Massonia 2020

[ashley]

Massonia time again in the NH.  I really like as they emerge & gradually unfurl.
M. amoena
M. longipes
M. pustulata

[Steve Garvie]

All looking good!

[Maggi Young]

Richard Green asked  Paul Cumbleton on Facebook, (via  Colin, because  Facebook has  somehow  blocked  Paul)
What is your massonia compost? Are the clay granules just top dressing, or are they growing entirely in them?

 This  question   was  asked  in response  to Colin posting  these Massonia pix for  Paul  ( as well as  other  lovely  South African plants)


Massonia amoena


Massonia hirsuta


Massonia longipes


Massonia thunbergiana

[Maggi Young]

Final two images  of  Paul Cumbleton's  images  of  Massonia jasminiflora - originally  posted  on FB by  Colin E. on Paul's  behalf- I think it  is clear  to see  why  Richard  was  moved to ask about the  growing  medium, when  he  saw the  qaulity  of the  plants!

[Paul Cumbleton]

Thanks Maggi for redirecting Richard's question here - I have managed to reply on Facebook, using Colin's account, but I'll repeat it here too for others who may not use Facebook:

Hi Richard. The brown coloured granules in the Massonia pictures are actually Leca (sometimes called Hydroleca) and are just a topdressing. Some of my plants are planted out directly into a plunge bed which is filled with just pure sharp sand and topped with the Leca. I have put a picture below to show the whole bench to give you the context better. So those plants are growing in sharp sand. But I also grow many in pots and here I use a simple mix of half John Innes No. 2 and half grit. The John Innes is home-made. I have also tried growing them in pure small-grade clay granules (cat litter, or spillage absorbent granules). They seem to grow equally well in any of these mediums. I also tried growing some in the larger grade clay granules (Sanicat Pink cat litter, which is of a similar size to Seramis) but in that they did not do so well and I believe this is due to it not holding enough moisture (they do seem to like good levels of moisture, as well as it is well-drained).

I did also post all the pictures here on the SRGC forum in the 'South African' topic within "Bulbs General "

Paul

[ashley]

Lovely plants Paul, and a nice way to grow them.  I like the prophylactic too

[johnw]

Oh my the Massonia longipes and M. thunbergiana!  Thanks for posting Paul.

johnw

[Richard Green]

Sorry for the delay in reply Paul.  Thanks for the info, I suspected that you had something else under that topdressing as the pieces are rather large - but you never can tell what people will come up with.  After all, I scarcely believed the use of standard cat litter and sometimes corrugated cardboard for cultivating orchids and other things when I first heard abut it.  So I am willing to believe anything now.

I have grown Massonia in the past, but they died in our last really cold winter in the unheated tunnel by freezing due to lack of undersoil plunge heating.  However I have now installed that, and have some nice little Daubenya aurea seedlings from last year's AGS seed which I would like to keep alive.

[ArnoldT]

Here's Massonia depressa.  A very large plant.  Needs to be potted up next year.  American 25 cent piece for reference.

[Yann]

a fascinating genius, hopefully i didn't put my fingers on it!

[ArnoldT]

full anthesis

Massonia depressa