is much numerous
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Peter-Cohan
only D.uniflora I have obtained from seed
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they are not successful to obtain a better photo :-\
Rhadamanthus platyphyllus
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One of the South Africans flowering here at the moment..... Moraea polystachya, this one a dwarfer form that only grows to 18 inches tall. It has been flowering for maybe 2 months already, with no real signs of stopping as yet. Brilliant!!
Paul
beautiful , but I must make attention, I cannot grant other diseases, the Moraea family is much numerous
Alessandro,
I think you're implying that you think there is virus in this flower? It is towards the end of the season, and we've had -5'C recently a few nights (and lots of other frosts) so it is nowhere near as pure in form as the last few months worth of flowers. It was the best of what was there on the day, but does look a bit more crinkly than they normally do. What particular things made you think virus? If it IS virused I would definitely like to know.
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Alessandro,
Because my Gethyllis has just one flower, I have nothing to pollinate it with. So I am not able to produce seed from it
Paul
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thanks Wisley
Paul
I did not mean your flower that I see in health, was turned to my head ;D
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Alessandro,
Because my Gethyllis has just one flower, I have nothing to pollinate it with. So I am not able to produce seed from it
Paul
I had Gethyllis villosus once (now sadly gone the way of all flesh). That was self-fertile and I got a nice fat seed pod from it (sent the seed to the AGS exchange).
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A steady performer. Spends the winter under a east facing window and outside as soon as the frost danger has passed.
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Thats a lovely Agapanthus Arnold, Is it a species selection or a hybred?
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A steady performer. Spends the winter under a east facing window and outside as soon as the frost danger has passed.
Arnold - Can you grow any Agapanthus outside? A friend manages a Headbourne hybrid but I assume it's seed grown as they all might be. Wondering if it's worth propagating? It seems happier in the ground than any in pots, the potted ones are inconsistent bud-setters. I think Panayoti collected high-altitude seed but we never managed to lay our hands on the seed.
By the way, Agapanthus don't flower here until August. You must get some heat there.
Yesterday was 28c in the shade here. I dressed accordingly today only to be hit by a sea breeze and we managed only 17c so a sweater.
johnw
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There was a discussion on the Pacific Bulb Society forum about hardy Agapanthus. Some grow them in protected locations outside. My example is a hybrid from Tony Advent's Nursery in the South USA. We have had days in the 90's F during the last two months. It has cooled a bit so flowers will last a little longer.
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Hello John
I am sure Agapanthus Pinoccio can handle - 18°C
this one of the most hardy ones
If you want to test it I can send you a piece
Roland
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Hello John
I an sure A. Pinoccio can handle - 18°C
this one of the most hardy ones
If you want to test it I can send you a piece
Roland
Roland
Interesting, I've never heard of that one. I will PM you shortly if I can't find a Canadian source.
johnw
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Hello John
Mine is from the original grower
but maybe they give it an English name
Roland
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Agapanthus caulescens, A. campanulatum, A. inapertus inapertus and Tinkerbell all came through last winter at around -12 for several weeks (night Temp), untouched, I think I have lost A. inapertus hollandicum though :'(
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today in flower
Spiloxene curculigoides and Drimia anomala
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Dietes grandiflora in flower at the moment
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Very nice indeed Alessandro & Tony! Interesting to see the Drimia anomala.
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A couple of SA plants flowering now.
Daubenya marginata
Massionia sp (depressa ?)
Lachenalia sp.(if anyone knows the name of this species thanks)
bye Ray
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Ray,
The Daubenya and the pink Massonia are excellent. Congratulations on both of them. 8) Thanks for the pics.
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an other Drimia in flower
Drimia hyacinthoides
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I don't think that Massonia is depressa Ray, unless there is a pink form of it. All I've seen are white flowered. The three pics are lovely plants.
Is Drimia close to Galtonia? (which I think is something else now, but I WON'T! (smiley sign for throwing toys from pram. >:()
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Ray those are lovely plants 8) I am jealous.
Angie :)
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Here a picture from massonia depressa from internet (bottom one) and the
University Botanical gardens, School of Biological and Conservation Sciences
PB X01, Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg, 3209, KZN, South Africa (Pink red one)
To see the difference in colour
Roland
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According to the Colour Encyclopedia of Cape Bulbs, the flowers of M. depressa can be "green, cream, white or pink". The pink flowers shown in the photos do look like M. depressa to me, so I guess this is indeed what they are.
Paul
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Ah well, I'm happy to withdraw to superior knowledge. The pinks are lovely.
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Here's an unknown Crinum that has lived outside here in Northern New Jersey for a number of years. Dies back to the ground in winter and then puts up foliage and at least 5 to 7 scapes.
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Hello Arnold
Looks for me as Crinum powellii Album
very hardy and beautiful
Roland
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Pristine flowers, Arnold on a plant that is doing so well for you. Love it.
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Absolutely beautiful flowers, Arnold. Lucky you!!
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Arnold that Crinum is sensational. Does your ground freeze? I planted out a few Amaryllis belladonna here last autumn and the ground froze deeply last winter. I was surprised to see the leaves appear this spring. They came up with white edges which perhaps indicates some sort of damage. I was hoping it would have to good sense not to leaf in the autumn but that may change once it get firmly established then the trouble will begin. Even the cantankerous Lycrois squamigera came up.
BTW the Nerine bowdeniis sailed through last winter, even ones newly planted. They were just the regular bowdenii and not the hardier variety.
johnw
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John:
Yes, the ground freezes down a couple of inches. We can get temperatures as low as 5 to 6 F. The leaves wither but come spring they push up through the dead leaves and flower.
I have another which is pink which should flower in a couple of days.
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this my Ornithogalum thyrsoides
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Drimia epigea : the stem measures approximately 1,5 meters
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Impressive
do you have a picture from the whole plant
Roland
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Here's the pink sister of the white I posted last week. They are planted in the same bed. We have heat at 100 F so flowers only last a day or two.
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Here's the pink sister of the white I posted last week. They are planted in the same bed. We have heat at 100 F so flowers only last a day or two.
Arnold lovely flower, I have bought a couple Crinums but will have to grow them in my greenhouse. 100f I would only last a couple of days in that heat :o
Angie :)
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Hello Angie
It depends which Crinums you bought C .bulbispernum
C .powellii and C. powellii alba should be hardy in your region
and can handle a lot of moistre
with a trick you can plant then 25 -30 cm deep
Roland
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I remember lovely big clumps of Crinum at Mike and Polly Stone's garden in Fort Augustus...... huge plants flowering like crazy and lord knows they had plenty rain and it got cold, too.... but I'm having no luck here in Aberdeen on the East coast..... and we put them well down in the ground as a protection.... :'(
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Roland I have C powellii and manage to keep this one with a little bit of protection. My new Crinums are C.macowannii and C.moorei.
Thanks for the advice.
Maggi I got mine from Floors Castle gardens at Kelso,the man said it would be hardy... they have them outdoors but I always give mine protection.
