Cyrtanthus 2019

[jshields]

I have a plant received under the name Cyrtanthus labiatus, but it is not that species.  I suspect it might be a hybrid of labiatus with something such as elatus.  It might have come from Bill Dijk, in case he sees this and remembers; it would have been around 2002.  This plant makes bulblets like, e.g.,  elatus x montanus.

     

There is a good picture of labiatus flowers in "The Color Encyclopedia of Cape Bulbs" by Manning, Goldblatt, and Snijman (2002), see page 120.  A much less sharp image can be found as follows:

     

Does anyone know what this plant of mine really is?

Jim

[Rimmer de Vries]

Jim

Your plant looks just like my C.  elatus x montanus in bloom now too, about 250 mile to your south

[jshields]

My "labiatus" flower does not spread the petal tips like the (elatus x montanus) flowers do.   I have a montanus about to bloom, so I will cross the montanus pollen onto the "x-labiatus" flowers.  If I get seeds,  maybe we can tell something from their eventual flowers' form.

My (elatus x montanus) bulbs have not bloomed yet, up here n the North.  Maybe my pots are way too crowded; I will have to repot them someday soon.


Jim

[jshields]

The bloom on my Cyrtanthus obliquus has filled out some, as a couple more buds become more nearly open (on the top).





The last blooming Cyrtanthus montanus that still looks decent is about ready to fade away itself (on the bottom).





It seems hard to believe, with this hot summer weather, that all these potted bulbs will have to move inside the greenhouses in just a couple more weeks.


Jim