Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
Bulbs => Bulbs General => Topic started by: Michael J Campbell on January 08, 2012, 07:46:22 PM
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Romulea tetragona
Moraea polystachya
Lachenalia bulbifera
Oxalis versicolour, waiting for some sunshine.
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A good start to the new year Michael. :)
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Freezia laxa hyb.
Freezia laxa azurea.
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Lachenalia bulbifera
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That is an early flowering for R tetragona Michael, is it always so early for you? Seedlings are apearing here but all mature corms died last winter.
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That is an early flowering for R tetragona Michael, is it always so early for you? Seedlings are apearing here but all mature corms died last winter.
Peter i have 2 year old plants you could have some,they are from your seed.
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Thanks they would be welcome Dave, I have a few things I must get to you too. Are you going to the Derby group plant sale on 5th Feb at Breadsall?
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Peter, Do you remember at which (app.) temperature your plants died?
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They survived winter 2009/10 Alberto, kept fairly dry, the sand was frozen to 14 inches deep. temperatures here were about -15 degrees centigrade that December.
They did not survive last winter 2010/11 when temperatures here were recorded at -18 centigrade, (and nearby in Derby which is milder -20 C). There was no heat on in this green house and the sides were not fully glazed either winter.
the same goes for Massonias, Polyexenas, Ferrarias, Solaria, Gladiolus Splendens, Gladiolus tristis (a few cormlets survived), Ixias, Babianas, Freesias,Anomotheca, most of my Narcissus tazetta forms perished, Crinum moorei, (Dietes -three species died the first winter the fourth in the second), otherwise all these had been ok in the winter of 2009 /10
Some surprising things did survive, including a single cormlet each of two Ixias, one Freesia had a corm survive, one of my two pots of Gladiolus Flanniganii, Cypella, Libertias survived. One of my two pots of Miersia chilensis survived as did a tiny piece of my clump of Nerine gibsonii. There is a long list of oddments which did survive but there is obviously a threshhold around minus 15 C which many bulbs wont go below, no matter what skill is employed.
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Thanks, Peter, what a dreadful list of losses, sorry to hear of them.
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Most have been replaced now from my own seeds, swaps and some I bought.
I now have a fully glazed green house and a heater. I have had a few white fly as a result :(
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Most have been replaced now from my own seeds, swaps and some I bought.
I now have a fully glazed green house and a heater. I have had a few white fly as a result :(
Peter there are a few i can sort out for you when my stuff goes dormant.I will try to make it to Derby.
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Sadly, after the two harsh winters of 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 theyre are a lot of us with lists of plants now the dear departed.
As Peter has found, while some things managed to survive the first blasts, the second hard winter came upon them in a weakened condition and they succumbed.
I'm speaking here of bulbs generally, not purely South African species.
This winter is much milder so far but now we have growth too early, when the frosts may yet be devastating..... there's never a happy medium, is there? :-\
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Most have been replaced now from my own seeds, swaps and some I bought.
I now have a fully glazed green house and a heater. I have had a few white fly as a result :(
Peter - i would not worry about the whitefly too much. I see a few in late autumn each year but never enough to do any damage. I think that if you only close up the greenhouse and heat if necessary (as i do) then temps are too cool for them to be happy. The few minor frosts we have had this winter have only prompted me to close the vents and doors overnight on four or five occasions. I have still to use the heater.
As Maggi says - growth is really advanced this season. I don't think it is purely down to the mild winter because my cape bulbs started into growth much earlier in autumn as well. I think perhaps they went dormant so early in our hot April that they were more than ready to grow again by september, and the cool late summer persuaded them autumn had already arrived! Though not a cape species, or a bulb, Ranunculus asiaticus popped up incredibly early and I already have one plant in flower.
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Gladiolus griseus
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Beautiful Arnold
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Goodness me, every time I see a photo of such pretty 'Glads' I understand why folks are growing them. 8)
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Especially nice with snow on the ground.
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Especially nice with snow on the ground.
Beautiful Arnold
I agree David, and not one I have heard of either. Is it frost hardy Arnold?? presumably it is in the Greenhouse?
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Peter:
Not frost hardy. We can get 11F here at times. It was 12 F last week and this Monday predicted to be 50F.
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Sounds like the UK ::)
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A double spathe.
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A double spathe.
Or, as we would say... "value for money" !
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Hi Guys: Thanks for those superb pix of Oxalis versicolor and Gladiolus griseus.
I hope that seed of those makes it way into next year's exchange.
The Oxalis Michael- how old is that plant?
The Glad Arnold- is the flowering from last year or from your greenhouse?
Cheers!
Grahame
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The Oxalis Michael- how old is that plant?
If my memory serves correctly (and more often than not it doesn't) it is at least eight years old.
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Graham:
The flowering is open now. It is a return from last year. Flowers are very small
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Thanks guys!
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Gladiolus trichonemifolius
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I have a good-sized plant of Oxalis versicolor which I keep in a pot in my
cold but frost-free greenhouse.
Every year it produces buds but none has ever opened. This year we had
some sunshine so I positioned the pot so that the sun would shine on it,
but the buds didn't open.
I decided maybe they needed warmth instead of sunshine, so brought the
pot inside and set it on a windowsill above a heater. Still no flowers as
the buds shrivelled.
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Diane,
Not Sure why you versicolor does not open... I grow mine in a frost free GH too and it even opens on cloudy days, I do find it opens late in the day though. maybe you are not around at the right time of day?
B
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Thanks for that, Bryan. I'll try to remember to look at suppertime next year.
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First timer.
FERRARIA densepunctulata
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First timer.
FERRARIA densepunctulata
WOW, fantastic thing Arnold.What temp is your Glasshouse?
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Kept at a low of 45-46F. Today it was 65 in there due to our 50 F degree weather outside.
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Great, Arnold. Ferraria species are so rare in cultivation, other than crispa in its many forms.
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Kept at a low of 45-46F. Today it was 65 in there due to our 50 F degree weather outside.
Is this why my Ferraria leaves are so floppy, much too hot indoors?
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Brian:
I would guess, I have some Lachenalia that are in the warmer part of the greenhouse and they have longer and floppier leaves.
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I will have to make alternative arrangements :-\
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Adjusting a fan right at foliage level.
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I do have a fan running 10 hours per day which oscillates on the entire greenhouse. When I water I add a second to increase ventilation to make sure foliage dries quickly.
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In the UK I think it helps to keep them as cool as possible so they don't try to grow too much during december/january and become etiolated in the poor light. I keep mine just frost-free and the greenhouse is open at both ends day and night except when the temperature is expected to drop below freezing. It has been closed for only 4 nights this winter (!).
However - in a winter like last year (long, cold and dull so no solar temperature gain under glass during the day) I found some cape bulbs resented being maintained at only 2C day and night for several weeks and their flowering in spring was affected.
That is a lovely Ferraria Arnold :)
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Cheers Darren, that is most helpful, I knew I was doing something wrong. They flowered well last year so I hope they don't resent my treatment this year :-[
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Gladiolus carinatus from the greenhouse.
But I'm not really sure of the name.... if somebody could confirm :)
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:o :o :o :o
Very beautiful Fred!
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:o
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What I know about gladiolus can be written 100 times on the head of a small pin :-[
I can say it is very beautiful and a super photo ( well, it would be, would it not?) - the markings are so delicate and I like the shape of the flower... quite full and almost lily-like.
Is it scented, Fred?
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Gladiolus carinatus from the greenhouse.
But I'm not really sure of the name.... if somebody could confirm :)
That is super Fred,never seen a gladi like that before.
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That's a very pretty Ferraria Arnold, with those colours it almost has a benign look. Some others look as if they want to kill you. :o
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Yes Maggi, it's scented... lightly.
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It could be carinatus Fred - the species is hugely variable. Great Western Gladiolus nursery in the UK used to sell a number of very different selected forms. Whatever it is it is very lovely!
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Gladiolus maculatus
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Nice Arnold, and much later flowering than my stock - it flowers in December for me and is now developing seed capsules. It has a terrific scent.
I've had some discussion with Alberto about this species. I hand pollinate it every year and get seed capsules but most years the seed is obviously not viable (no embryo, just papery chaff). My theory was that pollination occurred at a time of year when it is just too cold and dull here, even under glass, for the seed to develop properly. Oddly though - I got viable seed in the very cold winter of 2009/2010 and have seedlings growing on from this. Last year (2010/2011) was a dud because only one corm flowered. This season was a good year for flowering and I hope the seed will be good too!
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Darren:
I is a first year acquisition. I find newly planted bulb can flower "off" schedule.
I'll get a better image this weekend.
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I have just a few South African bulbs ;D
Moraea polystachya, a plant that ALL should grow if climate is suitable, its blooming season lasts months !
Tulbaghia capensis, a small creature but with a strong scent
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Nice Tulbaghia Angelo, recently I was told that they are quite variable....
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Pity for me Angelo,... climate isn't suitable >:( :'(
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Here's a better shot.
Gladiolus maculatus
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marvellous one Arnold
I seeded this one a month ago
probably four years to go for I can show mine
Roland
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I have just a few South African bulbs ;D
Moraea polystachya, a plant that ALL should grow if climate is suitable, its blooming season lasts months !
Tulbaghia capensis, a small creature but with a strong scent
Really nice moraea Angelo!
I have a few Moraea Aristata which are in growth ( leaves are very thin ). Is it as rewarding as yours?
JP
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Pollen sacs located inferior to the style.
Ferraria densepunctulata
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Intriguing flower Arnold
Roland
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Ohhh, nice Arnold
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Chasmanthe floribunda Duckittii
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Very nice Arnold i have Chasmanthe bicolor just about to flower.
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Lachenalia aloides var. aloides
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Hesperantha vaginata. Thanks Darren.
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What a stunning flower Michael. A good grower?
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Amazing Michael! And I saw some albums from your pics, What a collection! If anytime you want to swap seeds just let me know! ;D
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What a stunning flower Michael. A good grower?
Yes, but you must be careful with watering and ventilation as it is inclined to rot at soil level in cold damp weather. This is my first year growing it.Darren will be able to tell you more about growing it.
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Looking good Michael! :)
Biggest issue with it is as Michael says - prone to rotting off at ground level. Grow it in a plunged clay pot and it is no trouble. In the wild it grows in conditions very much like some American frits - in sticky red clay that bakes very hard in summer. Ironic that it does not appreciate the moisture in cultivation. Experiments with growing it in seramis/cat litter granules look promising and my two-year old seedlings look like one or two might even flower.
After a particularly good flowering in 2010 my mature corms took a year off (not even leaves) but are about to flower again this year -don't panic if this happens. I thought I'd lost mine!
