December 2008 in the Southern Hemisphere

[Michael J Campbell]

Dave, you are correct, your Lewisia is nevadensis. It is difficult to get proper Brachycalyx seed from the exchanges.
I have the true plant and can send you some seed in the summer if they set seed this year. none last year because of the lack of sun. PM me if you are interested.
Cheers.

[Paul T]

Nice things love the colour.
Paul how Do You grow Your Zantedeschia? Do You have them in the ground or in Pots and do they grow wettish? Do they need winter protection at Your place that do get just below zero if I remember correctly or are they OK without protection?
The classic white grows well in Portugal and some of the smaller aslo grows but are really small compared with 1m foliage of the others.

Joakim,

The Zantedeschia thrive for us here.  I grow them in pots or in the ground.  They don't require wet conditions, in fact some of the smaller colourful ones will I think rot if wet while dormant.  None of these coloured ones are anywhere near as big as the white ones (Zantedeschia aethopica_, but there is now a pale pink version of the aethopica, and there is a green and white form called "Green Goddess".  I do not know whether these are any less frost hardy than the straight species.  They are fine here in our temps, which can get down to -9'C some years (although not the last couple), with no snow cover (snow is a rare event here).  Even with that cold they are fine in pots, so they must be able to stand a decent amount of cold as the black plastic pots I grow them in would magnify the cold to a certain degree.  I give them no special attention, other than trying to give them a bit more water when in growth (this can increase their size, both in leaves and in flower) and some slow release fertiliser on the years that I actually get around to repotting them (which isn't that common). 

They are a great plant here and I look forward to them every year.  They are not as floriferous for me as they could be, because they don't get as much water as they would perhaps like, but I still get flowers from them anyway.  They just don't clump up quite as quickly.  Is any of that information of any use?  Is there any other information that I can provide? 

[Joakim B]

Thanks a lot Paul I think that covered it all
Funny that Portugal is warmer than Australia regarding minimum. At lest around the Lisbon area.
Just bought a small yellow and was thinking where to plant it. I have one under a Camelia and it is mostly foliage but have some flowers. Maybe a wetter place (due to watering) not to far away from the daylilies would be better?
Take care
Joakim

[Ezeiza]

Hi Joakim:


                 The colored Zantedeschias belong to a cycle that is the opossite to that of aethiopica in all its forms. The colored Zantedeschias are DRY winter dormant, need good drainage and if you give swampy conditions to them, they will rot.

                  Z. aethiopica is mainly a summer dormant plant and although there are forms collected from higher altitudes that are hardy even in England, they have a geneti memory for summer dormancy and growth the rest of the year.

                  In this warm climate and if watered abundantly they grow year round and flower non stop.

Regards
Alberto

[Joakim B]

Thanks Alberto for tha added information.
I had a feeling that they were not blooming the same time and good that You told me about the opposite cycles. This may also end up under the Camelia then.
Kind regards
Joakim

[Ezeiza]

Hi Joakim:

                 Colored Zantedeschias and many other bulbs with an East African origin demand very drained soils and after a copious watering you let them dry a bit, then another good watering and so on. Not a constant degree of moisture or the leaves turn yellow and the rhizomes eventually rot.

                 In full sun and under proper conditions they clump well. The clump must not be divided for as long as possible. This is why they look so poorly in small pots. Whne in a large tub or rsied bed they produce powerful clumps with plenty of flowers. As soon as the color fades, the flower must be removed or useless seed will take the energy off the plant.


Good luck

[Joakim B]

Alberto thanks for the great advice.
Hopefully it will grow better now.
I killed a few in Sweden trying to o have them in pots and over winter in a protected isolated spot.
Here in Portugal they are much better of.
All the best
Joakim