South African Bulbs 2011

[Tecophilaea King]

Veltheimia bracteata, a native of South Africa is a beautiful deciduous bulb, the inflorescence is a dense raceme of tubular flowers, densely placed, carried on a long stalk, reaching a height of up to 500 mm. The colour of the flowers is variable, and could be pale pink, dusky pink, orange-pink, lemon-pink or deep rose pink, and is occasionally greenish-yellow.

[PeterT]

they are just into leaf here Bill, both bracteata and capensis.

[JoshY46013]

Beautiful plants!

[johnw]

As Hurricane Ophelia passes the weather is warm and steamy.  It was sunny and 25c here today but Wednesday night promises a low of 4c and Thursday a high of 9c.  I am concerned about a large planting of Hippeastrum (common houseplant hybrids) outside.  Can they withstand a light frost?  If not it will be a scramble to get out to the outer suburbs to lift them.  I will be surprised if we get the frost here on the coast but suburbia just might.

johnw

[Brian Ellis]

Some lovely variations in the Veltheimia Bill, we only ever managed to get a knicker pink one!

[Ray]

Hi Brian,dosen't Kurt Vickery sell a different cultivar.bye Ray

[Tecophilaea King]

Geissorhiza: this large exquisite, colorful genus from the winter-rainfall Cape Province of South Africa grows in winter and dormant during the dry summers,
Geissorhiza radians is one species aka the "Wine Cup", is a delightful rare gem from South Africa.  
What the inch-wide flowers lack in size, they make up for in their dazzling color pattern of indigo-blue and ruby red, separated with a white line.
Geissorhiza tulbaghensis has also large attractive flowers of creamy white with a dark eye and blue anthers.
Other species like G.inaequalis and G.inflexa are two more species well worth growing.

[David Nicholson]

Very nice indeed Bill. I struggle on with Geissorhiza corrugata which seems to give me a lot of very small bulbs but none, so far, of flowering size. I trying G. inflexa from seed.

[David Nicholson]

Having lost flowering sized bulbs of Poyxena odorata and P. longituba in the greenhouse as a result of last winter I really wasn't expecting this. Polyxena longituba (or to be precise Lachenalia longituba as the taxonomists say!) grown from seed from SRGC Seed Ex (2424-07/08) sown December 2008 and it has existed outside in my plastic covered seed frame since it was sown.

[pehe]

Empodium plicatum in buds and in flower

[ArnoldT]

To all those South African Bulb enthusiasts, this is the recent offering from the Pacific Bulb Society.

Members may request seeds or bulbs and pay a minimum charge per item plus postage

(Disclaimer, I'm partial I serve on the Board of the Society)

 
[pbs] Pacific Bulb Society BX 290
Dear All,

The items listed below have been donated by our members to be shared.
 
 
1. Seed of Brunsvigia littoralis
2. Seed of Gladiolus grandiflorus
3. Seed of Lilium martagon, rose colors
4. Seed of Ornithogalum reverchonii
5. Seed of Ornithogalum fimbrimarginatum
6. Bulblets of Gladiolus splendens (few)
7. Brodiaea californica, OP among Ratko collections
8. Dichelostemma capitatum, OP among Ratko collections, few
9. Hyacinthoides vincentina
10. Lapeirousia jacquinii
11. Massonia pustulata
12. Onixotis stricta
13. Lachenalia alba
14. Lachenalia liliflora
15. Lachenalia mathewsii
16. Lachenalia orchioides var glaucina
17. Lachenalia pustulata, dark blue
18. Lachenalia viridiflora
19. Daubenya stylosa (ex Silverhill as D. capensis)
20. Daubenya marginata Fransplaas
21. Massonia pustulata (cross of very pustulate parents)

IBSA distribution from the Clanwilliam Wild Flower Garden 
22. Bulbinella cauda-felis
23. Sparaxis roxburghii
24. Rhadamanthus platyphyllus ex Steve Hammer
25. Lachenalia bulbifera, coastal dunes at Rocherpan. Olive green leaves
with nice red markings.
26. Massonia depressa, M41, Matjiesfontein Cemetery. Unusual cliff
dwelling form.
27. Massonia depressa, M42, S of Middelpos, rocky area.
28 Massonia depressa, M45, near Middelpos Hotel, ribbed leaves, few.
29. Massonia pygmaea?, M46, Nieuwoudtville, Matjiesfontein Farm, few.
30. Massonia depressa, M47, Nieuwoudtville waterfall, well marked.
31. Massonia depressa, M48, Nieuwoudtville waterfall, reddest, few.
32. Massonia depressa, M49, Carolusberg, near the old Van Der Stel
copper mine, extra large form.
33. Massonia depressa, M51, Modderfontein, large form.
34. Massonia 'pygmaea' pustulate form, M52, Modderfontein, rocky dome.
Distinctly different from the flatland M. pygmaea in the same area in
terms of leaf and seed pod morphology. Rare and choice (at least for
me), and may not commonly be in cultivation. Very few.
35. Massonia pygmaea, M54, Modderfontein, dry field/renosterveld area, few.
36. Massonia pygmaea, M55, Modderfontein, wet pasture.
37. Massonia depressa, M56, field across from Kamieskroon Hotel, good color.
38. Massonia depressa, M57, Kamieskroon Church, from a huge population
with some immense forms.
39. Massonia pygmaea, M59, SE of Elands Bay, rocky area. Seed and pod
morphology is different from the Modderfontein forms.

Most forms of Daubenya zeyheri in cultivation are from the Paternoster
area. The following are from a different population in Jacobs Bay.
40. Daubenya zeyheri, Mx22, Jacobs Bay, selected forms from private
garden. Very few.
41. Daubenya zeyheri, Mx23, Jacobs Bay, limestone area.
42. Daubenya zeyheri, Mx24, Jacobs Bay, near old runway, sandy area over
limestone.
 

[jshields]

I'm trying to produce some seeds on my own Brunsvigia litoralis for the PBS BX as well.  I'd need several new greenhouses if I took advantage of all the neat offerings on the BX.  Then my wife might be tempted to shoot me, of course.

Jim

[Maggi Young]

Arnold, thanks for highlighting the super opportunities afforded by PBS membership.

There are few other chances to gain access to material of most if not all of these plants.  The Bulb Exex take place at various times of the year, when materials are dontated so they might happen at odd times and while there may only be small amounts available, the chance is really worth it!

www.pacificbulbsociety.org will give you loads of information .... about the society and also will  lead to huge amounts of plant info, too.  

[daveyp1970]

Having lost flowering sized bulbs of Poyxena odorata and P. longituba in the greenhouse as a result of last winter I really wasn't expecting this. Polyxena longituba (or to be precise Lachenalia longituba as the taxonomists say!) grown from seed from SRGC Seed Ex (2424-07/08) sown December 2008 and it has existed outside in my plastic covered seed frame since it was sown.

Well done David my Longituba and other species are just germinating .Thank you for the iris seed it arrived safe and his now potted up.

Empodium plicatum in buds and in flower

Wow that is really lovely

[Brian Ellis]

I am delighted to have received my book from Silverhill Seeds this morning, 'Grow Bulbs' by Graham Duncan, a chunky 2cms thick paperback which will provide bedtime reading until the proper snowdrop season begins!  The trouble is there are so many lovely things to grow...