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I thought I should start a new topic as the previous Sth African Bulbs Thread seems to have 3 identical pages at the end!
The main flowering of South African Bulbs at present are the Amaryllis belladonna cultivars - most likely they are hybrids with other amaryllids,
cheers
fermi
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Fermi de Sousa
Another couple of Amaryllis
Wed, 03/12/2014 - 1:27amAnother couple of Amaryllis belladonna seedlings - one nearly white, one a mid-pink,
cheers
fermi
Fermi de Sousa
Crossyne flava is another
Thu, 03/20/2014 - 7:02pmCrossyne flava is another South African amaryllid - a week ago there was no sign of it above ground, today it's in full flower!
cheers
fermi
Trond Hoy
I'm a little jealous, Fermi!
Fri, 03/21/2014 - 12:13pmI'm a little jealous, Fermi! I have tried Amaryllis belladonna outside here but they dislike my climate
At the moment I have only one South African bulb in flower (inside) - a quite ordinary Clivia miniata - but I like it!
Fermi de Sousa
Trond,
Tue, 04/08/2014 - 12:26amTrond,
that's still a good clivia no matter how varied the hybrids get.
In our garden the hardiest of the nerines are in flower:
Nerine "fothergilla Major" (now considered a form of N. sarniensis
The smaller and brightly colored Nerine rosea
cheers
fermi
Richard T. Rodich
Fermi, it looks like those
Tue, 04/08/2014 - 7:45pmFermi, it looks like those red nerine bulbs are at the soil surface !?
Fermi de Sousa
Hi Rick,
Wed, 04/09/2014 - 12:12amHi Rick,
yes, this clump started with 3 bulbs planted about 10 years ago and as they multiply and "clump up" they tend to push themselves out of the ground. When replanting, the "neck" of the bulb should be left exposed,
cheers
fermi
Fermi de Sousa
Oxalis flava (mauve form)
Sun, 04/13/2014 - 7:15amOxalis flava (mauve form) does well in our garden without getting out of hand!
cheers
fermi
Fermi de Sousa
Another Oxalis flowering now
Sat, 04/19/2014 - 4:27amAnother Oxalis flowering now is reputedly difficult to get to bloom, but it seems to enjoy our climate - a bit too much actually
as it spreads rapidly underground and really needs to be contained. Ideally it should be grown as a single pot specimen so you can appreciate its palm-like foliage,
cheers
fermi
Fermi de Sousa
The first flower on Moraea
Thu, 04/24/2014 - 5:44amThe first flower on Moraea polystachya - one of the most prolific and long flowering irids!
cheers
fermi
Fermi de Sousa
For the first time I've found
Mon, 05/26/2014 - 8:03pmFor the first time I've found some variation amongst the Moraea polystachya seeding themselves around the garden!
This white one opened for the first time on the weekend
and this morning (in the rain) I had a look at a couple of its neighbors - a smaller plant also has white buds and another has a pale exterior to 2 of the 3 falls. In all the years (admitted less than a dozen) of growing these from seed these are the first variations and (so far) only in one small cluster of plants
cheers
fermi
Fermi de Sousa
Flowering in our rock garden
Sun, 06/22/2014 - 7:56pmFlowering in our rock garden is the beautiful blue-green Lachenalia viridiflora,
cheers
fermi
Fermi de Sousa
The diminutive Lapeirousia
Wed, 07/02/2014 - 1:09amThe diminutive Lapeirousia montana grown from seed and appearing in a mauve form - 2 years ago a white form with mauve markings flowered but there was no obvious top growth last year and I thought it had died out without setting seed,
cheers
fermi
Claire Cockcroft
I love the pastel color,
Wed, 07/02/2014 - 8:04amI love the pastel color, Fermi. Thanks for sharing.
Fermi de Sousa
Thanks, Claire, the second
Thu, 07/31/2014 - 6:05pmThanks, Claire, the second plant flowered with very pale, almost white flowers with mauve markings.
Flowering over the last 2 weeks has been another South African irid, Hesperantha humilis, grown from AGS Seedex
Sadly one of the plants in the first pot appears to be virused as the center is paler and there are stripes in the petals (it's not seedling variation as the two plants are divisions from one corm
)
cheers
fermi
Trond Hoy
Sorry for the virused
Thu, 07/31/2014 - 10:39pmSorry for the virused Hesperantha. What do you do with such plants, discard them?
You really have some nice bulbs!
Fermi de Sousa
Trond,
Fri, 08/01/2014 - 1:39amTrond,
it may not be a virus which kills the plant but it could infect other plants
.
