The Bulb Maven

Lapeirousia

Lapeirousia is a genus of about 40 species from sub-Saharan Africa.  They are small dainty plants with bright showy flowers, some are even scented.  I only have a small collection, but I am growing more as space allows, and, as usual, I have become quite captivated by them.  This is a common affliction I suffer from, in the fall I was stricken with Crocus fever when my tiny collection of fall blooming Crocus came into bloom.  I keep extending my greenhouses, or having new ones built, so I currently have a little more room than in the past, so I can indulge myself somewhat.  The one pictured above is Lapeirousia oreogena, a favorite.

The genus was named after the botanist Philippe-Isidore Picotde Lapeyrouse, explaining the rather cumbersome name.  The plants grow from a small corm and the ones I grow are rarely more than 10cm tall, usually smaller, but they usually bloom prolifically and would be very suitable for a small greenhouse or sun porch.  They could probably be grown in the ground in suitable climates, but I think would be better appreciated as a container plant.  Above is Lapeirousia jacquinii, pictured below is Lapeirousia silenoides.

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Brunsvigia marginata

I sowed my first batch of Brunsvigia marginata seeds in 1999, and now, 17 years later, I am reaping the benefits.  I have had a couple of blooms before this, but this year I have four and will be able to cross pollinate them and get my own seeds.  I have several Brunsvigias and Crossynes that have not bloomed yet, but eventually it will happen, and the long wait makes it even more exciting. Out of my four blooming B. marginata one is distinctly different, the flowering umbel being a fetching salmon shade instead of the brilliant scarlet that is more usual.  I actually thought this one was going to be white, since the buds appeared green with no hint of red, but gradually they changed color.  I was so excited about the possibility of a white one I was checking the greenhouse several times a day.  Oh, well.  Salmon is very nice, but I have never heard of a white one, and that would have really been something to brag about.

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Brunsvigia comptonii

I bought seed of this rare Brunsvigia in 2002, and was very excited to see a bud emerging three weeks ago.  It had never bloomed before, and waiting 14 years for a Brunsvigia to mature is not at all unusual.  The scape emerged deep crimson, and the flowering umbel has two paddle shaped crimson bracts that are unusual.  The flowering umbel is very dainty, measuring about 20cm across, each flower is sort of bicolored, as you can see in the picture.  I won't be getting any seed, since I would need two bulbs to cross pollinate them and I haven't seen seed offered since I purchased the seed fourteen years ago.  

My B. marginata, are, however, sending up four buds, so I will be getting seed from them and posting a picture when they fully open.

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Daubenya aurea

This charming South African native is closely related to Massonia.  Daubenya aurea used to be the only species in the genus, but more recently others have been added to give a total now of eight different ones.  I only have the one, and I have the yellow flowered one, for, in spite of the name, the more common one is red.  All species are characterized by having a pair of almost prostrate leaves, the flower emerging from the center.  The form is very unusual.  I have found them easy to grow and flower, and a pot with three or more gives a lovely display.

 

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Brunsvigia striata

Brunsvigia striata

Brunsvigia striata is also called Brunsvigia minor, and it is the smallest of the Brunsvigias.  The flowering umbel is not that small, however, in this picture it measured about 6" (10cm) across.  The bulb, however, is not that large.  I had to dig down deeply in the pot to feel the size of the bulb, and I estimated it at about 1.5" (4cm) in diameter.  It had pulled itself deep into the pot, being about 3" (7cm) deep in a two gallon pot.  The individual florets are a beautiful light pink, with creamy stripes down each petal.  This lovely little Brunsvigia is so rewarding to grow, since it will flower in a small pot and matures in just three to five years.  Many Brunsvigias test your patience, needing at least fifteen years to maturity and needing a lot of root room, but this is one that anyone can manage.  Good drainage, as with all South African Amaryllids, is necessary, and it is important to water your bulbs during their dormancy.  Not much, I water my Amaryllids about once a month during summer.  Without that, the permanent roots can dry out completely, and you don't want that, but you do want a very fast draining mix so that the bulbs don't stay permanently moist and rot.

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Summer's End

I have recently returned from my annual trip to Oregon, where my dogs and I participated in a trial near Salem.  We had a wonderful weekend, with little Arlo placing and qualifying in all eight runs.  Hannah placed in three out of four of her runs, and at eleven years old, I was very proud of her.  

