South African Bulbs 2013

[David Nicholson]

Polyxena longituba looking a bit damp and miserable in a damp and miserable greenhouse in an even more damp and miserable garden. These grown from seed, sown in December 2008 from SRGC 07/2424 and now beginning to clump up a bit.

[YT]

This is wonderful!
do you grow this in full sun?

Thank you Rimmer Yes, I grow it sunny outside through winter.

[SJW]

Probably aurea for looks but marginata seems a bit easier! 

I get really good germination of all species but (with the exception of comata) the seedling bulbs seem to stay dormant in subsequent seasons and dwindle away. Paul Cumbleton tells me this is not an unusual experience. I suspect our summers (esp in northern parts) are usually not warm enough during the bulbs rest period. next year I might try putting a few in a propagator at 25C for a few weeks in late summer.

Thanks, Darren.
On dormancy, this autumn I've had this problem with a few pots of Lachenalia seedling bulbs. No movement at all but when I had a root around, the small bulbs are still firm, if a little on the small size. They normally come back pretty regularly for me so this year I must have messed up their summer care (but other pots are ok... ). I was also suprised by how far down in the pot the small bulbs had pulled themselves. I usually plant Lachenalia fairly shallowly but maybe I should experiment. I think planting depth for Lachenalia would also, as it does for other genera, affect flowering?

[Rimmer de Vries]

Thank you Rimmer Yes, I grow it sunny outside through winter.

nice, how cold can these go and prosper?

[Darren]

Thanks, Darren.
On dormancy, this autumn I've had this problem with a few pots of Lachenalia seedling bulbs. No movement at all but when I had a root around, the small bulbs are still firm, if a little on the small size. They normally come back pretty regularly for me so this year I must have messed up their summer care (but other pots are ok... ). I was also suprised by how far down in the pot the small bulbs had pulled themselves. I usually plant Lachenalia fairly shallowly but maybe I should experiment. I think planting depth for Lachenalia would also, as it does for other genera, affect flowering?

I wouldn't worry too much Steve. L. alba and L. carnosa took a year off with me last year but came back again this time around. This year my seedlings of L. barkeriana are apparently going to stay dormant. Sometimes it just happens no matter what. Some Irids are even worse! Moraea ciliata makes an appearance only every other year for me.

The dormancy in the Daubenya seems more difficult to overcome. Others do OK with them so I'm mystified!

I don't think planting depth is too critical for Lachenalia - though the dwarf ones such as pusilla may want to be shallow with the top of the bulb at the surface.

 

[SJW]

I wouldn't worry too much Steve. L. alba and L. carnosa took a year off with me last year but came back again this time around. This year my seedlings of L. barkeriana are apparently going to stay dormant. Sometimes it just happens no matter what. Some Irids are even worse! Moraea ciliata makes an appearance only every other year for me.
The dormancy in the Daubenya seems more difficult to overcome. Others do OK with them so I'm mystified!

Yes, there seems to be no clear pattern. With me, L. alba seedling bulbs have reappeared but L. carnosa is still dormant. Some species always seem to be late coming back into growth, L. mathewsii, for example.  Ah, the challenges of growing SAF bulbs in northern England!

[Darren]

Interestingly, that L carnosa has been solitary (as it is in the wild) for 10 years. But this year two shoots have popped up and both look likely to flower  

[ArnoldT]

Here's what is now called Lachenalia  pygmaea.  Was at one time know as Polyxena pygmaea.

Moved into Lachenalia by Manning in 2004.

Purported to be heavily scented like almonds, although I can't smell it.

[ArnoldT]

Nerine Blanchefleur

A very reliable blooming Nerine.

[johnw]

Funny, Nerine bowdenii in the greenhouse just opened the morning - one day ahead of outdoors.   I wonder why ours are so late to flower even though the leaves emerge in April.


johnw

[David Nicholson]

Here's what is now called Lachenalia  pygmaea.  Was at one time know as Polyxena pygmaea.

Moved into Lachenalia by Manning in 2004.

Purported to be heavily scented like almonds, although I can't smell it.

Lovely Arnold. I doubt if Mr Manning will be too hurt by my refusal to change my Polyxena labels, indeed I shall now write them in red-so there Mr Manning!

[Hans J]

here is flowering very nice my Stumaria salteri

Hans

[pehe]

Rimmer,

 I found, when I used to grow several Massonia, that they need to be potted individually with a lot of space to flatten out all the way. I currently only have some M. depressa and it took them 3 years to mature and flower. I now grow 4 bulbs in a 12 inch pot, but even this leads to some crowding and leaves held partially erect. Some of the other species are much smaller and require less room.

 Aaron

I have the same experience, they need a lot of space to flatten out as the pics show.
The following Massonia pustulata are all seedlings from 2009.
They need all a pot of their own, but as I am short of space they need a new home as well if someone is interested?

But I can find space to my Daubenya aurea which is flowering for the second year. I got it in autumn 2009, but it was dormant until 2011, when the first leaves showed up. Flowered first time last year.

Poul

[Michael J Campbell]

Massonia echinata, I think.
 This came from the seed exchange as Daubenya, looks like Massonia echinata.

[fermi de Sousa]

here is flowering very nice my Stumaria salteri

Hans

Wonderful to see, Hans!
cheers
fermi