South African Bulbs 2014

[baby2080]

   Geissorhiza inflexa

[baby2080]

This spring we didn't have enough sun in weekend, so every weekend with sun would much more precious than ever.

 Moraea ochroleuca

(edit by maggi to add plant name to the text so the search engine can find the photo)

[Steve Garvie]

Gethyllis verticillata


Not in flower but looks bizarre in growth -more like a marine Tubeworm on a tropical coral reef than a bulb.
I have a few species of Gethyllis, all have bizarre vegetative growths. Flowers are produced during the dry period of their growth cycle (beautiful large crocus-like flowers which are short-lived) and are followed some weeks or months later by a bizarre fruit which pushes up through the ground. The fruits taste somewhat like sweet figs and in their native South Africa are used to flavour alcoholic drinks (Kukumakranka Brandy) -what more could you ask from a bulb?

[Chris Johnson]

Stunning, Steve. Wonderful image.

[johnralphcarpenter]

Amazing!

[fermi de Sousa]

While in the garden yesterday a flash of white caught my eye amongst the mauve blooms of Moraea polystachya. I didn't notice it last year but this looks like a 2 or 3 year old plant and there are more blooms to follow. The first flower appears a bit squinny to me but that could've been caused by the cool and overcast conditions at the time - maybe the bloom will expand a bit more with more warmth?
cheers
fermi

[Mark Griffiths]

hi, wonder if any of you can help me - I posted this in the ID section but so far no luck. Pretty sure this is a South African Oxalis species - came to me as bulbils for the AGS December 2013 as Oxalis obtusa Brick Orange.

However it's about inch, two inches tall with a stem then leaves, bright green leaves and flowers in an umbel.




The other plant that I'm certain of is Rhodohypoxis thodiana.

[Jean-Patrick AGIER]

Hi Mark,
I'm probably the one to blame for the Oxalis you've received. I've purchased bulbils of this plant a few years ago from a UK nursery ( Costwold Garden Flowers ).
The bulbs have been sent and labelled as oxalis obtusa brick orange. I'm not an oxalis specialist and I've trusted the nurserymen.
Anyway, I've been unable to find any reliable reference about this plant. Even on the Telos Rare Bulbs website where they have on offer a huge array of oxalis ( with pictures ). But you probably know them. There's one species they list which seems to have similar flowers ( O. Stenorrhynca ) but the stems probably don't match the " brick orange".
I was no more sure the plant could be part of the Obtusa complex so I've sent bulbils to the seed exchange under the name: oxalis "brick orange". Unfortunately the name on the list changed  for oxalis obtusa "brick orange".
The plant multiplies quickly, is able to flower all summer long and can stand some degrees below 0°C.
I really apologize...
JP

[Darren]

Thanks to the dull weather this was still open when I got back from work yesterday. I missed the first flower last week as it was a sunny day and the flower is very fugacious anyway.

Moraea serpentina seems to be unusual in cultivation in the UK at least -  this is the first flowering for me from Gordon Summerfield seed at 4 years old. That said - all the seedlings stayed dormant during the 2012-2013 season (probably as we had a cold summer in 2012) so it is 'really' only 3 years old. The plant is named for its coiled leaves which are not as coiled in our poor light as they are in the wild but still show significant spiralling as shown in the second picture. As you can see - it is well on the way to dormancy. Only one has flowered so no seed this year.

[fermi de Sousa]

Darren,
I think I got seed from the same batch and they flowered last year ( I think I posted a pic but can't be sure).
We have a small flowered nerine which I've always thought was Nerine filifolia but the foliage isn't as fine as that species - it's narrow but not "filiform". Probably another variant on Nerine undulatus!
cheers
fermi

[Roma]

Anomatheca laxa blue form

[SJW]

Three Albuca. Confident that the first is A. nelsonii but the second I grow as A. canadensis (seed originally from Kirstenbosch) but according to the PBS it is actually Albuca flaccida which has yellowish flowers. Can anyone confirm this? The third is an unidentified species, can someone ID this? The collection number is HSH 018. Thanks.

[Mark Griffiths]

@ JP - really don't worry - I've seen it listed on several UK nursery sites. Pretty sure now it's Oxalis stenorrhyncha, see http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/index.php/SouthAfricanOxalisNine

Another form of Freesia laxa - I got it as a stowaway about 10-15 yrs ago. Not sure if it conforms to Joan Evans - they are all seedlings.

 

[David Nicholson]

It looks very much like Joan Evans. I've thrown three pots out today, virused.

[Steve Garvie]

Two bulbs with turquoise-coloured flowers -both came into flower very late at the end of May and lasted a couple of weeks until the temperature picked up.
Unfortunately both were photographed after work in low evening light at high ISO settings.

Ixia viridiflora



Lachenalia viridiflora