February 2010 (Southern Hemisphere)

[Tecophilaea King]

We had a summer storm yesterday to finish January, so there'll be Zephyranthes and Habranthus soon!
This Lilium "Starfighter" came from Adrian at Coal Creek Bulb Farm and I decided it would be better in a pot than in the ground and it looks pretty good so far!
This Lilium "Black Beauty" is much diminished on previous years with only one bloom per stem - it'll need a feed up.

Fermi, your Starfighter and Black Beauty are crackers, my Black Beauty has not flowered yet, it needs splitting up I think. 

[Tecophilaea King]

Not 100% sure what Zephyranthus species this is. Could someone ID it for me please??
Its an easy plant that set seed and flower at the same time abundantly.
Thanks.

[Tecophilaea King]

This is the exquisite Ismene amancaes (syn. Hymenocallis amancaes) from Chile and Peru.
The green strap leaves are deciduous with flower stems up to 60 cm tall that can carry up to eight fragrant yellow per head in summer, and likes well-drained conditions.

[Hristo]

Hi Bill,
Thanks for the info, very interesting indeed. We hvae some Cyrtanthus growing from Silverhill seed. Germination was hit and miss but we do have at least two seedlings from each species, so a start!
The Trimezia martinicensis is a little charmer, is this quite closely related to Trigidia?

[fermi de Sousa]

Not 100% sure what Zephyranthus species this is. Could someone ID it for me please??
Its an easy plant that set seed and flower at the same time abundantly.
Thanks.

Looks like a form of Habranthus tubispathus syn H. texanus syn H. andersonii.
cheers
fermi

[Ezeiza]

It is a very fine form of Habranthus tubispathus. It has many variants, some very atteractive. If seed is not to be used faded flowers should be removed at once to induce a second o third flowering,

The Trimezia is the TRUE martinicensis, not common in cultivation at all. Trimezias are not bulbs but evergreen herbaceous perennials grown in tropical/subtropical regions as substitues for irises neat evergreen foliage. No, not related to Tigridia but the flower has the feeling.....

Ismene amancaes grows in a rather restricted area in coastal sand dunes of Peru, a desert. It was a sacred flower of the Incas as when it flowered it indicated the return of the sun god. Very difficult to grow well, research in the wild has shown that abnormal precipitation due to global warming affects the seed production that drops sharply with extra rainfall. It is a highly endangered species as the habitat is being developed.

[Tecophilaea King]

Ismene amancaes grows in a rather restricted area in coastal sand dunes of Peru, a desert. It was a sacred flower of the Incas as when it flowered it indicated the return of the sun god. Very difficult to grow well, research in the wild has shown that abnormal precipitation due to global warming affects the seed production that drops sharply with extra rainfall. It is a highly endangered species as the habitat is being developed.

Alberto, thanks very much for this very informative and expert explanation of these beautiful South American genera/species.

[Ezeiza]

Hi Bill, flowering in Ismene amancaes is in June around the winter solstice. It receives rainfall in July, August and September and that is all. Despite this, there are coastal fogs for a number of months that must have some effect on the plants' survival (in the wild, of course).

[Tecophilaea King]

Just another picture of a late flowering, beautiful colour form of Tigridia pavonia
Enjoy.

[Armin]

Bill,
that Tigridia pavonia is brilliant. I need sunglasses 
A bit pity it is not winter hard here.

[Hristo]

Hi Alberto,
I have been looking at a few more South American bulbs and that 'look' seems to appear in other genera, Cypella also has a similar appearance. It is a shame that other than Tigridia pavonia and a few other genera, Iridaceae from South America aren't that well represented in cultivation in Europe.

[Tecophilaea King]

Another seldom cultivated, popular plant flowering at the moment is the magnificent Scadoxus multiflorus ssp.katherinae
from South Africa and Zimbabwe.
A vigorous species which reaches about 1m.high, and is an ideal subject for a shady garden.
It shrives under trees, and is almost evergreen, with new leaf-shoots arising in late winter just as the previous season's growth is dying off.
Flower-buds develop at the base of the leaves, and the rounded heads of salmon-orange star-like flowers appear on long stalks in mid-summer.
Bright red fruits will appear if pollination occurs, ripening in mid-winter and lasting several weeks.
This is a superb cut flower for large floral art arrangements.

[Ezeiza]

"I have been looking at a few more South American bulbs and that 'look' seems to appear in other genera, Cypella also has a similar appearance. It is a shame that other than Tigridia pavonia and a few other genera, Iridaceae from South America aren't that well represented in cultivation in Europe"

Chris, there are a number of tigridioids in South America and also in North America (Tigridia has many species in Mexico). The problem with them, as with Rhodophiala, Tropaeolum and the like is that, naturally, plants have their requirements and it is almost impossible to know them well from available literature. The diversity of climates is such. For instance in a single genus, Tigridia, you have species that grow and flower as the snow melts, others that come from subtropical conditions with seasonal rainfall, others from coastal deserts, or from tropical deserts, altitude species that need cool conditions all year long, or some are summer dormant while others are winter dormant. Seed and bulbs have reached England on a number of occasions but most were lost. In England you find the greatest experts that can grow virtually anything and in certain collections these plants exist. Not surprisingly the key to their success is to meet the plants' requirements and not the opposite.

[Hristo]

"In England you find the greatest experts that can grow virtually anything and in certain collections these plants exist. Not surprisingly the key to their success is to meet the plants' requirements and not the opposite.

Not only England but Scotland and other European countries, I think Alberto, I should have said commerce rather than cultivation. You are quite correct of course about understandning these plants and giving them condtitions in which they will grow. In Bulgaria we have found that many species of Calceolaria will grow in the open garden without any protection except the winter snow. Rhodophiala advena on the other hand grows as a house plant and has, in 4 or 5 years, divided into 7 separate bulbs. I have over the last few days tracked down a commerical source for Tigridia vanhouttei in the UK, but non of the other wonderful species appear to be available.

Certainly it appears to me that South American species are poorly represented in commerce in Europe when compared to the availability of African species for instance!
There are many growers from the southern hemisphere on this thread who have fabulous examples of South American bulbs and plants in there collections, I wonder are these all seed grown or are South American species better represented in commerce in the south?

[Tecophilaea King]

Chris, beside the Tigridia's, Rhodophiala's, and the Tropaeolum's here are a few more of the South America genera/species for your benefit.
Enjoy.

Calydorea xiphioides (syn. C. speciosa)
Conanthera bifolia
Conanthera-bifolia
Cypella armosa
Cypella coelestis
Cypella houthallii var.opalina
Cypella houthallii var.opalina 2
Cypella.herb.ssp.brevicristata