March 2017 in the Southern Hemisphere

[Jupiter]

I agree with Otto regarding C. variegatum. I have it close to flowering here and it flowered 2 years ago, with narrower petals and a shorter petiole.

Here is my photo from 2014.

[Lesley Cox]

Otto I'm sorry I didn't phone you on the 9th as I usually do. I didn't forget but I was away from my home phone all day and I'm not sure that my mobile works with overseas calls. It didn't when I was in Europe in September. Anyway, I was thinking of you and hope you had a great day. It would almost have been worth having a birthday myself, to get a cake like that, what a beautiful confection!

Very best wishes my friend, now and always. Love from
Lesley

[fermi de Sousa]

Crossyne flava is now in bloom again - only 2 this year, but more than one means there will be plenty of seed. Does anyone who got seed from me at the last Czech Conference still have their plants? Let me know if you'd like me to bring some more seeds!
cheers
fermi

[Jupiter]

Wow they are stunning Fermi. I successfully germinated some of the seed you gave me but not sure how long until they flower.

I'm absolutely shattered. I've spent the day digging out and sieving a whole garden bed full of sword fern (Nephrolepis) and Alstroemeria to remove all the bulbs. I'm about half way through.

[fermi de Sousa]

Wow they are stunning Fermi. I successfully germinated some of the seed you gave me but not sure how long until they flower.

Hi Jamus,
my first one took 10 years to flower from seed  - but you'll get them to bloom sooner in your climate (mine were in a small pot while we lived in Melbourne and only flowered after being in the ground here for a few years). The Flower-head in pic P1050791 is from a seedling which came up in the dry-creek bed next to where its parent grows! But I can't remember when it germinated. Last year its leaves had gotten to be as broad as its parent's (about 10cm) so I was hopeful it or one of its siblings would bloom this year.



cheers
fermi

[Jupiter]

   but seriously... the whole soil of the bed is passing through a quarter inch sieve. Anything I miss I will weed out individually. Failure is not an option! I need the space for more precious plants!

[Mini bulb lover]

Otto & Jamus,

I did think that Colchicum variegatum had narrower petals - I'm at a loss as to what else it could be. I've had another one flower from the seed Marcus sent me - the flower looks the same as the first one. I can't find much information about Colchicums online (in English anyway). Any guesses? Colchicum 'Autumn Queen' maybe?

[fermi de Sousa]

Otto & Jamus,

I did think that Colchicum variegatum had narrower petals - I'm at a loss as to what else it could be. I've had another one flower from the seed Marcus sent me - the flower looks the same as the first one. I can't find much information about Colchicums online (in English anyway). Any guesses? Colchicum 'Autumn Queen' maybe?

Not if it was grown from seed! Maybe it is a new species?!!! Colchicum marcusharveyii?
cheers
fermi

[fermi de Sousa]

Hi Jamus,
the seedling Boophone Crossyne was possibly from seed in 2009 or later. The first one to flower was in 2008 but no seedlings that year.

Here is our native "Garland Lily", Calostemma purpureum in flower
cheers
fermi

[Jupiter]

Fermi your garland lily is looking magnificent! I found populations on the hill behind my work with a lot of colour variation. I took some mobile phone snaps but forgot I'd done it.

[Jupiter]

and the spill-over Calostemma

[Robert]

Here is our native "Garland Lily", Calostemma purpureum in flower
cheers
fermi

Fermi,

Garland Lily looks very nice.    Do you ever see Fringe Lily, Thysanotus, in your area? My understand is that there are 45 species in Southwestern Australia.

[Mini bulb lover]

This is the 2nd Colchicum to flower from the seed from Marcus. The sepals are more pointed but still not as narrow as I've seen in photos online of C. variegatum. Could it be a localised variation? Colchicum marcusharveyii it is then Fermi! 

Or maybe it's Colchicum bivonae? The AGS website says that the "...tepals can be rounded or pointed" and are a heavily tessellated, large bowl shaped flowers.

My Calostemma purpureum is nowhere near flowering - I have a feeling it flowered much later than yours last year too Fermi.

[Jupiter]

Look like the bees have done some mixing of pollen Jon. What do you think, possible hybrid?

[Jupiter]

Now my Colchicum variegatum, also bought from Marcus but as a bulb is flowering in my new bulb bed.