Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum

Bulbs => Bulbs General => Topic started by: ArnoldT on June 29, 2012, 05:02:17 PM

Title: African, but not South African
Post by: ArnoldT on June 29, 2012, 05:02:17 PM

Cryptostephanus vansonii is an evergreen species native to eastern Zimbabwe to western Mozambique.

Title: Re: African, but not South African
Post by: Maggi Young on June 29, 2012, 05:14:10 PM

A most interesting plant.
There are a couple of links in the forum but I don't think too many people seem to grow it?

http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=3804.0 (http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=3804.0)

http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=5296.0 (http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=5296.0)

Title: Re: African, but not South African
Post by: jshields on June 29, 2012, 06:15:51 PM

I've grown C. vansonii for years.  My original stock came from Zimbabwe by way of a friend in South Africa.  Attempts to get C. haemanthoides have not been successful, but I know several people who do grow it in North America.

My vansonii spends all year round in my larger greenhouse with drip irrigation and a large swamp cooling system running in summer.  They seem to bloom at odd times in the years.

Jim

Title: Re: African, but not South African
Post by: Carlo on July 09, 2012, 10:56:27 PM

I've grown it for years--though a pinker form. Pretty reliable and not difficult at all.

Title: Re: African, but not South African
Post by: pontus on July 14, 2012, 05:26:12 PM

I grow cryptostephanus haemanthoides which i brought back from Tanzania...it seems to be more or less evergreen, and seems to like paramongaia like potting mix...well drained humus rich soil with lots of aquarium grit and pieces of bark added, and lots of watering and liquid organic feeding while in full growth in summer, and produces alot of offsets.

it has not yet flowered, but was identified as haemanthoides by an IBS member based on photographs of leaves and bulbs/roots...

Pontus

Title: Re: African, but not South African
Post by: ArnoldT on September 25, 2012, 10:01:19 PM

Here's a second flowering on the same plant as previously posted.  The red in the flower being more pronounced.

Cryptostephanus vansonii