South African bulbose plants 2007

[PEAK]

Thanks Sue, the nursery photo is just showing the flower, but that looks real nice. Do it have that "interesting" Eucomis smell also
About foliage the nursery write "dark green foliage resembling a small octopus". A bit hard to imagine perhaps.
Cheers

[SueG]

there are some pictures of the 'straight' species in the photos on the African Garden website here http://www.theafricangarden.com/page2.html. Looking at those pics and thinking back to my plant of Octopus I'm not sure whether it is a hybrid or just a form with folliage that sits flattish to the ground and is more red in colouring.
Dave Fenwick who 'is' the African Garden is selling off some of his surplus bulbs to UK based folk only, just go to the site if you are interested. Sadly no Eucomis though, but lots of Nerines and far more Crocosmias than any garden could possibly want . . 

Sue

PS I can't remember anything about the smell, but I'd guess it was not one you'd want to bottle, however E zambesica has rather good perfume - at least the bulbs I have are scented not smelly.

[PEAK]

Are you telling me about this UK only sale just to raise my envy (And those grinning faces!!)
I find the perfume of Eucomis quite interesting, my "better half" finds the smell of our E.bicolors digusting, while I find it, well not pleasant but interesting almost attractive! Are we talking pheromones here

Cheers

[ChrisB]

Whilst we are on about South African bulbs, I have a bulb (providing is has survived the winter) grown from Silverhills seed of Scilla natalensis.  It has yet to flower for me despite the bulb getting to quite a good size over the past 6 - 7 years.  Does anyone know
a: whether I am just going to have to be patient because it does take 6 or 7 years to flower and
b: whether I'm doing the right thing by drying it out in my cold frame over winter - cold frame is a bit lower than ground level and thus doesn't get any frost in it?

Thanks for your help with this

[fermi de Sousa]

Chris
I don't think 7 years is unreasonable for Scilla natalensis as it makes a huge bulb. I have one that age that is also yet to flower but it had been hit by a late frost this season so that's set it back. I would think that a frost free cold-frame would be a good way of growing it. The size of the bulb indicates it would need a deep root run.
I have a "dwarf" form of this which has flowered in a 6" pot, but I got it as a mature bulb. Unfortunately it hasn't set seed yet.
cheers
fermi

[ChrisB]

Thanks for the reassurance Fermi, I think I'll repot it.  the bulb it is certainly getting to be a large size now, but I hadn't thought of putting it in a tall pot before.  If I repot I'll give it a bit of tlc and see if i can coax it this year.  Have you flowered your dwarf form?

[PEAK]

I also have Scilla (or Merwilla) natalensis from Silverhills seed. My were sown 4 years ago and is quite slow growing in our Swedish summers. Some nice pics of Californian plants here

http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/index.php/Scilla

I would say that the pictures indicates that they need deep pots!

Cheers

[Rafa]

Hello,

Here, there is one week left for the Ferraria crispa subsp. northieri to flower. I will post some pictures. I think I will take the plant out to some sandy place  to take a picture with an appropiate scenario behind.

[fermi de Sousa]

Hi Chris
yes, I got it as a mature potted bulb and it flowered the first year, then went into decline and I discovered that the potting mix was holding too much moisture! It always pays to repot new plants into your "own" potting mix which suits your climate! I cleaned up the bits of rot and repotted it into a freely draining mix and it is now in full growth, so hopefully will recover enough to flower again next year.
It makes a lot of offsets as does the larger form when it is mature enough but these are difficult to remove as they stay attached to the mother bulb. I'm not sure how to treat these and whether they'd take to being cut off...or when?
Anyone with any experience of this?
cheers
fermi

[ChrisB]

Hi Fermi,

Wow, you flowered it.  Lucky you.  What was it like, I guess you don't have any pics?  Was it scented?  I'm definitely going to repot it.  The bulb is quite big  now so if it does respond well to repotting maybe it will flower for me this year.  The foliage is interesting without the flower, so I can hardly wait to see what it produces.  I'll let you know if there are any offsets once I repot.  Mine has a lot of grit in it, the compost that is

[Maggi Young]

From Fermi:It always pays to repot new plants into your "own" potting mix which suits your climate!

I could not agree more! WE always do this. Apart from the advantage Fermi outlines where repotting gets the plant into a mix you are familiar with and so much better able to water correctly, in removing the original soil you are also removing any bugs etc that may be lurking in there. We go so far as to wash off the roots of new plants whenever possible.

[SueG]

Are you telling me about this UK only sale just to raise my envy (And those grinning faces!!)

Dear Per Ake
I'd hate to raise your envy . If Dave has anything you wanted I'd be happy to send it onto you. I've just got my order with him sorted and in the post to me today - so it should arrive for the weekend and some happy planting1

Sue

[PEAK]

Dear Sue

this is a very kind offer of you Unfortunately I am a bit short on cash right now, here you can read why

http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=269.msg5963#msg5963

but I won't forget it
Happy weekend planting, and when time is given please tell us what you received!

Cheers

[Rafa]

Hello,

Ferraria crispa subsp. nortierii

[ChrisB]

Hi Rafa,

How many years before you got those amazing flowers on your Ferraria?  I have one, can't remember which, but it doesn't look anywhere near flowering yet and I germinated the seed about 4 years ago at my reckoning.  Well done!