PBS Forum

Hi, Randy, I wasn't suggesting that you sent any bulbs... but please do haha

Thanks, Martin, s I said I did not take the photo. I have discovered that Iberian Muscari can be as attractive as Eastern ones.

Moving to Peru, here is Caliphruria  (now Stenomesson, according to Alan Meerow et al.) korsakoffii, again thanks to Rimmer de Vries.

There are some populations of Calochortus albus that only bloom for a couple years after a forest fire, then put up a leaf every year or so in the deep shade, very very slowly building up energy storage for the paroxysm of blooming and chance at reproduction.

In less unfavorable locations, they tend to have some sort of bloom synchronization (presumably a weather trigger) so there is a group blooming every several years rather than a yearly dribble. It may be that the cultivated ones aren't getting their trigger satisfied even though the bulb is blooming size.

@Carlos: what a beautiful color palette on that muscari! love it!

OK, I've been lazy with the may postings so there's something from the backlogs...

1st one is Anemonoides soyensis, which is only a fraction of A. nemorosa in size, as the euro coin provesTiming may be off as I planted it only this year. Also from the first days of the month: Tulbaghia simmleri

, and a comparison of Anacamptis morio

Height:	20-45 cm (0.7-1.5 ft)
Flower Colors:	pink, purple, white
Flower Season:	mid spring to late spring

(front) and Orchis mascula

Height:	45-60 cm (1.5-2 ft)
Flower Colors:	pink, purple
Flower Season:	late spring to early summer
Life form:	tuber

(background).

Next ones, second week of May are Libertia grandiflora

and the proof that Camassia leichtlinii

is a truely beautiful weed, pops up everywhere.

More up to date: Moraea simulans

and Gladiolus anatolicus

Height:	20-30 cm (0.7-1 ft)
Flower Colors:	pink
Flower Season:	mid spring

.

And, getting back to the main topic:  Calochortus.  I have germinated many different species and have pots of bulbs that have never flowered.

Hmm - I'd better start tipping those pots out,  Maybe there's nothing in them.

Quote from: Diane Whitehead on May 12, 2024, 12:03:08 PMIf I want some, I'll buy some bulbs.

I once read that someone had taken five years to grow a lily from seed, "Hah what a mug I will buy some bulbs" I thought. It took my bulbs over 10 years to vanish, never flowering. That's a thing with bulbs, they can go backwards.

Hi, book and seeds arrived, thanks

Carlos

My record for slowness:

Colchicum bornmuelleri (which apparently is a form of speciosum) - sown in 2000.  One seed germinated in 2008.  It sends up a leaf every year but has not flowered yet.

After that I decided not to sow any more colchicums.  If I want some, I'll buy some bulbs.

Of course, there are slow ones. Even for germination some seeds are a challenge to the patience of the gardener...... my record was a 5 (in words: five) years wait for the germination of a single seed of Tropaeolum tuberosum var silvestre. I lost the plant after my move to Portugal.....

Quote from: Uli on May 11, 2024, 02:33:16 PMthey reach flowering size very quickly

My latest one Polygonatum verticillatum

took 11 years from seed to flower. Has been fun, but always looked like it was going to be slow.

Beginners should look up the list of bulbs that flower in their first year from seed. 

Ledebouria ovalifolia
Ledebouria 'Huntsdrift'