Hermodactylus tuberosus

[Lesley Cox]

You wouldn't have joined the Worshipful Company of Name Droppers would you Otto? 

[Gerry Webster]

Did not see it in flower in Mid-march 1961 , when Sir Frederick and Lady Stern invited me for lunch at 'Highdown', but was thrilled to find a clump of Iris winogradowii in flower in the garden - the first time I saw this species .
  Lady Stern collected me at the station , i think it was Goring by the Sea , in her Rolls -Royce , and lunch was served by a butler - not your daily routine in Australia - but it was enjoyable ,as was the tour around the garden, nice memories .

Otto - they may not have been there in 1961. Since taking over, Worthing DC has done a lot of planting as well as removing some old & decrepit plants. It's still enjoyable but  the house is now a restaurant with no connection to the garden. Not a butler or a Rolls to be seen.

[Otto Fauser]

Dear Lesley ,
 it is time that you acknowledge my place in society -
 but no need to worship me 
        Otto.

[Maggi Young]

Dear Lesley ,
 it is time that you acknowledge my place in society -
 but no need to worship me 
        Otto.

 

Really, Otto .... we are not worthy.....

[fermi de Sousa]

Dear Lesley ,
 it is time that you acknowledge my place in society -
 but no need to worship me 
        Otto.

 

Really, Otto .... we are not worthy.....

Don't humour him, Maggi

[WimB]

I've had Hermodactylus tuberosus for over ten years now.
They flowered the first two years and since then it is the first year one of them is flowering. I seem to share this with Lesley: I can't kill them but they don't want to flower either.

[Lesley Cox]

Yet some friends who grow it have it flower like crazy every year. Maddening.

I had an email today from friend Tim, Otto's neighbour and Tim referred to Otto as a superstar, something to do with a large planting project. No wonder he gets these big ideas about himself.

Just been asking Teddy what naughty thing he's been up to. Reminds me of something from way back, a quotation I think that went "see what little Johnnie's doing and tell him not to do it."

[arillady]

Otto I can only humbly bow to your experience and expertise after seeing your garden back in November.
And Maggie you do make us laugh so much with your apt comic inclusions

[Otto Fauser]

Dear Maggi and Pat ,
 all that adulation is getting too much for a shy person , I shall retreat into my shell
again.
    But Lesley, wait for this :David Glenn -here in Victoria - in his latest Bulb List
gives my the title "Prince of small Bulbs"
   no smart comments from you Lesley, please - but I still love you.
      Otto.

[Hristo]

Hi there,
H.tuberosus with I fancy a hint of blue around the black! Will post some pics later of wild forms in Greece.

[Paul T]

Being amongst such stellar individuals I hesitate to offer any advice ..... but ..... I too seldom had flowers on my Hermodactylus tuberosus in their pots, until I started feeding them.  Now, if I repot every year while dormant and give them a slow release bulb food, I get flowers every year.  Without the extra food I just get lots of leaves.  So they obviously like a bit of extra food.  Those of you who don't get flowers try give them some extra supper, and they might reward you with some flowers.  I grow them in a very free draining mix in full sun.  I hope that might be of some help.   

[Hristo]

Paul,
Sound advice, in Greece the most floriferous Hermodactylus were growing in sunny woodland margins, I imagine therefoere they get a stable input of nutrients plus good light levels!

[Gerry Webster]

Paul,
Sound advice, in Greece the most floriferous Hermodactylus were growing in sunny woodland margins, I imagine therefoere they get a stable input of nutrients plus good light levels!

In Highdown Gardens they are growing in what was originally a large chalk pit, fairly close to one wall. It's pretty hot with good light but I can't imagine the nutrient levels are all that high naturally. I don't know whether they are fed.

[Hristo]

In Highdown Gardens they are growing in what was originally a large chalk pit, fairly close to one wall. It's pretty hot with good light but I can't imagine the nutrient levels are all that high naturally. I don't know whether they are fed.
[/quote]

Here in Bulgaria my Hermodayctylus are growing and flowering in lime chippings near my cess pit in full sun, I guess as long as conditions are somewhere near suitable they will flower. In the UK, though they grew well for me in Lincolnshire, I never could flower them, they had the nutrients and were on a south facing wall. The Highdown Garden examples you mention as growing are I assume flowering also? Could it be that they receive nutrients from any run off the chalk pit receives from the surrounding area?

[Gerry Webster]

In Highdown Gardens they are growing in what was originally a large chalk pit, fairly close to one wall. It's pretty hot with good light but I can't imagine the nutrient levels are all that high naturally. I don't know whether they are fed.

Here in Bulgaria my Hermodayctylus are growing and flowering in lime chippings near my cess pit in full sun, I guess as long as conditions are somewhere near suitable they will flower. In the UK, though they grew well for me in Lincolnshire, I never could flower them, they had the nutrients and were on a south facing wall. The Highdown Garden examples you mention as growing are I assume flowering also? Could it be that they receive nutrients from any run off the chalk pit receives from the surrounding area?

Yes, they are flowering; see my pic above (post no 5). I've no idea whether they receive any run off.