South African Bulbs 2011

[ArnoldT]

Roland:

They were purchased from a reliable dealer.  The color on the screen doesn't look true to the live plant.  I'll try another image in better light.

[Michael J Campbell]

They are all in bloom today.

Moraea aristata

[Regelian]

Michael,

how wonderful!  I hope this means there will be seed for the exchange. 

[arillady]

How wonderful to see such a clump Michael.

[Michael J Campbell]

Jamie,they don't seed  with me but I should have some bulbils and a few flowering size bulbs later.

[Ezeiza]

Moraea aristata is confined to a population in the wild and it is critically endangered. Growing them is so important. Once you obtain even a single corm of a different clone you can produce lots of seed from your plants, Michael. This year they were offered in a commercial catalogue.

[Regelian]

Michael,

sounds good!.  Apparently, if I understand Alberto, it is self-sterile.  Now to find another clone or seed.  How cold does it take?  Down to 0°C or more?

[Michael J Campbell]

I have grown it in a raised south facing bed about 6mts from the house for a number of years, but it hasn't appeared this year yet.  Don't know if it would survive in the ground. I doesn't seem to mind a few degrees of frost if it is in a well drained compost.

[Ezeiza]

Expert's advice. There is a noticeable difference on how tender these South African plants can be if dry or recently watered.

Yes, Jamie, the clumping form in cultivation seems to be a single self sterile clone.

Big, big surprise years ago when we  started growing in large containers that "sterile" plants started to set seed. Not this case tho.

[ArnoldT]

 Here's two shots of Babiana stricta from a PBS distribution

[bulborum]

I love babiana's

I don't understand why they aren't more popular

Roland

[Ezeiza]

They need sun.
They need big pots and considerable depth to thrive.
They are very sensitive to spider mite.
A lot of the hybrids sold as "mixed colors" are virused.
They do not like cold.
Mice will exterminate them easily when dormant.

Otherwise all species are stunning, even the simpler ones.

[bulborum]

I grow them from seed
first in 2 litre pots
after two years in 5 litre pots
without any problem
no problem with mice
they can't climb my iron table legs
and till now luckily no spider mite
and yes Alberto they are stunning

Roland

[Ezeiza]

I also grow them from seed first in small pots and then in 20 litre containers. These are not enough for some like dregei, ecklonii, thunbergii, ringens, framesii, etc, and the corms are found deep in the container. Corms grow huge.

Besides mice in seedlings every few years, I don't have any of the problems mentioned. Your question was why they are not more popular thence my response

[bulborum]

Thanks Alberto

I will re-pot dregei, ecklonii, thunbergii , ringens and framesii in 24 litre pots
maybe even 36 litre   

Roland