Rain-lilies: Cooperia, Habranthus, Zephyranthes, etc, 2014

[fermi de Sousa]

These haven't been the first for the year, but on Friday we had 7 mm of rain following 5 days of 40^oC + heat and on Sunday these were up; first the ubiquitous Habranthus tubispathus x2,
Habranthus tubispathus "Salmon pink form" x2
Zephyranthes primulina
cheers
fermi

[fermi de Sousa]

10mm of rain last week brought out another flush of flowers:
Zephyranthes primulina x3
Habranthus robustus - seedlings of 'Russell Manning' x2
cheers
fermi

[fermi de Sousa]

A bit more rain and we have a lot more rain-lilies!
Habranthus tubispathus
 H. t."Salmon pink form"
Habranthus martinezii
Zephyranthes minima
Zephyranthes 'Grandjax'
cheers
fermi

[jshields]

These came as Zephyranthes atamasco, but I think they are Z. treatiae.  These do very well in the greenhouse in winter and on the patio in summer.  That sounds more like treatiae than like atamasco.







Now I have to get the real atamasco for my collection.

Jim

[fermi de Sousa]

This is the first flower for the season for what I think is Zephyranthes drummondii
cheers
fermi

[fermi de Sousa]

The first seedling to flower on my cross of Zephyranthes 'Ajax' x 'Grandjax' but it looks like a throw-back to grandparent Z. candida!
6 others yet to flower!
cheers
fermi

[fermi de Sousa]

Zephyranthes candida is actually looking quite good elsewhere in the garden in full sun,
cheers
fermi

[Maggi Young]

The first seedling to flower on my cross of Zephyranthes 'Ajax' x 'Grandjax' but it looks like a throw-back to grandparent Z. candida!
6 others yet to flower!
cheers
fermi

   Just the faintest pink blush on the outers - very pretty.

[fermi de Sousa]

   Just the faintest pink blush on the outers - very pretty.

I might try to cross it with Z. primulina if there's one in bloom tomorrow,
cheers
fermi

[fermi de Sousa]

No Z.primulina in flower today, so I used pollen from 'Grandjax' on the new hybrid
This is a seedling from 'Bangkok Yellow' which is apparently the same cross which produced 'Ajax'.
I also crossed it with 'Grandjax' so will be interested to see if it produces a similar result!
cheers
fermi

[fermi de Sousa]

This opened this morning and it appears that all the pollen was gone even by 8 am!
I think it's Zephyranthes fosteri,
cheers
fermi

[jshields]

Zephyranthes simpsonii is now blooming in the greenhouse.  It comes from the same areas as Z. atamasco and Z. treatiae.  It differs in chromosomes (48 vs. 24 for atamasco/treatiae) but the best way to eyeball the differences is that simpsonii has the stigma level with the anthers, or no more than about 2 mm above them, while atamasco and treatiae have the stigma usually 10-15 mm above the anthers.  In simpsonii, the flower buds are red before they open; in atamasco/treatiae, the flower buds are at most pale pinkish before they open.





Both pictures show simpsonii.  I posted pictures of treatiae awhile back.  M y lone pot of atamasco has not yet bloomed for me.

Jim

[fermi de Sousa]

Zephyranthes 'Ajax' a hybrid between Z. candida and Z. citrina,
cheers
fermi

[jshields]

Still in bloom in the greenhouse is Zephyranthes grandiflora ( = carinata)



Rhodophiala montana from Telos Rare Bulbs bloomed a couple weeks ago in the greenhouse:

 

Habranthus tubispathus (a.k.a. "texanus") is starting to bloom as well:



For every pot with one Clivia plant that I throw out, I can put in a pot with a dozen or two rainlily bulbs.

Jim

[David Nicholson]

Habranthus tubispathus from the greenhouse today. These from seed kindly sent to me by Fermi in 2009 and sown May 2009. They flowered last year too.