PBS Forum

Hello @Bridget,
Can we put this topic on the agenda of the next board meeting? It may not be as straightforward as it seems at first glance and might need some discussion.
Hello @Ken,
The PBS encourages private contacts between members which can of course include private exchanges. The formal setup of a private exchange through the forum needs careful discussion as it might undermine the BX/SX. But it might also mobilize donations which otherwise would not happen.

Yesterday I came across this nice stand of the native Iris xiphium. Color is slightly variable, the plants are very elegant and graceful. They grow in acidic sandy soil among Cistus, Myrthus, Lavandula stoechas and other plants. Trees nearby are cork oak and pine trees.

Quote from: Wylie on April 11, 2024, 06:16:04 AM

Quote from: Uli on April 11, 2024, 12:57:27 AMThis Gladiolus is flowering for the very first time with me, raised from seed. The label says G. carinatus which it is definitely not. About 60cm tall, leaning sideways.
The foliage is not hairy and some of the flowering shoots are branching. No detectable fragrance. Any idea of the ID?

I have the same thing and thought it was Gladiolus carneus.

Hello @Wylie,
Thank you very much for the ID. I think you are right. Looking at the name carneus I might well have made the mistake myself mixing up carneus and carinatus when writing the label. @Carlos, what do you think it is? I checked with the Saunders field guide and it fits. I did try to identify it with the same guide before but could not decide which species it was. 

This Gladiolus is flowering for the very first time with me, raised from seed. The label says G. carinatus which it is definitely not. About 60cm tall, leaning sideways.
The foliage is not hairy and some of the flowering shoots are branching. No detectable fragrance. Any idea of the ID?

Hello @Carlos, 
Sorry but I do not grow any of these.

Hello Ken,

A very interesting article. I think there is probably much more communication between plants and maybe even between plants and animals than we humans are aware of. I have always wondered what is going on underground with the roots of so many plants growing densely together, for example in a forest or a meadow. As far as I know there is research at this level and communication and interaction has been proved. I also have in mind that plants communicate via more or less volatile odors, especially when stressed. Just think of the magnificent fragrance of lavender, thyme and rosemary in very hot weather..... Are we anthropocentric humans misinterpreting this as pleasant for us, not realizing it being a sign of stress for the plants?
more of a joke I just had to smile about the idea of all that unheard noise (for our human ears) emitted by the grass if a lawnmower starts mowing...... even worse if the lawn would be thirsty.

Pictures 9303 and 9304 would fit with Albuca concordiana. It all of a sudden appeared on the succulent market for one or two seasons. I find it very susceptible to excess water during the winter growing season.
But what are the spheres in different colors next to the Albuca?

Dear All,
The time window for ordering the Amaryllidaceae Book for Europe is now closed.
Uli

Dear All,
We have had sufficient response in order to start the bulk order for Europe of the Book Amaryllidaceae of Southern Africa. As we need a definite number to calculate postage and to finally place the order, this is an announcement that the ordering time window will close on March 31st at midnight Central European Time.
The large hard cover book costs half price (45US$) plus shared postage from South Africa plus individual postage from Germany to you. Please come back to me if you have questions.
Thank you for your interest.

Dear members living in the EU,
The first round of the spring exchange is now closed for orders. There will be a second round, and donations are still welcome until further notice. If you ordered, Martin will send you a payment slip together with your order, please do not pay before.

Bye for now


Uli

Here are some infos concerning my donation

Comments:
Albuca spec. Grahamstown: a very good pot plant, evergreen, spring flowering. Bright yellow upright flowers about 50cm tall, very floriferous. One of my adult bulbs produces 5 scapes this year, none with less than 3. Give midday shade  In frost free climates good garden plant, nedds some summer water. Beware of slug damage. Slowly clumps up.
 
Cobaea pringlei: has a fleshy perennial rootstock. Hardy in southern Germany in wine growing areas. Vigorous climber, needs space. Mature plants flower abundantly late in the season with pale chartreuse green flowers. A very good plant for warm climate gardens with a long warm autumn. My plant came from Frank's Salvia Garden where it spilled spectacularly over a fence.
Dahlia excelsa: tree Dahlia flowers around Christmas. Not really suitable for frost prone gardens but may still be a focal foliage plant. Very big tuber system may be hardy in mild winters with a very thick mulch. Differs from Dahlia imperialis. Seed germinates best at cool temperature, Seed is very fresh from this year.
Datura wrightii: very large upright white flowers on a big sprawling perennial herbaceous plant. Produces a big tuber. Very easy from seed, self seeds gently with me. Toxic. Flowers open in the early evening and close late morning. Place it where it can spread over pavement or gravel and where you can see the glowing flowers in darkness. Can be grown as an annual in frosty climates.
Tropical Nymphaea Hybrids: Panama Pacific is day blooming purplish pink and Texas Shell Pink is night flowering pale pink and white. Both are treated the same way. In warm countries tropical waterlilies by far outperform the hardy hybrids.
In cold countries: plant the tubers into a small pot with sand and place them in an aquarium heated to 20-25°C. 5cm water above pot. Give maximum light, perhaps with added artificial light. After sprouting give osmocote fertilizer repeatedly.  Once outdoor water in a large container is warm at the end of May, place outdoors in full sun, pot up into big pot, fertilize. Water above pot needs not be more that 15-20cm, shallow water warms up better.
In warm countries: plant into big pot straightaway and submerge shallowly into a pond or large container in full sun. Once the water is warm enough they will sprout. Fertilize repeatedly.
WARNING: Especially Panama Pacific must never be allowed into natural water habitats. Must not be planted into ponds which are prone to flooding. It is viviparous which means that every leaf is able to produce a new plant. This way they can become invasive. Very adaptable even for a relatively small aquatic garden in a container.  Texas Shell Pink is not viviparous.
Night blooming waterlilies open their flowers before dusk and close them late morning. A happy plant will cover a large surface of a pond with beautiful large leaves.
 