Angie :)
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Hello Angie
I tried C moorei in Normandy a few times
They never survived a winter without enormous protection
I don't know C. macowanii
I just bought a bulb in South Africa
Roland
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Roland I thought I might have to keep these Crinums in my greenhouse.
Maybe they wont survive but I did like the flower of C. Moorei so I thought I would give it a go.
Angie :)
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Two flowering here today,
1-2 Gladiolus flanaganii
3-4 Watsonia ? anyone put a name to this one.
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The Gladiolus flanaganii are a really great red, are they not?
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Very nice pics as always, Michael. As Maggi says, they look to be a great red, don't they? 8)
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Hello Michael
Did you try them in the garden
to look how hardy they are
They would be great in the garden
Roland
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Yes I have some in the garden but I always keep a pot in the greenhouse to be on the safe side. They are quite hardy
but don't like the winter wet.
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If you have some seeds left over
I would like to try them in Normandy
If you like I have later in the year
bulblets from the real G.byzantinus ssp byzantinus
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Two flowering here today,
1-2 Gladiolus flanaganii
3-4 Watsonia ? anyone put a name to this one.
:o :o :o
No further comment needed I guess...
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Like you Luc what further can I say. Great Gladiolus Michael - and the Watsonia too.
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Thanks folks.
That pink watsonia survived -12c out in the garden last winter,its orange/red companion died.
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Eucomis zambesiaca
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How tall is your pink watsonia Michael? and does it make big clumps or OK in a pot? There are so many it's impossible to suggest a name from flowers alone. There are countless hybrids now, as well. ???
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Lesley,It is 120cm high and is planted out in the garden. I find that they don't like pots except for Laccata, an orange form only about 40cm high.
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Ahhh... not one I can help with then. I have a few other small species which make nice potsful, although they can be grown outside. W. coccinea springs to mind.
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Hi all, I want to introduce 3 little know bulbous plants from S. Africa. Schizocarpus nervosus and Drimia uniflora (syn. Litanthus pusillus) in the Hyacinthaceae family and the recent described (2007) Prototulbaghia siebertii in the Amaryllidaceae, sensu lato. The last two are very tiny, just a few mm across.
Alberto
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Hello Alberto
Do you have also pictures from the whole plants like the first
never seen these plants before they look pretty
Roland
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Roland, the Drimia blooms without leaves, and when present they are just like grass, as in Prototulbaghia.
Alberto
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Alberto,
Absolutely fascinating. Never heard of any of those. I think the little tiny flowers are brilliant..... I always like finding really miniature things in flower and looking at all that detail in such a small package. And they take up less space (which with my overstocking is always a good thing). Thanks for showing us something new. 8)
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Schizocarpus nervosus used to be called Scilla nervosa.
Here's a pic of plants in habitat near Machododorp, Mpumulanga:
Alberto, where did you get your Prototulbaghia? Penroc?
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Calvin, marvellous pic of the wild plant! Yes I get the Prototulbaghia from Penroc. When it arrived I had very few hopes it survived, but often plants deserve hidden energies!
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Seeing the whole plant makes it a very attractive one. Nice to see it in its habitat too.
Sorry about the rugby Calvin and Rogan. ;D ;D ;D
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Out in the rain today.
Androcymbium striatum.
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Hello Michael
Your Androcymbium striatum is beautiful
but I am so jealous you really have rain ???
just send some over to Normandy
It always rains in Normandy they say
Its just a pity that the rain can't hear
it rained 3 times last week total amount here 2 mm
you cant even get the dust wet
watering the plants every day
still they don't grow
Roland
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Michael really nice Androcymbium striatum, looks lovely with the rain drops on it, how hardy is it.
Angie
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Angie,it survived -12c last winter in a southfacing raised bed 180cm in front of the house, in a 50/50 grit and soil mix.
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Wow -12c... I thought you might have sunk your pot into the gravel.
Angie :)
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"Sorry about the rugby Calvin and Rogan"
Ah, the rugby! We won't even go there!!! :P (as in retch) :P (as in puke) :-[
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"Sorry about the rugby Calvin and Rogan"
Ah, the rugby! We won't even go there!!! :P (as in retch) :P (as in puke) :-[
Agreed Rogan!
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I enjoyed both games - well I would, wouldn't I! ;D - but the headbut was a bit rude. But we're not going there, are we? (I don't really mind if you both say a few naughty words to me.)
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Crinum Hybrid. Rose Parade.
is a hybrid of C. 'Ellen Bosanquet' × C. moorei made by Barry Clark.
Lives outside in a pot all summer in the hose below a south facing window during cold winter months
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What a great colour, Arnold. 8)
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I have a few bulbils of Moraea artstata about one year from flowering if anyone is interested,enough for 5 people to get 5 bulbils each. I can include growing tips for those interested if required. PM with your address if you would like some.
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First flowering last weekend of Lapeirousia montana from seed sown 2008 from Gordon Summerfield,
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One form has pure white flowers and the other has faint mauve marks and anthers/pollen!
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They are only tiny as you can see when compared with some dwarf daffs!
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So they'll stay in a pot or maybe a trough!
cheers
fermi
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My, they are tiny.... and so prettily marked! Very nice.... watch the cats don't sit on them!
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Albuca shawii from the greenhouse yesterday.
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The yellow is very pretty David. In the absence of Iris winogradowii.......some consolation? ;D
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two dietes in flower at the moment
Dietes bicolor
Dietes grandiflora
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I lost three of my four Dietes last winter :( the fourth has no flowers in sight :-\
cyrtanthus montana and a tritonia are lookig good though :D
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A couple of Romulea flowering now,
R sabulosa and R monadelpha bye Ray
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At our last FCHS Rock garden Group Meeting, Inge showed a pale and lovely Gladiolus gracilis,
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While Helene had a couple of lovely Lachenalias,
Lachenalia elegans
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And another, the name of which I didn''t write down! Lachenalia st......
[attachthumb=3]
And Hesperantha vaginata
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In our garden the next day I found in flower,
Gladiolus caeruleus
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And Gladiolus pritzeliae (a bit out of focus, sorry :-[ )
[attachthumb=8]
cheers
fermi
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Great stuff Fermi - I love the Glad. caeruleus ! :D
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It seems to me your Ferny Creek HS members are a talented group, fermi.... all sorts of lovely plants which we are happy to be allowed to share.... thanks to you and all those growers! 8)
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Hope I can see some of these next weekend Fermi. I don't know what Otto's plans are but I think he thinks it's too far to your place. Can you persuade him?
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And I was thinking that you might like a side trip to Keyneton/Angaston.................... to see the arils
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There is a new Wisley Log online today with some bright South African bulbs to cheer our day:
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2010Sep161284630599Log_17_of_2010.pdf
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A new flowering this week of Hesperantha vaginata var stanfordiae - not quite as stunning as the type but pleasant enough,
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The indoor shots are because I had to bring it in to work to be able to photograph it in daylight when it's open!
And Babiana vanzyliae
[attachthumb=3]
cheers
fermi
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Not at all showy but kind of cute I guess;
Ornithogalum glandulosum
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Babiana tabulosa which I bought this spring
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Peter,
that seems rather late in the year to be seeing a Babiana in the UK! Quite an interesting one, too.