Seed set is good if hand pollinated - but the seeds MUST be stored warm (room temp or in the greenhouse) over summer before sowing in early autumn. Seed has a definite need for a post-harvest ripening period. Germination is excellent if you remember this.
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Looking good Michael! :)
Biggest issue with it is as Michael says - prone to rotting off at ground level. Grow it in a plunged clay pot and it is no trouble. In the wild it grows in conditions very much like some American frits - in sticky red clay that bakes very hard in summer. Ironic that it does not appreciate the moisture in cultivation. Experiments with growing it in seramis/cat litter granules look promising and my two-year old seedlings look like one or two might even flower.
After a particularly good flowering in 2010 my mature corms took a year off (not even leaves) but are about to flower again this year -don't panic if this happens. I thought I'd lost mine!
Seed set is good if hand pollinated - but the seeds MUST be stored warm (room temp or in the greenhouse) over summer before sowing in early autumn. Seed has a definite need for a post-harvest ripening period. Germination is excellent if you remember this.
Darren, VERY useful information.... of the sort that it is very rare to find about plants...... invaluable to anyone trying to grow them. Thanks! 8)
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:)
Thanks Maggi.
It is a lovely plant and one which I was keen to grow after seeing it in the wild in 1999. My original seed came from Kirstenbosch in around 2001 (before they stopped sending seed overseas) making my 5 mature plants over 10 years old. Michael's plants are first-generation seedlings from these. Because I was keen to grow it well it got particular attention which is why I've managed to observe its needs quite closely over this period.
It was OK in plastic pots and my usual compost mix as seedlings but became less tolerant as it matured. After a few years of losing the top growth to collar rots in winter I decided to try the plunged clays in order to allow drier conditions at the neck. This worked and I've since done the same with other Irids prone to the same thing (the hairier-leaved Moraeas and Hesperantha pauciflora for example). Flowering in the Moraea has improved very markedly - possibly because this regime also allows more watering (and thus feeding).
With regards the seed storage: Two years I naively kept some seed over summer in the fridge and got zero germination. Nowadays I would never consider refridgerating winter-growing bulb seed if sowing the same year - it is completely contrary to the conditions they would experience in nature.
The year off: Many SA Irids are prone to doing this anyway, especially after a cool summer I find. In this case, however, non-flowering plants in the same conditions grew away as normal the following season, only the flowered ones did not. It may be possible to overcome this, for example by limiting the amount of seed set or by giving extra feeds. I just don't know - yet ;D
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Lots of South African bulbs take more than one year off in the wild as they
wait for a fire. Then some of them are up and blooming in a couple of weeks.
Maybe yours needs a little fire on top, or a bit of fertilizer instead.
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I have heard of some real disasters experimenting with fire on pot grown plants, smoke would be a safer option. ;)
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Not convinced either way. This is not native to a particularly fire-prone habitat like the fynbos species are. The fertiliser idea is worth pursuing though.
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Good success growing Daubenya aurea in the garden, outside.
They are just flowering now.
(edit by maggi for plant name)
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Congratulations Fred!!! :o :P
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Oh to be able to grow them out in the garden. They are wonderful 8)
Angie :)
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Oh to be able to grow them out in the garden. They are wonderful 8)
Angie :)
Oh to be able to grow them at all. My seedlings are still tiny after several years and all the mature bulbs I have ever bought have not survived the switch from southern hemisphere timing :(
Really well done Fred and it inspires me to keep trying!
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This plant has a double scape.
Veltheimia bracteata
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Nice one Arnold
Roland
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Anything unusual about two scapes per bulb?
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I don't know
Never seen it before
it's over twenty years ago I have grown this one
but keep some seeds for the BX
Nick just gave me a Veltheimia capensis last autumn :)
I hope it flowers next year
Roland
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Angie,
I agree with you, it's very nice to be able to grow outdoor, but not in Vienne.... ;)
I took this pictures in Israël, in a very kind forumist's garden ;D ;D ;D 8)
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Angie,
I agree with you, it's very nice to be able to grow outdoor, but not in Vienne.... ;)
I took this pictures in Israël, in a very kind forumist's garden ;D ;D ;D 8)
Your friend is very lucky :)
Angie :)
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Lachenalia aloides var. aurea
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Chasmanthe bicolor
(http://i964.photobucket.com/albums/ae121/davep1970/PICT0074-1.jpg)
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Darn Dave, I didn't realise Tuxford was tropical 8)
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Darn Dave, I didn't realise Tuxford was tropical 8)
;) I didn't think so either.... but I think his heating thermostat may be blown! :o ;D ;D
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Darn Dave, I didn't realise Tuxford was tropical 8)
;) I didn't think so either.... but I think his heating thermostat may be blown! :o ;D ;D
;D ;D ;DThis a pretty tough plant only just kept above freezing there's plenty to go around if anybody wants.Its soon orchid season Fred ;D ;D ;D
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Freesia laxa azurea. I find it difficult to get the colour of this one correct.
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Well done Michael,
I love blue flowers :) this one is exquisite
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A couple more.
Geissorhiza aspera.
Sparaxis villosa (syn. Synnotia villosa) or whatever they call it now ::)
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Freesia laxa azurea. I find it difficult to get the colour of this one correct.
Hi Michael.
If it's close to what comes out here it looks pretty good!
Here's the Crossyne flava - 3 flower heads this year,
cheers
fermi
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Moraea vegeta
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Lachenalia
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Lachenalia mutabilis
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This is the current one.
Lachenalia mutabilis
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cyrtanthus breviflorus
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Gladiolus carinatus.
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A delicious Gladiolus Michael. I have just received some seed from Auckland, of G. calianthus.
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Nice plants everybody !
Gladiolus orchidiflorus, from seeds, nice perfume :)
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For the second year my seeds didn't germinate
Is there a trick Fred ??
R
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For the second year my seeds didn't germinate
Is there a trick Fred ??
R
I'm afraid nothing special Roland :-\ I sow them in Autumn and they have germinated.
let's try again :)
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I ordered them from South Africa
and sowed them in November/December
with many other but I find the germinating-rates very poor
from many less as 10%
R
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Roland,
Is it only Gladiolus orchidiflorus that does not germinate for you?
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Hello Diane
No about 50% from the seedlings germinate bad see picture 3
30% germinates very good the other 20% are very divers in germinating
some gladiolus germinate as weeds within two/three weeks
same for some alstroemeria from Chile
R
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To be sown in Spring, Lesley.
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So you think I should hold them for 5-6 months Alberto? It's my natural habit to sow as soon as possible. If I hold them, should I refrigerate them? There are just 3, so not enough to try some now and some later. :) They are nice and plump though.
There is something bat-like about Glad. orchidiflorus. :-\
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They are winter dormant, Lesley, and likes cool conditions, not hot subtropical as other Gladioli do. It is very beatiful and elegant and the scent is powerful. The only possible drawback is that they flower very late in the season and in cold districts the flowers would be frozen.
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Hello Diane
No about 50% from the seedlings germinate bad see picture 3
30% germinates very good the other 20% are very divers in germinating
some gladiolus germinate as weeds within two/three weeks
same for some alstroemeria from Chile
R
I've found this too Roland.
I was once told that imported Gladiolus seed can have a fungal contaminant on the seed coat that destroys the newly germinating seed before shoots emerge. I don't know. Home-collected seed does seem better but I still get inexplicable failures (no germination from what looked like good seed of G carmineus or G caeruleus last season).
If fungicidal seed dressings are available where you are then they might be worth trying. As might a short soak in dilute bleach such as you might use for orchid seed, prior to sowing.
Some species have never produced seedlings for me despite numerous attempts from various sources - G. alatus and G. hirsutus for example.
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Lachenalia aloides quadricolor
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Good to try for next year Darren
I will treat the seeds next year
Roland
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Fred what a stunning Gladiolus - I have not seen this one before. So elegant like a tall willowy lady in a slinky figure hugging dress :) :)
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A very large Lachenalia flower spike 8"
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Hey, I like it. I find most Lachenalias uninspiring, but that one is pretty.
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Diane:
Three more.
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Arnold,
are you the national collection holder for Lachenalia? Have looked at the last few pages. What a collection, what different colours. So sad not have a frostfree alpinehouse.
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PENROCK SEEDS, PENROCK PLANTS AND PENROCK SPECIALIST FLORA- sad announcement:
The death of Charles Craib, well known in the field of South African bulbs has been announced.
He passed away suddenly on the 19th March 2012.
There is more on the Penroc Website:
http://www.penroc.co.za/index.html
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PENROCK SEEDS, PENROCK PLANTS AND PENROCK SPECIALIST FLORA- sad announcement:
The death of Charles Craib, well known in the field of South African bulbs has been announced.
He passed away suddenly on the 19th March 2012.
There is more on the Penroc Website:
http://www.penroc.co.za/index.html
This is indeed sad to hear. Charles made many contributions to the bulb flora of South Africa. He had many valuable publications in HERBERTIA.
Jim
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Uli:
I wish we had the National Collection i the States, I find them most interesting plants.
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No National Collections in the States?
Last year in Germany they start to install National Collections. The third or fourth trying. Hope the best for the collections.
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Uli:
Too many competing organizations.
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Romulea citrina.
Romulea rosea. This is a serious weed,if you have it in captivity don't let it escape.
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Ferraria divaricata
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Moraea season is in full swing and the sunshine today has helped too.
Moraea loubseri (came from an exchange labelled M gigandra. Not too upset because it is a partner for my 12 year old single clone of loubseri and hopefully will get seed. Would still like gigandra though!)
Moraea ciliata. This has produced occasional flowers since early february but the warm weather has encouraged a proper display today. Amazing considering it took the whole of last year off and not one bulb produced so much as a leaf! The scent of this species is wonderful.
I've several forms of Gladiolus orchidiflorus and this is a nice clear green one.
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Super photos, Darren- you always treat us with your bulb pix.
Does the Moraea ciliata scent resemble that of Iris cycloglossa? It looks like it should! :)
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Oooooooooooh! Now I like the green Gladiolus orchidiflorus. 8)
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Isn't the green G. orchidiflorus just stunning? Almost like some alien hybrid of mantis/butterfly and goodness knows what else. An amazing and very lovely plant. :)
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Babiana pygmaea today - sorry the first pic is taken through the g/h window - I can't lift the pot out to take photos as it has almost certainly rooted through into the plunge. A huge flower for the size of plant, anyway.
Alex
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Oooooooooooh! Now I like the green Gladiolus orchidiflorus. 8)
Stay away Fred
I saw it first
but had no time to respond
Sometimes I have to work ;D
Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooh !!!!!!!!!!!!!
Daren
When did you say you wanted to swap these seeds ???
