December 2013 in the Southern Hemisphere

[fermi de Sousa]

Thanks for posting a pic of the foliage, John,
ours doesn't look as good!
cheers
fermi

[meanie]

So it is a fair bit smaller than the B.yuccoides that I have.
Sadly, Norfolk is a bit of a trek for me. Only 150 miles, but with the UK roads being so busy probably a four hour trip.

[Mini bulb lover]

Gladiolus flanaganii - photos don't do it justice. Unfortunately later that day I found a large caterpillar chewing through the flower after having taken chunks out of the other unopened buds. 

I placed a pot of iris histrioides major under cover a month ago and I was finally going to lift the bulbs today. To my surprise not only was the potting mix still moist (it has been in a dry covered area) but one of the bulbs is shooting. I suppose I'll just have to let nature take it's course. I'd love it to flower out of season but with the temperature predicted to be 40 C here tomorrow, I don't think it will like it. I've never had this happened before.

[fermi de Sousa]

An Eremophila bignoniiflora hybrid is enjoying the recent burst of hot weather
cheers
fermi

[Hillview croconut]

Happy Xmas Everyone!

Perfect day yesterday and took a few snaps when I arrived home after Xmas lunch.

Allium insubricum - close relation of A. narcissifolium and a lovely little summery onion.
Allium sikkimense - another lovely species.
Ebenus cretica - waited a long time to grow this here. The result of a few snatched handfuls of flower heads along the road from Omolos to Sougia. The bus was bearing down on me and there was nowhere to park off the road so I was pleased to grab a few viable seedfrom amongst the rest.

Cheers, Marcus

[Lori S.]

Nice!  I lust after Ebenus spp.... some day, they will be mine... 

[Anthony Darby]

My Acis autumnalis has been out for two weeks now. Just two flowering stems. Ex 2012 Seed Exchange.

[Hillview croconut]

That is early! So its decided to skip summer altogether?

Jon if you want a viable bulb of Iris histrioides you should try and stop your plant from growing as quickly as possible even if it means cutting off the bud. It will then probably disintegrate into a bunch of smaller bulbs but better than exhausting itself to death trying to grow in completely unsuitable conditions. Bulbs like this have to replace themselves every growing season so with increasingly unfavorable conditions its a recipe for disaster.

cheers, M

[Mini bulb lover]

Thanks for the advice Marcus.

I guess I'll be waiting a few years for more flowers. Some of my cyclamen hederifolium started flowering last month. C'est la vie!

[olegKon]

Marcus, are you sure the Allium in the 1st picture is A. insubricum?

[Hillview croconut]

The bells aren't that well defined - so what do you think it is? Cheers, Marcus

[Anthony Darby]

That is early! So its decided to skip summer altogether?

I have a bulb labelled Nerine sarniensis with flowers almost out!

[Hillview croconut]

Mine don't get started for another 6 weeks!  M

[Hillview croconut]

BTW Any want to take a stab at the allium I posted earlier as A. insubricum???


Cheers, Marcus

[Mini bulb lover]

Hi Marcus,

The picture of Allium insubricum in the book "Alliums, The Ornamental Onions" by Dilys Davies looks quite different to your photo. In the photo in that book the tepals flare outwards towards their edges, looking like "...the flowing skirt of an elegant ball gown". Your tepals are quite pointed. From your picture alone, it looks like Allium cyathophorum var farreri to me.