Lycoris incarnata

[johnw]

As it's the first Lycoris to flower there is no other one to cross it with. I'd never considered trying Rhodophiala pollen but might next year. cheers fermi

Fermi - I could send you pollen of R. araucana if you let me know right away.

I guess I should save some pollen to try on R. advena too.


johnw

[johnw]

The species of Lycoris that I listed as hardy are much hardier than Nerine bowdenii, and they all need a deep chill in winter.  They can survive in ground that is frozen solid for weeks at a time.  So by all means, in Europe (anywhere warmer than USDA cold zone 4) plant all but the most tender directly into the ground. Jim

Jim  - Unfortunately no nurseries growing or selling Lycoris in Canada (aside from L. radiata from Holland).  Is there are source in the US for the tougher ones?

johnw

[Alessandro.marinello]

Jim
Thank you

[JoshY46013]

It's quite a show here in USDA Zone 5 when the Lycoris species/hybrids bloom!  It seems most EVERYONE grows them and they truly are pass-a-long plants!

Alessandro, you must try some, they are quite hardy as Jim stated! 

Josh

[jshields]

Jim  - Unfortunately no nurseries growing or selling Lycoris in Canada (aside from L. radiata from Holland).  Is there are source in the US for the tougher ones?

johnw

Sources:  Check with Kelly Irvin < http://www.bulbmeister.com/ > and with Tony Avent < http://www.plantdel.com/ >.  Google for Lycoris chinensis, Lycoris sprengerei, Lycoris longituba.  If all else fails, come by my place for a visit next July (I don't ship except for swaps and can't export anymore).

Jim

[johnw]

Thanks for the source list Jim.

I'm not have much luck finding out if Kelly ships to Canada but will email him.

I'd love ot visit sometime!

johnw

[Alessandro.marinello]

Jim
Excuse, but you have not cited Lycoris elsiae?

[jshields]

We have never grown Lycoris elsiae.  Since it is a hybrid between radiata and traubii, I would expect it to be one that produces its foliage in autumn and carries it through winter.  These do not grow well in our cold climate.  I would recommend it only for climates where the temperatures do not get much below freezing in winter.  Although Plant Delights lists it for zones 6b-9, I would suggest caution outside zones 8 and 9.  Perhaps others in zones 6b and 7 can share their experience with this variety?

Jim,
who lives in zone 5

[Hans J]

Potted Lycoris invariably waste away in my care.

 Hello Jim ,

after your words I'm really frustratet 
I have in the last year collect some Lycoris for my collection and I grow all in pots :

aurea
elsae
incarnata
longituba
radiata
radiata (triploid)
shaanxiensis
spec.ex Chen Yi 2004
sprengerii
squamigera
sanguinea var. kiushiana

Can I really grow all outside ?
I live here in the warmest part of Germany ( zone 7 -7a ) ....
Should I plant it out now in August ...or is better to wait until spring ?
They are all in summer on a dry shady in my garden ....until now no leaves or flowers 

Thank you in advance
Hans

[jshields]

Hans, I would try them all in the ground where you live!  If the autumn- and winter-growing ones fail to hold their foliage through winter into spring, lift those in summer and keep in pots again.  Most at risk are aurea, elisae, and radiata (diploid).

My in-laws are Swiss, and I have seen things survive in gardens around Zurich that absolutely cannot survive here in central Indiana.  You have a good change with all of them, and things like squamigera, longituba, and sprengeri are certain to survive for you.  You should try to get chinensis and caldwellii, too.

Get them into the ground right away.  They need to get their roots established as soon as possible in their new situations.  According to Jim Waddick, what Lycoris need are 1) undisturbed roots; 2) chilly winters; and 3) hot summers.  However, most grow better in light shade than in full sun.  How "chilly" in winter depends on the particular species.

Jim

[Hans J]

Hello Jim ,

Many thanks for your suggestions .
OK - when this plants grow in Zürich so it should be not a problem here ....

Until now I have not managed to get chinensis + caldwellii ...Germany has more or less no sources for Lycoris ....

Now I have to wait when the rain stops with digging in the ground ...

Hans

[popgeo]

Hi Hans,

How is your Lycoris collection  going ? 

[Hans J]

Hi Popgeo ,

I have in meantime give up with collecting Lycoris ...it makes no sense for me
Here are not the right conditions
They grow not well in pots here - my last plants I have dug in borders ...it seems they are also lost
Intereting genus ....but nothing for me

Hans

[johnw]

This makes absolutely no sense to me. Hans has a mild winter (Z7+) and a hot in summer; here in Nova Scotia we have a cool summer and long hard winter (Z6).  He has no luck nor do I.   I bought 2 or 3 L. radiata bulbs in August 1975, potted them and now have 60-100 bulbs.  They are in deep pots with necks exposed but have never flowered.  I have kept them summer moist and summer dry, put them outdoors for the summer and kept them in a 40-50c ghouse for the summer in an effort to bake them.  Nothing works. L. aurea barely existed in pots and all dwindled away as did a white (albiflora?) species.  L. squamigera lasted a year in the garden, tried it in a pot and it would come up in March and would be gone by early June so moved outdoors where it shows no signs of the least bit of vigour, I suspect it too will peter out.    I got L. sanguinea in autumn 2014 and it has been reluctant to leaf out since purchase.

The late Harry Hay flowered radiata in his greenhouse in England. But how did he do that?

john  - +4c and the melt begins +40mm of rain to start shortly, then we'll send it packing to the UK.

[johnralphcarpenter]

Like I said in a previous post, a combination of luck and neglect!