Hardy Agapanthus and Clivia

Tony Avent tony@plantdelights.com
Sun, 06 Jun 2010 07:29:08 PDT
Hi folks:

The hardy white agapanthus was selected by plantsman John of the former H&H
Botanicals in Michigan.  John had planted a batch of seedling out for summer
bedding and noticed that one came back for several years.  We got our plants
from John in 2000, long before he went out of business.  For those who want
to read the sad saga or H&H Botanicals, go to their new website at
http://bsnursery.com/message.html

While we're talking about hardy geophytes, how about Clivia gardenii.  We
grew this from seed and have had it in the ground for 5 years with no
problems and no protection or winter mulch.  During this time, the lowest
temps that it has seen are probably 8F with no snow.  Has anyone else tried
this outdoors?

Tony Avent
Plant Delights Nursery @
Juniper Level Botanic Garden
9241 Sauls Road
Raleigh, North Carolina  27603  USA
Minimum Winter Temps 0-5 F
Maximum Summer Temps 95-105F
USDA Hardiness Zone 7b
email tony@plantdelights.com
website  http://www.plantdelights.com/
phone 919 772-4794
fax  919 772-4752
"I consider every plant hardy until I have killed it myself...at least three
times" - Avent

-----Original Message-----
From: pbs-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org [mailto:pbs-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org]
On Behalf Of Matt Mattus
Sent: Saturday, June 05, 2010 4:50 PM
To: Pacific Bulb Society
Subject: Re: [pbs] Agapanthus

This subject comes up so often, but out dozen or so cultivars of Agapanthus,
never bloomed well until we build our cold greenhouse, where they get moved
each autumn before heavy frost. Inside, the temperatures on the foundation
where  the tubs are kept, reach near 0 C or 32 Degrees F. In spring, they
are relocated outside in mid-May, and all bloom at exactly the same time,
near July 1.
I have noticed that the quantity of buds decreases as pots become full, and
on the years that I divide the large tubs, there are a fewer flower stems,
which I assume is due to the shock of having their root ball sliced into
quarters.
It is the following year when I get dozens of stems, and the pot is still
not full of roots yet.

The same goes for Clivia. Our collection of Cliva ( about 200 plants from
Nakamura in Japan) used to fuss and bloom off schedule until we moved them
all into the cold greenhouse. In there, they never go dry, rather, they
respond I believe to temperature and day length ( much like me). Now, they
all bloom at exactly the same time, which seems to change each year, but
they all bloom together. Since they are under the benches they get watered
all winter, so it's not about being dry as much as temperature and light
changes, I believe.
The Agapanthus, seem to react in very much the same way, except with blooms
during the summer. Temperature and day length factors in to the 'blooming
equation' clearly.

Matt Mattus
Worcester, MA
Zone 5/5b

On 6/5/10 10:14 AM, "Linda Foulis" <lmf@beautifulblooms.ab.ca> wrote:

> Good morning all,
> I have Agapanthus africanus albidus which I started from seed back in
2005.
> It has only bloomed once, if I remember correctly back about 2007 or so.
It
> is quite
> 
> 
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