I hope to get some seed from it then I'll have to separate it from its companion which is not infected (at this stage!) so it may survive another year till I know which is which! it maybe able to be grown somewhere where it won't harm other plants
cheers
fermi
Fermi de Sousa
We have a number of romulea
Mon, 08/04/2014 - 1:10amWe have a number of romulea which we grow in pots because of the risk of them being dug up by the cockatoos which dig up corms in the ground of the weedy species which infest the area. This is a nice one I grew from seed from NZAGS, Romulea flava
cheers
fermi
Michael J Campbell (not verified)
A few Moraeas.
Mon, 04/14/2014 - 1:01pmA few Moraeas.
Moraea tulbagensis x 3.
Moraea villosa
Moraea aristata
Michael J Campbell (not verified)
Moraea vegata
Mon, 04/14/2014 - 1:05pmMoraea vegata
Moraea atropunctata
Richard T. Rodich
Spectacular, Michael.
Mon, 04/14/2014 - 2:53pmSpectacular, Michael.
I never knew there would or could be color on the petal undersides until I spied it in your M. aristata pic.!
cohan (not verified)
Great to see these, guys! I
Thu, 04/17/2014 - 11:30amGreat to see these, guys! I don't fret at all about the ornamental plants I could grow outdoors if I were a couple of zones warmer, but if i were warm enough for SA etc plants outside, that would be worthwhile ;)
Those Moraeas are zowie, Michael!
Fermi de Sousa
Another little Southern
Tue, 08/05/2014 - 6:27pmAnother little South African bulb in flower now, Lachenalia kliprandensis,
cheers
fermi
Fermi de Sousa
This seems a popular thread,
Sat, 08/09/2014 - 7:26amThis seems a popular thread, i'd better keep posting pics
Romulea sabulosa has brilliant flowers but they only open in bright sunshine and today's weather wasn't conducive to this, but at least one opened to enough to get a pic,
cheers
fermi
Trond Hoy
S.A. bulbs are very
Sat, 08/09/2014 - 10:35amS.A. bulbs are very interesting and I wish I had time and space to grow any. Have tried a few but they need more care than I can give them.
Romulea sabulosa is indeed brilliant!
Fermi de Sousa
Hi Trond,
Mon, 08/18/2014 - 6:26amHi Trond,
I certainly find them interesting as they do well in our climate!
Here are a few more:
Romulea hirta, Romulea flava (yellow form) - this came up as a volunteer in a crocus pot, Moraea macronyx, Hesperantha pauciflora (magenta) and finally another Romulea sabulosa - this one grown from seed from the NZ AGS Seedex,
cheers
fermi
Fermi de Sousa
Gladiolus abbreviatus growing
Mon, 08/25/2014 - 4:59amGladiolus abbreviatus growing in a pot.
Previously known as Homoglossum abbreviatum,
cheers
fermi
Richard T. Rodich
I suppose only a true plant
Mon, 08/25/2014 - 6:33pmI suppose only a true plant geek could love that glad.
Count me in!
Toole (not verified)
RickR wrote:
Tue, 08/26/2014 - 2:33am[quote=RickR]
I suppose only a true plant geek could love that glad.
Count me in!
[/quote]
Me too Rick ....
Fermi de Sousa
I'll let you know if it sets
Thu, 08/28/2014 - 7:29amI'll let you know if it sets seed, Dave!
The frosts this year have put paid to some of the flowering on some slightly tender things like Pelargonium triste
and even Babaina odorata 
.The initial buds on Babiana pygmaea were also taken but a few have now opened
cheers
fermi
Fermi de Sousa
A couple of Lachenalias now
Fri, 08/29/2014 - 5:41amA couple of Lachenalias now in flower:
Lachenalia concordiana
Lachenalia bolusii
Both grown from seed from Silver Hills Seeds many years ago,
cheers
fermi
Fermi de Sousa
I received this as Moraea
Sat, 08/30/2014 - 6:55amI had this "catalogued" in my mind as Moraea fugax but it's actually Moraea fugacissima, (syn Galaxia fugacissima)! very different in appearance,
cheers
fermi
Fermi de Sousa
A flowering this morning,
Sun, 08/31/2014 - 8:14pmA flowering this morning, Gladiolus gracilis grown from seed from Gordon Summerfield, sown 6-6-2010,
cheers
fermi
Fermi de Sousa
A better pic of Gladiolus
Thu, 09/04/2014 - 9:18pmA better pic of Gladiolus gracilis
Gladiolus tristis opening its first flower
And a couple of lachenalias:
Lachenalia aloides "Green"
Lachenalia mutabilis
cheers
fermi
Fermi de Sousa
Geissorhiza ornithogaloides
Sat, 09/06/2014 - 6:45amGeissorhiza ornithogaloides grown from NZAGS Seedex 2010, sown 2011, first flowered 2012,
Also from NZAGS Geissorhiza receievd as G. inflexa but probably Geissorhiza aspera
cheers
fermi
Fermi de Sousa
Bulbinella triquetra is a
Thu, 09/11/2014 - 11:30pmBulbinella triquetra is a dainty little thing from South Africa
Bulbinella cauda-felis has pink buds opening to white flowers
cheers
fermi
Fermi de Sousa
Some more spring flowering
Sat, 09/13/2014 - 4:49amSome more spring flowering South African geophytes:
Babiana cedarbergensis
Moraea bipartita
Geissorhiza tulbaghensis
cheers
fermi
Fermi de Sousa
Hesperantha vaginata ssp
Tue, 09/16/2014 - 7:03amHesperantha vaginata ssp stanfordiae
The type species has striking black markings but this subspecies or variety is mostly plain yellow.
