July 2017 in the Southern Hemisphere

[Jupiter]

This Galanthus elwesii var. monostictus is my oldest snowdrop, bought from Marcus as three bulbs in 2014. It has increased well and this year has even produced two buds from one bulb! A first for me.

[Jupiter]

Canarina canariensis has flowered! This has been a long time coming. Tried and failed to germinate seeds twice. Succeeded in 2014/15. This is my first flower.
This picture was taken in the dark and the rain this morning before I left for work, hence the flash photography.

[Jupiter]

Some better photos taken in daylight this time.

[fermi de Sousa]

Good work with the Canarina, Jamus!
Seedlings I got from Harvey and Don on our visit to Adelaide did not reappear this year
1) One of the first snowdrops is a Galanthus elwesii hybrid with a faint green mark on the exterior.
2) Hoop petticoat daff from Lawrence Trevanion, Narcissus 'Nug Nutsch'
cheers
fermi

[Lesley Cox]

A really nice little daff Fermi but can you explain the name please?

[Jupiter]

I agree it's very pretty. I need more little daffodils... That's a lovely elwesii Fermi, nice green blush on the outers. Things have stalled here for a bit... lots of buds but the cold weather has slowed down progress. You'll have a flood of pics from me soon, so grab your umbrellas and don your gumboots.

[Jupiter]

Some snowdrops from today.

[Maggi Young]

Pretty 'drops, Jamus - is it  better for you to keep 'em in pots?

[fermi de Sousa]

A really nice little daff Fermi but can you explain the name please?

Hi Lesley,
Lawrence named a range of his hoops as "baby talk" and were sounds made by his kids as babies apparently!
I posted some last year as well,
cheers
fermi

[Jupiter]

No Maggi they are better in the ground. That old elwesii clone is the only one I keep in a pot, because it's doing well and I enjoy moving it around when in flower. It came as three good sized bulbs from Marcus in 2014 and I'm guessing I have probably close to 20 in there now!

[Lesley Cox]

Snow on the ground today and still snowing off and on. Jolly cold.

Have just realized I haven't a single snowdrop out except a few remnants on reginae-olgae. And while Eranthis hiemalis is in flower further south, mine is still at least 2 cms beneath the ground surface. I had a poke about yesterday. The more orange E. h. aurantiacus is up, just the curved stem and not in flower yet, under some leaves under a tree. On the other hand Cyclamen coum is flowering well and with hundreds of buds and the first Iris reticulata 'Harmony' are in bloom among the cyclamen. Funny season but every one is, in its own way.

[Jupiter]

Where can i buy Eranthis seed? I need to have a proper shot at this genus. I only have one plant.

[Lesley Cox]

I don't know where you could buy it Jamus but if you can wait a bit, mine are just about emerged from the ground (late this year) and will flower then set seed as they always do. The seed ripens quite quickly and I'd be happy to send some. It MUST be sown fresh for decent germination within a reasonable time. I find that even sown right away it doesn't usually germinate until the bulbs are coming up the following year so it's not a quick fix. Then it's quite a wait until flowering, 3 or 4 or even 5 years, so yes, you'd better get on with it!

I also have seedlings (to flower this year I think) from a Canadian source of the orange form, aurantiacus and if this too seeds well, can send some of that as well. If you can find a closer Australian source go for it, but remember, FRESH sowing is vital, at least as much as for other ephemeral Ranunculaceae such as Hepatica or Helleborus.

We (in NZ) were promised some seed of a double form (named, but my mind has gone blank for the moment, somebody Ayres?) which apparently comes true from seed, by one of Steve Newall's visiting speakers but it never arrived. Or maybe it was sent to Steve himself but if so it hasn't gone further. I'm not usually a fan of double flowers on bulbs, tulips, daffodils for instance, but this one looked super and I'd love to have it.  Maybe Noel Ayres?

[David Nicholson]

Where can i buy Eranthis seed? I need to have a proper shot at this genus. I only have one plant.

There is always some on the SRGC Seed Exchange.

[t00lie]

It MUST be sown fresh for decent germination within a reasonable time. 

Hello Lesley
My experience mirrors yours in that seed sown fresh is best .Interestingly I obtained seed of Eranthis h. aurantiacus seed from the Gotenborg Botanical Garden Index Seminum list of 2015 which germinated well last year.
 
While the seed may have been picked at the appropriate time it was quite some months later before arrival in NZ so I wonder whether the success or otherwise is affected by how the seed is handled/stored before distribution .    

Gotenborg have at times also listed the double E.hyemalis fl.pl.

Jamus please let me know if you want the Got. Bot. seed contact details.

Cheers Dave.