South American plants

[bulborum]

I just got in plants from Gethyum atropurpureum
I hope they are true named
but it looks correct

Roland

[Hoy]

I can't tell you whether this is correct - and I wont call this a beautiful plant either, Roland, however it is a rather extraordinary one!
You write that you have a nursery, do you export plants? I suppose it is mostly bulbs

[bulborum]

Sorry I forgot to introduce myself

I am a commercial bulb-salesman in the little bit less usual varieties

As hobby I run a small nursery
I sell to some international suppliers , as Dix export and Van Tubergen (same owner),
if I have leftovers from unusual bulbs

I don't export neither is the nursery open for public
the bulbs are just for sale at plant-shows

For the rest I prefer to swap seeds or bulbs
so I can increase my knowledge and assortment

Roland

[Hoy]

Hello Roland! Nice to meet you
Had been nice to swap with you but I can't think of anything I have that you don't have

[McDonough]

Hi Roland, we meet up on the same forums and maillists, glad to see you here . 

The Gethyum atropurpurem looks right to me. As a fan of Alliaceae, I've had interest in the S. American relatives, but as many (most) are not hardy here, I don't grow any, although did have a brief foray with Tristagma.  I researched and found the following pertinent information:

GETHYUM was originally placed in the Alliaceae (Allium family) but some proposed moving this to Gilliesiaceae  (Gilliesia family)

There are two species: Gethyum atropurpureum & G. cuspidatum

The Plant List does not accept the genus Gethyum, and attributes these plants as Solaria atropurpurea and S. cuspidata, and throwing all of the Alliaceae in Amaryllidaceae.
http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl/record/kew-289038

more links:
http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/index.php/Gethyum
http://www.hillkeep.ca/bulbs%20gethyum.htm

[bulborum]

Chileflora mentions also Solaria brevicoalita
but this is maybe a synonym
I will have a look later

Roland

[bulborum]

Here is a little info for the family
See: Floral Anatomy and Systematics of Alliaceae with Particular Reference to Gilliesia, a Presumed Insect Mimic with Strongly Zygomorphic Flowers

What I understand is that they are different
two are Gethyum and three are Solaria
but they are different

Roland

[bulborum]

I bought ten different Alstroemeria's
at Chileflora
Just the smaller ones
I don't have the space for the larger ones
Just google Chileflora and the name of the Alstroemeria
this is easier , because some are under Perennials
other under the bulb section
sure it's an interesting place for the real plant-lovers

First Alstroemeria umbellata

Pictures taken away
to complicated to show

Roland

Moderator note:  the simple steps of indicating "fair use" when posting copyrighted photos by others, were supplied numerous times (state "fair use", include a link to the source site).  Roland feels this is too complicated and subsequently deleted the photos.  Since many single messages showed someone else's copyrighted photos one at a time without commentary, once the forumist deleted the photos, the empty posts no longer made sense, so all empty messages were deleted accordingly to eliminate confusion for forumists.  sigh

To see the Alstroemeria photos that Roland has posted, take a look at the ChileFlora web site:
http://www.chileflora.com/Florachilena/FloraEnglish/PIC_FAMILIES_SIMPLE_Alstroemeriaceae.php

[Tim Ingram]

Roland - I know a lot of the Alstro. names from seedlists but very nice to see them pictured here. I have grown pallida and the lovely dwarf form of hookeri in the garden, but sadly have lost them now. I do have a few others from Archibald seed but have lost the names. They are great plants and I would like to try them again on sand beds. Do you also grow or know Leontochir?

[bulborum]

I ordered the seeds Tim
But I have never seen them

Roland

[Hoy]

And the last one
all seeded last week
I don't know how long it takes before they flower
maybe one of you seeded them before
and know the answer

Roland

Alstroemeria hookeri

I have tried Alstroemeria seed from Chileflora a few times and they always have good germination. However, even from seed they grow in winter and is dormant in summer! I have also lost several plants due to slug attack and none has flowered yet. I still have a few pots I hope, and I try to postpone the growing season a few weeks more!

[bulborum]

Hoy

How long did it take before they germinated
How old are your plants
and do you grow them outside , glasshouse or in a poly-tunnel
at which temperature in the winter

Lots of questions
but it is the first time I try to grow Alstoemeria
I thought they where all tall plants

now I found small plants
I want try to grow them

Roland

[Hoy]

Hoy

How long did it take before they germinated
How old are your plants
and do you grow them outside , glasshouse or in a poly-tunnel
at which temperature in the winter

Lots of questions
but it is the first time I try to grow Alstoemeria
I thought they where all tall plants

now I found small plants
I want try to grow them

Roland

I got the seed in fall and planted them immediately. They germinated during the spring and grew for some months but they took an early fall and went dormant in June. Those I still have are two years old. They try to start growing late fall but I keep them cool in pots as long as possible. I don't want them to grow now as the light level is poor. They're still in pots which I bring into a greenhouse when it gets frosty outside. however this autumn has been mild and slugs have eaten the new growth but I think the roots still are OK.

I intend to grow them outside in a sunny bed next year as I chose the hardier species available. I already have Alstroemeria aurea and it is completely hardy here but tall!

[bulborum]

The only one I have in the garden is a A. ligtu hybrid
tall and flowering every year

the flowers are nice
but much to tall for me

Do you know if the plants can handle greenhouse temperatures in pots ?

Roland

[Hoy]

Roland, I do not think the like to freeze in the pots but they take a few degrees below 0C during the night. (At least those I have grown)

I can't tell whether they tolerate very high temps in summer - my plants never experience that!