Hi Paul, >>>>Mine is a pure yellow. So how should I label it now then? Just with a yellow or something like that? I'd rather not passon an incorrect name. Just carry on calling it 'Citronella', as this what is currently accepted and will be for a long time. Just wanted you to know the whole story. Also remember, another important thing with plant naming is the provenance, as it's almost as important to remember from where the plant came from and its history as it is its name. >>>>>>>>>THE LARGEST OF ALL THE MONTBRETIAS, FROM FOUR TO FIVE INCHES IN DIAMETER. BRIGHT ORANGE WITH DARK MARKINGS. HEIGHT THREE FEET. >>>4 to 5 inches!!!!!!!!!???? (Cough! Splutter!!) They get THAT big? I've certainly never seen any Crocosmia even remotely near that size and I would be most interested to see one. So would I, the nearest to that size is probably 'Star of the East'. >>>>Mine are just the 'standard' inch to inch and a half across types flowers, but maybe if I treated them a little better they'd do better. I actually repoted 'Lucifer' this year as I felt sorry for it... it hadn't flowered for the last 2 years and was looked decidedly ill. Shows what leaving it in the same pot with not a lot of watering for 4 years can do <grin>. It has rebounded well and even flowered this year which was a nice surprise so maybe it's flowers will be larger next year after a "recharge" from teh repotting this season. It still isn't going to get anywhere near 4 to 5 inches though. Usually it's only C. x crocosmiiflora types that respond this way. I only ever leave potted hybrids in their pots for 2 years maximum. Keeping them potted can increase the chance of disease due to their pests. Remembering red spider over winter in plant debris, compost gnats (sciarid fly and gladiolus thrip are soil borne, and that root aphis can be another problem on containerised Crocosmia in warmer areas. Repotting and a little descaling of corms help prevent pest and disease. It also helps stop stagnation of the compost. I find on growing many bulbs in containers that as the bulbs grow and spread the compost can be compressed and hence will be less aireated, thus anerobic conditions and methane production by anerobic bacteria in the compost can cause root dieback and death. I've seen this more though with Tulbaghia which produce a huge amount of root. Here I use compost from growbags for everything, it is Irish Moss peat based and resembles bulb fibre but with twigs and very course peat in it. One brand in particular has a very high air filled porosity and gives extremely good results with bulbs. I'd rather repot each year than have any pest or disease problems. It certainly helps on growing such a broad spectrum of bulbs. >>>>Thanks for the correction of 'Solfatare'/'Solfaterre' (which should I be calling it?). What is it's description if you don't mind me asking? 'Solfatare' It's original description is as follows: LARGE FLOWERS DISPLAYING THEMSELVES FULL FACE, NAPLES YELLOW, HABIT ALMOST ERECT; STEMS 65 cm HIGH, A VERY DISTINCTIVE AND ATTRACTIVE VARIETY. VICTOR LEMOINE CATALOGUE No.104, 1886 When Lemoine describes it as having large flowers we must consider that it did have large flowers for the period in which it was bred. However, Lemoine fails to say that it had bronze leaves, and it was probably the first hybrid to have bronze leaves. Now if I was a breeder I'd shout about it, but Lemoine, well as one of the all time great breeders we must just think he was being modest or wasn't bothered by the leaf colour. It's one of those things, the more you know, the more questions you need answering. If a plant was found growing with an original label beside it, it would be fantastic confirmation. However, after 100 years, I doubt it will be found. Best Wishes, Dave David Fenwick NCCPG National Collection of Crocosmia with Chasmanthe and Tulbaghia The African Garden 96 Wasdale Gardens Estover Plymouth Devon England PL6 8TW Website: http://www.theafricangarden.com/ ----- Original Message ----- From: "Paul Tyerman" <ptyerman@ozemail.com.au> To: "Pacific Bulb Society" <pbs@lists.ibiblio.org> Sent: Sunday, February 23, 2003 12:00 PM Subject: Re: [pbs] Re: Crocosmias > David, > > Mine is a pure yellow. So how should I label it now then? Just with a > yellow or something like that? I'd rather not passon an incorrect name. > > > > >The largest Crocosmia ever bred was Crocosmia x crocosmiiflora 'Henry VIII' > >and bred by Jack Fitt and Sydney Morris in 1918. > > > >Original Description > >THE LARGEST OF ALL THE MONTBRETIAS, FROM FOUR TO FIVE INCHES IN DIAMETER. > >BRIGHT ORANGE WITH DARK MARKINGS. HEIGHT THREE FEET. > > > > 4 to 5 inches!!!!!!!!!???? (Cough! Splutter!!) They get THAT big? I've > certainly never seen any Crocosmia even remotely near that size and I would > be most interested to see one. Mine are just the 'standard' inch to inch > and a half across types flowers, but maybe if I treated them a little > better they'd do better. I actually repoted 'Lucifer' this year as I felt > sorry for it... it hadn't flowered for the last 2 years and was looked > decidedly ill. Shows what leaving it in the same pot with not a lot of > watering for 4 years can do <grin>. It has rebounded well and even > flowered this year which was a nice surprise so maybe it's flowers will be > larger next year after a "recharge" from teh repotting this season. It > still isn't going to get anywhere near 4 to 5 inches though. > > Thanks for the correction of 'Solfatare'/'Solfaterre' (which should I be > calling it?). What is it's description if you don't mind me asking? > > Cheers. > > Paul Tyerman > Canberra, Australia. USDA equivalent - Zone 8/9 > mailto:ptyerman@ozemail.com.au > > Growing.... Galanthus, Erythroniums, Fritillarias, Cyclamen, Crocus, > Cyrtanthus, Liliums, Hellebores, Aroids, Irises plus just about anything > else that doesn't move!!!!! > > _______________________________________________ > pbs mailing list > pbs@lists.ibiblio.org > http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com/). Version: 6.0.443 / Virus Database: 248 - Release Date: 10/01/03