Moraea 2022

[PaulFlowers]

Moraea tricolor - a few different colours

[Maggi Young]

Really enjoying your great selection of Moraea, Paul!

[PaulFlowers]

Thanks Maggi - just sharing my obsession …..hoping to obsess others!

[Redmires]

Moraea is probably the genus that makes me most envious of those who can grow them! Gorgeous flowers - that blue and orange-gold <i>tulbaghensis<\i> is especially swoonworthy. Please do keep the piccies coming, they're a wonderful antidote to grim, grey weather at the tail-end of an English winter.

[PaulFlowers]

Redmires - they certainly keep my mental health going through the darkest days. This is one that never fails to lift my spirits - Moraea elegans - chocolate scented. Hoping for a lot of seed from these to donate.

[PaulFlowers]

Moraea miniata

[PaulFlowers]

Moraea bellendenii

[PaulFlowers]

Moraea setifolia - tiny and charming. I thought I was running out of Moraeas yesterday morning but three species bloomed! This one was a complete surprise

[shelagh]

Are they hardy Paul?

[mellifera]

thanks for the photos of this beautiful species, Paul

[PaulFlowers]

Shelagh

They are borderline hardy at best. I’ve had some grow accidentally in the garden through very cold winters (m. Setifolia above). I’ve also had them do well in an unheated greenhouse (again by accident). When I’ve actually tried to grow them outside they’ve died. I’m going to be systematic about trying them in the greenhouse again next winter.

In the central belt of Scotland the low light levels are a problem too. I have an odd annual cycle of moving them around. I spend a lot if time moving plants around! Out into the garden and rain in august, into the house when serious frosts loom (November if lucky), under LED lights till around now, dry storage till august (and repotting if they’re lucky).

There are a whole range of summer growing Moraeas too- very hard to come by in general. The few that are available relatively easily are hardy. They’re quite big chunky things with a lot of strappy evergreen leaves.

I’ll be donating seeds this year so they’re worth having a go with. Planted in late summer the seeds start growing by Sept etc. Only 3-4 years to wait till the flowers!

All the best
Paul

[MarcR]

In my experience, most are hardy in zone 8b min 15F  9.4C.

According to my old Silverhill printed catalogs, several are hardy to zone 7  0F  -12C

[PaulFlowers]

Moraea simulans - this one is small but very lovely for the hours it’s open

[PaulFlowers]

This has been a nice surprise - my label had aged so much it was not legible. I think this might be 2.5 years from seed - moraea polyanthus (I think!). I read last night if I keep watering it, it could keep flowering for  ages!

[PaulFlowers]

MarcR - any chance you could share the list of hardier ones? I wonder if it relates to location or species? Or a mix?