Massonia echinata

[johnstephen29]

I'm not sure wether this belongs here or in the alpine log, but here goes. Picked up this Massonia Echinata at the weekend at the cyclamen society show at wisley, I must have picked it up half a dozen times to look at it as I've never seen anything like it before. It was only £2.00 pounds so I've taken a chance with it. I've also done some homework, it likes a nice sunny site, has white honey scented flowers & hails from south Africa. I've looked up an article in the Wisley Alpine Log 8 8th Nov 2007 where you can see it in flower. This is of course only a young plant so it will be awhile before a get a flower like that.

Massonia Echinata by johnstephen29, on Flickr

[Maggi Young]

The Wisley Log mentioned by John  is this one : http://www.srgc.org.uk/wisley/2007/071107/log.html

Smart little plant - intriguing thing these Massonias.  I know  quite a few foriuumists are very keen on them and grow them.

[SJW]

I'm not sure wether this belongs here or in the alpine log, but here goes. Picked up this Massonia Echinata at the weekend at the cyclamen society show at wisley, I must have picked it up half a dozen times to look at it as I've never seen anything like it before. It was only £2.00 pounds so I've taken a chance with it. I've also done some homework, it likes a nice sunny site, has white honey scented flowers & hails from south Africa. I've looked up an article in the Wisley Alpine Log 8 8th Nov 2007 where you can see it in flower. This is of course only a young plant so it will be awhile before a get a flower like that.

Hi John - it was one of my young plants (remarkable value, eh? ). There is a flower bud showing so you should get something this year albeit on the small size. After flowering make sure you remove the spent bloom because botrytis can set in otherwise. Let it dry off in late spring/early summer - it needs a dry rest. It'll need a bigger pot with a very gritty compost next season - repot and start watering as the weather cools in late August/early September. Here's three of mine flowering last year (early December).

[SJW]

It'll need a bigger pot with a very gritty compost next season...

Actually, looking at the photo again, it looks like you've already potted it on - I'm sure it was in a smaller pot when I took it to the show!

[johnstephen29]

Hi Maggi & Steve it's a lovely little plant & a completely new one for me, & a bargain to boot. I've put it with my succulent plants in the sunniest part of the greenhouse. I though they were new leaves growing Steve, I'm looking forward to seeing it flower. Have I jumped the gun in potting it on already?. The compost I've used is the same as I give my cyclamen john innes No3 with vermiculite & grit mixed in, is that ok?. Really like your plants steve & the flowers are amazing, hope I can get mine looking as good. I was cleaning my car today & I found those seeds Cyclamen Coum album scented that I promised you in the pocket on the drivers side, do you want me to hold on to them till February or send them to you?

[SJW]

Hi Maggi & Steve it's a lovely little plant & a completely new one for me, & a bargain to boot. I've put it with my succulent plants in the sunniest part of the greenhouse. I though they were new leaves growing Steve, I'm looking forward to seeing it flower. Have I jumped the gun in potting it on already?. The compost I've used is the same as I give my cyclamen john innes No3 with vermiculite & grit mixed in, is that ok?. Really like your plants steve & the flowers are amazing, hope I can get mine looking as good. I was cleaning my car today & I found those seeds Cyclamen Coum album scented that I promised you in the pocket on the drivers side, do you want me to hold on to them till February or send them to you?

John - yes, the gritty compost is fine. It would probably have been OK left in the smaller pot but it'll be fine, just be careful with the watering because the bigger pot of compost will remain wetter for longer until the roots start to fill the pot, particularly now that the temperature is dropping. I find they do ok cultivated under the same conditions as C. graecum or rohlfsianum (apart from letting them dry out completely in the summer). Don't worry about the coum seeds, I can pick up in Feb.

[johnstephen29]

Cheers mate

[angie]

John one of my favourite plants, and what a bargain you got. Mine are doing better this year, not sure why and not sure what I did wrong last year but hopefully I will have some nice flowering plants this year. Will look forward to see the picture when its in flower.

Angie 

[johnstephen29]

Hi angie I am too, steve's photo's & the pics in the wisley log have only made more eager to see it in flower. I have brought it into the house & put it in the conservatory where it will get plenty of sunshine & I can enjoy it more.

[angie]

John that will be you hooked on this amazing plants 

Angie 

[johnstephen29]

Hi angie I hope so, before I forget do you feed these at all?

[SJW]

Hi angie I hope so, before I forget do you feed these at all?

As your bulb is in fresh compost it shouldn't need feeding this growing season. They don't need much feeding anyway and I believe the Cape soils are very low in phosphates so use a fertiliser with no or low P, if you can get it. Probably wise to use at 1/4 or 1/2 strength...

[johnstephen29]

Cheers steve

[angie]

Hi angie I hope so, before I forget do you feed these at all?

Hi John, you got your answer. I do feed at half strength. But like I said last year I didn't do so well. Sorry for not answering but just been trying to catch up in the garden. I have so much things to do , my list just grows and grows  .

Angie 

[johnstephen29]

Hi Angie it's no problem, I've been doing the same to a flower bed near the back door. It's all tidy now, got it done just in time before that storm hits tonight, it's going to be a bad one so they say.