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Messages - Robin Jangle

#46
General Discussion / Re: Haemanthus Deformis
November 20, 2023, 12:40:02 AM
@CG100: pumice and perlite are very different. They have a similar origin but are not the same. Perlite floats to the top of media, has micro-pores and will compact. Pumice is what the old-fashioned foot scourers were made of. It has very large pores that roots can penetrate andis most similarto scoria. Apparently inthe UK these things are very different but then again as you say "These things don't travel well" ;)

Back to the original question.

Here's a link showing deformis in habitat:

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/168623755

I have chosen that observation because I know that general location quite well - when I was a conscript in the South African military in 91 I had to patrol that area

The habitat is formally known as Scarp Forest. It is a tall (15-25m), species-rich and structurally, multilayered forest with well-developed canopy and understorey tree layers but for the most part a poorly developed herb layer.

The geology is mostly sandstone and soil are shallow, leached and nutrient poor.

The bulk of the rainfall is from October to March but there is still precipitation during the winter months. The average rainfall in summer is around 120mm per month whereas in winter it is around 30mm per month.

The daily maximum temperature throughout the year is about 27°C and the daily minimum temperature during summer is around 20°C but in winter it is around 12°C.

I recommend a growing medium of two parts sand (in Japan there is an aquarium supply company by the name of ADA - Aqua Design Ammano - they sell what they call cosmetic sand that is river sand from the Amazon) half part leaf mould or fine compost and half part Coco peat. Once the bulb is planted top the growing medium with a layer of pure sand to stop the organic matter from floating to the top. Use plastic or glazed ceramic containers to prevent the roots from drying out. It grows mostly in rocky habitats and the roots are protected from drying out.
#47
General Discussion / Re: Haemanthus Deformis
November 19, 2023, 04:06:16 AM
Silica sand = filter sand (used in pool filters)

River sand = sharp sand

No-one, except Andrew Hankie of the Witwatersrand Botanical Garden uses kraal manure - which is dried and decomposed manure from the corral where cattle are kept at night.

I think our large plastic seed trays are commonly referred to as "pans" in the Northern Hemisphere.

Haemanthus deformis grows in forests often on rocky slopes with limited root run which is why I recommend wide shallow containers.

They grow in the same light levels as Clivia miniata - so if you can grow those in the full sun without burning then by all means grow H. deformis in the same space.

Basic culture info: 
water well during growing season - once a week at least if foliage looks dull then water; 

much less when not in active growth - maybe every 10 -14 days;

Well-drained organic-rich soil

Large shallow container - the leaves are big and more than one in at least a 25cm diameter pot will result in crinkled squashed foliage.

A shaded position - it will grow in very deep shade - I've had it thrive under a growing bench with naturalised Streptocarpus formosus.
#48
General Discussion / Re: Haemanthus Deformis
November 18, 2023, 09:22:18 PM
Here's a very informative article by Graham Duncan - the specialist geophyte horticulturist at Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden

http://pza.sanbi.org/haemanthus-deformis

My own dealings with H. deformis have been easy. It performed very well outdoors (USDA 7 Mediterranean) in light shade in a well-drained organic-rich soil. I found that it didn't need deep containers like most other Amaryllidaceae - it grew better in 30cm x 30cm x 15cm seed trays - 1 bulb per tray.
#49
General Discussion / Re: Lanaria lanata
November 12, 2023, 06:38:36 AM
Hydrochloric acid.

I've never grown it - it's just a part of the vegetation that's just there after a fire.

Instead of acid try putting it in a bottle with sharp sand and shake it up for a minute or so. That always worked with Searsia (ex southern hemisphere Rhus). Basically deteriorate the seed coat and reproduce years of soil dormancy (or in the case of Searsia, a bird or baboon's gut).
#50
General Discussion / Re: Lanaria lanata
November 12, 2023, 02:56:43 AM
Acid scarification and significant temperature fluctuations should work. These seeds probably survive underground between fire intervals of five to 30 years. That hard seed coat gradually deteriorates and then the bare post-fire soil bakes hot during the day and cools significantly at night.

I would definitely include acid scarification.
#51
General Discussion / Re: Lanaria lanata
November 11, 2023, 03:51:34 AM
It doesn't get particularly hot - I've never had any issues with plastic seed trays.

It's very important to stuff the brazier with leaves. You'll know you got it right when the smoke is yellow. If it's white then it is burning not smouldering.

