Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
Bulbs => Bulbs General => Topic started by: Gunilla on June 12, 2011, 02:21:49 PM
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Yesterday I visited Gothenburg Botanical Garden and found one small pot of Eucomis schijffii in the sales area. I couldn't believe my luck. Isn't it cute? Just look at those lovely leaf margins.
Eucomis schijffii
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Very nice one Gunilla
Now you have to wait (a few years)
to see how it flowers
I hope you post a picture then
Roland
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Very lucky Gunilla, i hope you get flowers and lots of seeds :)
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Were they growing it in a greenhouse or outdoors?
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Yes, I hope for flowers and seed some time in the future :).
Alberto, I don't know where they grow it. This little one for sale was the only Eucomis I saw.
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Thank you. Some species are quite hardy, actually requiring cool conditions the year round.
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Brian E will be green with envy. ;D
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Here are some pictures of Eucomis schijffii from last year. They don't flower until mid July. I grow them in a greenhouse. It might well be hardy, it grows on the slopes above the Sani Pass.
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Here is a picture of Eucomis schijffii just coming through in my sand bed this spring. This was grown from seed from Jim and Jenny Archibald and has been outside for the last 3 years, the first winter with no overhead cover, so I would recommend anyone to grow it outdoors. The plants have set seed well and I raised a few from leaf cuttings, though it is difficult to obtain the material you can from other species. E. vandermeyii in the same bed has failed to appear (perhaps not unsurprisingly!). The smaller species look wonderful on a rockery, in particular E. zambesiaca which I remember at Glen Chantry, Wol and Sue Staines garden.
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Thank you. Such species dislike heat and in my mild climate must be grown with afternoon shade. E. vandermerwei obviously likes it hot and increases well.
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A very nice plant as well for leaves or for flowers ::)
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Any information concerning humilis and montana hardiness?
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Wonderful flower spikes, Kirsten. Tim, interesting to know that you grow it outside. I wouldn't dare to leave any of my Eucomis outside during winter. We often have long rainy periods alternating with cold spells and very seldom snow cover for protection.
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"Pineapple Lily" is a VERY apt name. :D
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Kirsten:
In July does your greenhouse get hot?
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Brian E will be green with envy. ;D
I don't know, I go away for the weekend and look what happens. What wonderful examples of Eucomis schijffii :o :o Green with envy doesn't begin to describe my feelings Lesley, I have just picked myself up off the floor! :) It is just so difficult to find one. We have had Eucomis disasters here, many of those which have been perfectly happy for years in the cold greenhouse have succumbed to the bad winter we have just had. I am hoping beyond hope that there may be enough plant material left for some regeneration, but things are not looking good. I had taken the precaution of extra protection too. To make matters worse, the common Eucomis bicolor which seeds round the garden has come through the winter.
Oh the joys of gardening :-\
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Brian, Jenny Archibald had Eucomis schijffii in her latest (recent) catalogue.
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Arnold, I keep the greenhouse as cool as possible in the summer, half the windows are removed and the door is open. The plants might as well be in
pots on the patio.
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Kristen:
Thanks, my greenhouse can get up to 100 F with fans on and windows and ridge vents wide open.
Thanks, need to invest in some shade cloth.
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I'm green with envy as well. I have a tiny bulb of the species that I bought YEARS ago and it just produces a single leaf about an inch or so long each year and nothing else. It never gets bigger and I have no idea what I am doing wrong. I am hoping that the edging appears when the plant gets bigger, because mine doesn't have it at this stage. I've been trying to speak nicely to it but it doesn't seem to help. ::) I'm wondering whetherI may just be better to try to get seed some decade and try them from scratch? All my other Eucomis do well here, just not that one. :'(
Well done to those of you who are growing it so well...... and to those lucky enough to find it on a sales table somewhere. :o :o :o :o
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Maybe stop speaking nicely Paul and give it a good kick! Works wonders with many plants. ;D :o
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Lesley,
It is still such a small plant that if I kicked it I'd likely never find it again. ::) I did have it outside for a couple of years where it really struggled, now it isin my covered shadehouse. Still only one leaf after 2 more years. :'(
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Paul ,
Do you know the name of this bad growing Eucomis ?
Maybe it is E.regia ? this plants are wintergrowers
Hans
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Hans,
It is supposed to be Eucomis schijffii, which is why I brought it up here where people are obviously growing the species quite happily. ;D Mine doesn't have the leaf edge, but it may not be mature enough to have that edge yet. Either way, it is going SO much slower than anything else I've ever grown Eucomis-wise. I've had the common Eucomis from seed to flowering and multiplying in far less time than I have had this little thing.
