Surprising seed to flowering times

[Calvin Becker]

I ordered a whole lot of Sparaxis seed from Silverhill this year. All were sown in April 2009. Just over two weeks ago I noticed a bud on one plant of Sparaxis villosa. So that's just shy of 5 months from sowing to first flowering. Any ideas as to why this single plant would mature so quickly?

[Paul T]

Calvin,

Have you been dosing them with steroids? 

Seriously, sometimes I find seedlings amongst a batch that outgrow everything by a huge amount.  I think it just genetic variability.  I have rarely had any bulb flower in the first year from seed, but that is probably just my climate not being ideal.  Obviously you've just got your conditions spot on, so well done. I think that things like the Sparaxis can be very quick from seed (I'd never get one within 5 months though, believe me!  ), but I have definitely observed certain individual seedlings that grow so much quicker than their brethren that you almost start to wonder whether they're the same thing.

Well done on getting them going so well.  Congratulations! Isn't it a wonderful feeling!! 

[Lesley Cox]

Many South African bulbous plants will do this, especially Sparaxis, Freesia, Moraea, Romulea, all those that used to be Lapayrousia, Anomatheca etc. Likewise Polyxena. Perhaps it's some kind of reaction to encourage seeding and therefore regeneration before a sometimes harsh climate kills them off.

[Calvin Becker]

It is a great feeling, just doesn't happen often enough!

Have checked on it again and it looks to be setting seed, must've been self-compatible as there were no other Sparaxis flower, I wonder if the seedlings will be as quick to bloom?

Would this be a genetic factor or an environmental factor or a combination promoting this?

[Lesley Cox]

I would expect it to be a genetic factor or.....sheer bloody luck!