Some more spring-flowerers here,
Babiana ringens
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Sparaxis ?grandiflora
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and yet again Babiana pygmaea
[attachthumb=4]
cheers
fermi
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They have had Jet Lag Fermi ;) , -I bought them as seedlings from S Africa in May, they have more or less grown all summer and are showing signs of regrowth now.
I like these Irids, glad to see B ringens it flowerd for me 6 months ago, I'm envious of the sparaxis, but perhaps in another six months some of my S. seedlings will be in flower
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Fermi,
Were those ringens flowers out when I was there? If so, damn I missed them. :o Something I would really like to see in person, and my seedlings are staying recalcitrant and refusing to flower. ::) I can vouch for Fermi's B. pygmaea.... he has a few of them about the garden and they are FABULOUS!! 8)
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I agree Paul those are fabulous, would love to be able to grow them ::) Fermi the B. Pygmaea is something special, thanks for showing us your wonderful plants.
Angie :)
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Angie, Babiana and Sparaxis are worth your trying under glass especially if you can keep them frost free, or on a spare window sill indoors.
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Thanks David I will see if I can source them out. I keep my greenhouse around 5c and since it cost me a little ::) I try and pack in as much plants " get my moneys worth " and also I can enjoy flowering plants in the winter. My husband said to me it's only a matter of time before I move my bed in ::) ;D
Angela :)
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I had freesia species and babianas frozen solid last winter with no frost protection, they didnt like it, mainly because I kept them too dry I think, but they survived
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I had freesia species and babianas frozen solid last winter with no frost protection, they didnt like it, mainly because I kept them too dry I think, but they survived
Peter if you had kept them wet I am sure you would have lost them all!
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Paul, I don't remember seeing Bab. ringens at Fermi's either bt we did see it in flower at Stephen's place but the bird perches were just starting to elongate.
I really am captivated by the lovely relaxed picture of Sunny, in the Wisley log. Such a happy cat she looks and what a wonderful place to call home. :D
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Paul, I don't remember seeing Bab. ringens at Fermi's either bt we did see it in flower at Stephen's place but the bird perches were just starting to elongate.
I really am captivated by the lovely relaxed picture of Sunny, in the Wisley log. Such a happy cat she looks and what a wonderful place to call home. :D
No, the Babiana ringens only came into flower a few days ago!
Lachie likes to relax in the garden but here he is guarding a Pomaderis which has been attacked by the Cockatoos!
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Here is our little patch of Geissorhiza splendidissima
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Lachenalia mutabilis
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Lapeirousia jacquinii
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cheers
fermi
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Lovely plants Fermi and the cat too - he looks a real character, what breed is he?
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Lovely plants Fermi and the cat too - he looks a real character, what breed is he?
With a name like Lachie (short for Lachlan) he is a Scottish Fold of course! The ears are folded down permanently so he always looks angry or concerned!
He also likes tulips ;D
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cheers
fermi
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I try to post this Brunsvigia sp here... if anybody know's the species name ???
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I don't know its name Fred, ??? but I think it took the black t shirt from an Iris :P It looks lovely though :D
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The SA winter season is starting on the windowsills ;)
Empodium plicatum
Polyxena longituba
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Both ahead of mine Chris. What is the hairy leaf in the Empodium pot? Lachenalia trichophylla? or Massonia pygmaea perhaps? Looks nice anyway.
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Nice Chris.
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Very nice Chris,
A couple of Polyexenas here too, will try to put up pictures, they have been completly frost hardy with me. potted my first Empodium this automne, Rannveig Wallis told me that theirs is cold hardy under glass, she recieved it as E namaquensis but has another name for it now, I'll try to remember and post it.
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Chris,
I'm always amazed at what you get to flower on your windowsills!
Some more from our garden,
Gladiolus tristis, powerfully scented in the evening and if you pick it then it stays scented in a vase,
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Hesperantha bachmannii, very pleasant but can spread a bit!
[attachthumb=3]
cheers
fermi
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Fermi,
I like the Hesperanthas, I am trying to use 'spreaders' in my pots to 'pump' the water out!! ;)
Darren, yes indeed that is L.trichophylla, I've been enjoying watching it 'unfurl'.
Peter, the Empodium is a first timer for me and I'm struck by the floral similarity with Gagea.
David, your Missus would love it here, 5 of the South and South West facing windowsills now
have a temporary shelf fitted half way up the height of the window to receive extra pots!
Most 2yr old species are now community potted with 3 to 6 species per pot, roomies determined
by habit and bulb style so I can split them up again when they are dormant! ;) :D
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powerfully scented in the evening and if you pick it then it stays scented in a vase,
Funny I never thought of picking them Fermi, I shall look forward to next spring with added interest and will pick a bunch in due course ;)
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.........David, your Missus would love it here, 5 of the South and South West facing windowsills now
have a temporary shelf fitted half way up the height of the window to receive extra pots!
Most 2yr old species are now community potted with 3 to 6 species per pot, roomies determined
by habit and bulb style so I can split them up again when they are dormant! ;) :D
Chris, she'd only say "how are you going to manage to clean the windows" :P (in the absence of an emoticon to show a hangdog expression!!)
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Sadly my own attempt to grow Lachenalia trichophylla was a total failure :(
I know Alberto (Ezeiza) grows his cape bulbs in pots of mixed species as you do Chris and I'm coming round to this idea too.
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"how are you going to manage to clean the windows"
Give me a minute.... I know I should recognise the words.... I just have to grasp the concept of the thing............. ::) :-\ :-X
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>
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Nah, sorry, not something I really comprehend. Any window washing here tends to be done outside..... by the :-Xrain.
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"how are you going to manage to clean the windows"
Give me a minute.... I know I should recognise the words.... I just have to grasp the concept of the thing............. ::) :-\ :-X
>Nah, sorry, not something I really comprehend. Any window washing here tends to be done outside..... by the :-Xrain.
One of the advantages of living in Portugal is being able to afford a (daily) window (and other things) washer. At the moment the rain is heavy enough to wash my windows and my car and almost to wash the car away!!! And to water the bulbs on my covered. but not enclosed, balcony.
Fermi, I absolutely adore your Gladiolus tristis. Definitely added to my wants list.
Chloë
(in when-it-rain-it-pours country)
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"how are you going to manage to clean the windows"
Give me a minute.... I know I should recognise the words.... I just have to grasp the concept of the thing............. ::) :-\ :-X
>
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Nah, sorry, not something I really comprehend. Any window washing here tends to be done outside..... by the :-Xrain.
;D ;D ;D
It's my job in our house so it doesn't get done all that frequently.
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David,all you need is a breeding programme to create your own Audrey II ( Little Shop of Horrors )
and train it to clean the windows. Seldom becomes never, just keep visitors away from the windows!!
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Chris, she'd only say "how are you going to manage to clean the windows" :P (in the absence of an emoticon to show a hangdog expression!!)
I notice she would say "how are YOU not "how am I.." Bad management there David.