I'm not sure if smoke treatment is the germination cue though. The seeds have the look of soil-stored seeds that germinate after the vegetation is cleared. In some pyrophilic taxa it would appear that the significant soil temperature fluctuations (between night and day) are more likely the cue. This is particularly true of large soil-stored seeds that are stored by rodents or ants. I have seen Willdenowia germinate from deep in an ant colony after the ground was cleared. Same for Leucospermum after a fire break was cleared.

I think a combination of acid scarification and significant temperature fluctuations could actually work well. I have found that I can germinate winter-growing Proteaceae in summer by placing the seed trays in a refrigerator at night thereby reproducing the temperature fluctuations that are experienced in autumn in the Western Cape. If you experience difficulty germinating winter growers then this method works for almost everything.

#52
General Discussion / Re: Lanaria lanata
November 10, 2023, 10:41:30 PM
I find that actual fire and smoke have a more pronounced effect than smoke water etc.

At Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden they pump smoke from a smouldering fire into a tent containing the seed trays. They don't use the smoke papers.

I use a large can (canned tomatoes) and punch holes through the side  for the lower third - to create a brazier. I make a fire with twigs and once burning fiercely I stuff the can full of dry leaves. I initially used Proteaceae leaves but later found that everything except conifers and pines worked. The smoking brazier is placed under a large container (I use an old aquarium) along with the seed trays/pots. I built a three tiered rack to accommodate numerous trays at a time. Leave the trays for an hour or two after the brazier has stopped smoking.

Remove trays and water. The combination of heat and smoke will guarantee success with viable seeds.
#53
General Discussion / Re: Uli - unidentified Cyrtanthus
September 24, 2023, 07:33:59 AM
This might be Cyrtanthus labiatus. It produces bulbils at an embarrassing rate! It also looks somewhat similar to C. sanguineus foliage-wise - slightly glaucous strappy leaves.

I grew it for years from bulbils that I acquired from Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden. It only flowered once and was not attractive enough to warrant bench or even garden space.

A pic of the plant (bulbs and foliage) would help to confirm.
#54
General Discussion / Re: Flower ID
July 07, 2023, 04:28:53 AM
Here's an article about it.

http://pza.sanbi.org/wahlenbergia-undulata
#55
General Discussion / Re: Flower ID
July 07, 2023, 01:43:00 AM
Wahlenbergia undulata.
#56
Watsonia aletroides and W. laccata hybridise freely.  I have seen hybrids where none of the parents were anywhere to be seen! In the early 2000's Silverhill Seeds offered a Watsonia sp. nov. Upon enquiry Rachel informed me that John Manning said it was an aletroides laccata hybrid but she was not convinced as neither parent was present. I acquired seeds and grew it anyway - it looked like most of the W. aletroides pictures in the photo index!

Indeed the only proper W. aletroides pictures are three and four (Rogan Roth's pics) and four and five of Cameron's pics. All the rest are aletroides laccata hybris.  In The Genus Watsonia, Goldblatt states that a characteristic of W. aletroides is "short, inconspicuous and barely flexed tepals" which differs markedly from the remaining pictures which all have flaring tepals.  The last picture however shows a hybrid swarm with some plants clearly introgressed (red orange flowers) as they are not widely flaring.
 
#57
User Profiles / Hello from South Africa
June 13, 2023, 09:24:21 AM
Greetings from Cape Town - more specifically the far south of the Cape Peninsula. I live on the north-facing slope of the Roodeberg in the Table Mountain National Park. Across the valley is Chapman's Peak and Silvermine Nature Reserve (quite a few pics in Saunder's gladioli guide were taken there).

After a 17 year hiatus I have taken up growing bulbs again. I had a fantastic collection that was housed at a friend's nursery. Emphasis on had. All the irids were eaten by a porcupine, the Hyacinthaceae contracted virus (he was a heavy smoker) and all my amaryllids and Pelargonium section Hoarea were stolen. Talk about bad luck :'(

I am a retired Botanical/Ecological Specialist - I was a Consultant specialising in botanical surveys for Environmental Impact Assessments as well as designing mitigation measures for projects assessed by other consultants. I was privileged to visit landscapes where people hadn't been in who knows how long. I am lucky to have seen so many gorgeous plants in habitat.

Some of you may remember me from IBSA symposia where I presented on Gethyllis and Pelargonium section Hoarea. Gethyllis is my first love and myself and Bill Liltved are planning to conduct further fieldwork with the view to formally describing all the Mueller-Döblies taxa as well as our recent discoveries.

I look forward to being a valued contributor here.

Cheers