South African bulbose plants 2009

[Darren]

John,
          Your question about Conophytum is hard to answer. Steve Hammer (world authority on growing Mesembs) acknowledges that there is something about the British climate that really suits Conos provided the dry summer dormancy can be provided. I grow mine with the bulbs and treat them exactly the same way with the watering cycle etc. I don't know how conditions in Nova Scotia compare with the UK. Most of their growth is in late-summer & autumn, though I find that root growth is usually later.
Often nurseries selling Conos advise watering sparsely all year round but I think this is wrong - especially in cooler countries they need to be forced into dormancy by withholding water from April so that they sheath over with dried older leaves in summer (May until late July). Watering then starts again (a little earlier than for bulbs) and coincides with the first flowers in July. This is opposite to the cycle often used for Cacti and Lithops - even though Conos and Lithops sometimes grow together in the wild.

[johnw]

John,
          Your question about Conophytum is hard to answer. Steve Hammer (world authority on growing Mesembs) acknowledges that there is something about the British climate that really suits Conos provided the dry summer dormancy can be provided. I grow mine with the bulbs and treat them exactly the same way with the watering cycle etc. I don't know how conditions in Nova Scotia compare with the UK. Most of their growth is in late-summer & autumn, though I find that root growth is usually later.
Often nurseries selling Conos advise watering sparsely all year round but I think this is wrong - especially in cooler countries they need to be forced into dormancy by withholding water from April so that they sheath over with dried older leaves in summer (May until late July). Watering then starts again (a little earlier than for bulbs) and coincides with the first flowers in July. This is opposite to the cycle often used for Cacti and Lithops - even though Conos and Lithops sometimes grow together in the wild.

Darren

I guess when I was growing a few Conophytums and alot of Lithops not much information was around on watering. As I kept the Lithops cold and dry in the winter I thought it would be hazardous to water a Conophytum continuously in late autumn and on when the greenhouse was so chilly - rot was the fear.  Later they got moved to the house where it was warmer but the light levels lower and so they stretched. Do you water your in such cold?

johnw

johnw

[Paul T]

Paul ,

yes they are really small

M.pygmea ssp. Kamiesbergensis has 2,0 cm from leaf base to leaf point
M.pygmea ex Kamiesberg  has 2,5 cm from leaf base to leaf point

Wow Hans.  That is far tinier than I thought, even from the pictures.  I didn't realise they were that small.  Calling it a pygmy seems like a good name. 

[Darren]

John,
        Watering reduces to around once per month from late October until the end of feb when things warm up again. Humidity keeps the plants happy without adding water at the roots in winter. The best thing to do is to use some species as indicators. Certain of them develop wrinkles when dry and as I keep all mine in similar pots this indicates when water is needed. Overwatering can cause rot yes, but I find that the worst cause of this is botrytis on the old flower remains - especially on the ones that flower late - this infects the bodies very quickly. As with Massonia (and cushion plants too) it is essential to remove the dead flowers as soon as they fade.

[Darren]

Apologies if I seem stuck on Massonia and Polyxena folks, it's that time of year!

I posted pics of these two Polyxena a few days back but they have advanced a bit since then. P pygmaea (pink - there is a close-up too) is now at its best with a ball of flowers. The white ensifolia is now looking a bit pinched as the leaves have drawn up in the poor light this week.

[Darren]

And an update on the Massonias,

Paul was asking about offsetting and I replied that one clone of M echinata has increased very well, here it is. All this started as one bulb about 7 years ago and I have never split the clump so this is all natural. I'm quite glad it does this as single bulbs do not seem to have prostrate leaves so this is one Massonia that looks better as a group. If you look carefully you can see some very small offset leaves between the bigger flowering rosettes - these offsets are new this year.

[Hans J]

Hi Darren ,

thats phantastic !!!

Hans

[Ragged Robin]

Wow, that is an amazing sight, Darren, congratulations 

[Darren]

I have mentioned my 'pink' Massonia jasminiflora. This came from Burdach 11282 seed. It varies - the first pictured has a faint pink infusion at the tip of the stamens. The second is the better one but is only just starting. The stronger pink infusion will darken as more flowers open and I will post another pic next week.

Then the first flowers on M. pustulata.

Finally the 'silver' leaved clone of M. jasminiflora that Paul liked so much has begun to flower. Note that the silver is turning green as the leaves develop further and possibly as the light gets worse. Some weeks ago I made a disparaging comment about the scent of this; I've had another sniff and, yes, there is a pleasant scent there BUT to my nose it is still underlain with a hint of the pong to come when it goes over....

[Lesley Cox]

Your Massonias are all beautiful Darren. I especially admire the pot of 7 bulbs, nicely arranged and all flowering at exactly the same time. A real show stopper.

[angie]

Darren

I have just gone green with envy thanks for sharing them with us.
Angie

[ranunculus]

Magnificent, Darren.

[Darren]

Thank you all for your kind comments.

I fantasize that one day they will all be in flower for discussion weekend and I could put out a little non-competitive educational group of them as they are probably my favourite group of plants and I'd like more folk to see them & grow them. I know Paul would agree with me. But - they obstinately miss all the shows every year. At least they can have their moment of glory here on the forum.

[Maggi Young]

What a whizz a display like that would be, Darren   Of course it would be luck if the season were to oblige.... but what a fab thing it would be and stranger things have happened with flowering times....... I'm sure many are like me and more than a little ignorant of these plants..... you folks are opening my eyesin these pages, thanks!

[Miriam]

Amazing display, Darren 
Massonia is also one of my favorite South African plants.
Keep on showing us more photos!