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Flowering now on the windowsill in the 'smallest room';
Polyxena ensifolia
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Flowering now on the windowsill in the 'smallest room';
Polyxena ensifolia
Chris,
You must be flushed with pride ;D
If you'd like some seed of H. bachmannii, let me know otherwise I'll be dead-heading it!
cheers
fermi
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ROFL :D :D
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Must tap in to your expertise Chris :P
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Flowering now on the windowsill in the 'smallest room';
Polyxena ensifolia
Chris,
You must be flushed with pride ;D
If you'd like some seed of H. bachmannii, let me know otherwise I'll be dead-heading it!
cheers
fermi
Fermi,
If not with pride, then he'd be flushed with success at the very least. ;) Definitely very successful Polyxena by the look of it.
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Cheers Paul and David for your humour! I'd make another little room joke, but I don't want to faucet!! Ooops!
Another windowsill, far far away, first time growing this species for me, another wee cutie.
Strumaria discifera ssp. bulbifera
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The ixias are starting!
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The names are a bit muddled and hybridizing has occurred but these were ones I grew from seed as Ixia maculata amongst others!
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A nice mix of ixias, sparaxis and babiana given to us by friends who found them a bit too exuberant!
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A close-up of the babiana (?B. stricta?)
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A clump of yellow sparaxis and aninterloper!
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A couple of Lachenalia bachmannii showing the damage done to the foliage of one by the cockatoo vandals!
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cheers
fermi
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Polyxena ensifolia is also flowering here, from 2 years old seedlings.
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The Indigenous Bulb Association of South Africa (Inheemse Bolplant Vereniging van Suid-Afrika) is an interest group that specializes in South African Bulbs. The members of the club are growers of bulbs with a special interest in South African natural species.
This is their website: http://www.safricanbulbs.org.za/
This announcement has been placed on the PBS pages by Rachel Saunders... a person well known to those interested in SA bulbs!!
"The Indigenous Bulb Society of South Africa (IBSA) is holding a Bulb
Symposium in August and September 2011. The Symposium will take place from
the 28th August to the 2nd September at Goudini Spa (a hot water spring)
near Worcester (about 100km from Cape Town). During the first 2 days of the
Symposium there will be lectures on a wide range of subjects including the
taxonomy of Freesias by John Manning, Bulbs of the Little Karoo by Dee
Snijman, botanical art by Vicki Thomas, Amaryllids by Alan Horstmann,
Iridaceae by Rod Saunders, and many more. There will also be a display table
showing pots of bulbous and cormous plants grown by IBSA members. There
will be a discussion of these plants during the Symposium. The next 3 days
will be dedicated to field trips to the surrounding areas to see some of the
plants discussed, in their natural habitats. Attendance at the Symposium is
not restricted to IBSA members.
If you are interested in more details, costs etc, please contact Errol Scarr
at ejscarr at iafrica.com "
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I've just received the latest catalogue for Bulbs and Bulb Seed from Gordon Summerfield in the RSA.
I've converted it to a 106KB pdf so if you'd like a copy please send me a PM.
cheers
fermi
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The rather different and quite tall Babiana spathacea
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cheers
fermi
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Fermi, what a super collection you have. And your plants always look neat and in character.
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A couple of SA plants flowering now.bye Ray
Ixia viridiflora
Babiani tubulosa
Babiana tubiflora
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Ray,
that's a stunning Ixia! Sadly my seedlings are yet to reach flowering size. :(
In the garden Albuca maxima is just starting to flower,
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cheers
fermi
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Sadly, Fermi, the current name for A. maxima is A. canadensis. Canadensis was for long used for a species with yellow flowers that is now known as A. flaccida.
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That is just too confusing for words! :o ??? >:(
Thanks, Alberto, for letting me know.
cheers
fermi
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Flowering now on the windowsill in the 'smallest room';
Polyxena ensifolia
in amongst the humour and lovely bulb photos this is a tiny gem - definitely one to give a room to :D
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It is terrible, Fermi, only that in the future this carnival of name changes will be used! As a matter of fact, both names canadensis and flaccida are already used in a couple of commercial sites.
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my plants under both names grown from seed are yellow and identical, about 40 cm high.
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Albuca maxima (now A. canadensis) is a massive plant with white green banded flowers.
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I have that too... :P :-X It flowerd over 2meters high with fleshy fastigiate leaves. I planted it out because it was too big to accomadate under glass. It has not reappeard but its 2 year old seedlings are around in the sand. The sand has no heat only a glass cover so the young bulbs will certainly have been frozen last winter. glad to be able to name it, thanks Alberto :)
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Last year I mentioned offsetting in Massonia and hinted that I would experiment with cutting up a spare bulb:
http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=4639.480
Well, immediately after the bulbs went dormant in early summer I cleaned up a bulb of M.aff. echinata and cut two deep V shaped grooves (in a cross) through the basal plate, thus destroying the growing point. This is the same as 'scoring' a hyacinth bulb, to which Massonia are related of course. I dusted the bulb with sulphur and allowed the cut surface to dry for a few days. Then placed it in a bag of almost dry vermiculite and put it in a warm place until september. In early september I could see that little white bulbs had started to grow on the cut surfaces so I just put the bulb directly into the sand of my greenhouse plunge as I thought it would be slightly more sterile than compost in a pot. 4 Shoots soon appeared at the surface and I knew my efforts had been successful.
Today I excavated the bulb to take a picture and to confirm that the process was similar to that described in my post last year - it was.
In picture 1 you can see the whole thing. In picture two a closeup of the base of the original bulb, showing the newly formed offsets. In picture 3 is the top of the original bulb. You can see where the original shoot should have emerged. The white tissue in the hole is actually part of the shoot which has emerged on the right - it has worked its way around beneath the outer scale and emerged through the side of the bulb.
I can see a use for this technique if one has an especially nice clone to bulk up, though Alberto Castillo tells me that leaf cuttings may also work.
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Speaking of Massonia propagation.
I'm pretty sure that this seedling from my owns seed ex M. sp 'Burdach 11182' is actually a hybrid, and I further theorise that daddy is a pustulate form of M. jasminiflora.
Picture 1 shows 'mum' in flower.
Picture 2 shows mum shortly before flowering, with the distinctly reflexed floral bracts.
Picture 3 shows the probable pollen donor, with pustulate leaves and bracts which do not reflex at all.
Picture 4 shows dad in full flower.
Picture 5 is a closeup of the 'hybrid' which shows floral bracts and flowers much closer to 'dad' in form. The flower has some pink in the anther filaments, like mum, and you can just see that the very tip of the floral bracts do reflex, also like mum.
Picture 6 shows the leaves soon after emergence last month ( sorry it isn't very sharp) and you can see that they have inherited some of dads red pustules, though these become less distinct as the leaves develop. They even have some of the fine hairs of mum's leaves too.
Picture 7 shows the 'hybrid' in full, but it is not yet in full flower.
There is probably no great significance to this except that one should be careful when producing seed and I can find no other record of Massonia hybridising. My solution is the Massonia prophylactic shown in picture 8!
