Rain-lilies: Cooperia, Habranthus, Zephyranthes, etc, 2014

[fermi de Sousa]

Good to see, David, glad that it is flowering regularly for you..
At least you knew that was what you were sowing! Too often this one turns up in place of other rarer rain-lilies in the exchanges (even from some of the Botanic Gardens!).
It grows outdoors here - too easily! I try to collect all the seed or dead-head it as it suits our climate too well and could become a weed. I still grow it because it can be so dramatic when it erupts out of the ground after a summer rain,
cheers
fermi

[jshields]

I have H. tubispathus in the greenhouse, too, since it isn't hardy here.  I have gotten it as seed labeled all sorts of things, even Rhodophiala.  I need to rigorously deadhead to avoid having it growing everywhere in the greenhouse.  I did collect a ton of seeds for this one, if anyone wants a start.

I had a not-so-good surprise this past week.  What I have been growing for 35 years as Zephyranthes longifolia finally bloomed, in the greenhouse, with nice flowers.  And they turned out to look exactly like Z. pulchella.  So now I have (another pot) of pulchella and no longifolia.  I am pretty sad about that one!

Blooming now are Z. jonesii, Z. smallii (I am now wondering about the distinction between those two), and Z. grandiflora.  Seed pods are developing on H. magnoi and H. martinezii, as well as on Z. mesochloa.   H. magnoi is the very devil to get to germinate.  Ina Crossley (in New Zealand) thinks the seeds of magnoi may need fluctuating temperatures to germinate.

Jim

[Robert]

Jim,

Thanks for all the seed!  They are all coming up nice. 

Thanks for the tip on Habranthus tubispathus. Sounds like it could become weedy here too.

[jshields]

Currently blooming in the greenhouse:  Zephyranthes citrina, Habranthus martinezii, and Z. grandiflora


Zephyranthes citrinia


Habranthus martinezii


Zephyranthes grandiflora

Should still be more coming.

Jim

[Mark Griffiths]

When I was in North Florida I've seen these growing on the roadside - would they be Zephyranthes atamasco?

I've had a number of Zephyranthes for many years - do they need a combination of dry then wet and heat to flower?

[Mark Griffiths]

After having a number for years and never a flower - I got a flower. Just to go against the general trend this one was labelled Habranthus tubispathus..but that is a mix up here.

I think, but am not sure that many years ago I bought Z. grandjax and possibly sowed seed of grandiflora. Having looked at the pics here and on the net that this one looks more like Z. grandiflora - maybe Jim or Fermi could confirm? Either way it's a lovely thing.

Looking on the net I think I've identified an unlabelled pot where the leaves look like Habranthus tubispathus so hapefully it's just a case of wrong label.

[jshields]

After having a number for years and never a flower - I got a flower. Just to go against the general trend this one was labelled Habranthus tubispathus..but that is a mix up here.

I think, but am not sure that many years ago I bought Z. grandjax and possibly sowed seed of grandiflora. Having looked at the pics here and on the net that this one looks more like Z. grandiflora - maybe Jim or Fermi could confirm? Either way it's a lovely thing.

Looking on the net I think I've identified an unlabelled pot where the leaves look like Habranthus tubispathus so hapefully it's just a case of wrong label.

The picture is definitely not Habranthus tubispathus, which manages to get into lots of seed distributions under a wide variety of names.    The flower pictures really looks like Zephyranthes grandiflora, but that "species" does not set seed.  It could be a related hybrid, but if it isn't a pure species, guessing its name is not an exact art.

Does this help any?

I have seeds of H. tubispathus (the "texanus" form from Texas), Zephyranthes macrosiphon, Z. jonesii, and various other rain lily species from time to time.  I haven't sent any to the PBS BX recently.

Maggi, would SRGC want some rain lily seeds to distribute?  They need to be at least somewhat fresh....

Jim

[Mark Griffiths]

Jim, thanks for the reply.

I didn't know Z. grandiflora doesn't set seed - there is an another likely explanation which has just come to mind - many years ago I bought two Zephyranthes - one was Grandjax and the other was supposed to be a yellow one. I seem to recall the yellow one did flower and it was pink. So maybe it's that mislabelled plant. 

[Maggi Young]

Maggi, would SRGC want some rain lily seeds to distribute?  They need to be at least somewhat fresh....

Jim

  Thank you , Jim - seeds sent to the SRGC Seed exchange will not be distributed until the new year - so it may be that the viability would not be perfect  but  on the other hand some chance for folks is better than none..... 

[jshields]

Maggi,

In that case, the more seeds included per packet in the distribution, the more chance one or two of them will germinate.  I'll try to keep my surplus in good condition until later this year.  Is there a link or an address for contributing seeds to SRGC?

Jim

[Maggi Young]

Details here, Jim  :  http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=12130.0

 Main point you need is : Autumn 2014 Seed Donations

Please send seed donations, individually packaged per variety, preferably in a
paper envelope, and cleaned of all seed cases, debris, insects, etc to:-
Prof. Stuart Pawley, Acres of Keillour, Methven, Perth, Scotland, UK, PH1 3RA.

Please include your name and address and a clearly written alphabetical list
of the seed you are sending. Please don’t be put off if you only have a small
amount of seed of a species, or only a few species to send - it may be the small
amount of seed that no-one else has, and that someone would love to have.
The deadline for seed to arrive at Stuart’s door is 31st October 2014.
If you have “late maturing” seed that cannot be sent until later, please send the
information about this as early as possible and before 31st October, to Stuart at
gsp.srgc@btinternet.com.
Send the list in the text of an e-mail, not as an attachment. Stuart can’t afford a computer virus at this critical time. It is important to send the information early so we can produce the seed list in good time. Please send late seed as soon as you can.   

[brianw]

Anyone growing Rhodophiala bifida outside in the UK? I have had it in a sheltered alpine house taking some frost, particularly the leaves, but not tried it outside. It usually flowers more or less the same time as Amaryllis belladonna does in the garden here, but don't know how much wet or cold it might take.
Mine came from Cotswold Garden Flowers, but another I have labelled as Rhodophiala ex Harry Hay seems similar, but flowers a bit later normally.

[johnw]

Brian  - There was an article on Harry Hay in The Garden about a year before he died.  I think he referred to it as a Lycoris.  He also grew and flowered (!) a fertile L. radiata down in Tadworth.  I always meant to write and asked just how he accomplished that miracle of miracles. 

johnw

[Rick R.]

In the second round of the 2011-12 NARGS seed ex, I said "what the heck" and ordered these seeds:
Zephyranthes citrina
Zephyranthes drommondii
Zephyranthes minima
Zephyranthes primulina
Zephyranthes rosea
Zephyranthes Sunset strain

So the seed was produced some time in 2011, and I planted them 21 May 2012. All pots had sprouts by 6 June, except Z. Sunset strain.  I was as surprised as you all probably are.  Of course, no verification of species is possible, and I accidentally let them freeze over the following winter.

The next year I tried again with these:
Zephyranthes forsterii
Zephyranthes primulina
Zephyranthes reginae
Zephyranthes rosea

Only Zz. fosterii and reginae sprouted.  But in my opinion, it's certainly worth trying.

[Maggi Young]

Very good to hear that positive experience, Rick- thanks