After our exciting weekend I drove to Bend, Oregon for a week of hiking and camping. Usually there is an agility trial in Bend in September, but this year it was cancelled, and I decided to go anyway.  It is my vacation from work and a perfect time to visit the region.  
Bend is located in eastern Oregon in high desert, so you have a choice of desert hiking, or by driving less than 50 miles east, you are in the Deschutes National Forest, dominated by inactive volcanoes that were draped in snow. The hiking is very varied, and I chose carefully for my two terriers are old and my male terrier has arthritis and has gone lame on hikes before.  We hiked every day, and the scenery was incredible, snow topped mountains with black lava flows at their feet and fall colors everywhere.   Many of the lakes in the region are crystal clear and an incredible green, not from algae or bacteria because the water is too cold for that.  I had packed my camera, but every single day I forgot to put it in my backpack so I have no pictures from this trip.   Here are some pictures from previous trips there.  Three happy dogs.

Coming home always is a bit of a let down.  the garden is starting to look a little shabby, the swallows are all gone, and it really feels like the summer is over after our trip to Bend.  But .. stepping into the greenhouses (well taken care of by one of my helpers) there were many things to greet me.   I had seen buds emerging on one of my Bessera elegans when I left, and was almost tempted to take it with me since I didn't want to miss getting a picture.  It is a beautiful pink, and the only pink Bessera I have (I actually HAVE taken bulbs along with me so that I didn't miss them blooming!)  I have only one bulb, so it's going to be a long time before I can share this one.

Brunsvigia marginata

 

 

 

Brunsvigia marginata was in bloom, and the beautiful pink B. bosmaniae was just opening its buds.  

Cyrtanthus spiralis is a new one for me, so I was delighted to find it in bloom.

There will be many more to follow.  Fall is an exciting time.

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Cyrtanthus spiralis

Brunsvigia bosmaniae

Amaryllis belladonna

Amaryllis belladonna is so common in northern California that people think it is native to this area. It is actually native to the Cape Province of South Africa, but has been widely planted as an ornamental. It used to be a "pass along" plant, something that would multiply and be shared among neighbors, and it can be found in great patches on abandoned farms in California.  It is often planted around here in long rows, probably done so with a plow or backhoe digging a trench, and there is one such planting not too far away that is magnificent, about three feet wide and at least fifty or sixty feet long.  It is so common that local people often treat it with contempt.  I gathered some once that a neighbor had thrown over her fence.  She said I could have them, she didn't want them.  "Oh, those things, you can't get rid of them", she said.  Why would you want to?  I love them, I love the way the stems burst out of the dry ground and open their dazzling flowers at a time of year when there isn't much to see.

I have to admit, though, that I was tempted last year to get rid of mine.  My accountant gave them to me (he, too, was throwing them away), and I wanted the traditional country planting along my picket fence.  They were planted some years ago, and I have never got a good display from them, and last year the petals all turned brown at the tips and edges and looked so horrible I cut them off (this might have been from salt burn from the wind).  I thought maybe I should just give up and remove them, but I didn't get around to it.  Well, about two weeks ago I noticed buds, then multiple stems snaking their way out of the ground.  I have the best display ever, and I am so glad I didn't remove them.

 

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More on Twirls and Curls

I had posted on the forum of the Pacific Bulb Society regarding bulbs with curly leaves, with some very interesting responses, including a link to an article that states that it is an adapation for collecting moisture from fog and dew.  This is fascinating!

I should say here, that if anyone doesn't know about the Pacific Bulb Society, please log on to their site:  www.pacificbulbsociety.org.  You can find a wealth of information on this site, and if you have questions or observations regarding bulbs, the forum gives access to many members who are very expert in their field.  You don't need to be a PBS member to join in the discussions on the forum.

I also found in my files another example of a Cyrtanthus with curly leaves, C. helictus.  I forgot I had this picture, since I lost the solitary bulb in my possession a few years back.  Here it is.

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Twirls and Curls

I have a young friend who loves bulbs with twirly leaves.  Undoubtedly, he will recognize himself here, and he has generously passed on to me some delightful examples  Now, we don't usually grow bulbs for their leaves, so this fascination with the curly, twirly ones I can sympathize with, since I love Oxalis for the same reason, in that they have extremely attractive leaves.  Oxalis, however, do have lovely flowers, and many of the curly leafed bulbs have flowers that are, how to put it, a bit insignificant.  That doesn't matter at all, the leaves are the thing, and they are really wonderful.