I should point out that Burdach11182 was also thought to be a form of M jasminiflora at one time (in which case this isn't strctly a hybrid) but is , I'm told, now thought to be a separate species (but likely very closely related).
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Darren that's brilliant. Love dad in full flower.
Found that really interesting. Maybe one day I will have a spare bulb that I can try and do this but until then i will enjoy what i have.
I am in my greenhouse everyday looking at mine. Thanks ;D ;D
Angie :)
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A brilliant little lesson there Darren, both the top propagation pics and the lower hybrid pics. Two lessons in fact.
Mum hairy and Dad pustulate? Frequently it's the other way around, especially with teenagers. ;D
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Darren,
Both Mum and Dad are gorgeous!! :o
Thanks for the fascinating lesson in multiplication of Massonia. Brilliant!! 8)
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Thanks for your kind comments! :)
Hopefully I can now get some true-to-name seed to distribute next summer!
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Last wimter was pretty cruel to my small collection of Lachenalia and Polyxena species but here are two that survived.
Polyxena longituba
Lachenalia rubida
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Lovely David,really liked the Polyxena
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Very nice David, I noticed a few Lachanalias today too which must have survived last winter but I have never had them look that good
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A few more South African bulbs here,
Moraea gracilenta
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A tritonia which might be Tritonia lineata which is rather a weedy species here - it'll be kept in a pot (if at all!)
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The pale blue Ixia hybrid known as "Amesthina" or "Teal"
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Ixia paniculata (syn, Morphixia)
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cheers
fermi
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It is a form of Tritonia lineata
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Polyxena Silverhill 1157
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little gem :o
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Thanks Fred.
Hard to get a good picture with lighting available.
Have a white Nerine that just never looks any good in a digital picture.
I'll try a flash.
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Polyxena Silverhill 1157
Lovely flower head and photo.
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Nerine Blanchefleur under metal halide lights
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Nerine Blanchefleur under metal halide lights
Arnold
How long do you leave the lights on per day? Just wondering if increased day length throws the Nerines off since they are short day length growers. Maybe cool is the only prerequisite ???
johnw
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This Nerine is flowering in my newly built greenhouse.
It did live for most of its life under lights at 14 hours per day in a cool basement.
I would say that the flower was initiated under lights.
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Lovely litte Polyxena Arnold.
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I would say that the flower was initiated under lights.
Arnold
If the temperature is steady in your basement I wonder what triggered the Nerine to flower at the correct time of year.
We are promised some sun today but we've already had downpours. Maybe the Nerine stems will stand up again, the rain has been horrendous since last Friday.
Do you see any of the pale pink or white bowdeniis for sale in the garden centres there? None here.
johnw
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Hello john
If you know somebody travelling to Europe
I have them for you
Roland
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John:
This is one of the mysteries for me. I had Boophone disticha under light resting during the winter months. Without changing temps, light or watering they would show growth in early March right on schedule.
I think there may be a chemical clock that ticks away and knows when its time to grow irregardless of environmental factors.
Same can be said for Colchicums that bloom on a shelf.
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John:
This is one of the mysteries for me. I had Boophone disticha under light resting during the winter months. Without changing temps, light or watering they would show growth in early March right on schedule.
I think there may be a chemical clock that ticks away and knows when its time to grow irregardless of environmental factors.
Same can be said for Colchicums that bloom on a shelf.
Arnold - At one time we had 22 flourescent going and we grew alot under them. We are down to 2 sets + 2 sodiums. The flourescent were left on 24 hours per day. The temp here in the cool basement is stable and yet cyclamen and rhodo seedlings always took off when Spring arrived. Just last week a pot of Ipheion A. Castillo seedlings have leafed out at exactly the same as the others outside and in the greenhouse. Indeed it's inexplicable.
The wind has picked up and the pavement has started to dry, maybe the sun will appear soon.
johnw
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Hello john
If you know somebody travelling to Europe
I have them for you
Roland
Thanks for the kind offer Roland. If I hear of any brave souls going east I will pm you.
johnw
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First flowering from AGS seed sown Jan 2007 ---Geissorhiza monanthos.
Very short bloom period --here today --gone tomorrow.
Cheers dave
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Better one day a beauty
as one month an ugly
Roland
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Nice one Dave.
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Superb !
Is it really that blue ??
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Dave,
Mine has lasted a couple of weeks at least in flower. I don't recall it having done so in the past as long as this, but we are cooler and wetter than usual I guess as well. Yes Fred, it is that sort of intensity. Very strong colour, with shimmering highlights on the dark ring in the centre. A beautiful thing, and something that has lasted with complete neglect in a pot for YEARS here, unlike so many of the Geissorhiza that flower and you never see them again. ::)
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Hello Paul
Does this mean you have to pollinate them
and grow them every time new from seed ???
Roland
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I guess you mean Dave, that the FLOWER is here today, gone tomorrow and Paul, do you mean that your POTFUL lasts a couple of weeks? Surely not individual flowers? Really incredible colour. If Paul hadn't confirmed, I'd be accusing Dave of playing with Photoshop. ;D
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Geissorhiza radians for example is a stunning purple with red centre, yet every time I have flowered a potful they all die out. Apparently this is quite common as if not in the right conditions they flower and die. Some people can keep them going, but it is certainly commonplace to have them die off. Some just sow seed each year, as if ideal conditions they can flower in a year or two from seed (more like 3 or 4 years unfortunately for me).
Lesley,
I had 3 flowers on mine this year at least, and each flower lasted at least a week, perhaps more. I'm not even game to disturb the pot by weeding...... the same weeds in there now for the last few years, although if anything particularly large tries growing in there I carefully remove it. I'm afraid if I repot it then the corms will die. ::) I'll find my pics from a week or two ago, that I think show the iridescence in the centre of the flower and post here when I get the chance.
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Howdy again.....
This probably came out a bit purpler because it was in the sun.... the blue shades would have been stronger in shaded pics I think. It still shows the colour intensity. I just love it!!
Enjoy.
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That's where beginner's luck comes in handy Paul. If you know too much about them, they disappoint but a friend of mine grows them and flowers them and has them go on from year to year. She's not a gardener at all really, just liked the colour in someone else's garden. A little learning really IS a dangerous thing. (Please note, a little LEARNING, not a little knowledge.)
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I echo Paul's comments - I usually get at least a week from individual Geissorhiza flowers, including monanthos. Hight temps or pollination make them go over faster.
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Lachenalia viridiflora, flowering for the first time - what a strange colour!
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Strange but beautiful.
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Sadly never had much joy with Geissorhiza radians, but then not everything will grow on a bathroom wiindowsill!! ;)
Flowering has started now throughout the house, Lachenalia viridiflora and bulbifera are flowering, a few more Lachs are showing their spikes.
Other species flowering;
Massonia echinata
Massonia jasminiflora
Polyxena longituba
Haemanthus montanus
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It really is amazing what you can grow on a windowsill, Chris. Brilliant!!
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You haven't seen his windowsills
at least 100 meter long :o
Roland
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Cheers Paul, necessity is the mother of.......crowded windows!!
Roland, 100m, in my dreams!
