Rhodophiala - Summer 2011

[Ezeiza]

John, it is a cold climate species that spends winter under snow and flowers in early summer/summer.

Repot in a long Tom and give it enough depth to speed their maturity.

Dry cool winter.

[johnw]

John, it is a cold climate species that spends winter under snow and flowers in early summer/summer.

Repot in a long Tom and give it enough depth to speed their maturity.

Dry cool winter.

Thanks Alberto.  They are in a quite deep plastic pot now but I have been watching for roots at the drainage holes, as soon as they appear they will go into a clay long tom. I think this one would be happier in a clay pot.

Are summers warm or hot in the Rhodophiala habitat?  Wondering if some grow in cool summer areas.

Also is laeta difficult from seed? Or reluctant to produce viable seed?

Cyrtanthus contractus has just broken dormancy. Every year I wonder if it has survived as the previous year's leaves don't just die down gracefully, they die as if there is a serious cultural problem.

johnw

[Ezeiza]

It is Chilean. Summers can be short and hot but when the sun goes down it is quite cool.

Note many of these bulbs are not hardy although the foliage is, but this happens with many kinds of bulbs.

R. laeta comes from a region that could be compared to the Karoos, hot during the day, cool at night, basically arid. In any case not belonging to the group where montana could be placed.

[santo2010]

Here It is another Rhodophiala in their habitat.
Last weekend pics!
R. Bifida pink form.

[Gerdk]

Rhodophiala at a roadside - difficult not to become enviously!
Thanks for showing this pics.

Gerd

[Alessandro.marinello]

Rhodophiala araucana

[JoshY46013]

Alessandro,

   How do you grow this difficult species?  Very nice!
Josh

[Hans J]

Here is flowering :

Rhodophiala advena

[Alessandro.marinello]

Thanks Josh
Hans a nice color

[Hans J]

Thanks Alessandro 

Well done with R.araucana !

[johnw]

Stunning flowers from both Alessandro and Hans!

Hans  - My Rhodophiala advena from 1997 seed has just shot up its first bud. We will now see if it is correctly labelled.

Eleventh and twelfth flower stocks on araucana, one peach and one yellow.

johnw

[Hans J]

Thank you John !

[johnw]

Hans  -  My R. advena opened today and it is the most miserable colour I have seen in a bulb, a very washed out plum.   I will try to photograph it on the weekend.  I'm hoping it will improve next year and have to wonder if the last 2 weeks of darkness might have caused the colour to be so shabby.  Hans, have you seen any colour improvemnt after the first flowering of your Rhodophialas?

Nevertheless I crossed it with the peach araucana as yet another flower stock shot up and flowered in the last 3 days, the 13th stalk to date.  The araucana had its first pod split open this morning and I caught the seed in the nick of time.

johnw

[Hans J]

John ,

I have tried to pollinate self my R.advena ...but it looks it works not .

To your question : I have this plant received in flowering size ....my own self grown need some year more for flowering

Hans

[angie]

Hi John

I read that you left the neck of the bulb above the soil. I have received a couple of bulbs and the neck is very long. I wasn't sure how to deep to plant the bulb. I will need a really deep pot if I have to cover the neck. Any advice would be appreciated.

Angie