pbs Digest, Vol 131, Issue 40

steven hart hartsentwine.australia@gmail.com
Wed, 01 Jan 2014 02:35:22 PST
On 31 December 2013 23:56, Michael Masterson <sdzoohort@yahoo.com> wrote:

> Hello!  I recently purchased a couple seedlings of Crinum flaccidum from
> an Ebay listing.  I am wondering if anyone on this list has had any
> experience with this species.  From what little I can find about this bulb
> it would like to be dry in the winter?  Thak you for any help you can offer.
>
> Mike Masterson
> Southern California
>
>
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Hi Michael, Crinum Flaccidum is my favourite family of crinums.. They come
from a wide spread area, a number of habitats & there is many forms.. But
in general, they are extremely hardy, I grow quite a lot of them, both in
ground & in pots.. They respond to regular watering & fertilizer.. Once
established they will cope with deluges of rain or extremes of drought.. It
should do quite well in Southern California.. In the wild it can be found
in deep sandy loam to black soil alluvial plains to hard shaly ground.. In
places it prefers dry mountain slopes.. In the wild dormancy can be long,
sprouting after solid late December rains usually  flowering in a short
window.. In the garden flowers can come more frequently, mine average 2 or
3 flowerings over the summer months.. Dormancy can be completely avoided in
captivity with regularly feeding & watering, but semi-dormancy will be
common in winter... They are able to take extreme frosts & cold dry
winters..

Personally I think it is one of the hardiest of all of the crinums & with
its highly fragrant jasmine musk perfume on 60cm spikes & striking white
flowers,  its a delight in the garden.. Although it is commonly excepted
that petal width is greater in the southern forms, this can also
be governed by seasonal conditions... This year has produced vastly wider
petals in Queensland forms this year which is quite unusual..

I hope you have good success growing this species in California... There
are other members in your area who have this one but you might have to
change your heading, or your message can be missed as part of another
conversation..

Steven : )
Esk Queensland Australia
Summer Zone 5  Winter Zone 10



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