Image of the day

[McDonough]

Thanks for the great links, Mark. I didn't realise that Ipheion had been submerged into Nothoscordum. I have pots of Ipheion dialystemon, or rather N. dialystemon, growing in a frost-free glasshouse and they flower freely in winter. I'll definitely be looking out for N. montevidense.

I knew there was something that I forgot to mention in my Nothoscordum post, the fact that taxonomically the species interchange between Ipheion and Nothoscordum. I don't know the current standing or separation between the two genera, but I believe the yellow ones are still Nothoscordum, although one can find them listed both ways.   

At some point in time, some of these "Nothoscordum-Ipheion" plants have also resided in Milla, Tristagma, Beauverdia, and Brodiaea (the latter, not as we currently know the North American genus Brodiaea, but in early taxonomy the genus name, along with Allium, were sometimes misapplied to such S. American plants).  The status of N. felipponei (syn. I. sellowianum) is particularly confusing (see the previously given Pacific Bulb Society link), but I have simply maintained the names as given to me by Thad Howard, someone who knew a great deal about the genus.

[Booker]

Super area and beautiful images Trond ... many thanks for posting.
(see new split topic: http://nargs.org/smf/index.php?topic=539.0)

Two more from me today ... at Porto Vescova above Arabba in the Dolomites ...

[RickR]

Rick, I was interested to hear of your success with the lily scales - what temperature do you have in your linen closet?

That would be 70F (21C).  Hybrid lilies produce scale bulblets pretty easily and aren't nearly as moisture sensitive, but species can be more tricky, depending on the type.

By the way, Lilium majoense is much more cold hardy than literature reports.  I have had plants growing here in zone 4 for four years, and blooming for two years.

[McDonough]

By the way, Lilium majoense is much more cold hardy than literature reports.  I have had plants growing here in zone 4 for four years, and blooming for two years.

Rick, I don't know this lily, do you have a photo you could post?  Where is it native to?  I too am interested in how you propagate from Lilium scales, I've never tried such a technique.

[McDonough]

Thanks Rick, it looks to be a magnificent Lily to be sure.  I'm glad to get to know this beauty. Is it one that lily beetles tend to ignore... I've ripped out a few of the fancy Lilium hybrids as they're a magnet for lily beetle; and I resort to diligent daily handpicking of beetles on my Fritillaria species to stave off their attacks.

[RickR]

Okay, I got three different pics this time (and deleted the old post).

Lilium majoense is related to L. nepalense and L. primulinum.  It's from western China.  For a wild Chinese species, it is has been quite tolerant to heat and dryness for me.  See about propagating by scales here:
http://www.lilies.org/propagation.html

Images for the day:
Lilium majoense

[RickR]

I have had plenty of earwig damage on other lilies, but never a nibble by anything on L. majoense. I couldn't say about the lily beetles; they aren't here in Minnesota yet.  But my guess is that this species might be somewhat resistant, as the leaves are very thick and waxy.  Perhaps someone else has had some experience?

Another interesting thing: Lilium 'White Henryi' is never bothered by earwigs, but the just opening buds seem to irresistible nighttime/morning "livetraps" for them.  I can shake the buds in a jar and catch them easily.

[Hoy]

Rick, I was interested to hear of your success with the lily scales - what temperature do you have in your linen closet?

That would be 70F (21C).  Hybrid lilies produce scale bulblets pretty easily and aren't nearly as moisture sensitive, but species can be more tricky, depending on the type.

By the way, Lilium majoense is much more cold hardy than literature reports.  I have had plants growing here in zone 4 for four years, and blooming for two years.

Rick, I am impressed of your L majoense lilies! It is a species I have wanted to try for years. How do they tolerate wet winters, do you know? And what about slug resistance?

[Todd Boland]

Rick, that lily is stunning!  I wish I had more patience to grow lilies from seed but then, lilies don't really do well for me on the whole 

[RickR]

Rick, I am impressed of your L majoense lilies! It is a species I have wanted to try for years. How do they tolerate wet winters, do you know? And what about slug resistance?

Our ground freezes solid 1 to 4 feet down, depending on our snow cover and temperature.  Winter wet isn't such a problem as much as you, Trond, although, compared to a montane climate it is.  My plants do grow in clay based, rich soil, but I can't say if L. majoense is any more or less tolerant to wet winters, compared to other lily species.  I also have Ll. distichum, martagon, fargesii, formosanum, f. var. pricei, concolor varieties, taliense, lankongense, duchartrei, tsingtauense, szovitsianum, and various asiatic and trumpet hybrids all growing in the same garden.  I'm not claiming they all do wonderfully well, but they do all bloom.  It is too dry in the summer to support moisture loving lilies like Ll. canadense, pardalinum or parryi.

Regarding slugs, the leaf texture would seem to point to resistance, but I don't know.  Slugs love cacti too, if it weren't for the thorns.

by the way, I was excited to see seed offered in the NARGS seed ex from a dwarf form of L. pardalinum.  I did get some, but most lily species are self infertile so I am not holding my breath.  Dwarf genes crossed with normal genes would likely result in a normal phenotype.  On the other hand, apomixis is not unheard of in Lilium species, so I might get lucky.

[Hoy]

Many thanks, Rick. You have given me courage to try, at least

[Booker]

One of the darkest gentians we have found in the Dolomites. 

Gentiana terglouensis

[AmyO]

Well....all I can say is WOW!! What a fantastic blue! Thanks for that pic on this coldest day of the year....26 Below 0 farenheit last night!

[Todd Boland]

Another stunning image Cliff!

This is Campanula makaschvilii...or at least that is what the seeds say!  It bloomed for the first time last summer.  It looks very similar to C. alliarifolia, but more compact.

[Lori S.]

1) Healy Pass and the Monarch Ramparts, Banff N.P.:
2) Castilleja rhexifolia (I think?)