December 2010 in the Southern Hemisphere

[Paul T]

Thanks.  I thought it had been identified in the past as an Echinocereus, but obviously my memory is wrong.  It's around 1.8m, perhaps a bit taller.  I'll try to keep the Tricho in mind in the future. 

[Rogan]

I decided to be kind to my Gloriosa carsonii vine for a change; it rewarded me with several of its striking blooms... A nice bonus for the New Year!   

To you all: Have a Happy and a Prosperous New Year - don't drink and drive!   

[TheOnionMan]

This is a little Australian native bulb called Hypoxis hygrometra (well we think that is the name, not 100% certain).  The flowers are about 1cm across, bright yellow as you can see, and seem to set seed freely.  I've had it in the same pot for years and it always flowers every year with nothing at all added by way of fertiliser or anything.  An excellent (although diminutive) native bulb.

Just back from holiday travel and catching up.  Paul, nice selection of plants, Neomarica northiana is stunning.  I grew Hypoxis hygrometrica for a while, in my days of searching out members of the genus; might this be the same as your plant?  It wasn't hardy for me, and eventually I gave up on 10 or so non-hardy Hypoxis species, even though I rather like them.

[Armin]

Paul,
great flower show. Like your big cacti, fabulous

[Paul T]

McMark,

The Neomarica northiana unfortunately sets no seed, or I'd offer to send you some.  'Twas easier when one could send plants to the US, not just seed.  And Yes, the Hypoxis is probably a mispelling somewhere along the line, although it shows up as the metra on the Net so I never realised.  I've not looked for it under metrica, but noticed someone on another list refer to hygrometrica recently.  A cute little thing I must say, although there are far larger and more showy Hypoxis, that is for sure.  

Armin,

Glad you liked the Trichocereus.  Very spectacular on that day, but haven't been many other flowers on it as they used them all up on that day pretty much.