October 2010 in the Southern Hemisphere

[Maggi Young]

As I'm 'snowed under' with this white menace at the moment , perhaps I should use it as a substitute in French Onion Soup' and feed the poor ?

 An act of charity, Otto, that could be useful in more ways than one!

Bill: Good idea:...l do you know how/where to modify/edit the subject and changed it to "October 2010 in the Southern Hemisphere"
Otherwise we might need our beloved Maggi to do it for us Grin Grin  Thanks.

Many thanks , Guys, for getting this sorted yourselves in my absence at the Discussion Weekend. 

[Ezeiza]

People, I knew an English lady who pickled Allium triquetrum bulbs and they tasted like pickled young onions. Don't know the details of the recipe but at least they were edible and really good that way.

[Rogan]

"In addition, someone mentioned that test done with the plants chemical substances on bald people looks promising and possibly promote new hair growth."

It's far easier just putting a hat on, Bill, I do it all the time!   

[David Lyttle]

A cycad, yes Mark, we have a few native species and in general they are hardy and tough as old boots, especially the south Island species. Likewise the Cordyline (australis) aka cabbage tree. It will take any snow or rost that our climate can provide. We have so many of them around that we take them for granted. There are thousands of the Corrdyline growing on the hills near me, with kowhai, Sophora tetraptera.

Not a cycad Lesley; a Cyathea which is a tree fern and an entirely different thing. You have to go to Australia to find cycads.  And while I am in a picky mood the local kowhai is Sophora microphylla. Sophora tetraptera is a North Island species and does not grow naturally in Otago.

Bill, your pictures of Allium triquertum make me shudder. It is invasive here as well and seems unstoppable once it gets going. I have a small infestation which I carefully dig out each year as it appears but I have not succeeded in getting rid of it. I think a proportion of the bulbs remain dormant and do not sprout and evade the annual weeding.

[fermi de Sousa]

Our Rock garden Group went to visit the garden of Shirley Carn who is an Aussie Native Plant Enthusiast (but not exclusively!)
Here are some pics, the first being the wonderful Waratah (Telopea) - this might be a hybrid. '
Then a very unusual grevillea which from a distance looked like a wattle!

More to follow - later!
cheers
fermi

[Ulla Hansson]

The pictures of Allium triquetrum is so beautiful, but I can see that there is a little too much vigor in them. I bought a bag of Allium triquetrum, two years ago. None of them survived the winter.
Different climate, different conditions.
Ulla

[TheOnionMan]

The pictures of Allium triquetrum is so beautiful, but I can see that there is a little too much vigor in them. I bought a bag of Allium triquetrum, two years ago. None of them survived the winter.
Different climate, different conditions.
Ulla

A couple years back someone sent me some Allium triquetrum bulbs, planted in the fall, a few barely came up in spring, and that's the last I have seen of it here... not hardy enough to survive the winter.  Probably a good thing too, I was prepared to pull these if they showed any inclination towards invasiveness in my climate, after all, even The Onion Man has his limits and avoids the weedy ones.

[Stephenb]

As I'm 'snowed under' with this white menace at the moment , perhaps I should use it as a substitute in French Onion Soup' and feed the poor ?

Otto: It's nowadays more likely gourmet food for the rich/middle classes than the poor with the back to nature/ slow food movements. Has been traditionally used as a wild foraged onion in some Mediterranean countries (Italy, Albania etc). It has a mild garlic flavour and the flowers also make an attractive and tasty addition to spring salads.  Here's a picture with sign from Orto Botanico in Firenze, Italy in early April explaining how it's used in cooking:

[Stephenb]

As I'm 'snowed under' with this white menace at the moment , perhaps I should use it as a substitute in French Onion Soup' and feed the poor ?

Otto: It's nowadays more likely gourmet food for the educated rich/middle classes than the poor with the back to nature/ slow food movements. Has been traditionally used as a wild foraged onion in some Mediterranean countries (Italy, Albania etc). It has a mild garlic flavour and the flowers also make an attractive and tasty addition to spring salads.  Here's a picture with sign from Orto Botanico in Firenze, Italy in early April explaining how it's used in cooking:

[Tecophilaea King]

Otto: It's nowadays more likely gourmet food for the rich/middle classes than the poor with the back to nature/ slow food movements. Has been traditionally used as a wild foraged onion in some Mediterranean countries (Italy, Albania etc). It has a mild garlic flavour and the flowers also make an attractive and tasty addition to spring salads.  Here's a picture with sign from Orto Botanico in Firenze, Italy in early April explaining how it's used in cooking:

Stephen, I am in the wrong business, I'm thinking of starting a new venture in exporting Allium triquetrum bulbs to the gourmet market in Italy 

[Tecophilaea King]

It's far easier just putting a hat on, Bill, I do it all the time!  

Rogan, what does your wife/partner or girlfriend think of wearing your hat in bed "all the time", not very romantic, wouldn't you agree?  

[Tecophilaea King]

Bill, your pictures of Allium triquertum make me shudder. It is invasive here as well and seems unstoppable once it gets going. I have a small infestation which I carefully dig out each year as it appears but I have not succeeded in getting rid of it. I think a proportion of the bulbs remain dormant and do not sprout and evade the annual weeding.

David, have you tried Roundup as a last resort? just this ones?

[Tecophilaea King]

What an absolute pleasant surprise to see this stunning, exquisite, charming Weldenia candida treasure flowering once again.
Picture taken before breakfest, to make sure flowers are fresh and upstanding, although spent flowers are constantly replaced by new buds.
I don't know why this Weldinia is so early this season, these tubers/roots came from Dave Toole all the way from the deep South in Invercargill.
This clone is as tough and hardy as old boots according to Dave, perhaps originally they all came from Lesley's well established collection.
What do you think Lesley? Whatever the reason I am in Weldenia heaven.

[Paul T]

Bill,

Weldenia noses are just above ground here!!  And I mean only just. 

[Rogan]

""all the time", not very romantic, wouldn't you agree?"

All right then Bill, only while the sun shines here - in this hemisphere and time zone - just to be on the safe side!      ...and yes, my wife would probably object if I wore it to bed, as it is old and smelly - and here I'm talking about my hat!   

Now to get back on the subject of plants: here are three interesting bulbs I encountered in flower on my recent trip to the southern Cape. Sorry, I've been a little lazy and not looked up any specific names as yet:

A little Cyanella that grows abundantly in the area;
a Bulbinella;
and a Gladiolus.

If someone doesn't beat me to it, I'll look up the names when I have a spare moment.