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Memo to anyone building a new house:
Might be a good idea to consider llllooooonnnnngggg thin building, with long corridors full of glass to accomodate many pot plants! ;D
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Nah! it's not even worth me showing her the pictures. :-X
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Are you planning to build a new house David? :)
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Maggi,
You can imagine then what I'm thinking when Grand Designs or some such programme has a modernist house full of glass windows!
The minimalist dream all fluffy n green at the edges laced withn fly catching strips for good measure!
I suspect my ideal house might be a greenhouse, humidity could be a problem for the Chesterfield though! ;) ;)
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Are you planning to build a new house David? :)
Not likely, I just wouldn't get past the shelf across the windows! ;D
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Flowering here;
Massonia depressa
Haemanthus montanus
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Thanks for the nice thought Dave :'(
It's -4ºC here in the moment
and they give -7ºC for the rest of the week
heaters are burning in the polytunnels
What global warming I call this global colding ::)
This is what is normal here in January February
if this continuous it will be an expensive winter
but for the rest beautiful Tigridia
do they also flower one day like the other Tigridia's ??
Roland
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Hello Roland
Todays temp here is also more like we receive in Jan and Feb .... :) back to normal service tomorrow with 17c forecast .
Yes the two flowers have wilted after a days showing --there will be more to come i hope :) I also see some stems starting to form on T. vanhoutei
Cheers dave
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Hello Dave
Did you grow them from seeds ??
Roland
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From the looks of the weather in European parts we hare having the global warming at the moment.
Predicted a high of 57 F on Wednesday.
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Frozen solid in England Arnold >:(
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-8ºC here tonight
I am not sure it is November
Hope my heater in my new polytunnel can handle this
Roland
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Hello Dave
Did you grow them from seeds ??
Roland
Yip -----seed x NZAGS sown august 2006 .
Might have some seed available later on if you are interested --suggest PM me .
Cheers dave.
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Windowsills -- they haven't built houses with windowsills around here in decades if not centuries. When we had our home built 30 years ago, I specified a wide full-width windowsill for one south-facing picture-window. It turned out to be a shelf; and it's full of Clivia seedlings that Irma, my wife, is pushing to flowering size.
The odd looks the builder gave me when I insisted on that "windowsill" .......
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Here's a Gladiolus which has finally flowered - well it looked like it might last year but didn't! It was from NARGS Seedex 2007 as Gladiolus permeabilis but doesn't match the description at all!
Any ideas on what it might be? It stands about 45 cm highand the flowers are unscented - even at night.
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cheers
fermi
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Maybe the name isn't good
but is a nice one
Roland
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I dont know what it is but I do like it.
Not knowing a lot about Gladiolus I thought of a white form of ssp byzantinus I have heard of but I think the flowers are the wrong shape and too crowded at the top of the stem, I guess its not a northern hemisphere species :-\
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I thought of a white form of ssp byzantinus I have heard of
Hello Peter
The white form of ssp byzantinus is a G. italicus
I made a discussion about this and they agree it is not G. byzantinus ssp byzantinus
but a G. italicus white form
but this is not a G. italicus
Roland
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Freesia fucata. Scented only in the warmer confines of the house.
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It was from NARGS Seedex 2007 as Gladiolus permeabilis but doesn't match the description at all!
You could check with the donor of the seed: Kurt Vickery.
It was in the 2006-2007 seedlist.
The seed number was 1512 permeabilis cream/mauve 20 - 40 cm
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Fermi, what about a side view? Permeabilis is very late flowering and the spikes are often branched. Once a branch finishes flowering a second and a third flower in time.
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Alberto,
a side view proves that it is not G. permeabilis which should have a "window" or a gap between the petals, hence the name permeabilis. I'll try to get a pic of the side view tonight or tomorrow to post to the Forum.
Diane,
I've sent Kurt an e-mail for his opinion, but he may've received the plant under this name and prseumed it to be correct.
Roland and Peter,
yes, it's a nice flower and I'll try to keep it going even if i don't know it's correct name! Let me know if you want to try some seed!
cheers
fermi
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Hello Fermi
would be nice
I found a small picture from Gladiolus permeabilis
I can try to contact this man for you
I buy more seeds from him
Roland
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Roland,
thank you for the pic.
Kurt has replied to my e-mail and thinks there is a chance it might be G. wilsonii and I'll investigate that possibility!
cheers
fermi
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I just bought some seeds from Gladiolus wilsonii
from the same African company
see picture
I put yours next to it to compare
Roland
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The true permeabilis is really something special. I love that combination of odd shape and odd colouring. A choice species I think. G. wilsonii is very pretty too. :)
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Lesley, several color variants are in cultivation and not all that stunning.
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Hello Fermi
They are looking for me in Africa for the true Gladiolus permeabilis
As soon as they find it I let you know
Roland
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What a special Gladiolus Fermi - whatever it is. Also like the Freesia furcata Arnold.
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On the NARGS Forum there is a thread with super photos from the Maloti Mountains of Lesotho.... not all bulbs, of course, but of great interest, I would imagine! 8)
http://nargs.org/smf/index.php?topic=504.msg5342
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I'll be in South Africa next month and am thinking of buying some
ready-to-flower bulbs as I'm getting tired of waiting for my seedlings
to flower.
I've brought plants home from a number of countries, and in most cases
I found it fairly easy and not terribly expensive easy to get them inspected.
In Japan the inspector kept regular hours at the airport, which was really
easy.
How about South Africa? I asked a grower there and he said it was difficult
but I'm not sure whether that was just because of where he lived.
Have any of you bought plants there and taken them to be inspected prior
to flying home with them?
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Hello Diane
You can try it here
Its one of the best in Africa
I deal with them too and have good experience with them
hope this helps you
Roland
Leigh Ellis Nieuwoudt
Simply Indigenous Nursery
Hartbeespoortdam, South Africa
A multiple award winning specialist retailer & bulb exporter
& The Roraima Garden & Penrock Seeds
International Tel: +27 12 207 3403
International Mobile: +27 82 921 8946
International Fax: +27 86 673 1998
email: leigh@simplyindigenous.co.za
website: www.simplyindigenous.co.za
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Here are a few Massonia grown from seed starting to flower.
The first one is Pustulata and the next two are Depressa.
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and a few more
Depressa.
Pustulata.
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and more
Pustulata.
Depressa.
Sp. Don't know what this one is.
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And a Neobakeria angustifolia, =Massonia angustifolia,= Daubenya marginata or whatever it is called now ( thanks to a generous forum member)
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Wow Michael :o those are really spectacular.
How long did they take from seed, and do you give them any heat over winter?
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Ashley,they were sown on the 22/12/07 and the greenhouse heater is set at 0C for the past two weeks, so they are just above freezing. They don't mind a couple of degrees below zero provided it is not for long periods.
I will have a few bulbs to spare in the summer if you are interested.
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Hello michael
Do you have the name from the first 3 series ??
Roland
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And a Neobakeria angustifolia, =Massonia angustifolia,= Daubenya marginata or whatever it is called now ( thanks to a generous forum member)
Michael do the flowers open to the tip of that bud, and if so are they all out at the same time, it is lovely warm colours for this cold time of the year!
