Eucomis 2010

[Graham Catlow]

Hi Brian,
Are Eucomis vandermewei 'Octopussy' (or is it Octopus) and 'Sparkling Burgundy' likely to be hardy in a rock garden in Edinburgh?
Do they have the same 'fragrance'    that bicolour has?

Graham

[Maggi Young]

I think it's 'Octopus', Graham. 

I'm trying them here in Aberdeen : the 'Sparkling Burgundy' hasn't flowered yet and gets a bit battered by the weather and the little E. vandermerwei is just opening its flowers and I can't get low enough to sniff 'em  They're only about 10 or 12 cms high and in the middle of a bed, nose won't reach - may be just as well 

[David Nicholson]

................ nose won't reach .........

I thought it would!

[Gunilla]

Well, my 'Octopus' smells just as bad as E. bicolor so it's a good thing the flowers are hard to reach  .  
Another small one that is hard to reach is Eucomis 'Leia' but it is very late to flower this year. I will sniff it when the buds open.


Eucomis 'Leia'  
Eucomis 'Octopus'

[Graham Catlow]

I think it's 'Octopus', Graham. 

I'm trying them here in Aberdeen : the 'Sparkling Burgundy' hasn't flowered yet and gets a bit battered by the weather and the little E. vandermerwei is just opening its flowers and I can't get low enough to sniff 'em  They're only about 10 or 12 cms high and in the middle of a bed, nose won't reach - may be just as well 

Thanks Maggi,
If they grow with you they should be ok for me. Just not sure about that smell. I now know what bicolour smells like and keep getting whiffs of it in the garden.
I must not have recognised it in past years and so disregarded it.

Another small one that is hard to reach is Eucomis 'Leia' but it is very late to flower this year. I will sniff it when the buds open.


Eucomis 'Leia' 
Eucomis 'Octopus'

Gunilla you are braver than me. I would leave well alone

Graham

[Brian Ellis]

Maggi do you give them a mulch during the winter, and how deep have you planted them?

[Brian Ellis]

I was attracted by the photos in the article of the topknots and took some of my own:

[Maggi Young]

Maggi do you give them a mulch during the winter, and how deep have you planted them?

The 'Sparkling Burgundy' is pretty deep, about 30cms soil above the bulbs ( which were LARGE). The vandermerwei less deep because they're smaller, also they are in a more sheltered spot.  Hadn't thought to mulch particularly, though the beds do get a winter mulch as a routine....but more  to refresh the beds in January February than as a protective measure for the whole winter.


Nice top-knot pix 

[Brian Ellis]

Thanks Maggi, I think if they are planted outside they have to be pretty deep to keep the bulbs from freezing.  Alan Street talks about mulching their outside bulbs,  the pot specimens are obviously not so deep

[Maggi Young]

I confess I hadn't thought to give a special protective winter mulch - but I will this winter in the hope that it might give Sparkling Burgundy a boost.

[Gunilla]

Eucomis 'Leia'  has finally started to open its flowers and the scent is not unpleasant 

[Brian Ellis]

She is sweet Gunilla, how tall is she?

[Gunilla]

It's a small one only 25 -30 cm tall.

[Brian Ellis]

Thanks Gunilla that explains it , the short ones seem to have the best red colours, probably from E. vandermewii parentage.

[Hans J]

new pics from today :

Eucomis 'First Red'