Rhodophiala rhodolirion

[winwen]

While reading the posts in the Amaryllidaceae-section of the rock-gradening-forum, I began to wonder why there is no thread on the -maybe- most spectacular high-altitude-amaryllis "Rhodophiala rhodolirion".
Seeds of this precious little thing are available from some sources and the beauty and estimated hardiness of the plants (especially the white ones) would make it worth a try, I think.
So, I would like to know if there is someone here in the forum cultivating this "cracker", his/her best practices in cultivation, etc...
If noone is cultivating Rh. rhodolirion here, does anyone have an idea why this may be the case? Is it impossible to grow? Too many bad experiences made?

Please tell me!

[Hans A.]

Do not know if it is complicate to grow as till now I just have a few last years seedlings of it which started growth actually -  the germination rate I had was not very good - may be it was not cold enough here in Spain last winter.

[ashley]

I agree Hans; good germination rates require a period of chilling.  Seed I sowed last October under cold glass only began to emerge after a series of frosts toward the end of the year.  A second batch kept under sterile conditions in just-damp perlite geminated after 6-10 weeks in the fridge.  Of the several Rhodophiala species I've tried, only andicola seems to have a greater need for this cold treatment than rhodolirion, while others from lower altitudes don't need it at all.  However the seedlings are vigorous and strong so now I hope to learn by trial and error how best to manage this species. 

[Gerdk]

Previously I was very keen on all Rhodophiala species. It seems to me they must be some kind of improved daffodils.
After I detected that a lot of them are very prone to Stagonospora curtisii (red blotch/red leaf spot) I went back to  good old daffs.
Rhodophiala rhodolirion was the most infected species.
Narcissus fly loves both of them!

Don't you have problems with the fungus?

Gerd

[ashley]

Previously I was very keen on all Rhodophiala species. It seems to me they must be some kind of improved daffodils.
After I detected that a lot of them are very prone to Stagonospora curtisii (red blotch/red leaf spot) I went back to  good old daffs.
Rhodophiala rhodolirion was the most infected species.

Not so far Gerd, but thanks for the warning.  This fungus seems to be widespread in commercially-grown Amaryllidaceae such as Hippeastrum and Sprekelia but without compromising their vigour very much.  Are the effects on Rhodophiala more debilitating?

[Alessandro.marinello]

creed that the kind Hippeastrum mainly is hit from the disease, my Rhodophiala has not had this type of problem, but even if good germination from seed I have had many losses during the years

[Ezeiza]

Hi:

     R. rhodolirion in its few forms is a cool climate species, along with andicola (truly difficult to grow). In the wild they grow in mountain slopes in gritty, rocky ground or screes in full sun. U. S. zone 8 or colder. Basically they receive some rainfall in autumn where the leaves become active, then snow falls and the plants produce no leaves until the defrost, when it also flowers and set seed. This is very similar to what wild tulips experience in Asia. The main mistake, using compost in the mix and watering too much. These are extremely long lived plants, therefore growth of seedlings is slow. Summers are cool and dry, with cool nights even if the daytime temperatures were mild to hot.

     Clearly, of those cases when one has to mimick conditions instead of having the plants taking or leaving it. They invariably leave.

   

Regards
Alberto

[johnw]

Alberto - Intriguing, can you tell us more about the various forms of R. rhodolirion?

Of several Rhodophiala species sown this autumn R. rhodolirion is showing the most vigour and the seedlings are the biggest and lustiest of all.  As Ashley says R. andicola is slow and has not surfaced yet in the cold greenhouse.  Thanks for the tip on Stagonospora, I have not seen it yet.  Is it caused by cultural or climatic conditions?

I will certainly be trying a few R. rhodolirion outside here after what Alberto said, we can supply the cool summer nights but we are awfully winter wet.

I wonder how dry one can keep the young seedlings.

A friend in the southern UK recently mentioned Stagonospora getting into Galanthus. Has anyone had any problems?

johnw

[ashley]

Thanks Alberto for this very useful information.  As you would expect, the different conditions under which various Rhodophiala spp. grow naturally determines their tolerance or otherwise of winter damp in cultivation.  In snow-covered species like rhodolirion and andicola do leaves emerge soon after autumn rains or is this postponed until the spring thaw, as in tulips?

More like fancy tulips than daffs, eh Gerd  

[Ezeiza]

Hi Ashley:

               I mentioned that it is like in tulips, that is, roots activated in autumn but leaves, flowers and seed only in spring. The bulbs with no leaves are under snow in winter. The first rains fall in autumn as rain and from then on as snow. In spring you have rainfall too but more scarce.

               R. rhodolirion has a white red dotted gorgeous form and the other, better known, pink to rose base and dark reddish markings.

                Yes. Rhodophiala is a large genus with species growing under a variety of climates. The countless losses in the past took place because people think they are all like R. bifida (by far the closes thing to Aspidistra in a bulb!)


Regards
Alberto
 

[Gerdk]

Not so far Gerd, but thanks for the warning.  This fungus seems to be widespread in commercially-grown Amaryllidaceae such as Hippeastrum and Sprekelia but without compromising their vigour very much.  Are the effects on Rhodophiala more debilitating?

Ashley,
The Rhodophiala rhodolirion were lost because of this fungus - maybe other species didn't suffer so much.
Despite the beauty of these plants I'll stay with daffodils and tulips 

Gerd

[Alessandro.marinello]

nobody has of the photos of Rhodophyala to show?

[johnw]

                Yes. Rhodophiala is a large genus with species growing under a variety of climates. The countless losses in the past took place because people think they are all like R. bifida (by far the closes thing to Aspidistra in a bulb!)
Alberto

Alberto - Can you tell us about growing and flowering Rhodophiala bifida?  I sometimes see synonyms for it.

johnw

[Ezeiza]

Hi:

     There are several color forms of R. bifida, including an albino that has little vigor. There is a color form they call spathacea but there is no spathacea, or, if you wish, all forms are "spathacea"!

     In the wild it grows in the pampas, the huge plains of southern South America. Soils are alkaline mostly, very rich in nutrients, clayey, and the bulbs are found down to 1 metre deep. This is important as young bulbs will waste a lot of energy searching for depth. Therefore, if you grow them in pots plant seedlings at the very bottom of the pot.

     As for climate, they are found from zone 9 to zone 10 in the wild but as with Ipheion uniflorum and Cypella herberti, another two species from the same part of the world, they are very hardy.

    Rainfall. In the wild  they receive year round rainfall. The dormant season, when the plants have no leaves (but they have living roots) is summer. At the end of summer, with the first downpour they flower and set seed abundantly as a rule. Afterwards leaves are produced and these remain green until late spring. They are always in the sun.

    Propagation is from seed. Very seldom a clumping bulb can be found. Those in Texas, so popular in the States, dark red in color, called "oxblood lilies" the countless millions of it in cultivation, started from a small clump sent to Texas in the late 1800's from a German living here in Argentina.

   This is an easy species and people take for granted that all other Rhodophialas are like this. Chilean species are in a good number but are not easy to grow. I suspect they resent humidity a lot.



Regards
Alberto

[ashley]

Again, fascinating to hear about conditions for bifida in the wild Alberto.  I hadn't realised that bulbs migrated quite so deep; certainly not easy to reproduce in a pot!  Can you tell us anything about the growth conditions of the Chilean species R. serotina, collected by Watson but apparently not yet described?  Very dry I suppose.

Speaking of synonyms John, I have just learned from the Kew monocot checklist that the accepted name for elwesii is R. gilliesiana.

[For the search engine: Rhodophiala bifida elwesii gilliesiana serotina]