PBS Forum

From a seed batch of G. watermeyeri blooming for the first time this year, several show flowers within normal range, but one is exceedingly pink-veined, and the lower petals are quite different. This seed came from BX478, item 161 from James Heinrich. Can anyone identify if this is just a different species, or suggest what the hybrid mix might be?

I think this will be an amazing book! 

Quote from: Arnold on March 10, 2024, 12:56:25 PMEmil

Clivia nobilis has a small notch at the leaf tip.

This plant does have a small notch in the leaf tip

I have harvested 20 seeds from the clivia plant of a long-standing garden client. Based on the blooms (see photo) I presume this to be Clivia nobilis, but please feel free to suggest more educated guesses, or at least know that the ID is not 100% absolutely verified. Until it is. The photo is from the exact parent plant clump, and no other clivias are around.

I have already germinated an earlier harvest of seeds from the same plant, so these seeds ARE viable but should be mailed and planted soon. Germination is slower than with Clivia miniata hybrids.

An order quantity is one seed. You may request multiple orders, and in the event I receive requests from fewer than 20 people I can then double some up. Usual SX pricing of $2 per order (1 seed) will apply plus $1 toward shipping. You can pay via usual SX/BX methods. Memberships must be up to date to order. These are coming from California and can only go to those whom I can legally ship seeds to.

To order, send your request to Emil@friendandsweet.com. Because these need to ship soon, cutoff for ordering will be Wednesday 13 March, 8am PST. Make sure to include your mailing address. If you live somewhere the weather is still below freezing, think carefully about ordering.

Finally, just another plug--if you have shelf-stable geophyte seeds, please get ready to send them in to our new SX manager, Lisa, for the next big SX! Even if you think it's a common plant, other members will still appreciate the opportunity to grow it.

Emil Friend
Oakland, CA

Thanks Arnold!

Dear Community Members of the Pacific Bulb Society:

Your Board is looking for an individual to serve, with assistance from others, as editor of our quarterly newsletter, The Bulb Garden. Elite Bulb Nerd status is not a prerequisite!

We consider The Bulb Garden to be an important vehicle for keeping in touch with you, the members; for advancing cultural and botanical wisdom about geophytes; and for generally demonstrating our passion for these plants. It is also a platform for recipients of Mary Sue Ittner (MSI) Grants to share what they've learned in their research, which you the members have funded.

Already in place are people who will acquire articles and images, a professional copyeditor, and the PBS treasurer, who manages the printing and mailing phases. The editor would therefore be responsible for combining articles, images, news updates, and regular PBS business, into a graphically pleasing pdf format, and sending that off to be printed, four times per year. They would of course be able to submit articles for publication, as can any of our members. (Please, write an article!)

While subject to some oversight from the Publishing Committee and financial constraints on production costs, the editor would have broad artistic license to determine the format and aesthetic of The Bulb Garden. 

A small stipend is available on a per-issue basis. The position will be filled as soon as possible in order to maintain our quarterly publication schedule (the most recent issue was just mailed). 

Please send inquiries and applications to the PBS president, Bridget Wosczyna, fritchick@gmail.com.

Best,
Emil Friend, Secretary

My C.nobilis seeds are also moving way slower than the miniata cultivars I'm used to growing.

Hi Chlorophylous, Aaron at EdensBlooms has Lycoris sprengeri for sale if you need more:

http://www.edensblooms.com/product/L5

-Emil

Thanks David!!!

Wow I didn't know about this plant... but it would be fantastic for my coastal CA garden if I can find some seeds to grow.... hint hint!

Dear Pacific Bulb Society Members,

We are sorry to let you know that Robin Hansen has stepped back from her position as PBS President, due to extenuating circumstances. Under her careful guidance, PBS has held its course—through a pandemic no less!—and is thriving. On behalf of the membership and the Board, I would like to thank and commend Robin for the time and energy she gave to the Society. In recognition of her service, the Board has extended Robin a lifetime membership. 

Robin had intended to complete her term through the end of this year, but with her recent resignation, Bridget Wosczyna (who was Vice President) acted as Interim President.

The Board held regular elections at their meeting this past weekend, and there were several changes to the Board and its Officers. 

Bridget has been elected President for a term of two years and will continue to manage the Bulb Exchange.

The Board made two other appointments at the meeting.

As Bridget's election to President left a vacancy in the Vice President office, Society member Mark Akimoff volunteered to join the Board and step into this role, and was affirmed at the meeting. Mark is a plantsman who runs Illahe Rare Plants, a nursery in Oregon. He is appreciative of the wisdom and knowledge he has gained from PBS over the years, and is excited to give back. Welcome Mark, and thank you!

Jan Jeddeloh advised us earlier this year that she would withdraw as Seed Exchange Manager at the end of 2023. In her stead we have appointed Lisa Zankowski, the proprietress of Shoal Creek Succulents in Illinois. Lisa has been a longtime follower of PBS and has a professional background and expertise with plants, seeds, and plant shipping. Welcome Lisa, and thank you! Jan will be working with Lisa to transfer the operation as smoothly as possible. Thank you Jan, for your efforts as Seed Exchange Manager!

Arnold Trachtenberg will continue to serve as Treasurer and I will continue as Secretary. Robin will continue to edit our journal, The Bulb Garden.

If you wish to follow Board proceedings, please keep an eye on the website, where we intend to begin to post the Minutes. Historically these have been published in The Bulb Garden, but we feel that the printed paper is better saved for primary content, while having the Minutes in a digital repository is a more organized approach.

Sincerely,
Emil Friend
Secretary

Quote from: Mike Lowitz on November 14, 2022, 01:49:57 PMI Have some friends that had a landscape designer add haemanthus to their shade garden..,planted deep and amongst Azaelea and camellia they were not blooming and frankly in decline.  I shared with them we could easily correct, these are great bulbs for So.Cal.  In removing them to redo the beds I found they are very prolific. I was following roots for several feet with many offsets along the way. We found the original  invoice,  they had 3 beds with 7 bulbs per bed.  I removed 65 bulbs. Replanting now Iin 3 seperate areas around the house. 
Planting  the bulbs properly and in slightly raised fast draining mix has made all the difference. See below.

I've never seen a designer use this en masse but I like the idea for dry shade! 

spectacular!

Quote from: petershaw on April 05, 2023, 07:06:25 AMAs I was thinking about the post about invasive bulbs, this one was top on my mind... Is there anywhere someone would want to grow this plant because it's hard to grow there? Or because it's rare there?

I have seen it offered for sale in a catalog!

Quote from: petershaw on April 05, 2023, 07:04:38 AMWe're going to the UC Berkeley Botanic Garden soon along with a visit to Ruth Bancroft's garden in Walnut Creek. I first saw Ferraria there and want to see how it might be spreading.

I put a 4" pot of Ferraria into my dry garden in Oakland two years ago. The clump is now over a foot wide with a few bulbs coming up further out. Only one of the center, oldest bulbs flowered. Definitely something to keep an eye on and control spread. 

Emil