Also a fantastic Babiana pygmaea Alex
How long did it take from seed to flower ?
Roland
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Hi Roland,
Thanks - I dodn't raise it from seed, but got a few corms from my Dad maybe 5 years ago. I have a lot more now, and could swap a couple if anyone is very interested (for Crocus, Frits, Junos)...
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Darren, that Gladiolus orchidiflorus :o :o :o Superb!!
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Darren,
I'll join the chorus. Glorious colour on the Gladiolus orchidiformis. I flowered this species for the first time last year, but mine was an interesting grey-lavendar colouration (which I loved!). Your green though is a whole 'nother dimension! ;D Beautiful.
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Lachenalia mediana
Lachenalia mathewsii
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Stunning photo of G. orchidiformis - I echo the oohing and aahing.
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Super photos, Darren- you always treat us with your bulb pix.
Does the Moraea ciliata scent resemble that of Iris cycloglossa? It looks like it should! :)
I wish I could answer that Maggi - I've never flowered I cycloglossa! I have a number of seedlings I'm about to plant out in the garden but will have to wait a few years. The scent is hard to describe - a bit like a cross between a sweet shop and an oriental supermarket. I can detect hints of coconut and cardamon. But the scent is remarkably strong.
Now I sound like a wine taster... not far wrong except I'm not spitting any out!
Thanks to all of you for your kind remarks. I've had to take more (and better) pics of my Cape Bulbs this year as I'm putting a talk together. A forumist has asked me to take it to their local group already.
The G. orchidiflorus is actually a self-sown weed in the plunge. There is a reddish form of the same species at the other end!
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Oh and by the way - I managed to damage the flower stem on the gladdy whilst taking the picture so there may be no seed this year.. :(
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I wish I could answer that Maggi - I've never flowered I cycloglossa! I have a number of seedlings I'm about to plant out in the garden but will have to wait a few years. The scent is hard to describe - a bit like a cross between a sweet shop and an oriental supermarket. I can detect hints of coconut and cardamon. But the scent is remarkably strong.
Now I sound like a wine taster... not far wrong except I'm not spitting any out!
Thanks to all of you for your kind remarks. I've had to take more (and better) pics of my Cape Bulbs this year as I'm putting a talk together. A forumist has asked me to take it to their local group already.
The G. orchidiflorus is actually a self-sown weed in the plunge. There is a reddish form of the same species at the other end!
Do you know... it sounds like the Moraea scent might indeed be quite similar to the Iris cycloglossa - which is one of my favourite fragrances, after orange blossom.
You've got to love... and appreciate..... those self-sown plunge weeds... they generally turn out to be crackers! 8)
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One Ooooooooooohhhhhh !!!! More darren ;D
I've missed your G. orchidiflorus : superb form !!!
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I'm very pleased to have flowered this for the first time, whatever it is - seed from Silverhill sown October 2008. But I got it as Babiana framesii and it doesn't look much like the pictures on PBS
http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/index.php/BabianaTwo (http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/index.php/BabianaTwo)
Can anyone confirm or identify otherwise?
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Two views.
Note pollen located below.
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Addendum:
Ferraria divaricata and F. variabilis have dull-colored, darkly speckled or streaked perianths and produce ample, highly dilute nectar pooled at the base of the floral cup and are pollinated by eumenid and masarine wasps (Vespidae).
From:
Adaptive radiation of the putrid perianth: Ferraria (Iridaceae: Irideae) and its unusual pollinators
Peter Goldblatt, P. Bernhardt and J. C. Manning
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Freesia alba.
Watsonia laccata
Veltheimia bracteata
Moraea aristata
Gladiolus cunonius
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Freesia alba.
Watsonia laccata
Veltheimia bracteata
Moraea aristata
Gladiolus cunonius
Merciful heavens..... I would so like to visit you, Michael. One of these years, I tell you!
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Freesia alba.
Watsonia laccata
Veltheimia bracteata
Moraea aristata
Gladiolus cunonius
Merciful heavens..... I would so like to visit you, Michael. One of these years, I tell you!
So would I. If you go can you take me ;)
Angie :)
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. I would so like to visit you, Michael
No problem , I live at the end of the Airport runway. ;D
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Angela, that sounds a great idea.... and Michael is handy for the airport...so all we need is around £800 each for the flights :o
How good a swimmer are you, Angela? ::)
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€1 Ryan Air ;D ;D ;D
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Angela, that sounds a great idea.... and Michael is handy for the airport...so all we need is around £800 each for the flights :o
How good a swimmer are you, Angela? ::)
Why don't I drive and we could take Derek's trailer and just put Michael's greenhouse into the trailer, it is a big trailer and then that would leave the back of the car to fill with all the other plants that he has lying about. Keep this quiet Maggi as we don't want him to get word of this as we might not get invited over.
Angie :)
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Good thinking Angela.... he'll never suspect us. ::)
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€1 Ryan Air ;D ;D ;D
We'd have to go to Edinburgh or Glasgow first, for a flight to Dublin then a hop to Shannon: Ryanair don't seem to be flying to Aberdeen anymore... besides, Angela seems to have come up with another plan! ;)
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Michael,
if we do get to Ireland soon, you'll definitely be one of the people we'll visit!
I only discovered this was about to flower last week as it peered through the undergrowth! That was soon cut away and the only damage seems to be a kink in the stem.
this is labelled Brunsvigia gregaria but I can't find any details on where it came from - it's not in my list of seed purchases from Silverhill but if it was it would've been about 9 years ago! Maybe it was purchased as a seedling.
cheers
fermi
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It's a beauty, Fermi.
Michael,
You grow fantastic plants, that's for sure.
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Freesia grandiflora
Lachenalia contaminata
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Sun came out and it opened fully.
Freesia grandiflora
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Sun came out and it opened fully.
Freesia grandiflora
How lovely... I thought it looked pretty good already! It's a great "soft" but bright colour.
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Moraea collina (syn. Homeria collina)
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Arnold,
Unusual Freesia. Is this one of those things that used to be something else and is now in the genus? Very pretty I must say.
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First flower open this morning on Moraea polystachya
cheers
fermi
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Paul:
The PBS has this:
Freesia grandiflora, syn. Anomatheca grandiflora
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One of my gems 8)
Moraea gigandra ... en mass
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That is wonderful Angelo!
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Re. all the beautiful plants displayed on these pages: I could just live in South Africa! Wait a minute, I do - then why don't I have such beautiful flowers to oooooooooh and aaaaaaaaah over too? Well done and well grown, All. :D
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Rogan
go into the wilderness
and open your eyes ;D
you live in one of the most beautiful countries of the world :)
on the other hand
I was once in Portugal on vacation
I saw hundreds of Tulips , Fritelaria's and Scilla's where we walked
a few Dutch asked us where we are looking after
I explained them we where after a special Scilla
to our surprise they hadn't even seen the (yellow) Tulips where they almost stand on :o
Roland
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Geissorhiza radian is now flowering again so this is the second year for these corms,i didn't think there was much difference in the plants untill this seedling flowered.
Normall with orangey brown pollen(anthers)
(http://i964.photobucket.com/albums/ae121/davep1970/DSCF0035.jpg)
and here
(http://i964.photobucket.com/albums/ae121/davep1970/DSCF0033.jpg)
Seedling with bright yellow anthers
(http://i964.photobucket.com/albums/ae121/davep1970/DSCF0031.jpg)
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WOW , WOW ,WOW ,WOW 8)
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WOW , WOW ,WOW ,WOW 8)
I do kinda like it as well.
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WOW , WOW ,WOW ,WOW 8)
OK.... WOW 8)
It reminds me of a scene in The Great Escape
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An other surprise today
I bought 30 cyrtanthus elatus
and under the dry skin Surprise
Roland
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That doesn't look good, does it. A dip in insecticide called for? :o
My Cyrtanthus compactus seedlings (Rogan) are coming through well for their second year. Very pleased.
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mealy-bug Pseudococcidae
A good dip will do
but I wasn't amused at all
I found them because one bulb was a little sticky
Roland
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Paul:
The PBS has this:
Freesia grandiflora, syn. Anomatheca grandiflora
Arnold,
Thanks for this. I was thinking of Anomatheca when I asked about possible other names. Reminds me a touch of laxa.
Angelo,
That Moraea gigandra is beautiful. Not a species I've ever grown here I think. The petals look wonderfully round.
Davey,
The yellow anthers do add a certain something, don't they? Just lift it a little brighter (as if that is really needed! ;D).
Thanks everyone.
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Your G. radians are looking great Davey - I hope you are pollinating them?
The first flower on mine has been in advanced bud for days but we have had constant cloud and low temperatures so no chance of it opening yet. I've also an intriguing looking bud in a pot of seedlings of a 'Moraea'. It looks like a Geissorhiza and when (if) it opens will probably be white with a dark centre - I'm thinking G. tulbaghensis, which would be nice as I've never grown it.
-
and seeds of course....
Massonia echinata
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Yours are already so far Arnold :o
Here in the poly-tunnels no sign of ripening
seed-pots sins weeks dark green
R
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Arnold I also have seeds from my Massonia echinata. So pleased that I have my own seed :)
Angie :)
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We've had some very unusual warm weather in the last weeks which caused all the bulb to ripened seeds earlier.
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Angie, prepare yourself for the mind blowing experience of sowing your own seed. It is really disturbing.
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Angie, prepare yourself for the mind blowing experience of sowing your own seed. It is really disturbing.
;D ;D ;D
I am running out of space quickly. I need another greenhouse or something else to bring on all my young plants on. Then I will need another greenhouse to put all my own grown Massonia in, wishful thinking ::) ;D
Angie :)
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Angie you don't need a greenhouse,I grow most of my plants outside in open frames with overhead shelter.
The first one with the shading is where the neighbours hedge used to be,reclaimed land. :)
When I run out of space I just go up.
Yes I know, I am not very good at the timber work. :)
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If it holds together Michael, you're good at it. :) I liked the benches Kristl showed somewhere, fat concrete blocks with wooden pallets on top of them. I've got Roger interested in somthing of the sort, so far as seeing what pallets are available aroundf town (at no cost of course ::))
In a previous house I made a very successful bookcase of concrete blacks spray-painted with gold lacquer, and green MDF shelving. It went 4 high and never wobbled or collapsed so I was very happy with it. The wallpaper at the time was a Chinese green and gold one and the bookcase looked quite good actually.
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...where would we be without clothes pegs? It works Michael so its a success. 8)
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:) :) :)
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Consider using large containers as community pots, it will solve most of your cultivation problems.
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Michael thats brilliant. Now that has given me some ideas. I have plenty of building material lying about so I just need to tiding up what I call my dumping are and get some shelves made. Not very good with joinery but if I wait till hubby does it I will wait forever. Concrete blocks might be the way to go.
