Childanthus fragrans

fbiasella fbiasella@watertownsavings.com
Thu, 20 Nov 2003 09:39:35 PST
Greetings All,

I too share in the frustration of trying to grow this plant. It's usually
readily available in the spring in the Boston area at the more complete
nurseries although the majority of them are from Holland and may harbor the
afore mentioned virus.

I have for many years been "lured" by the alleged ease of growing and
flowering this beautiful bulb and every time...the same thing...nothing
(heavy sigh). Again in frustration it ended up in the compost heap. Maybe
one day I'll be brave and try it again...we'll see.

Warm Regards,
Fred Biasella
Cambridge (Boston) MA
USDA Zone 6B

-----Original Message-----
From: pbs-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org
[mailto:pbs-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org]On Behalf Of Mary Sue Ittner
Sent: Thursday, November 20, 2003 10:58 AM
To: Pacific Bulb Society
Subject: [pbs] Childanthus fragrans


Dear All,

Julian Slade from Australia posted this on the AB Images list a few days
ago and I thought everyone not on that list would be interested so with
Julian's permission I am sharing it. In response to his question about
whether anyone else was growing and flowering this there was another
Australian with it in bloom and a couple who had not ever been able to get
it to flower. The one whose was in bloom said she had hers in her shed
until it started to leaf out and then she placed it in the garden where it
had to count on what nature provided. They had a very dry period followed
by rain so her experience is similar to Julian's described below. I threw
mine out long ago since it never bloomed, but for those of you who are
still trying perhaps this post will help. In giving me permission to share
this, Julian also says, "I should also add the caveat that my results could
also possibly be due to luck!"

Mary Sue

Dear all

In the past week I managed to flower Chlidanthus fragrans, the so-called Sea
Daffodil.

It has a reputation of being difficult to flower; plants in cultivation
appear to be always virus-infected. I have had this for many years, and the
only thing I did differently this year was to NOT water the pot, despite the
emerging leaves. When the leaf tips dried off, I then watered the pot to
saturation point. Then, just over a week ago and to my great delight, 2 out
of the dozen or so bulbs rapidly burst into bloom.

Even though it is obvious that this species has perfumed flowers, I have
never read exactly what it smells like: to me it has a delicate scent rather
like lemon squash with added sugar.

Does anyone else grow (and flower) this?

Regards

Julian Slade


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