Fritillaria 2009

[Oron Peri]

Fritillaria persica is in flower now,
there is a slight variation in color and shape of the flowers.

[maggiepie]

How beautiful, you live in  plant paradise, thanks for the pics.

[Rob Potterton]

Very beautifull Oron, particularly the first image - is that a Cyclamen in the background??

[Oron Peri]

Hi Rob,
Yes there are some  C. persicum in the beckground.

[olegKon]

Breathtaking, Oron. And so very variable!

[Carlo]

Oron,
I'd be very interested in learning about the countryside and climate of your garden in Galilee. You seem to be able to grow a fantastic variety of plants.

Perhaps a new thread on gardening in your part of the world?

[Oron Peri]

Thank you Oleg, consider that there is much more variability if you add the dark forms of F. persica
[Syn. F. arabica], these are in bloom usually in early March.
The greeny-yellowish forms are growing in N. Israel, Lebanon and W. Syria while the dark forms are more of Eastern populations, SE Israel, Jordan to Iran mainly in semidesert climate.

Carlo
My climate [zone 9] is very similar to California, maybe a bit drier.
Israel & Palestine are quite rich in bulbous plants, more then 230 taxa., and so I have quite a large selection to choose from.
I always look for plants from  similar altitudes, this way I have better chance of growing them.
For example the Frits. photographed above are growing not far from where I live at 240m above sea level.
Many times I have tried to grow the same species from much higher altitudes but never succeeded with these.
And so after many bad attempts  I have decided to collect species from the Mediterranean Basin that are growing at  relatively low altitudes and finally give up all those lovely, Delicious , marvelous, incredibly beautiful.....high altitudes plants.

[Magnar]

Thank you Oron, very interesting to see, and what a thrill to have such flowers at this time of year. ( I am in the middle of winter here with snow and frost). I wish I could grow F. persica, but while many other Frits grow very well for me, this one doesn't.

[Lesley Cox]

What a lovely plant Oron. Thanks for these beautiful pictures.

Your climate sounds very like mine, which surprises me. I live at about 300 m above sea level and also in Zone 9. Alas, we have no native bulbous species in New Zealand, so the rest of the world's species come to us - when the bureaucrats permit.

[Oron Peri]

Thanks Lesley,

I think the difference between here and New Zealand are annual rain falls,
we don't get more than 500mm annually, in only 3-4 months during the year, and most areas get much less, therefor plants had to develop ways to store water in order to survive, one of the solutions were storage organs such as bulbs.
I suppose most of NZ get much more then 500mm and probably over a longer period...??

[Lesley Cox]

I've changed it now but I noticed that I wrote I love at 300 m. Well that too.

NZ's rainfall is very diverse in recent times, probably less so pre human occupation. Where I live we have about 450-500mm per year though Dunedin city just 18 kms away (by road, less for the birds) has twice that. But I have most rain in winter with smaller amounts in autumn/spring and very little over the 4 summer months. Winters are relatively mild - down to approx -6C is a "hard" frost for me.

The north and west of the North Island have much higher rain fall and the west coast of the South Island measures its rainfall in metres rather than millimetres, and can have 10m or more in a single year. A single rainfall over 24 hours of 2-300mm is not unusual. The whole east coast of the country is in semi drought conditions for several years, especially severe in the east of the N.I. and in Marlbourgh, north-east of the S.I.

The difference between east and west coast rainfall comes about because of the mountains which are just about down the middle of the whole country. Volcanic Plateau and others in the N.I. and Southern Alps in the S.I.

[Oron Peri]

Lesley
Thank you for giving this interesting information on your weather,
wish we had  half of that rain....
very interesting!!!

[arillady]

Oron,
Your climate would be very similar to here in South Australia I should imagine. We can have days in summer in the low 40C and occasionally in autumn and spring -7C. We have had 2008 - 323ml, 207 - 383ml, 2006 - 24ml with an average between 1908-1979 541ml.
We have had no rain this month so far. Over the last few years the rain has mainly fallen in March/April, july/August/September - BUT last year 61ml in December, 56 in January 2007. Can someone please put me in a zone? In the past we did not get these summer rains as much.
Being in a gully with most of my garden on an east facing slope we do enjoy cooler night time temps and frosts.
I too look for plants from the lower altitudes as we are about 380metres above sea level.
I am noting all these bulbs that I should be able to grow so that when seed lists arrive I know what to look out for.
Thank you and please continue all these wonderful postings Oron.
Pat T

[Oron Peri]

Thank you Pat,

I think your conditions are perfect for growing bulbs, from higher altitudes as well, since you have low temperatures in winter.
I am in Zone 9, where temperatures hardly ever drop below 5c, so I guess you are in Zone 8, which give you the possibility to grow also species such as Peonies, Fritillaria, Tulipa and many others that can not grow here.

Is there a piece of land available around there....?

[Hans A.]

Hi Oron - this Fritillaria persica are real stunner!!!

(and are You sure you are in zone 9? - I live in zone 10a and think your area is still warmer than mine... - and I can grow a few Paeonies and Tulips here )