The one i have is definitely a summer grower, although it seems to appear later than most of the other ones I have, except perhaps bicolor and montana which I find are both quite late to surface here.
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Paul ,
maybe it is E.grimsawii ?
Perhaps have earlier anybody collect this species and as E.schijffii distributet ....
E.regia is a real winter grower - same behavior like my Massonia
For pics please look here :
http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/index.php/EucomisThree
Hans
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Hans,
It is still so small that there is no identifying features of the plant. This year it was a larger leaf, reaching perhaps 7 or 8cm long, but still just a single one. In the past the leaf hasn't exceeded 5cm, so I am hoping that it might possibly be finally starting to get a little bigger!
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....OK ...good luck !
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Well, believe it or not, some of the Eucomis which suffered from the abnormal winter are just beginning to grow! There are tiny shoots on E.'Pink Gin' and E.'Sparkling Burgundy' which gives me hope that some of the other cultivars will follow suit. I don't suppose for a minute that they will get to flower this year, but I am pleased they are alive. They will be cossetted this winter!
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That is good news Brian. I was sorry to think that you might have had a complete disaster. Ours in the garden have been slow to get going this year too, but I hope they are all still alive. One or two still to put in an appearance :-\
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Eucomises, several species, come from high in the mountains and there are reports of them being very hardy if the bulbs are planted deep.
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Eucomises, several species, come from high in the mountains and there are reports of them being very hardy if the bulbs are planted deep.
Thanks Alberto, a better mulch is called for!
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My Eucomis autumnalis starts now blooming with. When it blooms fully, I will show pictures.
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Eucomis autumnalis
Not a pretty plant
(http://img42.imageshack.us/img42/6517/img0060ne.jpg)
(http://img705.imageshack.us/img705/8946/img0065xka.jpg)
(http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/8612/img0064mbz.jpg)
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Hello Peter,
This is Galtonia, I don't think it is G candicans which is whiter, it might be G princeps or viridiflora, others will know better. It is a lovely plant but needs a lot more water when in growth. It is dying of thirst!
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Since I was probably cheated. My suspicion is verified herewith.
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It is a good plant Peter, but you need to give the bulb some protection from freezing in winter. You can try planting it deeply, or keep the pot frost free. it can be dry in winter but it needs water to grow well in summer. Then it will look very good.
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The pots come all in winter in the basement.
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Peter, it is an elegant plant, much less common than Eucomis autumnalis. Needs more root run, either a really large container or the ground. In the web you can see images of well grown plants.
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OK. Next year.
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It's what I have as G. viridiflora but I'm not sure whether mine is correct either. Could be princeps. either way, It's a lovely thing in a clump.
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Is it in the ground, Lesley?
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It was, in my last garden but at present I have just a couple in a pot. Dormant now though.
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Please look here :
http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=6462.msg205908#msg205908
I have postet before some weeks pictures from my flowering Galtonia viridiflora .....they grows free in my border -in winter without any protection .
The flowers are a long time over and now there a lot of fruits
Hans
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Two flowering in the greenhouse today.
Eucomis vandermerwei
and
Eucomis zambesiaca
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Very nice Arnold,
Do you know how hardy they are?
E vandermerwi is growing well here but it spent the winter in the house. no sign of flowersas yet though.
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Thanks Peter:
They go into a cool basement for the winter months.
Too precious to me to risk outdoors here.
We had 11F last winter.
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A cool basement (just frost free?) sounds great. Indoors may encourage them to sprout too early, which would be disastrous.
This method is what old timers called "gladiolus culture". There are very many species from E. South Africa that could be easily grown under this method.
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Thnks Arnold,
last winter the minimum temperature here was around 0 F it did not thaw for 6 weeks. I have E pole evansii, Sparkling Burgundy, and another Eucomus, which name I am not sure of, growing happily in the ground. I lost automnalis.
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Peter:
I have E. bicolor in the ground for five years. Appears later around mid June and just now is pushing up a flower spike.
Arnold
http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/index.php/EucomisTwo#autumnalis
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I grow my E. bicolor in a pot, and it gets the "Gladiolus Culture" as well. It went out of the greenhouse onto the deck in mid- or late June this year. It is also shooting up a flower spike right now. I think I tried some Eucomis outdoors in the ground here maybe 10 years ago. They did not survive, but I did not try a variety of different microhabitats for them.
Jim
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Bicolour grows in my sisters garden which went well below 0 F this winter ( she is at a higher altitude). I shall have to check but I think it came through.
