South African bulbose plants 2007

[David Nicholson]

Fermi, what a lovely Ixias. Is the first time I see that ones. I've just seen and cultivated the hibrids that we buy in the market.
Never imagined that exists a such beautiful Ixias.

I was about to write exactly the same thing Paul, but you said it better than I could.

[fermi de Sousa]

Thanks, Cris and David, re the ixias, they have a tendency to run wild over here but they are easily controlled as they usually are fairly shallow rooted. They hybridize easily too so the colours can be quite varied over time!
Here's an interesting Moraea which I received as a "freebie" in a pot with something else! It took a couple of years to come into flower so may even have "stowed away" as a seed or two! After a few years I still only have two plants despite it setting a fair amount of seed (I've donated it to the Seedexes previously) so I wonder if it needs special treatment to germinate?
It's the tall growing, afternoon flowering Moraea gracilenta and it certainly is graceful!






The flowers are gone by the morning but the spikes stay in bloom for many weeks.
Another South African bulb is the quaintly named Chincherinchee, Ornithogalum thyrsoides. This poor speciman is a bit overwhelmed by the artemesia carpet but still manages to put up a few spikes.




cheers
fermi

[zephirine]

Hello Fermi!
I have an Ornithogallum thyrsoides in a container, it did bloom this year, but I dare not plant it in the garden, as I understand it's not hardy enough (those bulb vendors never tell you the whole truth! ).
As it is a native plant for you, do you know what temps it could actually withstand?
Thanks in advance
Zephirine

[Cris]

Fermi, what a beautiful Moraea. Here the are one specie growing wild, I think it were called Gynandriris sisyrinchium.
I've sown some Moraea Elegans in sept29th, but nothing yet. It's normal?

I've also Ornithogalum, a little wild form (I don't remember the name), I let you a pic of them in the wild.
And O. Thyrsoides and O.Dubium.

[Lesley Cox]

Many or most bulb/corm seeds can take months to germinate. Srom late september to mid November is a very short time so I wouldn't be worrying yet. You may have nothing until the spring.

Here Ornithogalum dubium is quite tender. The colours are wonderful though. Bright yellows and oranges.

[Paul T]

Lesley,

How cold actually DO you get there?  I know you get snow where you are, but no idea of actual minimum temperatures.  O. dubium grows outside here jsut fine, both in small pots and in the ground.  Given up on the orange version as it jsut sits as a dormant bulb and never shoots, while the yellow form grows and multiples and flowers it's little head off.  I have a theoretical white form about to flower this year for the first time from seed.  While I'd like at least one to be white, I'd love some variance in colour as I would love a whole range of different colorus of these.  Now if I could just strike a nice orange one that actually grew each year I'd be extremely happy, as they're a glorious colour.  I know I am not alone with this, as there have been various discussions over the year with various other people saying they have trouble with the orange one as well.

David,

If I'm the Paul you were referring to.... it wasn't me who made the comment.  'Twas Cris.  Ixia rouxii is a stunning Ixia, but looks like mine that flowered last year unexpectedly (I thought I'd lost it a couple of years before) has not returned this year.  Maybe it is skipping another couple of years for some reason.  The deep colour to the centre is great, so I hope it still remains there as it is a favourite of mine and was a gift from a friend in Western Australia originally.

[Lesley Cox]

Generally where I live (on a highish hill, always with a bit of catabatic drift), we get about -3 or -4 C as a minimum but this year we had -9 on several nights, coldest for many years and I lost a lot of things I've always taken for granted as hardy. Dunedin city has a degree or two colder than my place and the airport on the Taieri Plain another couple colder. I've never attempted to grow Orn. dubium do don't really know how hardy it might be but I've heard from others that it has to be grown in a glasshouse down this way.

[Paul T]

Lesley,

Well we get to -8 or -9'C most years and they do thrive here, even in 4 inch tubes (which means they obviously get quite cold at the bulb/root level).  I just love em!! 

[Rogan]

Mark, I, quite by chance, came across this address the other day:     http://www.africanbulbs.co.za/default.asp     This is Greg Petit of Green Goblin fame - he has some interesting stuff.

Incidentally, your Pelargonium seeds are in the post.

I was surprised to find this Ammocharis flowering in our collection the other day:

[ChrisB]

What a wonderful exhibit, Rogan.  I've bookmarked the supplier!  Thanks for sharing it with us.

[Maggi Young]

Wonderful Ammocharis, Rogan.... something else I have not seen inthe flesh.

Check out this week's Wisley Log for  more great South Africans....http://www.srgc.org.uk/wisley/2007/221107/log.html

[mark smyth]

thanks Rogan. What a plant! I see Paul Christian sells it

[Lesley Cox]

Some incredibly beautiful and intersting plants in the new log from Wisley. Move over snowdrops

[ChrisB]

Those Wisley shots make me drool........

[Anthony Darby]

This Wisley log is just more icing on the cake. Fantastic, expecially as I am just sowing some Haemanthus albiflos seeds from Paul. I now know exactly what they need. Brilliant.