Namaqualand bulbs

Leo A. Martin leo@possi.org
Tue, 14 Feb 2012 16:14:44 PST
Alberto Castillo wrote regarding some Moraea and Lapeirousia:

> Leo, sounds like Arizona is the place
> for growing Namaqualand bulbs.

Interestingly, Namaqualand succulents like Aizoaceae (ice plant relatives)
don't do well outdoors here in the summer. To survive outdoors they must
be in quite a bit of shade and shielded from summer rains. It's too hot
here at night for them in the summer, probably much warmer than they
experience in habitat. A Gethyllis (probably villosa) also does fairly
well here but blooms only every few years in the house. It's not
self-fertile.

The Aizoaceae mostly rely crassulacean acid metabolism, a variant
carbon-storage metabolic pathway that doesn't work when nights are hot.
It's also why we can grow almost nothing in the Crassula family here in
the summer. The bulbs are sleeping away and don't seem to notice.

My arid-climate bulbs are definitely moist to wet all winter, so maybe the
key to success is the low humidity all year, the clay soil or both.

Leo Martin
Phoenix Arizona USA




More information about the pbs mailing list