Eucomis - Topic of the Week

Tony Avent tony@plantdel.com
Mon, 11 Aug 2003 04:52:12 PDT
David:

	Thanks for the great write-up on eucomis.  They are also marvelous here in
North Carolina, where they have been completely hardy...down to at least 5
degrees F, (many have been to 0 degrees F when we used to get that low).

	E. zambesiaca is truly superb in the garden, but amazingly is a poor
seller.  The leaves on E. autumnalis var. autumnalis feel just like tire
rubber.  I've seen few other plants with this texture of foliage.

	Eucomis montana has flowered for us and has the best flowers that we have
seen in the genus.  It appears as though the dark purple anthers are fused,
creating a dark eye against the white petals.  

	E. pole-evansii has flower spikes of 3-3.5', but never the 5-6' that I
read about.  Does this giant spiked plant actually exist?

	We are growing all of these species in dry sand...even the moisture loving
ones.  They are amazingly durable.

	Regarding leaf cuttings, we have found these to be most successful when
taken early in the season...late season cutting rot easier.  E. comosa is
the easiest to root and E. autumnalis has proven the most difficult.  They
do not seem to like a constant mist, as this causes them to rot.

Tony Avent
Plant Delights Nursery @
Juniper Level Botanic Garden
9241 Sauls Road
Raleigh, NC  27603  USA
Minimum Winter Temps 0-5 F
Maximum Summer Temps 95-105F
USDA Hardiness Zone 7b
email tony@plantdelights.com
website  http://www.plantdel.com/
phone 919 772-4794
fax  919 772-4752
"I consider every plant hardy until I have killed it myself...at least
three times" - Avent


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