Sternbergia sicula graeca et al.

Jim McKenney jimmckenney@jimmckenney.com
Tue, 30 Oct 2007 09:13:06 PDT
Sternbergia sicula graeca has been blooming this week and I'm really pleased
with it. Part of that pleasure is due to its being distinct. It's a small
plant with small flowers - maybe trough material? 

The crocus season is getting off to a pokey start. In bloom now are forms of
Crocus goulimyii, C. cartwrightianus, C. asumaniae, C. thomasii, C.
speciosus and C. kotschyanus. 

I've commented on the fragrance of Crocus thomasii before, but it deserves
mention again: this species has the basic saffron-group fragrance, but there
is a distinct, sprightly element of hyacinth, too: very, very nice! 

Biarum tenuifloium is opening today, and that reminded me that I have not
seen B. davisii this year. I checked it today and discovered that it had
bloomed underground more or less! The withered spathe was there, but it was
mostly underground. I do keep these dry during the summer, evidently too
dry. Or maybe I should have started to water them sooner. 

Some late-planted Gladiolus callianthus are blooming, and these too have a
super fragrance which carries well on the air. This is a favorite. 

Non-geophyte (but lily family in the old, broad sense) Sansevieria kirkii is
blooming now, too. The inflorescence of this species is striking: the
flowers are born in a false umbel, so that the inflorescence  looks somewhat
like a white Scadoxus. I was hoping the flowers would be fragrant, but so
far I have not detected a fragrance.  


Jim McKenney
jimmckenney@jimmckenney.com
Montgomery County, Maryland, USA, USDA zone 7, where mocking birds have
replaced cat birds - a sure sign of the change in seasons. 

My Virtual Maryland Garden http://www.jimmckenney.com/

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