Sternbergia 2009

[Roma]

I still have one Cyclamen mirabile bought from Woolworths, late 70s or early 80s.  I remember having one or maybe two dozen Cyclamen hederifolium, some with interesting leaves, growing in trays.  I had reasonable success getting them started in the greenhouse.  Unfortunately they all died in a severe cold spell in the winter 1983-84.  I lost most of my Cyclamen then but one of the three mirabile survived and is still lingering on.

[Ragged Robin]

One day it could be a collectors item Roma 

[pehe]

In the garden St. sicula Dodona Gold has started flowering.

Poul

[Melvyn Jope]

Sternbergia in flower today.
1. S. lutea from Sparta.
2. S. lutea from Corfu.
3. S. sicula from Oros Idi Crete.
4. S. grueteriana from Aradena Gorge Crete.

[Gerry Webster]

Very impressive Sternbergia Melvyn. The variation is fascinating. S. sicula from Oros Idi Crete looks very close to S. greuteriana; do the leaves differ?  Are these plants growing in the open garden?

[Rodger Whitlock]

What sternbergia is this? The bulb probably came from Avon Bulbs 15-20 years ago, disappeared, but last fall came up and flowered: a total surprise! I divided it last fall after noting that it seemed to have clumped up nicely, and this year have 10 bulbs that are flowering or in bud, and another 8 or so not flowering.

Unfortunately, I have not retained any Avon catalogs nor any record of my purchases from them.

The leaves are narrow and have a pale stripe down the middle reminiscent of Galanthus reginae-olgae.

[Gerdk]

According leaves and petals shape they are Sternbergia sicula.

Gerd

[pehe]

I will say Sternbergia sicula too.

Poul

[pehe]

Here is a strange Sternbergia.

Poul

This is not a Sternbergia, I was teasing.
It is Sisyrinchium californicum, but the flower has some similarities with Sternbergia.
See the pic in post #27.


Poul

[Gerry Webster]

Rodger - I agree with Gerd & Poul, S.sicula.

[Melvyn Jope]

Very impressive Sternbergia Melvyn. The variation is fascinating. S. sicula from Oros Idi Crete looks very close to S. greuteriana; do the leaves differ?  Are these plants growing in the open garden?

I appreciate that its difficult to tell the size of the flowers from a photograph so I've just been to measure them. The Sternbergia sicula from Oros Idi has a petal length of 30mm and a width of 8mm whereas the S. grueteriana has a petal length of 25mm but only 4mm wide, the leaves when they emerge are much narrower on the S. grueteriana and it is generally smaller in all its parts.All of the plants photographed were growing under glass although I think they would all grow ok outside here in Surrey.

[Gerry Webster]

Thanks for the info Melvyn. Although Sternbergias will grow in the open garden here in Brighton they will not flower, even in a S-facing raised bed.

[pehe]

Thanks for the info Melvyn. Although Sternbergias will grow in the open garden here in Brighton they will not flower, even in a S-facing raised bed.

Gerry, have you tried St. lutea Autumn Gold or St. colchiciflora? They should flower in the open garden in Brighton. I have a form of lutea, which have flowered every year since 1993 in the open garden in Denmark. And I believe that the climate in Brigton is much warmer than in Denmark (climate zone 7).

Poul

[Gerry Webster]

Gerry, have you tried St. lutea Autumn Gold or St. colchiciflora? They should flower in the open garden in Brighton. I have a form of lutea, which have flowered every year since 1993 in the open garden in Denmark. And I believe that the climate in Brigton is much warmer than in Denmark (climate zone 7).
Poul

Poul - I tried to get S. lutea 'Autumn Gold'  from 'Rare Plants' this year but was told that it was not available. Next year maybe. I have tried ordinary 'garden centre' S . lutea which grows but does not flower. I have very heavy clay soil - maybe this is a problem?

[pehe]

Gerry, have you tried St. lutea Autumn Gold or St. colchiciflora? They should flower in the open garden in Brighton. I have a form of lutea, which have flowered every year since 1993 in the open garden in Denmark. And I believe that the climate in Brigton is much warmer than in Denmark (climate zone 7).
Poul

Poul - I tried to get S. lutea 'Autumn Gold'  from 'Rare Plants' this year but was told that it was not available. Next year maybe. I have tried ordinary 'garden centre' S . lutea which grows but does not flower. I have very heavy clay soil - maybe this is a problem?

Gerry, I have also bought the 'garden form' of lutea and these are not floriferous in Denmark. In average 1 out of 6 bulbs flowers. I have sandy soil in my garden, where I have most of my Sternbergias. I have a summer residence too where I have planted some lutea. There the soil is heavy clay, but they grow well and flower about 2 weeks earlier.

Poul