October 2009 in the Southern Hemisphere

[Tecophilaea King]

Scilla natalensis from South Africa is highly desirable for large gardens. It forms large clumps, and when located amongst rocks where the huge papery bulbs can be seen it is very effective. In late spring or early summer the flower spikes emerge and quickly grow to 1 meter or more. They are covered with hundreds of soft blue stars, which appear continually for several weeks, The flowers are followed by by 40 cm. long grey-green leaves, which often have a purple sheen. The flowers are useful for large floral displays. The bulbs should be planted with their lower third below soil level in autumn or winter. They multiply extremely slowly, in some cases one bulb increasing to only eight over a period of 20 years. Seed is therefore the quickest method of increase, it must be fresh when sown as old seed does not germinate. It should be sown on the surface of a sandy mix, and germination will commence in 2-3 days. Small bulbs will form before winter, at which time they will become dormant, coming into growth again the following spring.
Between four to seven years are required for bulbs of flowering size to develop.

[Tecophilaea King]

This Tropaeolum azureum seedling amazingly is flowering 4-5 months after sowing.
Hard to believe, has anyone ever flowered that quickly?

[Paul T]

Very, very nice, Bill.

Lesley,

You've made me realise that I don't think my purdyi has returned this year.  I'll have to go searching.  I've had it for more than 15 years, VERY slowly multiplying.  Got it from that nursery that used to stock unusual stuff many years ago (like the Clematis tangutica I mentioned elsewhere).  I hope it is still there but just not flowering.  

[Tecophilaea King]

A few more things flowering outdoors in the Rock Garden,
Leucocoryne hybrids(?)

Very nice Calochortus amabilis Fermi, that socalled Leucocoryne hybrid wouldn't be Leuc.purpurea would it?

[fermi de Sousa]

A few more things flowering outdoors in the Rock Garden,
Leucocoryne hybrids(?)

Very nice Calochortus amabilis Fermi, that socalled Leucocoryne hybrid wouldn't be Leuc.purpurea would it?

Hi Bill,
it may well be L. purpurea - I got it from a friend who got them as "mixed hybrids" but it looks a lot like Sheila Burrow's pic on the PBS site (which also looks like the pic that Lee Poulsen posted as "received as mixed hybrids"!).
cheers
fermi

[ajbroome]

Folks,

Moraea vegeta.

Saw this at Jenny Mair's over the weekend.

Apparently can get a bit weedy but I like it.



Andrew.

[ajbroome]

Folks,

Lesley mentioned my Babiana ringens last month but this is the first time I've had a chance to get back online since. A first flowering for me and I'm very impressed, this one will be a 'keeper' in my collection to rival B. rubrocyanea which is just coming in to flower now.

Andrew.

[ajbroome]

Folks,

The photos aren't anywhere near as nice as Bills but here are a couple of my Velthemia flowering at the moment.

Sadly some of the individual flowers (and the entire flower-heads on other plants) were damaged by a late frost.

Andrew.

[arillady]

Lesley - better late than never - I do grow Gladiolus nana and I can see the similarity. I prefer the colour of the straight species rather than the kind of harsh pink of the Charm or Charming one.
Fermi are you getting in early with the Calochortus as I noticed mine has about 7+ buds as well as two out so your's must be going to flower more. Great value bulb.

[Maggi Young]

This Tropaeolum azureum seedling amazingly is flowering 4-5 months after sowing.
Hard to believe, has anyone ever flowered that quickly?

 Yes, Bill, once the seeds do germinate they usually flower in their first growing season. Best to keep it growing on as long as possible and try not to let it die back too quickly or the tuber will not have made any great size and may then hit a DEEP dormancy. 

[Maggi Young]

Folks,
Moraea vegeta.
Saw this at Jenny Mair's over the weekend.

Apparently can get a bit weedy but I like it.

Andrew.

I know you Folks in the Southern Hemisphere, especially Australia and New Zealand can get a bit down-hearted at some of the plants that we have and you cannot get.... but if I had a garden where there was even a remote chance of any Moraea getting "weedy", I'd be pretty pleased!!
 
( yes, I realise most of my Rhodos wouldn't be so happy then!!  )

[David Nicholson]

Andrew, you have some lovely stuff, thanks for posting them.

[johnw]

I will show a picture of  Cyrtanthus obliguus which I photographed last season. (see if you can find the little spider on top of the plant) Enjoy.

A marvellous Cyrtanthus obliquus photo Bill.  Is one apt to get a few of the same colour pattern from any obliquus seed?  I see some solid coloured ones on the internet that aren't quite as nice.  It must be the resemblance to Rhododendron cinnabarinum that draws me to this beautiful Genus.

johnw

[cohan]

Folks,
Moraea vegeta.
Saw this at Jenny Mair's over the weekend.

Apparently can get a bit weedy but I like it.

Andrew.

I know you Folks in the Southern Hemisphere, especially Australia and New Zealand can get a bit down-hearted at some of the plants that we have and you cannot get.... but if I had a garden where there was even a remote chance of any Moraea getting "weedy", I'd be pretty pleased!!
 
( yes, I realise most of my Rhodos wouldn't be so happy then!!  )

so true! and so many lovely natives! of course we all want what is hard to get...

[Lesley Cox]

Parva Plants had the Babiana listed recently but I see online that it is sold out. They didn't send me a list this time so I missed it.