Previously I posted a pic of what I received as Geissorhiza inflexa but I thought might be G. aspera; now a second, shorter seedling has flowered and it appears to be different - I wonder if this is the true Geissorhiza inflexa?
when I grew this years ago it was the red form but I seem to remember that it was upright like this one - any comments?
cheers
fermi
Fermi de Sousa
Freesia sparrmanii is a dwarf
Thu, 09/18/2014 - 4:01amFreesia sparrmanii is a dwarf species which is floriferous but sadly unscented; the second pic shows a comparison with a "normal" sized freesia
cheers
fermi
Fermi de Sousa
First flower opened today on
Sun, 09/21/2014 - 4:37amFirst flower opened today on Gladiolus virescens grown from seed from Gordon Summerfield in 2008!
cheers
fermi
Claire Cockcroft
Weird and wonderful, Fermi!
Sun, 09/21/2014 - 10:36amWeird and wonderful, Fermi!
...Claire
Fermi de Sousa
Well, Claire, I have been
Tue, 09/23/2014 - 4:46amWell, Claire, I have been called that before
, but I'll presume you're referring to the Gladdie which is one of the "orchid type".
Flowering in the rock garden, where the foliage has been munched off by molluscs
, is Lachenalia splendida,
Moraea spathulata
cheers
fermi
Trond Hoy
I remember seeing Lachenalia
Tue, 09/23/2014 - 1:08pmI remember seeing Lachenalia in flower in South Africa many years ago and dreamed of growing some at home.
I have never dared try due to weather conditions and molluscs. Semms your molluscs are very modest, Fermi
Fermi de Sousa
Trond,
Wed, 09/24/2014 - 5:35pmTrond,
the molluscs were "dealt with" after they decimated the foliage but before the flowers emerged!
cheers
fermi
Fermi de Sousa
This little gladdie was
Thu, 09/25/2014 - 11:36pmThis little gladdie was raised by Greg Boldiston, Longinomus Plants, Romsey, and I bought it a month ago and It's just starting to bloom now.
Gladiolus stellatus is on the endangered list in RSA; the pics were taken this morning and I think the flowers expand more in the sun,
cheers
fermi
Fermi de Sousa
Fermi wrote:
Sun, 09/28/2014 - 7:43am[quote=Fermi]
Gladiolus stellatus ... the pics were taken this morning and I think the flowers expand more in the sun,
[/quote]
Yes, they do, but they close up in late afternoon!
Here's a selection of some of the spring flowering Cape bulbs in pots
The purple is Geissorhiza monanthos which I grew from seed from Gordon Summerfield in 2010 which shows a fair bit of variation,
cheers
fermi
Trond Hoy
You do have a colourful
Sun, 09/28/2014 - 11:37amYou do have a colourful collection to show! I am jealous
That Gladiolus stellatus is a little sweetie, doesn't look like a Gladiolus.
Do you grow this Gladiolus (forgotten the name) which I pictured in Kenya some years ago?
Fermi de Sousa
Hoy wrote:
Mon, 09/29/2014 - 6:06am[quote=Hoy]
Do you grow this Gladiolus (forgotten the name) which I pictured in Kenya some years ago?
[/quote]
Hi Trond,
according to John Grimshaw's blog (http://johngrimshawsgardendiary.blogspot.com.au/2010/08/gladiolus-watsonioides.html) it's Gladiolus watsonioides- not one I've grown but now I'm tempted
- and its seed is allowed into Australia!
Here's a sparaxis which used to be known as Strepthanthera which came up in the garden - possibly from seed tossed out after a clean up in the house!
cheers
fermi
Fermi de Sousa
Hesperantha bachmannii is
Tue, 09/30/2014 - 4:57amHesperantha bachmannii is unusual with it's reflexed pure white flowers which open in the late afternoon
but it can appear in other pots from scattered seed, so beware if you don't dead-head it!
cheers
fermi
Fermi de Sousa
Lachenalia orchioides var
Wed, 10/01/2014 - 5:49amLachenalia orchioides var glaucina just coming into flower
cheers
fermi
Fermi de Sousa
Geissorhiza radians is quite
Sat, 10/04/2014 - 5:33amGeissorhiza radians is quite stunning and satiny in appearance,
cheers
fermi
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