Scadoxus

[Hans J]

Hi all ,

Is here anybody who collect these plants ?
Please contact me- thanks.

Best wishes
Hans

[Maggi Young]

Hello, Hans, no, we don't grow any Scadoxus. They are among the many South African plants that I would very much like to have room to grow... perhaps you could speak to my husband to tell him what good plants they are, and how it is a great idea to grow these flowers?

[mark smyth]

Hans I only grow Haemanthus albiflos and hirstus. I have Haemanthus montanus just coming into leaf after being dormant for 1 year. I used to have Scadoxus but couldnt heep them alive

[Paul T]

Mark,

Scadoxus in many cases are more frost tender than many of the Haemanthus species.  I grow a couple of species of them here with some protection, and they definitely are VERY impressive when in flower.  I had S. puniceus 'Magnificus' flower for me this year for the first time and they really do stand out.   I had 2 flowerheads, but separated by enough time that I couldn't cross pollinate.  I missed the flowerhead emerging on the second pot out the back and only saw it as the first one finished.  Otherwise I could have sent you some seed to try them again.

Howdy Hans..... you already know which of them I grow and that I can't be of help to you with new varieties that you don't have! 

[Paul T]

Hans,

well into spring/early summer here now.  Very hot for this time of year, in fact record average temps for November apparently.  Very very little rain and we're heading onto our toughest water restrictions ever for the city.  It already feels to me like full summer, and that isn't for another 6 to 8 weeks really. 

The Scadoxus apparently needs pollen from a different flower/clone as mine did not self set seeds as far as I can tell.  If I had realised that the second pot was flowering in time I could have saved pollen from the first, but I couldn't harvest any pollen at that point when I tried.  Given the size of the flowerhead, if I had been successful there would have been lots and lots of seed available. <sigh>

Unfortunately my Scadoxus multiflorus ssp katherinae have now gone to the great garden in the sky.  The snails this spring were teh last straw for them and they've rotted.  They do need better winter temps, and in the future I will bring them inside during winter and keep doing that even when mature (I did this with mine when young, but but them outside under cover with the others in the genus when they got bigger.  The others have done fine, but the katherinae didn't like it as they should be evergreen if happy, whereas mine had a winter dormancy because of the cold.  They survived, but never thrived like the other Scadoxus did.  If I get seed of them again I'll know not to do it the same way next time! 

As to seeds..... as I've mentined in emails, various types have germinated.  Some of them are still getting in sync with our southern hemisphere timing as yet.  I find that quite often seeds from northern hemisphere will take a bit longer to germinate.  Trillium sown in winter 2003 from the north have germinated well this year, rather than last year like I had been expecting.  So much joy growing things from seeds, particularly when given to you by friends to that rather than just being a plant they are from someone.  That is why I like trading so much!! 

[Alberto]

Hi Hans,
I am Alberto from Italy. I grow this kind of plant too. Maybe we can swap or cooperate and looking for new sorces.
Ciao
Alberto

[Paul T]

Do you have maybe pictures of your Scad.punicus „Magnificus“ ?
Also interesting was a pic of your Scad. mult.ssp. katherinae –we have here sometimes plants –but I’m not shure if they are correct labelld .
I agree with you – for Scadoxus is it better to take them in winter in the house ( around 15° C )
Did you know that in Australia is one source for Scad. pseudocaulus ? but this man will send anyhing to Europe –and also he will not sell seeds .
Your seeds of Cyc. purpurascens germinate well –but there are very few silverleaf – OK -I will wait – maybe next time .

Hans,

Sorry, I missed this posting form you.  I'll find my pic of the Scadoxus and shrink it to fit here when I get the chance.  I am not sure I actually have any pics of the katherinae, but I know that in leaf it looked quite different to the other species that I had.  No I did not know that S. pseudocaulus was available here in Aus.  I might have to investigate that.

Don't be concerned with the seedlings not showing much in the way of marking the first year.  I find that a lot of the Cyclamen don't show much silvering on their initial cotyledon.  I grew some seed of C. purpurascens from the US and every leaf was green until their third year, when the started to have markings.  Obviously it is variable as some of my own seedlings had silver the first year.  Hang in there a bit longer.... the seedlings may yet show more colour.  I am currently harvesting seed of purpurascens so I can easily send you some more if you'd like?

[Michael]

Greetings!

Can you help me ID this one? Is it S. puniceus? Sorry about the picture quality...



Thanks

[Hans J]

Hi Mike ,

Yes - this is Scad. puniceus
Gratulation to your nice plant

Best wishes
Hans

[Michael]

Hi Hans

Well that was when it flowered to me on January... I hope the other bulb flower next year as well. If you want a bulb, i think i can take that one for you, but you must wait untill December when the folliage drys.

[Hans J]

Hi Mike ,

Thank you for your nice offer 
Please write me again if you have a bulb for me - I think we will find a way for exchange .

All the best
Hans

[Michael]

Hello

Here are some pictures of my Scadoxus puniceus this year  (Sorry about the quality though):

Hans how is the bulb that I sent you?

[Hans J]

Hi Mike ,

Wonderful to see this nice plants !!!
Your bulb is still sleeping ......we have still winter here with frosty nigths ....I have to wait with watering until we have higher temperatures 
Any news from my bulbs ?

[Anthony Darby]

Wow! That's a fantastic plant. Does it set seed or do you get many spare offsets Mike?

[Michael]

Hans, the bulbs are also still dormant, i dont see the soil cracking yet, but the Scad. seems to be starting to grow. The Rhodophiala seeds are already germinating!! 

Adarby, for now i only have those 3 bulbs of this plant, it has not sent any offsets in the 2 past yeas, but i have pollinated them and i hope i can get lots of seeds from them. I had never tried this, let's see if it works. Hans told me they set seed very easily, but i used to cut the flowers of when they finished. This year i will let them there