Gagea

[Rafa]

This afternoon I also saw the first Gagea (pratensis?)

[David Nicholson]

Beautiful picture and flower Rafa. It was only whilst doing a little research, because I hadn't heard about Gagea before, that I found that we have a British species found only at one place in Radnorshire, Wales, Gagea bohemica. Picture to be seen at http://www.floralimages.co.uk/pgageabohem.htm

[Rafa]

Many thanks David,

Very nice specie, it's a shame that is in danger in UK. In my experience Gagea is a very easy genus to cultivate, also very difficoult to study (to me). Mabye you could cultivate it in order to incrase wild populations.

My problem is that I have not any guide to identified them. In my village I can see 4 different species, but I can't identified them.

These are the species in Spain:

Gagea arvensis (Pers.) Dumort.
Gagea granatellii (Parl.) Parl.
Gagea lutea (L.) Ker Gawl.
Gagea nevadensis Boiss.
Gagea polymorpha Boiss.
Gagea pratensis (Pers.) Dumort.
Gagea saxatilis (Mert. & W.D.J.Koch) Schult. & Schult.f.

Regards

[Paddy Tobin]

Lovely, Rafa.

Paddy

[Anthony Darby]

Lovely wee flower Rafa. One I've not tried.

[PEAK]

Nice picture Rafa! I find it quite interesting that we have 5 species wild growing in Sweden.
G. minima
G. villosa
G. spathacea
G. lutea
G. pratensis
This page is a key of the Swedish species (in Swedish..) If there is an interest i could translate it.

http://linnaeus.nrm.se/flora/mono/lilia/gagea/nyckel.html

Cheers

[David Nicholson]

Rafa, in case it is any use to you the following is extracted from "Growing Bulbs-the Complete Practical Guide" by Brian Mathew, published by Batsford in 1997.

"Gagea- A large genus from Eurasia, very little cultivated; many are attractive but very small. They are dwarf plants with narrow basal and stem leaves and small clusters of yellow flowers in Spring usually striped green or brown on the exterior. G graeca (Lloydia graeca) differs in having white flowers. They are winter-spring growers, many of them mountain plants requiring cool growing conditions in full sun or dappled shade, but some, for example G reticulata, inhabit stony ground which becomes hot and dry in summer; these are better with rock garden or bulb frame treatment."

[Stephenb]

I'm pretty sure that Gagea lutea (Yellow Star of Bethlehem) is quite common in the UK or isn't it called Gagea these days? It's common on the other side of the pond here in Norway, growing in damp places. However, I regretted having introduced it to a garden bed as it was a bit invasive.

[Rafa]

Many thanks for the info David,

As Brian menthioned in his book, here, they usually grow in a full sun position in granite fisures that are used also by Narcissus rupicola and Hyacinthoides hispanica.

They are very sensitive to water excess in summer dormancy.

Stephen, you have reason, they produce lot of seeds and as the percentage of germination is very high, it could be very invasive out of its natural distribution.

Regards

[Arda Takan]

I think this plant is a Gagea sp.
I took the photograph today in our garden. (sorry for bad quality I took the photo with my cellphone it has 2megapixel camera)

[Maggi Young]

At 1600 pixels wide your photo was a bit too big, Arda, I've resized it .

[Arda Takan]

Sorry about that Maggi and thanks
also its bigger version is no good
edit: by the way can anyone confirm if it is a gagea?

[ashley]

Gagea fibrosa from the exchange (SRGC 62/1554), sown Jan 09.

[ashley]

Gagea chlorantha