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That's very kind Michael. If you can spare a bulb or two I'd be delighted 8) Thank you.
I have a few seedlings from Silverhill Seeds material, but germination success was fairly low and progress is slow.
Those textured leaves are wonderful, and the flowers too.
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Roland, I have put names on them above.
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Michael do the flowers open to the tip of that bud, and if so are they all out at the same time
Brian, yes they open all the way to the top and are all open at the same time. I will take another pic today,they are nearly all open now.
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I love the Green pustulata
and the red leaved pustulata
marvelous leaves
If you have a few seeds spare next year
you can make me happy
I have normaly in 2 years (maybe one year)seeds from the
Massonia depressa Special dwarf form red flowers
see http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=5630.msg174000#msg174000
Roland
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Brian, here is a pic taken today.
Daubenya marginata
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No problem Roland, I have been tickling them with a brush but the temperature has been very low for the past couple of weeks. Hope they set seed. I will put your name on my list. Can you PM me your full address please.
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Brian, here is a pic taken today.
Daubenya marginata
Great Michael, thanks for showing us that burst of sunshine in the middle of winter. 8)
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Wow Michael I am so :o :o :o what a wonderful collection. I hope I manage to get a great collection like you someday. Glad I joined this forum you see so much amazing pictures.
Angle :)
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Wow, Michael. Spectacular. :o The Daubenya is brilliant, but your mass picture of Massonia is amazing. Thanks so much for showing us.
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I'm still mystified by Massonia depressa-M. echinata. I have plants from seed that might be either or both. In one case, the seed came labeled Androcymbium pulchrum, so I think the seeds at least originated in the natural range of A. pulchrum (= a. latifolium).
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Hello Jim
Do you have pictures from that collection
Roland
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Here is what I have as Cyanella hyacinthoides from AGS Seedex a few years ago.
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It has been grown in a shadehouse and has gotten a bit lanky because of that,
cheers
fermi
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Memo to anyone building a new house:
Might be a good idea to consider llllooooonnnnngggg thin building, with long corridors full of glass to accomodate many pot plants! ;D
believe me, i have thought of that ;D
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a couple of items in my barely existent bulb collection ;D
my only Eriospermum, E dregei, from eden plants in 08 (or was it 07?) received as a small tuber, which i raised; i think the tuber activity has resumed below the soil, the tuber surface looks hard and woody now, or just dry; this was confirmed by a recently seen picture on a japanese site where the tubers were sort of piled up below the surface like a badly braided bread!
my plant is still immature, as this species produces branched enations growing up from the leaf surface when mature..
for me, thus far, it produces one leaf each year, in late august or so, which persists until around july;this is a 4inch pot, so the leaf is around 1 inch..
i have had no luck finding viable seed of any eriospermum :( i pack from silverhill and 4 from penrock (2 of which were replacements) all failed to produce anything; i'm no seed expert, but would expect to see at least one or two out of that many seeds!
the other is Rhadamanthus sp, which i grew from penrock seed in the winter of 08/09;
described by penrock only as:
'A minute species with two prostrate leaves covered in fine silky hairs rendering the leaves cryptic when covered in dust or grit particles. Found in the Matjiesfontein and Fraserburg area, Western Cape'
this is still also immature, presumably, since leaves are single--tiny indeed-the largest of the 4 plants in a 3 inch pot has a leaf about 1/2 inch, the others are smaller...
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Cohen
It looks that you have a long way to go
maybe in 10 or more years
you can post some nice flowers from these plants
Roland
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i'll keep you posted ;)
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Thank you for showing them Cohan, it is good to see the obscure and how others are trying with them. If no
one had the patience to try they would never be grown and almost never seen
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tks peter--i come to SA bulbs from a cactus and succulent background, so to me its about cool/weird plants, not pretty flowers (not that i would mind flowers ;D so i want plants that look interesting in foliage-fortunately, it seems...lol
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You are right Cohen
seeing growing a plant is fun too
many plants flower just a short time
leaves are important too
I just bought from over 100 African species seeds
and hardly can't wait till they arrive
Babiana's from last year did well
so I bought a whole collection of them
in a few years I hope to show the results
Roland
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wow! where did you buy your seed? i am still not finding much of the kind i like-i like penrock's list, but most of their seed seems to be old...and i still may order there again from desperation!
all the other lists i have seen have mostly larger plants or those mostly for flowers...
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I found a lot here : http://www.bidorbuy.co.za/category/8372/Garden_Outdoor_Living_Pets_Gardening_Plants_Plants_Seeds_Bulbs.jsp
one of them but a little expensive: http://www.bidorbuy.co.za/jsp/tradesearch/TradeSearchLinkResultsPage.jsp?PageTitle=Bulb%20Seeds&IncludedKeywords=Bulb&KeywordHandling=AND&TextColumn=Trade_Title&SellerId=390651&tradeListDisplayMode=picture
much cheaper but more work to go through the list is : http://www.bidorbuy.co.za/seller/1343111/BEing_Plants
most easy is you just type the first name of a plant in all category's in the find list
and you see all the results (or none)
Roland
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Last spring, (northern hemisphere), I bought seed and corms of Babiana species from Cameron McMaster in South Africa as well as other species such as Massonia and Drimia, all the seeds have germinated well and the corms grew most of the summer. His current list includes Babianas
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i've looked at the mcmasters list, as well as gordon summerfield and silverhill, nice things, but not much of the sort of dwarf plants i am looking for, at least not at last look (that's why i say, mostly pretty garden flowers on those lists).... or worse--descriptions only of flowers, without even saying how big the plants are!! and many of these things are not findable on google to see what they are like... lol
speaking of which, peter, do you have the mcmaster's most recent list, could you send me a copy?
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will forward you a copy, I mentioned the Babianas because of Rolands referance.
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thanks...the babianas are stunners, no arguments there :)
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Another one worth looking at
http://lifestyleseeds.co.za/usd/index.php
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Good site David
I forgot this one
I bought my babiana's (16 different ones) there last year
ordering is just a little complicated
but they germinated well
Roland
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Hi, all! Lachenalia viridiflora has started to bloom now. Original seeds were from Silverhill just a decade ago. I really love this jade green flowers and heavy spotted leaves.
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Fantastic photo of an amazing plant! :)
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and a few more
Depressa.
Pustulata.
wow :o Michael are your benches heated?
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Just read the heat is set for 0c ::)
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Well it's going to have to do some warming up to reach that in Derbyshire Mark :'(
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How to find your African bulbs back
Roland
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nice greenhouse Roland :o here's one of mine this month. Theres a Morea or two and an Empodium under the snow :-\ :'( :-\ :-\
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ouch! sorry to see :( did it collapse/blow in, or are these parts normally kept open for air?