Hello Michael,
The best person in the US I can think of is Derek Pitman in California, I have met him personally. He figured under Mr. Impatiens and had a magnificent website and picture gallery. But it is very many years ago and I lost touch. an internet search always ends with "website suspended" I do not know more, sorry.

This is another, different announcement from the one you might have read a few days ago, concerning the USA

As many of you might have heard, the publisher of the Book Amaryllidaceae of Southern Africa by Graham Duncan and Barbara Jeppe is closing. There are books available at half price which are being sold by the South African Bulb Company. The Pacific Bulb Society has negotiated a bulk order for this book at half price. Postage of the bulk to Europe will be divided between those who order and postage to each individual will be added. The PBS does not gain any profit out of this, it is a service at cost for the membership but non-members are also welcome to order..
However, as this book is not new, we would like to asses interest in a bulk order to Europe before we proceed. The book is about 3kg heavy so that the postage will be expensive even if shared. The book is very good, though.
Please come back to me (Uli, my email is  johannes-ulrich-urban@t-online.de) if you are interested. We need a minimum number of orders to make it worthwhile and we would ask you to state a binding interest before we order. We do not expect a pre-payment as this would mean to start a second payment procedure for the postage. You would receive a payment slip together with the book, same as we do for the BX.

If you live outside the EU it might be worthwhile checking with the South African Bulb company directly as postage outside the EU might eat up the good price. There will be a bulk order in the USA, but postage from the US to other countries is expensive, too.
UK members should contact the Southern African Bulb Group https://www.sabg.tk/  who will also do a bulk order.

We cannot exactly state the final price because the postage of the bulk order depends on the number of books ordered and on the individual postage to you.

Please do not hesitate to contact me in case of questions
Uli  (and Martin)

This is another, different announcement from the one you might have read a few days ago, concerning the USA

As many of you might have heard, the publisher of the Book Amaryllidaceae of Southern Africa by Graham Duncan and Barbara Jeppe is closing. There are books available at half price which are being sold by the South African Bulb Company. The Pacific Bulb Society has negotiated a bulk order for this book at half price. Postage of the bulk to Europe will be divided between those who order and postage to each individual will be added. The PBS does not gain any profit out of this, it is a service at cost for the membership but non-members are also welcome to order..
However, as this book is not new, we would like to asses interest in a bulk order to Europe before we proceed. The book is about 3kg heavy so that the postage will be expensive even if shared. The book is very good, though.
Please come back to me (Uli, my email is  johannes-ulrich-urban@t-online.de) if you are interested. We need a minimum number of orders to make it worthwhile and we would ask you to state a binding interest before we order. We do not expect a pre-payment as this would mean to start a second payment procedure for the postage. You would receive a payment slip together with the book, same as we do for the BX.

If you live outside the EU it might be worthwhile checking with the South African Bulb company directly as postage outside the EU might eat up the good price. There will be a bulk order in the USA, but postage from the US to other countries is expensive, too.
UK members should contact the Southern African Bulb Group https://www.sabg.tk/  who will also do a bulk order.

We cannot exactly state the final price because the postage of the bulk order depends on the number of books ordered and on the individual postage to you.

Please do not hesitate to contact me in case of questions
Uli  (and Martin)

During a trip to central Portugal, I came across this field of tulips. My attention was raised because I saw people with bunches of cut flowers and when I saw the place it looked like red poppies at first glance. Unfortunately a lot of the plants were trampled on, the whole site looked like cultivated land. Most of the flowers were spent but I managed to photograph a fairly good one. They were about 60 to 70 cm tall and the leaves looked like garden tulips. I thought of Tulipa sprengeri but it does not have a blotch. Flora-on which covers practically every plant in Portugal only lists T. sylvestris as native. An old hybrid gone wild?
Thank you for your help