Once this rain stops I will give it a go. I will post some pictures but only if you don't look to close. I never saw any cloths pegs so had to go and have another look.
Angie :)
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We even buy clothes pegs just for the garden ;D
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I thought I was the only one using wooden clothes pegs
to hold my aluminium shade cloth 8)
R
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We even buy clothes pegs just for the garden
€2 for 50 in the Euro store. ;D
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Good to see others using cloth pegs for shadecloth. Michael I do wonder if you have ever fallen when trying to negotiate your paths between pots in some of those areas.
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Nope, not yet, ;D I have it carefully measured so that I can walk in a comfortable manner with a tray of plants without bumping into anything. The camera probably gives a slightly distorted view.
-
Clothes pags are great in the kitchen/pantry too of course, to hold shut and airtight, packets of any number of food products.
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Ferraria crispa, self sown in an Amaryllis belladonna patch
Veltheimia bracteata, a rather dark pink form, althought is looks pale in photo
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Your G. radians are looking great Davey - I hope you are pollinating them?
The first flower on mine has been in advanced bud for days but we have had constant cloud and low temperatures so no chance of it opening yet. I've also an intriguing looking bud in a pot of seedlings of a 'Moraea'. It looks like a Geissorhiza and when (if) it opens will probably be white with a dark centre - I'm thinking G. tulbaghensis, which would be nice as I've never grown it.
Could it be an alba form of radians Darren,i have seen pics of the alba form and it is incredible(i say alba very loosely because of the dark centre more like light coloured form).I have pollinated so there will be a seed,the one with yellow anthers is sterile.
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Your G. radians are looking great Davey - I hope you are pollinating them?
The first flower on mine has been in advanced bud for days but we have had constant cloud and low temperatures so no chance of it opening yet. I've also an intriguing looking bud in a pot of seedlings of a 'Moraea'. It looks like a Geissorhiza and when (if) it opens will probably be white with a dark centre - I'm thinking G. tulbaghensis, which would be nice as I've never grown it.
Could it be an alba form of radians Darren,i have seen pics of the alba form and it is incredible(i say alba very loosely because of the dark centre more like light coloured form).I have pollinated so there will be a seed,the one with yellow anthers is sterile.
I've not managed to catch it fully open yet thanks to the poor weather over easter and it being shut by the time I got back from work on the first sunny day since. However it isn't radians as the leaves are wrong (in fact they don't much resemble any Geissorhiza I grow). I did manage to prise open a flower enough to confirm the centre is a kind of grey/purple colour and not especially attractive.
The semi-albino radians is gorgeous, going by the picture in Curtis's botanical magazine recently.
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Just looked at tulbaghensis on the PBS wiki and can confirm this is it. Hope it improves when open in the sun!
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Lachenalia orthopetala
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Just looked at tulbaghensis on the PBS wiki and can confirm this is it. Hope it improves when open in the sun!
I bought seed of this Darren last year put hasn't germinated,hopefully it will improve it is quite nice in the pics i have seen.
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Ferraria crispa.
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Great photo of F. crispa Michael.
Now can you share your secret of how to flower it. I have had a large clump for years and never had a flower.
Pete.
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I agree that Michael's photo of the Ferraria crispa flower is lovely.... but did you folks spot the great flowering clump... self sown in a bed, that Angelo showed on the previous page?
http://www.srgc.org.uk/forum/index.php?topic=8333.msg242665#msg242665
Angelo Porcelli Re: South African Bulbs2012
« Reply #192 on: April 11, 2012, 09:41:09 PM »
Ferraria crispa, self sown in an Amaryllis belladonna patch
I had no idea it could flower like that!!
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That's a very pretty Lachenalia Arnold, so light and airy. I have several now, all coming through just in time to catch first frosts which will descend any day. Most South Africans are fairly hardy for me but the lachenalias always get it, perhaps because of their fleshy foliage.
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Maggi, provided the sun and temperature range is to its liking the flowering season is very long for a bulb. Ferrarias are definitely not for small pots, they like free root run and make large clumps from the rosary of naked persistent corms (something very strange in an irid).
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Ferraria crispa.
Wow, what an odd-looking flower, Michael! I love it very much! :D
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Maggi, indeed the previous photo is just a part of the clump, which is 60-70cm tall with many stems. I didn't post the whole plant as the photo is not very good. Anyway, as Alberto says, Ferraria needs deep soil to grow well, much better in the ground where climates allows. This species is very variable in colour, I have several combination of background and fringe, from yellow, brown to dark chocolate. In full flowering the plants emit a strange scent, an odd combination of vanilla and chemical notes
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Thank you, Angelo and Alberto, for that information.
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Now can you share your secret of how to flower it
To be honest with you I have no idea,it was just pot luck. I think it might have been the mild winter followed by very warm weather with above average temperatures and lots of sunshine in March. It is in a 20cm pot in a mixture of 50% JI no3, 30% perlite, and 20% grit,the pot is plunged in builders sand in the greenhouse. It got one feed or miracle-grow at the beginning of March.
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Mine gets pretty much the same treatment as Michael's and is in a 15cm plastic long-tom rose pot (20cm deep). It flowers each year without trouble. I agree it is happier with a deep pot and Ferraria are also one of those Irids which occasionally stay dormant for a whole season. This can be prevented to some extent by giving them a good hot summer ( my pot is moved up against the south facing glass in the greenhouse when the plant is dormant and being black it gets very hot). This might help with flowering too. Of course if I was in an area which got naturally hot summers (or any summer at all given the last two washouts here) I'd be wary of this cooking the plants!
However - I think it helps that I got the corms when already flowering size (10 years ago) so all I have to do is maintain it. Seedlings are extremely slow to increase in size in my conditions and I'm sure that a really big pot or planting out would be greatly advantageous in this respect. I'm absolutely in awe of Angelo's clump :o
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Angelo:
That's a spectacular looking plant.
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Angelo, surely the scent is not of Affogato? If it is I must grow this plant. But surely not? 8) 8)
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Mmmm, perhaps for lunch, I have the vanilla icecream, I can make some good strong black coffee and perhaps grate some chocolate on top. Maybe a pinch of grated walnut? Who says I have to stick with tradition? :)
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WOW Angelo! there must be unbearable scent!! many people thinks Ferraria don't scent well, but I would like to make perfume of it!!
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Nice Gladiolus stellatus Rafa
how long did it take from seed to flower
Roland
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3 years, but notice, that I grow gladilus from South Africa in Z8, maybe in their natural ihabits are more quickly.
Gladiolus is my third genus, I love it!!!
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Lachenalia liliflora
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I found a huge clump of Ferraria crispa under and around gum trees on a roadside verge where it must have been tossed (there are the remains of an old garden nearby). It was growing in very friable sandy soil. I dug out some of the hundreds of corms that they develop and moved them here. They did not flower for a couple of years. The planting that gets the runoff from the gravel driveway when it rains (sand runoff I mean) is doing well. I also had a sandy area that used to be the children's sandpit where they are doing well too. Sandy friable soil and plenty of sun seems to be the key and of course mine get plenty of root run. Not too much water though
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Oxalis palmifrons - finally more than one flower open at a time!
[attachthumb=1]
Oxalis massoniana
[attachthumb=2]
Polyxena longituba
[attachthumb=3]
This came as seed as Polyxena corymbosa but I wonder if it's the same as the above?
[attachthumb=4]
Finally in flower after many years! Ornithogalum saundersii, the Giant Chincherinchee,
[attachthumb=5]
[attachthumb=6]
cheers
fermi
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Lovely palmifrons Fermi. Mine yet again has nothing but the summer has been cool and wet. I think Polyxena longituba is the least exciting of them all. (I have masses) Corymbosa should be a bigger flower head, rounder and deeper coloured I think. There have been Forum pics a-plenty.
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Lovely pictures from all. And nice Lachenalia collection from Arnold!
So, Arnold, could you identify this species? I've raised it by seeds wild collected somewhere in South Africa.
The spikes are 20 cm tall or so. Leaves are marbled.
Other pictures for south african bulbs lovers:
Lapeirousia oreogena
Ferraria ferrariola
Unknown species aff. Albuca
The lovely twisted leaves of Cyrthanthus smithiae
The red seed-pod of Veltheimia capensis
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Thats some lovely plants there. I really like the look of the Albuca and those twisted leaves of your Cyrthanthus smithiae are brilliant.
Angie :)
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Yes the twisted leaves are fascinating. You are growing a good range of plants Filippo
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Filippo:
Looks like Lachenalia elegans var. suaveolens
Should be sweetly scented reminiscent of carnations. Found in Nieuwoudtville and Clanwilliam districts.
Produces one to two lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate green leaves which may be spotted with dark green above.
http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/index.php/LachenaliaSpeciesThree#elegans
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Filippo, your part of Italy seems like a good place for South African bulbs. :D
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Thank you all ;)
Arnold, the leaves are grey-green with RED spots. But I think it's the same species, Thank you.
Anyway...a sort of scent is present, but I guess it's not enough to be named "suaveolens" ;D
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Filippo:
Have someone else give it a sniff. Scent can be elusive for some.
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First flowers from last years seedlings
Babiana tubulosa
Sparaxis grandiflora ssp grandiflora
Sparaxis sp.
Roland
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Love the B.grandiflora ssp grandiflora colour.
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Pat
Must be S. grandiflora ssp grandiflora
small typo
I pollinated the two flowers
maybe I have seeds this year
R
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Yes I should have remembered the right letter ::)
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Gladiolus quadrangulus
Roland
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Pat, I've got Sparaxis grandiflora spp. grandiflora. Send me a pm at the end of winter and I'll dig some from the garden for you. I'm envious of that lovely yellow ssp. though, gorgeous colour.
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Anita
That one is almost sure wrong labelled
I have to sort out what it is
Roland
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This year Roland your stuff is fantastic WOW
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Thanks all
Next year should be better
I expect a lot more flowers then
this is just 18 months after seeding
Roland
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Thanks all
Next year should be better
I expect a lot more flowers then
this is just 18 months after seeding
Roland
WOW Roland i have some that are 3 year old and still no flowers at the end of the season could you write a list of all species that flowered with in two years please.
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Davey, times to flowering size vary according to growing conditions. The longer they take to reach flowering size the sturdier and healthier the plants are.
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Thank you Alberto.
