South African Bulbs

[Michael J Campbell]

The flower is the same shape as Cytranthus and the flower stem the same height, but the bulbs resemble Amaryllis. The anthers have a different shape and number and flower colour is different.

[Fermi]

I have about twenty bulbs but they have not all flowered yet.

I hope you will also share those pics when they do!

Here are a few spring flowers in the garden -
Lachenalia concordiana


Lachenalia kliprandensis


Babiana pygmaea, B. pygmaea x B. odorata, B. odorata


cheers
fermi

[McDonough]

I mostly just lurk in this topic because I don't grow any South African bulbs, but I do admire them greatly.  Oh baby oh baby, those Babiana species and intermediate hybrid are nice!

[RickR]

  And I liked the Lachenalia concordiana best.

  The markings on the the flower scape and tiger stripes on the leaves are incredible!

[cohan]

Sometimes our southern friends talk about crocus and trilliums, and it doesn't seem so exotic, but here's Fermi casually mentioning Lachenalia in the garden- a genus I like a lot, but certainly cannot grow outdoors (and they are not great houseplants mostly, not enough light for them).. sigh....lol

[Toole]

Sometimes our southern friends talk about crocus and trilliums, and it doesn't seem so exotic, but here's Fermi casually mentioning Lachenalia in the garden- a genus I like a lot, but certainly cannot grow outdoors (and they are not great houseplants mostly, not enough light for them).. sigh....lol

Unfortunately they barely survive here in pots Cohan  ..........Too much shade /moisture.

Cheers Dave

[Hoy]

I have tried Lachenalias in pots too- but they didn't survive more than a couple of years. But I remember seeing some magnificent specimens in South Africa when I visited that marvellous country

Didn't see any Babianas though - they're as nice as anything

[cohan]

I have a few Lachenalia seedlings and a number of Babianas etc time will tell how they will do! I haven't set them up yet, but hoping to set up some lights for them in a cool room, so they can have a bright enough winter growing season.. In this climate, I'd rather have winter growers than anything indoors!  Some of the seeds came from Chris Greenwell, in Bulgaria- they are seed from his plants, grown indoors, so I have some small hope. He's mentioned the Lachenalia and some of the others do tend to etiolate, but many will still grow and flower- obviously, if he got seeds 

[Fermi]

Some more South African bulbs from our garden
Geissorhizas are small but colourful and ixias are tall and colourful!
cheers
fermi

Geissorhiza radians
Geissorhiza monanthos
Geissorhiza tulbaghensis
Geissorhiza aspera
Ixia sp.maybe maculata


Edited to add searchable names in the text of this message ~ moderator

[Fermi]

Some more - including a couple of Geiss I forgot!
cheers
fermi

Merwilla dracomontana
Hesperantha bachmannii
Pelargonium triste
Moraea spathulata
Geissorhiza splendidissima
Geissorhiza orinthogaloides


Edited to add searchable names to the text of this message ~ moderator

[cohan]

A lot of wonderful colour there, Fermi!

[Hoy]

Fermi, you certainly must be very occupied tending your beautiful plants!

[Fermi]

Thanks, Cohan,
Hoy, our garden has to manage on benign neglect
Although the seedpots (most of the Geiss are still in pots) get a bit more attention. South African bulbs are very easy in our climate because of the similarity with where they are from. We don't even need to water/irrigate these which is why some of them have become environmental weeds in Australia
cheers
fermi

[RickR]

So how small are those wonderful Geissorhiza flowers?

The foliage on Pelargonium triste looks interesting.  Kinda ferny, but stiff?
How about a close up...

[bulborum]

After a few days Nerine searching
we returned with some nice plants

Roland