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Jim:
My E. bicolor came from Ellen Hornig at Seneca Hill Perennials.
Alas, it is ( the nursery) no more.
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Yes, I know the nursery is gone, but Ellen isn't; and she is going to owe me a bulb or two later this Fall! ;D
Jim
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I have humilis, montana, autumnalis, and bicolor all growing outside with no issues. over three winters. All have seen lows to 7F with wet winters. In Kansas where lows reached -10F I lost all I planted out. Still waiting to plant out pallidiflora. The many bronzy hybrids have all wintered to.
Sadly, vandermerwei did not like the winter.
Aaron
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Aaron, are the bulbs planted deep? I ask this because they recommend deep planting for frost protection.
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Maybe my experience can be helpful.
I have both Eucomis bicolor and Galtonia princeps (and G. candicans) in my garden. I have not much experience yet with E. bicolor, these were first year seedlings, so I gave one half a mulch layer and kept the other half stored at home. The ones outside were buried 5cm deep with 10cm leaves and twigs on top and they all survived last winter's -12C.
I consider the Galtonia's hardy so I don't even bother to protect them anymore. These are planted 10 cm deep and survived up till -17C. However my soil is sandy and well drained.
Rob
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I have found E bicolor in the undergrowth while weeding today. It is in flower, obviously it was hardy here last winter.
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I consider the Galtonia's hardy so I don't even bother to protect them anymore. These are planted 10 cm deep and survived up till -17C. However my soil is sandy and well drained.
Rob
Galtonia candicans is certainly hardy here in central Indiana, zone 5, where we can get to -23C in winter and the ground always freezes solid -- it's just a question of how deep. My Galtonia is planted in a slightly raised, very sandy bed.
Jim
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Thanks, Rob.
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I don't plant them deeply. Same applies to Ammocharis; it is planted in a raised bed in sandy loam with the bulb neck right at the surface. I have had luck with several Ledebouria also and at least one Albuca for a while. I have always failed with Galtonia which is sad because I like them a lot.
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I have grown Eucomis autumnalis and bicolor in pots for some years. During winter some of the the pots have been buried to the rim in the ground in the garden. None of them have survived. Some bicolor have been been buried in the greenhouse (not heated) and the center of the bulbs was rotten. I cleaned the now hollow bulbs and planted them in sand. The results are seen on the 3 pics below. :) Pic 4 is seedlings sown this spring. I will have plenty bicolor in flower in some years!
The safe way is to keep them dry and frostfree during winter. None the less I have planted some bicolor deep in the garden this year to see if they survive in this way.
Poul
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Thank you, Poul, very instructive.
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I have had G viridiflora (peters plant) in the ground throug serverel years. Last winter was slightly below -20C and solid frozen for serverel months. It did well this year also and are producing a lot of seeds.
http://succulentsonice.blogspot.com/2011/07/galtonia-viridiflora.html
Martin
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I've just received an Online NZ bulb catalogue with some odds and ends on it. I don't call it a proper bulb catalogue as it includes things like begonias, dahlias, even Lathyrus but I suppose many of the items have bulby-type undergrowths. I mention it because a Eucomis is listed which I don't recall seeing mentioned here and I wondered if anyone knows it. It is called 'Tiny Pink Ruby' and is said to grow to 40cms. There's a nice potful which looks attractive, with good foliage. www.parvaplants.co.nz Online Bulb Catalogue. I'm a bit tempted. ::)
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No, don't know that one Lesley but it is a real sweetie, go on, treat yourself. Your excellent Ginger shortbread is sustaining me whilst I am papering the walls!
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I´ve had Galtonia candidans for two years now, they are planted approx. 10 cm depth, with only natural snow cover (November-April) The minimum temps have been here around -33oC.
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I've just received an Online NZ bulb catalogue with some odds and ends on it. I don't call it a proper bulb catalogue as it includes things like begonias, dahlias, even Lathyrus but I suppose many of the items have bulby-type undergrowths. I mention it because a Eucomis is listed which I don't recall seeing mentioned here and I wondered if anyone knows it. It is called 'Tiny Pink Ruby' and is said to grow to 40cms. There's a nice potful which looks attractive, with good foliage. www.parvaplants.co.nz Online Bulb Catalogue. I'm a bit tempted. ::)
Hi Lesley, here you will find out more about this Eucomis ( and I believe cheaper too ;D )
http://www.nzbulbs.co.nz/index.php?categoryID=1577 (http://www.nzbulbs.co.nz/index.php?categoryID=1577)
This one looks very much like one of the smaller hybrids I showed in August in the Lisse Flower Show and which was bred by Walter Blom from USA.