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Romulea hirta?or Romulea leipoldtii
https://plus.google.com/photos/105169228901870620843/albums/5456385058589541329/5735756961906493234
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Romulea hirta?
https://plus.google.com/photos/105169228901870620843/albums/5456385058589541329/5735756961906493234
Very lovely Michael... but I'd think Romulea leipoldtii :-\
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Thanks Maggi, I did have Romulea leipoldtii on the label as well but I wasn't sure
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Tritonia Squalida,?
https://plus.google.com/photos/105169228901870620843/albums/5456385058589541329/5735763036947064978
Tritonia lilacina hyb?
https://plus.google.com/photos/105169228901870620843/albums/5456385058589541329/5735762993393960690
{edit by maggi as an experiment!}
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I go with Maggi on Romulea leipoldtii Michael. By the way was (Romulea) lilacina hyb? a typo-you have it as Tritonia on your google pictures?
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Thanks David, getting confused with having to post the pics from the web site, not that it takes very much to confuse me at the best of times.
I have corrected it now.
cheers.
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I was just about to say that I thought they were Tritonia.... but I see there was a mix-up. That's the limit of my Tritonia knowledge..... they are very good flowers, though..... 8)
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Homeria collina from HansJ last year.
(http://i964.photobucket.com/albums/ae121/davep1970/april27006.jpg)
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Lovely Dave.
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Really nice Dave. I have that also in flower at the moment 8)
Angie :)
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Thank you David,Angie give it a sniff it has quite a weird perfume.
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Lachenalia latifolia.
Wonderfully scented with a hint of clove.
Thanks for getting everything back and looking better than ever.
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Thank you David,Angie give it a sniff it has quite a weird perfume.
Here is another former Homeria (now Moraea elegans). It also has that weird perfume! Not to mention a weird colour scheme.
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I bought seed of this Darren last year put hasn't germinated,hopefully it will improve it is quite nice in the pics i have seen.
Here is a picture at long last Davey:
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Geissorhiza mathewsii has increased from 1 corm to 3 - this might mean it is rather longer lived than its bigger cousin G. radians.
There is also a picture of the two for comparison - radians is the lower one.
Geissorhiza monanthos is also at its best at the moment.
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Fantastic colours Darren
the Geissorhiza mathewsii is spectacular
Roland
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Here is a picture at long last Davey:
OMG WOW WOW WOW again,that is stunning Darren well done.
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Here is another former Homeria (now Moraea elegans). It also has that weird perfume! Not to mention a weird colour scheme.
Really an unbelievable color, Darren 8)
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Sadly both the Geissorhiza tulbaghensis and the Moraea are single clones. The Moraea has never even produced an offset in all the years I have grown it, nor does it seem to be self fertile. The Geissorhiza mathewsii did produce a few viable seeds from selfing last year so I'm trying again this time.
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Two species nerines flowering now:
first one, 2 x Nerine crispa [someone last year told me the correct name but I've forgotten it already- reminders welcome!]
cheers
fermi
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Nerine undulata LN Africa (N. crispa)
Roland
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Nerine undulata LN Africa (N. crispa)
Roland
Thanks, Roland!
Next one:
2 x Nerine filifolia
is this one included in N. undulata as well? Foliage is very different but the flower is very similar,
cheers
fermi
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As far as I know this are some synonyms
maybe an other member know other ones
Nerine crispa see Nerine undulata
Nerine filifolia is Nerine filifolia
Nerine flexuosa See: Nerine humilis or Nerine undulata
Nerine flexuosa var. angustifolia see: Nerine angustifolia
Nerine flexuosa var. pulchella see: Nerine humilis
Nerine flexuosa var. sandersonii See: Nerine laticoma
Nerine humilis Syn. N. tulbaghensis
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Watsonia laccata & Watsonia alteroides
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Michael, the wild species also grow within a short distance of one another in the Western Cape near the town of Swellendam. They are very similar in stature if not in flower. Damp roadside verges (often all the habitat they have left!), and seepage zones seem to suit W. aletroides, wheareas W. laccata seems to prefer drier, more elevated spots:
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Watsonia laccata has to be my favorite Watsonia; here's an image demonstrating how variable the flowers can be in nature:
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Our weather has suddenly warmed up - lovely sunny days in the low
20s - and some of my bulbs have put up flower stalks. So far just one
is in bloom - Gladiolus tristis.
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From the garden today a clump of hybrid Ixias that seem to thrive in my garden in a warmish spot, backed by some Dutch Irises and a garden Paeonia about to flower. I don't lift the Ixias for a dry winter and they come up every year without fail.
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Moraea Huttonii flowering for the first time from seed.
(http://i964.photobucket.com/albums/ae121/davep1970/005-4.jpg)
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A few more open in the garden. The first lost its label, but looks distinctive
enough for someone to identify for me.
added later: Nobody offered a name so I went through my bulb books for
similar photos, then compared my seed database with my garden maps to
see what is missing from the maps, and Chasmanthe floribunda var ducketii,
from Silverhill in 2007, is. It is supposed to be plain yellow, so I guess this is
just the plain species.
and even later: no, it looks more like Chasmanthe bicolor, but I've never
bought that seed.
The ixia is a sp from Silverhill. I am not impressed. I think it was too
insignificant for naming.
added in October as I am preparing to send its seeds to the exchange: The
Silverhill 2009 catalogue describes it thus: A tall species with very pale blue flowers
from high in Namaqualand in damp areas, late spring flowering.
The Tritonia lineata is pretty. I sowed it in March 2008, and this is its first
flowering. Its code number is SF5271.
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My goodness, Diane, you're being real tough! I think the Ixia is rather pretty :-[
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The end of the flowering period for the winter growers here, at least unless my very few amaryllids decide to pop up flowers in mid summer.
There's a tale with these two pictures.
Our AGS group used to have a display at the Holker Hall festival in Cumbria each June. Back in the late 90s one of the donated display plants was labelled 'Moraea alpina'. I was rather taken with it so when I saw seed in the AGS exchange a few years later I got some. All I knew about M. alpina was that it was a summer growing Drakensberg species so I treated my (many) seedlings accordingly. By the time I observed that the seedlings really wanted to grow in winter I had lost most of them and realised it could not be M. alpina. A switch to a winter growing regime produced much improved growth in the only surviving plant, which then flowered. I have identified it as Moraea debilis. In fact the pot I originally saw at Holker was also M. debilis misidentified and I wonder if the donor of this plant also sent the seed to the exchange.
M.debilis is related to M tripetala but is usually smaller flowered and (distinctively) flowers at the very end of its growth period as the leaves die off, M tripetala flowers much earlier - usually March with me. M debilis seems to be rather rare in cultivation. M alpina coincidentally flowers at the same time but is at the start of its growth period. I googled for images of M. alpina and found M. debilis is masquerading as it elsewhere too!
As luck would have it I mentioned this story to a kind forumist at an SRGC discussion weekend and he soon sent me a few corms of the true M. alpina which is a delightful plant only 4cm high in flower.
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Haemanthus humilis ssp. humilis ex. Jim Shields
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This one lives outside here and flowers for the first time.
Got is as Crinum bulbispermum Jumbo selection
We didn't have much a a winter.
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This one lives outside here and flowers for the first time.
Got is as Crinum bulbispermum Jumbo selection
We didn't have much a a winter.
:o :o :o aren't you so lucky.
Angie :)
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I have some Crinum, a few bulbispermum and some [variabile x bulbispermum] growing out in an open bed -- not up against a building or wall. I notice that there are several clusters of young seedlings coming up through the mulch. In effect, Crinum seem to be trying to naturalize here in central Indiana (nominally USDA zone 5 but recently more like 6 or 7). Curious.
Jim
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Babiana stricta
Probably my only contribution to this thread this year. Not a great rarity, but I'm just so very pleased to still have it. I thought it had succumbed during the winter of 2010/11, but noticed the one flower shining in the corner of an outdoor growing table a couple of days ago. It will continue to flower on the windowsill of our living room, filling the room with the most delicious perfume.
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Watsonia amatolae ?
Too big for my small garden,will have to be removed.
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Very nice Michael, but, as you say, a bit on the big side.
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Bit on the large side for your place I suppose, Michael, but perfectly formed and growing well.
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Maggi, that plant survived the winters of 2009 and 2010 uncovered in that position with temperatures down to -17c , but it is in a well drained soil.
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I wonder how that would do in the ground in Indiana? I'm not at all familiar with Watsonia, except that those I've tried in pots have not looked happy and never bloomed.
Jim
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Maggi, that plant survived the winters of 2009 and 2010 uncovered in that position with temperatures down to -17c , but it is in a well drained soil.
Given the size of the clump it looks to have been around for a while!
Very nice indeed,Michael.... I hope you can find someone with more space who will give it a good home - be a real shame to have to just chuck it. It would be very smart in a big border.
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I wonder how that would do in the ground in Indiana? I'm not at all familiar with Watsonia, except that those I've tried in pots have not looked happy and never bloomed.
Jim
You're about USDA Zone 5 there, aren't you, Jim? Bit chilly, eh?
-
Maggie, it can get down to -25°C here in Indiana in winter; but at the moment the weather bug on my computer just showed that the temperature here in Westfield is 103°F! (That looks to be about 39°C) We could use a bit of that -25C right now.
I have Crinum that are hardy in the ground out in open beds here.
Jim
-
Michael you can't remove that Watsonia its beautiful :o
Angie :)
-
Mercy, Jim, with temperature swings like that the Watsonias might survive - but I wouldn't! My days of coping with 103/39 are long gone!
-
I wonder how that would do in the ground in Indiana?
Jim,I can send you a few corms to try if you are allowed to import them.
-
Michael,
They would be very interesting to try outdoors here.
I'm getting my bulb import permit renewed, I hope. We can try and see if they will let them in without a phyto, once I get the new permit. I'll be in touch. Thanks!
Jim
-
Eucomis vandermerwei.
Sits in a greenhouse that reaches 105 F during mid days hours
-
.
......Sits in a greenhouse that reaches 105 F during mid days hours
Oh to be in England now that (Summer's???) here
Nice Eucomis Arnold
-
David:
That's 95 F outside the greenhouse. Shade cloth is on the way. My Crinums last about a day in flower.
-
Have never had a Watsonia flower despite planting deeply, that and Wachendorfia baffle me. Wonderful one in your garden Michael!
It was 28c here today with 64% humidity. Down to 22c now at 22:15. Feels like Sumatra. I'd expire if the Amorphophallus came into bloom in this steam bath.
johnw
-
Freesia laxa alba Purissima
or whatever for a name is really correct
This is the pure white form
without any trace of red
Michael send me the bulbs (thanks again)
I am happy because they are really white
and not as so often with a red blotch
Roland
-
Clivia F2 Gardenii x Yellow Miniata, yellow interspecific hybrid, semi pendulous.
-
A nice little South African bulb flowering at the moment. One of the few survivors from the seed I grew afer deciding we were really Zone 8. Then we had the 2 bad winters ::)
Any idea what it is?