Above and to the left is Ornithogalum concordiana (sometimes called Albuca concordiana) from southern Africa with tight curls.  It would probably look even better in a hot dry environment.  The flowers are white and green, typical of many Ornithogalums, and not that preposessing.

Another curly one is Albuca spiralis, seen here to the right.  I bought my original bulbs thus labeled, and have distributed a few under that name, but I am told it isn't A. spiralis but an unidentified Albuca.  Here is the original one, with rubbery curls of leaves that are very charming. 

The real Albuca spiralis, here on the left, has leaves that are like ringlets.  The flowers are also very attractive, yellow striped with green.  I grew this amazing bulb from seed to flowering in about six months.   

The genus Cyrtanthus has several members that have curly or spiral leaves.  Cyrtanthus smithiae is seen to the right, with C. spiralis to the left.

Cyrtanthus herrei doesn't exactly have leaves that are spiral, but they do have a very attractive twist to them. No-one could ever say that Cyrtanthus flowers were dull, all have extremely showy flowers, so the leaves are an added bonus.

I don't have Gethyllis linearis, but here is a link to a wonderful picture of this bulb in a friend's collection:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/88332547@N03/8175966649/in/photostream

I have read somewhere that spiral leaves are an adaptation to a dry environment or intense sunlight, and I have observed with some of my plants that the leaves are more tightly curled on some days than others. 

I have to apologize once again for the formatting.  It is a problem with Typepad, and whatever I do the pictures and text rearrange themselves when I publish.

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Nerine Part 3

Summer Growing Nerines

The majority of Nerines that I grow are hybrids of N. sarniensis and are winter-growing, producing their beautiful flowers in late summer and autumn, their leaves following soon after.  N. sarniensis is from the Cape Province of South Africa, where the climate is Mediterranean with cool rainy winters that are mild, and dry summers.  Other Nerines are summer-growing, since that region has good sized mountain ranges, and species such as N. bowdenii, coming from high altitude, will grow in summer and be dormant during the cold winters.  Above to the left is N. bowdenii v. wellsii, with petals that are even more frilled than the species.

As you move across the Cape Province from west to east, you leave the Mediterranean climate region, and come to a central region that has rain in summer and winter.  In the most eastern part of the region, there are rainy summers, and dry winters (I hope this is not confusing!).  I found it very confusing when I first started growing Nerines, not knowing whether they needed water year-round, in winter or in summer, so you really do need to know where each species originates.  This, to me, is part of the fun of growing bulbs from other parts of the world.  You start to understand somewhat the geography and climate of each region, and even if you never go there, you can travel there in your imagination and feel connected to more than just a beautiful flower.

Nerine huttoniae comes from the western part of the eastern Cape, so it receives summer rain and is dormant in winter.  It blooms now (August 30) and has large umbels of deep reddish flowers.  I have found it easy to grow and flower.  Here it is to the left.  To me it looks like a scaled down Brunsvigia josephinae with its widely spaced flowers.

Very similar in appearance  is Nerine laticoma.  It comes from drier regions, and has very large umbels of pink to red flowers.  It needs a dry winter dormancy to grow and flower well, and although it is said to be difficult to flower, it seems happy in my conditions.  Here it is to the right.  It is also in bloom now.

Also summer-growing is Nerine krigei, seen here to the left, reputed to be the easiest of these three species (although I haven't really had any difficulty with any of them).  It can tolerate winter moisture if it is in a very well drained situation.  The leaves are twisted, and the flowers deep pink to red. 

Winter Growing Species

The winter-growing species include N. sarniensis.  I wish I had the pure species, but it is difficult to obtain, and I only grow N. sarniensis v. corusca major.  N. sarniensis comes from the slopes of Table Mountain where it can be bathed in fog in summer, similar to the conditions found in coastal California.  It is noted for the gold sparkle of its petals, looking as though someone had sprinkled gold dust all over it.  I should mention that all Nerines have this sparkle, and in the light colored species or in white ones it is silvery.  Here it is to the right.  You can see a little of the gold on its petals.

Nerine humilis is a small species, and is very charming.  A pot full in bloom is very beautiful.

There are many other species of Nerine, and one day I hope to add some to my collection.  They are very rewarding plants, easy to grow, free of disease, and reliably blooming.  They are excellent additions to the garden in suitable climates, and you can find a species that will grow for you whether you are in California, England or Texas.  They are fantastic plants for container culture, multiplying well, and making a wonderful display in late summer.  If you can bring yourself to pick the flowers, they are a dramatic addition to a bouquet, being a bouquet all in themselves.

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