Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
Bulbs => Bulbs General => Topic started by: frits.kp on May 20, 2012, 03:45:43 PM
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I am asking you to look at this Galtonia, which when in flower is affinity to Galtonia viridiflora but this plant only grows 30-38cm tall.
Question, Is it already on the market (I am pretty good and I have never seen it) do any of your contacts know of its existence.
I have grown it from a small bulb grown from Ron McBeath "Albuca McB2980" in Summer 2007. I phoned Ron in the autumn 2007 to say it was not Albuca but a Galtonia, are there any collection details. "no" Does he know of a dwarf Galtonia, "no, but it will grow larger in to a usual Galtonia viridiflora"
No it hasn't in all the five years, it remains at 30cm.
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I am asking you to look at this Galtonia, which when in flower is affinity to Galtonia viridiflora but this plant only grows 30-38cm tall.
Question, Is it already on the market (I have never seen it) do any of your contacts know of its existence.
I have grown it from a small bulb grown from Ron McBeath "Albuca McB2980" in Summer 2007. I phoned Ron in the autumn 2007 to say it was not Albuca but a Galtonia, are there any collection details. "no" Does he know of a dwarf Galtonia, "no, but it will grow larger in to a usual Galtonia viridiflora"
No it hasn't in all the five years, it remains at 30cm.
pic
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Must say I like the idea of a dwarf Galtonia, Kevin- but I don't know what species it might be.
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How big is G reginae?
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And what about G. princeps? I think that's a green one. No idea how high though but definitely shorter than G. candicans.
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yes both the two species you mention grow here with me from South African stock but both species are much taller, closer to 80-100cm high
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The only other Galtonia species name I can think of is G regalis, but I am not sure if it is a good name.
I would not rely on the height of a plant alone to determine the species though - a higher altitude or dry area form might well be shorter.
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Could you please e mail me a high resolution picture to pontus.wallsten@bluewin.ch, and i will forward it to some of my south african contacts to see if they can ID it?
Pontus
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I see the Galtonia is grown in a pot, that might also be a reason why it hasn't grown taller. I do grow G. princeps and G. candicans in full ground so in England you must be able to grow them in outside too, although I don't know about G. viridiflora. You might try with some seedlings.
My G. princeps grows 40 cm (leaves) and 60 cm (flowers) and G. candicans 50 cm (leaves) and 80 cm (flowers)
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I agree that pots get too dry for them unless stood in water and they dont usually grow to full size in a pot anyway
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Here is the G viridiflorus that grows outside in my garden:
http://succulentsonice.blogspot.com/2011/07/galtonia-viridiflora.html (http://succulentsonice.blogspot.com/2011/07/galtonia-viridiflora.html)
Not a tall plant, but taller than yours.
Martin
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Sorry but two years ago it was outside in the garden and the height remained the same. I dig the bulbs up every year because we get -18c here and I went back to the pots because I wanted to show it at an AGS show.
This is not G.viridiflora
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I should have also added that if you grow Galtonia viridiflora in a small pot it WILL still produce a large flower.
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Just to add that both G. candicans and princeps (the green one) grow here and have survived all of the vicissitudes of the last 3 winters without flinching, to the extent that both are in danger of becoming regarded as weeds. They self seed, even in the gravel paths and grow to flowering size in the gravel with no apparent soil. Even then they are normal height for them.
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We find that various types of plants self-seeding into gravel will happily grow to "full" size.
If you are doing a bit of Galtonia "weeding", Eric, I'd be grateful to receive some cast-offs! :)
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Bit late now, unless you are going to Ponteract. However I can and will save some seeds of both for you with pleasure.
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Eric, I would be grateful for some seed in due course, thank you. :-*
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I have the same experience as Eric. It also survived last 3 winters here with a minimum of -17C. And it does selfseed. Unfortunately it's not the right time now, but otherwise I would also be glad to offer Maggi seed or bulblets of G. candicans or G. princeps.
The mystery Galtonia of Kevin might be different. I hope you will have enough seedlings to test it outside. In my opinion it would be a more interesting garden plant if it could be kept outside.
good luck ;)
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I can send you some bulbs Maggie
from G candicans and G viridiflora
Roland
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Roland, how kind... I will PM you. :-*
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Just been looking at the G. candicans which is growing in the gravel and they are a good 6 inches tall, so I think moving them would be a bit silly really. Do let us know later on in the year if you still need/want fresh seed. They can be had to flower in the 3rd season after sowing with a bit of hefty feeding.
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Here is a nice Galtonia picture http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=400862129970631&set=o.179350835438978&type=1&relevant_count=1 (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=400862129970631&set=o.179350835438978&type=1&relevant_count=1)
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Just an up date to the dwarf 30cm high green Galtonia I have been growing. I have three replies, the first was within a week from a South African nursery who was adamant Galtonia viridiflora is variable, and there are shorter growing species to be found growing wild. The second reply came for a dutch bulb nurseryman specialists who grows a large number of Galtonia, he was also quite clear that Galtonia viridiflora has a number of shorter growing forms. Finally and more recent, a reply from Australia who grows a similar variety to mine. He wanted to call it a selected variety (I'm not reprinting his unaccepted name suggestion here, unnecessary) However, it seems I do not have a unique species or variety. I does also seem to be available in the wild and cultivation, if a nurseryman would like to select out the shorter forms. Never-the-less I like my dwarf 30cm green Galtonia and will enjoy exhibiting it next year at shows.
Kevin Pratt.