Susan
-
No idea Susan
but I like it
and it survives a serious winter
Roland
-
Susan,
I suppose your little beauty is an Ixia. Maybe Ixia dubia
Regards
Thomas
-
I'd go for Ixia too.
-
Thanks Thomas and David, I did order a lot of Ixia seed from silverhills.
Ronald, I don't know if the bulbs were planted out before the cold winters or were still in their seed pots indoors. Time will tell if they are hardy.
Susan
-
A second flower-stem for this Ammocharis coranica
Roland
-
Ammocharis in another bulb I have not come across before. Thanks for posting Roland.
-
also my Ammocharis coranica is blooming for the first time! and it has a wonderful scent!!
-
Androcrymbium striatum
-
Amazing, Michael ;)
-
Congratulations
-
Great Michael.
Nick name is "Cup n saucer or Men in Boat"
Any scent?
-
I have had this as Ledebouria sandersonii for 10 years, is it the right name?
-
Whatever the name Kirsten, it is beautifully grown :)
-
I can't help with the name either, Kirsten :-[ ... but I do remember from old PBS posts that ID of these plants can be very tricky. L. sandersonii does, I believe, "fit" into all three of the general sections for Ledebouria!
http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/pbslist/2004-May/lic9q1c6mbbi122ej595bu6lf2.html (http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/pbslist/2004-May/lic9q1c6mbbi122ej595bu6lf2.html)
-
They look a lot as what I bought as Ledebouria galpinii
but I am no specialist for Ledebouria
and are not sure if that name was correct
Roland
-
Thanks to all. I think I will go on with Ledebouria sandersonii and add a "?"
-
The unusual Cyrtanthus eucallus for the first time in flower
Roland
-
One for Maggi, my first Eucomis in flower apart from the E.bicolor in the garden. Eucomis 'Baby Opal' - who names these things? It's a super little plant obtained this year.
-
Roland and Brian.... both lovely. Congrats on both flowering, but particularly Roland as it is his first flowering of it. Very nice.
-
Thanks Paul
I hope for next year for some more flowers in the umbel
Roland
-
I think Roland and Brian are both lovely too. :)
-
Eucomis autumnale Dwarf Form
two different seedlings in flower
Roland
-
I think Roland and Brian are both lovely too. :)
The feeling is mutual Lesley 8)
Lovely E. autumnalis Roland :)
-
There are some giants coming up I bought in S. africa
looks that they grow over a meter
much to tall for my poly-tunnel
I will post a picture as soon as they flower
Roland
-
Nerine krigei starts flowering here
Roland
-
I posted this on the book thread, but its worth repeating here. A member has written a book called The Smallest Kingdom: Plants and Plant Collectors of the Cape of Good Hope. Published by Kew Publishing - RBC Kew. link is www.thesmallestkingdom.co.uk (http://www.thesmallestkingdom.co.uk)
-
Eucomis zambesiaca starts also flowering
Roland
-
Same time different locale.
Eucomis zambesiaca
-
Haemanthus coccineus x albiflos JES 1114
-
WOW
what a colour Arnold
I hope one day you have some seeds from this beauty
how long did it take to flower
Roland
-
It was a gift from an American member of this forum. Perhaps he can answer.
Arnold
-
Another little bulb. This one has beautiful foliage too.
Eucomis Eudun, unfortunately as I was carrying this the pot broke and I had to repot it, hence a little bit scruffy >:(
-
Haemanthus coccineus x albiflos JES 1114
That wretched thing has never flowered for me after the first time, and looked much less attractive then! Well done, Arnold!
Jim
-
Well Jim, not sure what to say.
Possibly send me all your none flowering bulbs and I'll give them a go.
I know they say we have the best pizza and bagels.
Is it the water?
-
You "Water" them every day ? ;D
what are you drinking ???
Roland
-
Roland, not water everyday but a bit of TLC.
-
(http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o284/mistytigergirl/Faces%20And%20Smileys/BigGrin.gif)
-
Haemanthus coccineus x albiflos JES 1114
That is a beauty 8)
Angie :)
-
Thanks, It is a treasured gift from Jim Shields.
-
Jim should ask you how to grow them ;D
Roland
-
Jim should ask you how to grow them ;D
Roland
Yep!!!
Jim
-
There just might be a few Cyrtanthus brachyscyphus seeds for the seedex this year.
johnw
-
Just a few, John ! ;D
-
There just might be a few Cyrtanthus brachyscyphus seeds for the seedex this year.
johnw
My friend just got a new washing machine - will I ask her to send you the cardboard box to send the seeds in? ::) ;D
-
just enough for me and maybe one or two other hobbyists (http://www.animated-smileys.com/smileys/cheeky/animated-smileys-cheeky-036.gif)
(http://www.animated-smileys.com/smileys/garden/animated-smileys-garden-018.gif)
Roland
-
Eucomis sparkling burgundy (left)joys purple (right)
(http://i964.photobucket.com/albums/ae121/davep1970/038-2.jpg)
-
Great Davey, you're a bit ahead of us at the moment.
-
Thank you Brian gutted a couldn't get down to the bulb sale and meet you again.
-
Well hopefully we will see you at Ben Potterton's snowdrop day Davey? I believe Ian Christie may be coming down to give a talk - my fingers are crossed!
-
Well hopefully we will see you at Ben Potterton's snowdrop day Davey? I believe Ian Christie may be coming down to give a talk - my fingers are crossed!
This sounds like something we should be promoting ..... Details ?
-
I don't know any more at the moment, Ben's snowdrop day is normally at the end of January so the first social event of the season for the snowdroppers. There is nothing yet on the website regarding next year, will let you know as soon as there is anything definite.
-
John those seed heads look a little scary if planted in the ground.
-
Here the Eucomis are coming up to speed, but compare the stage of Eucomis Pink Gin with that on Luit's thread for the weekly KAVB Flower Show - Lisse!
E.Eudun is now fully out and an absolute delight for a small plant.
Despite the terrible weather of the last two winters this self- seeded E. bicolor seems happy enough in the garden, others from the bicolor group are this seedling, E.bicolor alba, E.bicolor Stars & Stripes.
E.Oakhurst is a nice soft pink whilst E.Kilimanjaro is a good white.
-
Every one Brian i love especially Eudun what a little gem that is.
-
For me Eucomis Eudun is the winner
Roland
-
Haemanthus coccineus x albiflos JES 1114
Arnold,
I think that is the best flower I've ever seen on the cross. Taken all the best shape bits from the coccineus but with a great pink. I have one of the cross but mine is the shape of albiflos but pink. I prefer yours MUCH more. ;D
Brian,
That Eucomis Eudun is a cracker. What a beauty!!
-
Euden too ! ;D
-
Amaryllis belladonna x Cyrtanthus elatus
-
Your own cross, Michael? Very pretty blossom.
-
WOW
How long did it take to flower
Roland
-
Yes it is my own cross and ten years from seed to flower. :)
-
Amaryllis belladonna x Cyrtanthus elatus
WOW Incredible Michael,how big are the bulbs?
-
About the same size as Amaryllis bulbs.
-
:o
-
Amaryllis belladonna x Cyrtanthus elatus
Amazing plant, Mr Amazing! ;D
here's Babiana pygmaea in our Rock Garden,
cheers
fermi
-
Michael,
Interesting plant. What Cyrtanthus elatus characteristics has it inherited?
-
The flower shape and petals and the height of the flower stem, also the anthers.
-
Good to hear, Michael. Always hard to tell from a single picture. Now you've got me trying to remember what the anthers normally look like on belladonnas. ;D My brain hurts. :o
It's fascinating to hear about such crosses that we would normally never think about even trying, let alone seeing flower. Well done! 8)
-
Spiloxene carpensis has been blooming for a week or so. Such a strikingly beautiful flower !
-
It sure is, Paul.... and super pix too.
-
Paul, Here is a pic of the two plants together, there is a big difference.
-
A couple of years ago Andrew Broome (remember AB?) kindly sent me seeds of among other things, Romulea tetragona. They are already flowering, or a few of them are, a brilliant lolly pink on short, slightly felted foliage. When I get the camera sorted..... It's a lovely thing on foliage which I though had been eaten off at the tips because each leaf seems to be flat across the top but I think now it's just the way it is.
-
good idea and wonderful result Michael :) Congratulations !
-
Amaryllis belladonna...autumn is here :)
-
Wonderful clump and wonderful light for your picture Miriam !!! :) :) :)
-
Last picture of a Eucomis this year I am sure, prompted by Luit's report from Lisse, here is Eucomis Playa Blanca ... and even though I say it myself, it looks better than those at Lisse :)
-
Brian, with you the plant looks much better indeed. As an excuse, I made my picture this week, but the plant was already there a week earlier but still more in bud. And I presume it was grown under glass, probably due to our windy weather to keep the leaves nice. Therefore the colour is not so good. It is much more whitish.
-
Yes Luit, it would be totally different growing conditions, this has been outside in a pot since early April. Splendid Eucomis :)
-
Hans the pollen did the job and here's the pods forming.
(http://i964.photobucket.com/albums/ae121/davep1970/001-13.jpg)
There's another one on a different spike.
-
Davey ,
congratulation for the good pollination ;D
Hans 8)
-
please look here for a other rare african bulb plant :
http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=9213.msg256840#msg256840 (http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=9213.msg256840#msg256840)
-
Some South African bulbs now in flower at our place:
- Geissorhiza tulbaghensis per kind favour of Miriam;
- one of the seedlings appears lime green!
- a rather tiny Bulbinella triquetra - might suit a trough!
- Hesperatha bachmannii
- and what I presume is Merwilla dracomontana - I've written more on the "Scilla" thread
cheers
fermi
-
Some more geissorhiza are in bloom:
G. radians
G. monathos
G. aspera
and another look at G. tulbaghensis
cheers
fermi
-
If you need an Ixia Fix, now's the time!
These are a mix of species so some hybrids are appearing,
cheers
fermi
-
Looking very colouful Fermi, love your Ixias.
-
A number of my Massonia pustulata, grown from seed, have produced buds this year but development seems to have stalled in the last fortnight. Do they need increased heat or additional light? They are growing in an unheated greenhouse here in Anglesey. If they need light should it be given to lengthen the day or merely to increase the intensity during regular daylight hours? Any help welcome.
Erle
-
Erle - they don't need any extra heat or light so don't waste your money.
I'm further north than you and grow mine in similar conditions without extra light (or heating except on really frosty nights). My pustulata have been VERY late coming into growth this year, as have depressa and some pygmaea. It may be possible that the flowers could abort if the plants have been allowed to dry out too much but I've never seen it happen in Massonia. My advice is to wait a couple of weeks and keep your fingers crossed. My own plants are nowhere near flowering yet even though the buds are visible.
