Hippeastrum 2008

[johnw]

I have the following Rhodophiala but have never had them bloom; long skinny bulbs. How do you grow them and get them to bloom?  I have been shy with the fertilizer and mulch the long necks with gravel (in cool greenhouse).

Rhodophiala araucana cw - Archibald #95-144277
Rhodophiala advena - NARGS #97-5410

johnw

Hans  - You may be interested ..... spotted today and what a wait. These will get selfed immediately. I notice the pot is bulging so the bulbs must no longer be skinny - a common age problem I guess.

johnw

[Hans J]

 
John : first flowers after 12 years ?

[Maggi Young]

John : first flowers after 12 years ?

Better late than never, eh? 

[Hans J]

Maggi ,

it is depending how old we are 

[Maggi Young]

Maggi ,

it is depending how old we are 

The late, great grower, Harold Esslemont, was still sowing frit seed in his eighties........ be brave, Hans, hope costs nothing! 

[Paul T]

That species flowered for me after about 5 years of neglect, and I specify neglect.  It would have been quicker I'd think if it wasn't left to it's own devices in the seed pot for far too long!    BUT, that is in my case, and in my climate..... which does actually suit Rhodophiala rather well with it's hot and dry summers etc.

John,

I'll be interested to see what the flowers on yours end up looking like.  The couple of mine that have flowered were quite variable, so it will be interesting to see what yours end up looking like.  No idea whether mine were correct or not.

[johnw]

Paul -  It was a stinking hot day here. We got to 29-30c on the coast. I was 25 km inland where it was 34c and 5km beyond that I sped through an area at 38c.  The Rhodophiala auracana seems to love it as the flower is progressing rapidly and already showing a good strong yellow. Impossible to get a sharp photograph.

Hans  - I see a bud coming on the other Rhodophiala elwesii, a pale yellow which I will self. Its sibling is quite over after today's temperatures.

johnw

[johnw]

The Rhodophiala auracana opened this morning. Certainly looks like one of the other R. elwesii ex GBG but the colour is a bit stronger.

johnw

[Paul T]

Very nice.  Not at all like what I had under that name, which were a red and white combination (as I think I mentioned previously, I never attempted to verify whether they were correct or not).  I do like that strong yellow.  Very, very nice. 

[johnw]

Very nice.  Not at all like what I had under that name, which were a red and white combination (as I think I mentioned previously, I never attempted to verify whether they were correct or not).  I do like that strong yellow.  Very, very nice. 

Hans  - The second Rhodophiala elwesii bloomed today, a pale yellow. I will self it and cross it with its salmon/yellow sibling.

Seeds have already ripened (?) on Hipppeastrum striatum. At least I think they have. There's nothing discernible in the large flat black seeds. Is this normal?  Quite alot of them, so if anyone wants some - provided I get an ok on their viability  - I can send with the Clivia seeds.

johnw

[David Nicholson]

John, Hans is away on holiday until the end of July.

[Maggi Young]

John, Hans is away on holiday until the end of July.

And to think Mark says I know everything that is going on, David!!

[David Nicholson]

Well, nearly everything Maggi!

[johnw]

Thanks for the reminder David. Hans had told me that too. Am sure he will see the picture when he returns.

johnw

[Paul T]

John,

Love that second yellow Rhodophiala too.  Lovely clean colour to it as well.  That salmon sibling is pretty impressive as well.

What are the leaves on your Hippeastrum striatum like?  Does it have a wide or thin stripe on the leaf, and what colour (white or yellow)?  Apparently there is some variability.  As to seed viability.... usually there should be evidence of an embryo in the centre of the seed, but sometimes it is not that clear cut.  Not quite the answer you were looking for I guess.  You could always try floating a few seeds on the surface of a glass of water.  I have found that the embryos become much more obvious as they tend to swell as they absorb water. Again though, I would imagine it would depend on the individual species, and I haven't even grown striata.