Haemanthus hybrid

J.E. Shields jshields@indy.net
Tue, 18 Dec 2007 06:50:05 PST
Hi Angelo and all,

I bought a bulb labeled 'King Alfred' from someone in the UK years ago.  It 
is supposed to be a cross between Haemanthus albiflos and H. 
coccineus.  The leaves can get huge, one year reaching ca. 8 inches wide 
(20 cm) by 16 inches long (40 cm), if memory serves.  It bloomed once, a 
small, pale bloom.   Its leaves show no signs of red lines.  It has 
produced several offsets, but none have yet reached a size sufficient for 
blooming.

As I recall, 'King Alfred' is supposedly the name attached to crosses of 
Scadoxus puniceus X katherinae.  I don't know if H. albiflos X coccineus 
has a name.

Angelo, I think you are correct in assuming that the seedlings are hybrids 
since they have the red lines of coccineus on the abaxial surface 
(underside).  Some years back I made the cross Haemanthus humilis hirsutus 
X coccineus.  Those seedlings have red edges on the leaves, and some of 
them have the horizontal or transverse red lines on the abaxial surface 
near the base.  The peduncles are coccineus-like, but taller, while the 
bracts are erect and burgundy to bronze in color.  H. humilis hirsutus has 
no trace of red on its leaves.

Best wishes,
Jim Shields
in cold, snowy central Indiana (USA)



*************************************************
Jim Shields             USDA Zone 5             Shields Gardens, Ltd.
P.O. Box 92              WWW:    http://www.shieldsgardens.com/
Westfield, Indiana 46074, USA
Tel. ++1-317-867-3344     or      toll-free 1-866-449-3344 in USA



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