Roscoea Evening Star v Harvington Royale

[mark smyth]

Does anyone know the difference between Roscoea 'Evening Star', left, and 'Harvington Royale', right,? I've email Twelve Nuns, the supplier, to ask but no reply

[Roma]

I have not  grown 'Harvington Royale' but my Roscoea 'Harvington Evening Star' seems to have a different white mark.  I got it from Hartside.

[latestart]

I cannot help either because I have two Roscoea, both bought from Hartside and unfortunately the labels are illegible. You could look at the breeders  website. www.hughnunn.co.uk. They show both. To my untutored eye there does not seem to be a big difference but they do mention that one of them is inky black when it first opens. I noticed that, but put it down to the different growing conditions. I have noticed some variation between photos of one or other variety on websites showing just photos. I have quite a few seedlings of Roscoea from the seed ex. I'm wondering at what stage I should pot them on. I have just got my computer back and it is missing bits that would allow me to look at Ian Youngs  Bulb Blogs.

[Maggi Young]

Sorry to hear you've had computer problems - always a nightmare I know. If you're missing your Adobe Acrobat Reader for pdf then there's a free download link on the Bulb Log main page http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/index.php?log=bulb


If the seedlings are still quite young, we'd pot them on as a clump into a larger pot for a couple of years just to build them up - and hopefully keep them a but safer from passing slugs and snails.  If their are a lot odf seedlings then you could split the clump in two but not disturb them too much.

[latestart]

Thank you Maggi,
I'm one of the semi computer literate millions and am very wary of adding anything to my computer without consulting my expert, son. I will download using your link. Thank you for the info on potting on my Roscoea. I have two pots of 12 and one with maybe 10. I expect to wait awhile to get flowering size bulbs but am happy to increase my stock this way. I find they like the conditions in my garden. 

[mark smyth]

Twelve Nunns never answered

The colour of the purple Roscoeas varies greatly depending on how long the flower is open and how much sunshine hits the flowers. My experience is they fade much too quickly when the sun shines

[David Nicholson]

Twelve Nunns never answered

........................My experience is they fade much too quickly when the sun shines

Agreed Mark, mine are all over now. Every year I decide to move them to somewhere where they would get more shade and every year I don't get round to it. I think once they go brown I will dig them out and replant them somewhere else.