Massonia buds are always visible as soon as the plant starts to grow but they often take many weeks to develop further so don't worry :)
-
Thank you Darren. I shall be patient!
Erle
-
Erle - they don't need any extra heat or light so don't waste your money.
I'm further north than you and grow mine in similar conditions without extra light (or heating except on really frosty nights). My pustulata have been VERY late coming into growth this year, as have depressa and some pygmaea. It may be possible that the flowers could abort if the plants have been allowed to dry out too much but I've never seen it happen in Massonia. My advice is to wait a couple of weeks and keep your fingers crossed. My own plants are nowhere near flowering yet even though the buds are visible.
Massonia buds are always visible as soon as the plant starts to grow but they often take many weeks to develop further so don't worry :)
Darren I am glad to hear that your Massonia are late with you. I was starting to get very worried as I only had a few starting to grow. Hope they will all grow as I would be really disappointed if I had killed them.
Angie :)
-
Darren I am glad to hear that your Massonia are late with you. I was starting to get very worried as I only had a few starting to grow. Hope they will all grow as I would be really disappointed if I had killed them.
Angie :)
I'm starting to worry about M. depressa as there is no sign of this yet! Pygmaea has (thankfully) started to move now. Hard to believe I had this in flower at Ponteland last year - it is at least 3 weeks later this season.
I've lots of exciting Massonia seeds germinating though :) including purple leaved and pink flowered forms of pustulata. Heaven knows where I'm going to house them all (the seed packets were very generous) but I'll worry about that later. ;) ;D
-
I've lots of exciting Massonia seeds germinating though :) including purple leaved and pink flowered forms of pustulata. Heaven knows where I'm going to house them all (the seed packets were very generous) but I'll worry about that later. ;) ;D
Nice problem to have ;) Hope they all grow and multiply.
Angie :)
-
Very disappointed to have missed the first flowering on this tiny Moraea serpentina!
However the taller Babiana spathacea is also coming into bloom
And in another bed Merwilla plumbea is now flowering
cheers
fermi
-
About a fortnight later than last year- Polyxena longituba grown from seed (SRGC Exchange 07/08-2424) sown 18/12/08
-
Can anyone name this Babiana for me please?
-
Gethyllis linearis
-
Nice coloured Babania Lesley ! ;)
-
Yes it is thanks Nicole. But I think Paul may be right and thre are hybrids involved because although it's a clump of just 3 or 4 bulbs, each stem is a slightly different shade. One is magenta, one pure crimson, one what I would call cerise, slightly redder than magenta and one with a very blue base going into magenta. :)
-
I'm so pleased to see the curled leaves on the Gethyllis.
When I admired some leaves in South Africa, I was told that they wouldn't curl
if I tried growing them at home.
There are a number of genera that coil their leaves and I can't remember the genus
involved in that discussion.
Have others found that leaves straighten in cultivation? And if so, I wonder why.
-
Isn't there an Albuca species does that? I'm sure we've seen a few different plants with curling leaves on the Forum. Hope they never discover hair straighteners. :)
If they do straighten out in cultivation, perhaps it's because the conditions are generally softer than in their native habitats but the one pictured seems to be cultivated, in a pot so.....?
-
Lesley i grow albuca spiralis grown from SRGC Seedex but so far no curls,might need to take my wifes curling tongues to it...i was told its down to the moisture in the pot.
-
Dear Lesley and Davey, it is a desert plant. Increase the grit content in the mix and water sparingly and leaves will become curly.
-
I've little experience with Gethyllis but for what it's worth this is my experience with curly leaved South African bulbs under dull UK conditions:
Albuca osmynella and Moraea serpentina keep their curls reasonably well but Geissorhiza corrugata (which has tightly curled spring-like leaves in habitat) is hopelessly straightened here. Moraea pritzelliana is not as coiled as it is in habitat. My Moraea tortilis are too small to tell yet but I've seen pictures of it 'in character' in cultivation so I know it can be done, but maybe not under my permanent cloud cover ;D
Alberto is no doubt correct about substrate and watering but here I find poor winter light is a strong influence too.
-
Love those curled leaves. I picked up two species of Albuca recently that have curly leaves, but they've been grown too happily so their leaves aren't curly.
-
Here's the summer growing Eucomis unpotted ready for the winter nap.
-
Oxalis luteola 'Splash' MV7689. This is the first bloom of this season :)
-
I guess this is a selection of what we grow as O. luteola var. maculata.
-
I guess this is a selection of what we grow as O. luteola var. maculata.
Hello Lesley. I obtained a flowering plant as named under O. luteola 'Splash' MV7689 from a Japanese narsery last year. But I cannot distinguish 'Splash' and 'Maculata' ??? Perhaps both were collected from same population in their habitat by different persons ???
-
Kniphofia northiae under snow.
-
Romulea tetragona
Moraea polystachya
Lachenalia bulbifera
Oxalis versicolour, waiting for some sunshine.
Beautiful!
Thank's Michael!
Best Regards! zvone
-
A large Eucomis ready for winter rest with a familiar object for scale.
-
One can treat scale with a cell phone now?
-
I thought about what to put in the image to convey scale and said " why not something most people either have in the pockets of have seen everyday."
-
One can treat scale with a cell phone now?
As Arnold says, it makes a good comparison, but for a treat I think most prefer the cinema or dinner out....... ;) ;D
-
I usually treat scale with an effective insecticide.
-
Well cell phones are getting really smart now so soon we'll be able to point them at any fungus or aphis and like like Lady McBeth - see Fermi's other post in whatever thread - say out, damned spot and it will go immediately.
Well I won't. I have enough trouble coping with a very regular cell phone. The smart ones are WAY too technical.
-
I'm so pleased to see the curled leaves on the Gethyllis.
When I admired some leaves in South Africa, I was told that they wouldn't curl
if I tried growing them at home.
There are a number of genera that coil their leaves and I can't remember the genus
involved in that discussion.
Have others found that leaves straighten in cultivation? And if so, I wonder why.
From the PBS lists, a link to an paper ( only the abstract, for free!)
Desert geophytes under dew and fog: The “curly-whirlies” of Namaqualand (South Africa)
by Stefan Vogel and Ute Müller-Doblies
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0367253010001015/ (http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0367253010001015/)
-
Maggi
the name of this peoples is :
Stefan Vogel
Ute Müller-Doblies
Hans
-
You are correct Hans - a case of careless copying on my part. :-[
I will make a correction.
-
I can access the full paper and it looks very interesting - thanks for pointing it out.
-
Here are three Gethyllis linearis sitting in the same pot displaying different amounts of 'curl'
Gethyllis linearis
-
Acquired this as Lachenalia rubrida rubra but G. Duncan calls it Lachenalia punctata in his new Lachenalia tome.
-
Here are three Gethyllis linearis sitting in the same pot displaying different amounts of 'curl'
Gethyllis linearis
Well: three in the same pot all doing their "own thing" - is there any way these plants can confuse us more? :-\ ;)
-
Here are three Gethyllis linearis sitting in the same pot displaying different amounts of 'curl'
Gethyllis linearis
The battery on the curling tongs must have been running out of puff. ;D
-
Arnold love those leaves.
-
Polyxena ensifolia, white form seedlings, purple dots on out side of petals.
Polyxena 'Pink Pompon', probably selected from P. ensifolia seedlings.
-
Very pretty YT
-
As they are beautiful. Especially Polyxena 'Pink Pompon'.
It is a pity that we can not grow these flowers in the garden.
-
YT, those Polyxena are beautiful 8) wish I could grow them like you have.
Angie :)
-
Crossyne flava leaf detail
Freesia elimensis
Massonia punctata 'Purple leaves'
-
Arnold seeing the sun on your Massonia makes me jealous. Mine are really struggling this year. Will be nice to see the flower open.
Angie :)
-
We've had bizarre weather. Hit 65 F today. The miniature Narcissus that are open are frizzling like potato chips in hot oil.
-
28 degC here this morning then at lunch it plunged to 12 and now it's raining. But I need a good drop or two.
-
Lucky you are !! 2°C here.. >:(
-
....................................................... But I need a good drop or two.
Me too Lesley, now where did I put that glass? ;D
-
Whatever else you mislaid David, it wouldn't have been the glass. ;D I started off typing that I needed a good shower then immediately thought of the comments that would produce, so did a hasty change. ;D ;D
-
It sounds like many of you have the same problem we are having in the North American midwest. I have a pond on my place that is bone dry; first time for this to happen since the pond was created eighteen years ago. The long range forecast is for another dry winter.
-
One of the (few) problems of being a Yorkshireman is never being able to pass a bargain. At our local AGS Group meeting earlier this week the sales table had a lovely tray of Massonia echinata and M. depressa plants in 5" half-pots at £1.50 each. Needless to say I had to buy one of each. Where on earth I'm going to fit them in the greenhouse the Good Lord only knows!
-
One of the (few) problems of being a Yorkshireman is never being able to pass a bargain.
Had you not been a Yorkshireman David - or Dutch or Chinese - never mind a Scot - you would have bought 3 of each. ;D
-
Two views of Massonia pustulata Purple leaves from a Roy Herold distribution to the PBS.
-
WOW so nice colour
R
-
Roland:
Thanks, I should have waited until they are fully open, but that only means there's more to come.
-
These are nice Arnold! there are a couple of Roys Massonias in bud here too :)
-
Full open.
Massonia pustulata Purple leaves.
-
Beautiful plant Arnold
-
David:
Thanks so much. I have to say that they grew without much care
-
David:
Thanks so much. I have to say that they grew without much care
Great plant Arnold bit jealous though of you saying grew without much care.
Angie :)
-
Angie:
I know. I potted it up and it grew well last year. Put it on a shelf in the basement for the summer and brought it out and gave a good drink in September and voila!
I could say that I cuddled it along with masterful care, but really not.
I do have a cold greenhouse which is only two years old.
-
This is how it often works Arnold
the more you spoil them
the less they flower
Roland
-
This is how it often works Arnold
the more you spoil them
the less they flower
Roland
Ok then I am not going to talk to mine then, no more telling them how much I like them ;) ;D
Angie :)
-
;D
-
Lachenalia viridflora
-
This stays a special one
nice picture (I mean plant)
Roland
-
Ferraria densepunctulata
With nectaries visible just below the pollen sacks.
Some nectaries are there to provide a food source for insects mostly wasps (animal mutualists) who prey on damaging insects.
-
I can almost taste the sweetness of the nectar ;)
Bright and intricate photo to cheer a cold dull day here Arnold. Nothing so glamorous flowering here.
