Scented Bulbs - Arthropodiums

Geoffrey Barnier coffeecamp@optusnet.com.au
Sat, 08 Jul 2006 14:32:53 PDT
I did checkout the Arthropodiums on the wiki & was interested to find that "This species has a brief dormancy late summer, early fall".  Whereas, I found it reported in a database of the Australian National University in the A.C.T. where it's a local native that it "Dies back in winter. Water & fertilize spring & summer."

I presume that differences in dormancy times would depend on the plant's adaptation to the local climatic conditions.  As A. strictus is native from Queensland in the tropics/subtropics to Victoria in the south with its temperate/cool climate it has adapted to quite a temperature range.  However, all of these Australian states have a wet summer and a dry winter I believe.  I think  the wiki's reference is based on Californian specimens where the summers are dry & the winters wet - the opposite to its native habitat. This may account for the difference in its seasonal dormancy.

Because our Chocolate Lily is summer growing/winter dormant here, I expected my seeds to germinate in spring and not winter as they did.  South Africa is very good at providing details of when to sow their native seed.  I've found such detail as scarce as hen's teeth for Australian natives.

Geoff in sub-tropical NSW, Australia.



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