Pancratium illyricum is flowering

[Hans J]

Here a nice flower of a Amaryllidaceae :

Pancratium illyricum

[shelagh]

Nice picture Hans, the last time I photographed this was in western Crete in late Autumn. We had walked out along a sand bar to a small 'island' I think it was called Elephanesi (can't check because Cliff Booker is out there at the moment and I lent him my maps) and we were being dive-bombed by red locusts.

[Hans J]

Hi Shelagh ,

No - this is a other species : Panratium maritimum ( maybe you remember on my older pics )
http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=921.0

It's funny : I have also visit Elaphonisi ( near Paleochora ) before many year and I have seen there also this plants .

Pan. illyricum grows on Corsica and Sardinia -I have seen it there on the mountains !it is spring flowering
Pan. maritimum grows always in sandy conditions near the sea -it is autuumflowering

[Anthony Darby]

I have two plants from seed but not big enough to flower. I hope it is easier the Pancratium maritimum? Even large purchased (PC) bulbs refuse to flower!

[Brian Ellis]

I hope it is easier the Pancratium maritimum?

Me too Anthony, I have a pot of seedlings and would love to see them come to fruition.

Thanks for posting this Hans, I hadn't found any information about it elsewhere,  I hope mine will look as nice when (if?) they flower.  If you grew it from seed how long did it take to reach flowering size?

[Hans J]

I have two plants from seed but not big enough to flower. I hope it is easier the Pancratium maritimum? Even large purchased (PC) bulbs refuse to flower!

Anthony +Brian ,

In my eyes are this plants easier than P. maritimum !
I  received my bulb  from my friend and it has flowered also last year at this time .
In winter I grow it in my greenhouse with a lot of light and every two weeks a little water -in a few  weeks the leaves have started and then I give it more water . Last year I  self pollinated it and I found some few seeds ...until now has nothing germinated ....
I think we have the wrong climate for P. maritimum -a friend of mine grows it in the garden ....but maybe with the change of climate .....
Before many year I have collect some seeds of P. maritimum ....they germinate well and grow without a problem ....after some years I give it away .....

[Hans J]

Brian :

Here is a little bit from PBS :
http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/index.php/Pancratium

[Tony Willis]

Hans a lovely flower.

I also have maritimum and it will not flower. I have seen thousands of it on a beach in Turkey but not at the right time to see flowers. I suppose my problem is I do not have a hot dry sand bed three feet deep!

[Alberto]

Hi all, I grow both species, maritimum and illyricum. I grow them ouside. I live in USDA zone 8a. It looks like illyricum is hardier than maritimum as the former start to grow in spring, just blooming, and the leaves have already withered in July. Pancratium maritimum is evergreen with me, but you find it without leaves in summer on the sea beaches; even if evergreen the leaves are not damaged by the frost (usually -10C°).
Ciao
Alberto

[Brian Ellis]

Thanks for the PBS link Hans, I'll keep my fingers crossed!

[BULBISSIME]

Here is a pic of my P. illyricum, very easy to grow and to get flowers with this sp; P. maritimum needs more sun and warm.
I'm living in USDA zone 8 and the plant is in the rock garden.

[Paul T]

Beautiful, Fred.  They look to be stunning flowers.  So good to see new things.  Thanks!!