-
Ferraria densepunctulata
With nectaries visible just below the pollen sacks.
Some nectaries are there to provide a food source for insects mostly wasps (animal mutualists) who prey on damaging insects.
Arnold
This is one of the best flowers you showed till now
congratulations (http://www.thesmilies.com/smilies/jumping/jumping0045.gif) (http://www.thesmilies.com)
what a colours , I hope you get seeds
Roland
-
Roland:
thanks, you're first on line if seeds appear.
-
Thanks Arnold
Maybe you know
Today I spoke a grower in Holland
and he had problems by getting Ferraria crispa into flower
Do you know a trick (warm in the summer for example) to get them in flower
or is the Dutch clone who is in the trade a bad flowering clone
as was for example 10-15 years ago the Crocus sativus
Roland
-
Arnold if you get seed I would love to try it too please. It is such a brighter flower than crispa. Roland can you receive corms ok in the mail from Oz? I will send you a couple if it can be done.
Mine here get a good old baking each summer but where I found the bulbs originally was on a roadside near an old property under some gum trees - around the base of one. It was a bit sandier there too than here.
-
Hi Pat
We can receive everything here in France
as long as it is send by normal post (not express post , Cost $600,00 for a broker)
just mention on the CN22 (post office or google CN22 and print the small paper ,Or I can mail you the PDF) Gift and Botanical sample
with a very small value
Not sure for how long
But as long as it works I am happy
Germany seems bad in the moment
Roland
-
The form is usual practice. I will try to do it this week.
-
Thanks Pat :)
-
Just checking email before the EPL goes on. My internet connection to the forum is always best in morning
I put my SA bulbs in a cool basement over summer. Water once per week and a Hydroponic fertilizer which I've mentioned here before. Greenhouse at not less than 45 F during winter.
-
Pat:
If seeds comes you're on the list as well.
-
So probably the Dutch clone is the problem
many Dutch bulbs are clones
multiplied by thousands or even millions
that's why I prefer Wild collected or well known sources for seeds or bulbs
Roland
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Roland, maybe my experience is of a little value, but my Ferraria crispa flower profusely and grow like weeds here. They have a pretty invasive habit, setting lots of seeds and multiplying by corms, which I believe are stoloniferous as I find new plants everywhere. I raised them from Silverhill seeds and got an incredible array of patterns and colour combinations, but for lazyness I have never tried to isolate them, I guess I have 7 different forms.
Speaking of SA irids, the Moraea polystachya is a plant which should never miss in any Mediterranean garden, it will flowers for months without any care. Photo of 30th Dec
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Veltheimia bracteata lemon flame , not easy to stop it going a bit leggy on a windowsill with very little daylight at this time of year
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I have been trying to grow Ferraria for ten years. For years I kept them dry, but a few years ago I waterd and fed them a lot -and planted them at the bottom of deep pots.
Then they grew very well for one year! Then... cold winters! (minus 15 /minus 18). I think that they are hardy to no colder than minus 10 c.
One tiny corm survived from perhaps 8 pots. I have some more now, one tried to flower last Summer. It grew and grew for months but never got far enough to open its flowers -and snails kept trying to eat it. Last summer was cold here.
I think that the key with Ferraria is to make the corms grow strongly enough for flowering sized shoots and heat for the buds to develop.
They are stoloniferous Angelo!
As I understand the structure of corms (versus bulbs) the flower bud is made in the growing shoot - not in the dormant corm. if anyone else knows more about this I am happy to be corrected -I do not claim to be a botanist.
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You are correct Peter - the cormous Irids develop their flower buds during the current season and not during dormancy - which is why it is apparently possible to flower some the first season from seed. As you say - it is getting them to put on good growth during the season that is key. Cold summers may cause them to take a year off and miss a season completely but if they do grow then they should hopefully flower if big/vigorous enough
One of my F crispa came from Monocot Nursery 12 years ago and grows/flowers every year even in poor weather so I'm sure clonal differences are important. Those Ferraria I've raised from seed have been painfully slow in my conditions and my seedlings of F. divaricata are still tiny and awaiting their first flowers after 10 years.
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You are correct Peter - the cormous Irids develop their flower buds during the current season and not during dormancy - which is why it is apparently possible to flower some the first season from seed. As you say - it is getting them to put on good growth during the season that is key. Cold summers may cause them to take a year off and miss a season completely but if they do grow then they should hopefully flower if big/vigorous enough
Thank you for this Darren,
at last someone else who realises the differences between bulbs and corms and the practical implications which mean that it is important horticulturally as well as botanically.
So many who appear well informed seem to equate the stems in corms with the basal plates in bulbs. Where I have pointed out these differences on another forum the eminent botanist's either keep quiet or give ambiguous information which suggests that they don't even know what cells make up each part of a corms structure.
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Peter
I think this is the same problem as Amaryllis (Hippeastrum) and Geranium (Pelargonium)
the names are so popular used
that you easy make the mistake to use them wrong
special because both names Amaryllis and Geranium exist
Roland
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Though not tackling the subject of bulbs versus corms I have put together a 'montage' of conversation from public forums, not in strict chronological order, of the confusion which seems to be perpetuated. Most of the names may be recognisable to plant enthusiasts. Please do not bother with reading it all if plant anatomy does not interest you.
Musa corms
Tim Chapman (Sun, 03 Jun 2012 22:11:24 PDT)
Again it all boils down to limiting definitions and diversity. Given the definitions available and the history of use most Musa have corms, some have rhizomes. Now clearly a Musa corm does not fit into the definition you refer to in regards to depletion of and reforming a new corm etc. My main point is that in Musa taxonomy a distinction is made between the two.
@ Waddick, the foremost authority on and taxonomist of Musa refers to corms in his literature. The use of the term is valid.
Musa corms
Peter Taggart (Mon, 04 Jun 2012 05:17:17 PDT)
Please, could there be some clarification here?
Peter (UK)
Musaceae
James Waddick (Sun, 03 Jun 2012 20:26:17 PDT)
Dear Friends,
All members of the family Musaceae and the related
Zingiberales have rhizomes. Although somewhat modified in bananas, it
is very obvious in Cannas, Gingers, Heliconias and other relatives.
Just the way it is. Best Jim W.
Hannon (Sun, 03 Jun 2012 17:59:04 PDT)
Peter,
The term "corm" is inconsistently defined by various sources, including a
number of botanical dictionaries. The better definition, in my view, is one
that can be usefully confined to bulb-like stems comprised of several nodes
and internodes that are *completely exhausted and renewed each season*.
Examples include Crocus, Gladiolus, Amorphophallus (not quite all), and...
I wonder if Hannon has ever dug up a crocosmia corm? :o
Musa corms
Tim Chapman (Sun, 03 Jun 2012 20:18:34 PDT)
Aside from size and notable pseudostem, why can't Musa be considered
rhizomatous?
Dylan
Some are. Musa taxonomists consider some to have corms, other species to have rhizomes. If you were to dig up a rhizomatous species (for example M laterita ) you find something something similar to a Canna rhizome (on steroids). Ie plants attached to a network of rhizomes that are growing horizontally continuously. In M laterita the rhizome can grow a meter before throwing up a new sprout. These rhizomes will usually survive a dormancy or two at least and can sprout new growth along the the rhizome (not just at the end of the growing point..if that makes sense).
On the other hand species with corms will spout new plants but there is no connecting stem/rhizome per se. The two corms will eventually separate. The difference is noticeable above ground as well as the rhizomatous plants are clearly runners that can quickly colonize a large area. Those with corms have a more clumping habit.
Don't know if it holds true for all Musa, but it seems that rhizome vs corm fits with naturally deciduous vs evergreen. There might be exceptions?
Musa corms
Hannon (Sun, 03 Jun 2012 20:45:57 PDT)
Tim,
I know Musa is diverse and don't doubt that that diversity extends to
rootstocks. Perhaps it is a case similar to Amorphophallus, but reversed:
almost all amorphos grow from a more or less globular or discoid structure
that is typically used up completely each season and is "replaced" by a new
corm formed at (and by) the base of the current season's leaf and
cataphylls. However, there is at least one species, A. coaetaneus, that
could be described as forming a "chain of corms". Instead of being used up
entirely in a season, the corms persist in rhizomatous fashion for several....
Peter Boyce phymatarum@googlemail.com via science.uu.nl
4/24/12
to Arisaema
No, because it has no ‘tunic’. Think Crocus and Gladiolus for true corms.
Geophytic aroids with underground storage organs are never cormous. Most, regardless of the shape of the storage organ, are tubers. Rhizome has a very specific morphological application and there are none in Arisaema that I recall. Amorphophallus has two definite rhizomatous species, A. rhizomatosus and A. hayi.
In my opinion Peter Boyce could have included more on the internal structure of corms in this last answer....
Yes Roland, common and erronious usage of these words is wide spread even among those who should know much better. I too slip up but I try to be carefull on this.
At work, as a gardener, I have to be extremely careful to ensure I
understand correctly what my clients want when they refer to "Geraniums",
"Automn Crocus", "Greater Celandine" and so on.
Peter (UK)
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The end of the flowering period for the winter growers here, at least unless my very few amaryllids decide to pop up flowers in mid summer.
There's a tale with these two pictures.
Our AGS group used to have a display at the Holker Hall festival in Cumbria each June. Back in the late 90s one of the donated display plants was labelled 'Moraea alpina'. I was rather taken with it so when I saw seed in the AGS exchange a few years later I got some. All I knew about M. alpina was that it was a summer growing Drakensberg species so I treated my (many) seedlings accordingly. By the time I observed that the seedlings really wanted to grow in winter I had lost most of them and realised it could not be M. alpina. A switch to a winter growing regime produced much improved growth in the only surviving plant, which then flowered. I have identified it as Moraea debilis. In fact the pot I originally saw at Holker was also M. debilis misidentified and I wonder if the donor of this plant also sent the seed to the exchange.
M.debilis is related to M tripetala but is usually smaller flowered and (distinctively) flowers at the very end of its growth period as the leaves die off, M tripetala flowers much earlier - usually March with me. M debilis seems to be rather rare in cultivation. M alpina coincidentally flowers at the same time but is at the start of its growth period. I googled for images of M. alpina and found M. debilis is masquerading as it elsewhere too!
As luck would have it I mentioned this story to a kind forumist at an SRGC discussion weekend and he soon sent me a few corms of the true M. alpina which is a delightful plant only 4cm high in flower.
Hi Darren,
According to your description, does moraea alpina start growing in March?
I got several bulbils of m. Alpina this year, and i plant them in October like many other South African bulbs. I thought they were dead because i see no leaf coming out.
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Hi Ian,
Yes it is a summer grower. Good luck with it!
Darren.