Bulbs from South America 2013

[Maggi Young]

Hi Carlos,  great to see your first post.
From these flowers your Spring is going to be a good one!

[Mark Griffiths]

Carlos, lovely plants! I have several varieties either bought as bulbs or from seed but no flowers so far. Must be doing something wrong. Any tips?

[Ezeiza]

Chilean bulbs are comparatively difficult to grow. Few of them have survived in cultivation when hundreds of South African species fare quite well.

[fermi de Sousa]

Carlos,
thanks for posting these pics! I'd not even heard of the first two!
Looking forward to more from your garden,
cheers
fermi

[ccuadrai]

Carlos, lovely plants! I have several varieties either bought as bulbs or from seed but no flowers so far. Must be doing something wrong. Any tips?

Hi Mark! Nice to hear that you grow Leucocoryne.
My experience so far is ...
* Leucocoryne plants "love" to grow at 15 to 10 Celsius degree (max 20, min 5 Celsius degree). In 120 days from planting you get flowers.
* Leucocoryne dry bulb "like to sleep" (dormancy) at 20 to 25 Celsius degree, at least, for 5 months. You must respect the storage temperature to break dormancy and allow initiation of flowers buds.
Do you grow and storage Leucocoryne at optimal temperature?
Best regards,
Carlos

[ccuadrai]

Carlos,
thanks for posting these pics! I'd not even heard of the first two!
Looking forward to more from your garden,
cheers
fermi

Hi Fermi!
Please to share Leucocoryne pics.
There are many species of Leucocoryne ... from 12 (http://www.chlorischile.cl/Monocotiledoneas/leucocoryne.htm) to more than 45 (http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl/search?q=Leucocoryne). It's a real nightmare for botanists ...   
BR,
Carlos

[Rogan]

Welcome and nice pictures Carlos!

I also try to grow Leucocoryne with limited success, I will follow your advice in future and see if I fare any better.

[Mini bulb lover]

Members looking for South American bulb & other seeds could try Chile Flora. I've purchased from them and I've had a pretty good germination rate. They have all seed on sale (18% discount) until 2 Sept 2013. They have a good selection of Rhodophiala. 

www.chileflora.com - click on the seeds shop.

[brianw]

Rhodophiala bifida is now in flower here. A week ago just buds at ground level, a week later 3 flower stems in full flower, and more buds showing. Thinking of trying them in the garden (in the UK). Any advice? In pots in the alpine house they have moisture at the roots all year and the leaves get frosted so can't be too difficult here.

[Mark Griffiths]

Hi Mark! Nice to hear that you grow Leucocoryne.
My experience so far is ...
* Leucocoryne plants "love" to grow at 15 to 10 Celsius degree (max 20, min 5 Celsius degree). In 120 days from planting you get flowers.
* Leucocoryne dry bulb "like to sleep" (dormancy) at 20 to 25 Celsius degree, at least, for 5 months. You must respect the storage temperature to break dormancy and allow initiation of flowers buds.
Do you grow and storage Leucocoryne at optimal temperature?
Best regards,
Carlos

It may be they are not warm enough here - but it would be close. Last winter was cold but this summer unlike last summer has been consitently warm. Seeing as these are seeds from I assume UK plants I guess someone is suceeding here!

[Lvandelft]

Hi Carlos, I'm glad to see you've made it up here and like I told you I'm not the only one  .
Leucocoryne is really beautiful and now we also see some more! The Leucocoryne appendiculata is really beautiful 
Cannot await  seeing more pics.
Just one question, as Leucocoryne is a plant growing and flowering in nature in Chile, why do you grow them in a glasshouse?

[ccuadrai]

It may be they are not warm enough here - but it would be close. Last winter was cold but this summer unlike last summer has been consitently warm. Seeing as these are seeds from I assume UK plants I guess someone is suceeding here!

Have a look this link ... http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2010Apr261272292248Log_8_of_2010.pdf    There are nice Leucocoryne pictures and advice how to grow and success.

BR,
Carlos

[ccuadrai]

Hi Carlos, I'm glad to see you've made it up here and like I told you I'm not the only one  .
Leucocoryne is really beautiful and now we also see some more! The Leucocoryne appendiculata is really beautiful 
Cannot await  seeing more pics.
Just one question, as Leucocoryne is a plant growing and flowering in nature in Chile, why do you grow them in a glasshouse?

Hi Luit!

It's not a glasshouse like your glasshouse in northern Europe ... it's a wooden structure, with polyethylene film and shade netting (only roof) to avoid rain and too much solar radiation. No heating system is used.

BR,
Carlos

[Mark Griffiths]

thanks Carlos. I think I am probably keeping them too moist in the summer and not giving them a deep enough pot. I've basically been treating them as I do my Tecophilaeas.

[Maggi Young]

Quote from: ccuadrai on Today at 05:57:51 AM

    Have a look this link ... http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2010Apr261272292248Log_8_of_2010.pdf    There are nice Leucocoryne pictures and advice how to grow and success.

    BR,
    Carlos

Hi Carlos,
 I have edited your post to show the original link  to Paul's Wisley log - a project that was initiated by the SRGC.   

All Wisley Logs accessible from here : http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/index.php?log=wisley