South African Bulbs2012

[Lesley Cox]

Mmmm, perhaps for lunch, I have the vanilla icecream, I can make some good strong black coffee and perhaps grate some chocolate on top. Maybe a pinch of grated walnut? Who says I have to stick with tradition?

[Rafa]

WOW Angelo! there must be unbearable scent!! many people thinks Ferraria don't scent well, but I would like to make perfume of it!!

[bulborum]

Nice Gladiolus stellatus Rafa

how long did it take from seed to flower

Roland

[Rafa]

3 years, but notice, that I grow gladilus from South Africa in Z8, maybe in their natural ihabits are more quickly.
Gladiolus is my third genus, I love it!!!

[ArnoldT]

Lachenalia liliflora

[arillady]

I found a huge clump of Ferraria crispa under and around gum trees on a roadside verge where it must have been tossed (there are the remains of an old garden nearby). It was growing in very friable sandy soil. I dug out some of the hundreds of corms that they develop and moved them here. They did not flower for a couple of years. The planting that gets the runoff from the gravel driveway when it rains (sand runoff I mean) is doing well. I also had a sandy area that used to be the children's sandpit where they are doing well too.  Sandy friable soil and plenty of sun seems to be the key and of course mine get plenty of root run. Not too much water though

[fermi de Sousa]

Oxalis palmifrons - finally more than one flower open at a time!


Oxalis massoniana


Polyxena longituba


This came as seed as Polyxena corymbosa but I wonder if it's the same as the above?


Finally in flower after many years! Ornithogalum saundersii, the Giant Chincherinchee,




cheers
fermi

[Lesley Cox]

Lovely palmifrons Fermi. Mine yet again has nothing but the summer has been cool and wet. I think Polyxena longituba is the least exciting of them all. (I have masses) Corymbosa should be a bigger flower head, rounder and deeper coloured I think. There have been Forum pics a-plenty.

[Filippo]

Lovely pictures from all. And nice Lachenalia collection from Arnold!
So, Arnold, could you identify this species? I've raised it by seeds wild collected somewhere in South Africa.
The spikes are 20 cm tall or so. Leaves are marbled.

Other pictures for south african bulbs lovers:
Lapeirousia oreogena
Ferraria ferrariola
Unknown species aff. Albuca
The lovely twisted leaves of Cyrthanthus smithiae
The red seed-pod of Veltheimia capensis

[angie]

Thats some lovely plants there. I really like the look of the Albuca and those twisted leaves of your Cyrthanthus smithiae are brilliant.

Angie 

[arillady]

Yes the twisted leaves are fascinating. You are growing a good range of plants Filippo

[ArnoldT]

Filippo:

Looks like Lachenalia elegans var. suaveolens

Should be sweetly scented reminiscent of carnations. Found in Nieuwoudtville and Clanwilliam districts.

Produces one to two lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate green leaves which may be spotted with dark green above.



 http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/index.php/LachenaliaSpeciesThree#elegans

[Lesley Cox]

Filippo, your part of Italy seems like a good place for South African bulbs.

[Filippo]

Thank you all  

Arnold, the leaves are grey-green with RED spots. But I think it's the same species, Thank you.
Anyway...a sort of scent is present, but I guess it's not enough to be named "suaveolens"  

[ArnoldT]

Filippo:

Have someone else give it a sniff.  Scent can be elusive for some.