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Another one worth looking at
http://lifestyleseeds.co.za/usd/index.php
i have looked at that too, bu thave not checked for updates, may do that later-great time of year to spend time combing over lists of exotic plants ;D.. spent a couple of hours or more last night going through silverhills again--they really do have a lot of fascinating stuff--had i the (warm sunny) space i would love to grow a lot of the shrubbies etc..
there is a good list of lachenalia there, but no eriospermums at the moment (at least a good sign that they don't keep ancient remnants in the catalogue..lol) and not much for haworthia, another (non-bulbous) interest.. a few nice gasteria and others though--pelargoniums for example...
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Well it's going to have to do some warming up to reach that in Derbyshire Mark :'(
nice greenhouse, roland! peter--here too, every year ;D it would be very costly to keep a greenhouse even at 0 :(
though with passive solar heating, and a technique where you pump warm daytime air below ground, and pump it back up at night, might be possible.... have to build it though...lol
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Cohan, Babianas need deep planting, therfore qualify as large plants (below ground).
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ouch! sorry to see :( did it collapse/blow in, or are these parts normally kept open for air?
I don't have any heat on, the glass round the sides is only to keep cats away from the sand. I have found a roof alone controls the moisture level which allows me to regulate the growth patterns of the plants and If I get it right :-\ many supposedly tender plants will survive freezing. Much of this green house is oncos so maximum air flow.
......It is a clever idea to store warm air but it would require a lot of storage to provide enough warmth to mitigate a frosty night.
Another idea I read of is a tecnique of temperature control where steel drums of water are put in a green house. During the day the glass traps heat and the water warms up, at night the water acts as a radiator delaying the night frost. When the sun heats the green house the next day the drums of cold water slow down the temperature rise. The overall effect is to moderate the temperature fluctuations
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Cohan, Babianas need deep planting, therfore qualify as large plants (below ground).
My Babianas have pulled themselves 30cms deep, I have potted them in (14inch) -40cm deep long toms. They produce stolons or contractile roots that escape through the bottom of pots which are not deep enough.
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I don't have any heat on, the glass round the sides is only to keep cats away from the sand. I have found a roof alone controls the moisture level which allows me to regulate the growth patterns of the plants and If I get it right :-\ many supposedly tender plants will survive freezing. Much of this green house is oncos so maximum air flow.
A clever Idea to store warm air but it would require a lot of storage to provide enough warmth to mitigate a frosty night.
I read of a tecnique of temperature control where steel drums of water are put in a green house. During the day the glass traps heat and the water warms up, at night the water acts as a radiator delaying the night frost. When the sun heats the green house the next day the drums of cold water slow down the temperature rise. The overall effect is to moderate the temperature fluctuations
Peter, I'm very interested in your winter greenhouse regime would you mind contributing please to the new thread here.
http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=6382.0
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Had a look and left some comments David. If Maggie wishes to copy my post that you quoted above to the thread -it is fine by me.
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Peter, may I add that in solar heating systems those 200 litre drums are painted matt black to trap even more warmth.
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Thankyou Alberto, that makes good sense, though it was not in the description I came accross.
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good notes on the babianas, tks, though i don't find the plants (minus flowers) interesting anyway.. no doubt the same applies to other bulbs though...
as for the greenhouses--the underground storage idea has been used in cold places--if i remember the quote off the top of my head, it has enabled 8 months of vegetable production in edmonton, for example, just a bit colder than here (though a bit warmer in summer) compared to a very limited frost free season usually--we'd be lucky to get june through august! though the right site, techniques (eg covering for a few early or late frosts) and crops, could get you half of may and at least some of sept....
the technique also has the advantage of cooling in summer...
i've only read about it so far, not seen any in person..
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Daubenya aurea flowering today on the bedroom window.
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Lovely Daubenya Michael. You obviously don't get the hassle that I get about pots on window sills ;D
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Whilst preparing some stuff to add to our local AGS Group Web Site http://www.alpinegardensociety.net/groups/South-Devon
I just had a check on the Kew Check List for Polyxena longituba and find that the accepted name is now Lachenalia longituba (M van der Mawe) Manning and Goldblatt, Edinburgh J. Bot. 60:565 (2003 pub 2004) and it's in the family Asparagaceae.
Now I'm not a Taxonomist, nor a Botanist but to me Polyxenas, by and large, don't even look like Lachenalias ???
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David
sometimes I think Botanist or Taxonomist
just want there name behind a plant
see discussion Maianthemum and smilacina
they don't even see the difference between 4 and 6 petalen
First a study from 15 years and an other study from over 10 years
to bring it back to how it was before
I just wonder who is paying those ......... (this word is not in the Oxfort)
The good part is that they can't change the beautiful plants
They can't take that away from us
Roland
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Whilst preparing some stuff to add to our local AGS Group Web Site http://www.alpinegardensociety.net/groups/South-Devon
I just had a check on the Kew Check List for Polyxena longituba and find that the accepted name is now Lachenalia longituba (M van der Mawe) Manning and Goldblatt, Edinburgh J. Bot. 60:565 (2003 pub 2004) and it's in the family Asparagaceae.
Now I'm not a Taxonomist, nor a Botanist but to me Polyxenas, by and large, don't even look like Lachenalias ???
All Polyxena has now gone into Lachenalia. I'm afraid that to a botanist or taxonomist, (external) looks count for little ::) it's all in the genes.
What's more, they certainly don't look like Asparagus ;D
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I won't be changing my labels anytime soon....
For example; I still use Galaxia , despite it being sunk into Moraea. As Diane says - taxonomists care little for how something looks but in this case Galaxia are so distinct a group that I find it useful to retain the name.
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I learned my lessons
I don't change the first 15 years labels
Roland
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I won't be changing my labels anytime soon....
Nor me!
I'm told my legs closely resemble Asparagus when i'm in jeans.
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Nor I !
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I'm told my legs closely resemble Asparagus when i'm in jeans.
Slim and tasty, huh? Whooppeee!
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You obviously don't get the hassle that I get about pots on window sills
David, I have my own room, :-X
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I'm told my legs closely resemble Asparagus when i'm in jeans.
Slim and tasty, huh? Whooppeee!
Well, now you come to mention it ;D
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You obviously don't get the hassle that I get about pots on window sills
David, I have my own room, :-X
Never thought of that Michael. Good idea ;D
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You obviously don't get the hassle that I get about pots on window sills
David, I have my own room, :-X
Never thought of that Michael. Good idea ;D
I think the better option is" love me - love my pots :-*"
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Until now I have forgotten about my Empodiums in the greenhouse :'(
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You mean this pot with Empodium plicatum
I fount it
you forgot it in the RHS showgarden
Roland
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I have an Empodium labled namaquensis which got frozen. It has lost leaf but the stems are still firm and green. I think it is ok. I understand there are several species but that the names in cultivation have got mixed up. Raanveig Wallis told me theirs came as namaquensis and proved hardy last winter, but that the name was wrong. I have heard that other people lost their (other species) last winter.
Does any one know any more about the different species or their habitats and hardiness?
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Lovely Daubenya Michael. You obviously don't get the hassle that I get about pots on window sills ;D
i'm confused--why would you have windowsills if not for pots--or windows at all, for that matter... ??? :o
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Some posts about Gladiolus trichonemifolius have been relocated to the 2011 pages :
http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=6462.msg184337#msg184337
;)