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Luit, you prove your Mastery by finding these bulbs at great prices at the other side of the world for Lesley...... well done! 8) 8)
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finding these bulbs at great prices at the other side of the world for Lesley...... well done! 8) 8)
Well, I am Dutch, you know. In the case of spending money very much like Scots.... ;D ;D 8)
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.......... and Yorkshiremen ;D
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Thank you Luit. At first before I opened the thread I thought "but cheaper wouldn't help as I can't import bulbs" but then was surprised to see the NZ listing. I've not heard of NZ Bulbs and perhaps they are mostly wholesale. I'll write and order a few I think and also zambesiaca which I lost in a previous garden. I guess Parva Plants sources theirs there too as they use the same picture in their list. Thought I might get a couple of the little one for BE if he'd like them. Anuone else?
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.......... and Yorkshiremen ;D
How could I forget them ;D ;D ;D
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Thank you Luit. At first before I opened the thread I thought "but cheaper wouldn't help as I can't import bulbs" but then was surprised to see the NZ listing. I've not heard of NZ Bulbs and perhaps they are mostly wholesale. I'll write and order a few I think and also zambesiaca which I lost in a previous garden. I guess Parva Plants sources theirs there too as they use the same picture in their list. Thought I might get a couple of the little one for BE if he'd like them. Anuone else?
Lesley, you may read some more about the breeder of the Eucomis here:
http://ippsmatters.blogspot.com/ (http://ippsmatters.blogspot.com/)
and here:
http://www.ipps.org.nz/legacy/p-awards.htm (http://www.ipps.org.nz/legacy/p-awards.htm)
Seems to be an interesting man... :)
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.......... and Yorkshiremen ;D
How could I forget them ;D ;D ;D
;D ;D ;D
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Thank you Luit. At first before I opened the thread I thought "but cheaper wouldn't help as I can't import bulbs" but then was surprised to see the NZ listing. I've not heard of NZ Bulbs and perhaps they are mostly wholesale. I'll write and order a few I think and also zambesiaca which I lost in a previous garden. I guess Parva Plants sources theirs there too as they use the same picture in their list. Thought I might get a couple of the little one for BE if he'd like them. Anuone else?
Lesley, you may read some more about the breeder of the Eucomis here:
http://ippsmatters.blogspot.com/ (http://ippsmatters.blogspot.com/)
and here:
http://www.ipps.org.nz/legacy/p-awards.htm (http://www.ipps.org.nz/legacy/p-awards.htm)
Seems to be an interesting man... :)
Indeed he does Luit, I had no idea that the japanese were interested in Eucomis.
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Thanks for the links Luit. I've just had a very quick look at the first and didn't see the name of Terry Hatch, the person in the second and third photos, bald on top but plenty round the sides. Terry is something of a bete noir for me, having done a terrible thing with some Nerines which were of immense value to growers of smaller plants. Enough of that. He is a fine plantsman and has bred many plants including eucomis. I 've not heard of the Hide man.
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On the recent BBC Gardeners' World programe Carole Klien showed how Eucomis stock could be increased through leaf-cuttings -which produce bulbils if cut, watered and placed in gritted compost. Worth a try?
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Here's a link to some info on leaf cuttings for Eucomis.
http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/index.php/Eucomis
Arnold
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Brian is sometimes "in the vicinity " of the Forum, perhaps he would care to comment?
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Nothing complicated about it, if you have ever rooted succulent/cacti cuttings. I chopped up some wind damaged leaves, say 1 - 1/12" sections, marked which way was "up" by shaping the bottom and pushed into gritty compost; probably 1:1:1 sharp sand, perlite, compost/organic. I don't recall if I used any rooting aid. The original photos are dated 11/10/2007 so I guess that is 2 months or so of growth, in my greenhouse in an open seed tray. I potted each rooted leaf in 3" pots and had clumps the next year. Some rotted but then it was only an experiment at the time.
Any similar plant with a good central rib is worth trying, even some snowdrops, according to the RHS book of propagation.
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A speedy reply, Brian.... many thanks!
Would you think it worth it to take some leaf cuttings even now, September?
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Why not. what have you got to lose? Just a slightly wonky plant. But then I am down in the tropical south :)
As I lost several potted eucomis last winter, maybe I should do some more.
I bought a crowded pot of a very showy "pink" form, called "Leia" I think, last year and lost it. Certainly the "prettiest" form I have come across.