In bloom now

Mary Sue Ittner msittner@mcn.org
Tue, 06 Dec 2005 11:30:11 PST
Dear All,

We had Southern California type weather (at least I expect that is what it 
is like in Southern California) in November with warmer than usual sunny 
days. After our cool summer everyone was delighted. A lot of plants I grow 
are all turned around and blooming much earlier than usual. I've had 
Narcissus cantabricus blooming for months and even a couple Narcissus 
romieuxii. The Crocus is mostly done now although C. ochroleucus put on a 
many weeks show and C. laevigatus is still blooming.

Nerine pudica in the ground has been quite lovely this year and my Nerine 
flexuousa x undulata is finishing both in the ground and in a container in 
the greenhouse. I had quite a nice fall showing of Cyclamen and in bloom 
now are C. purpurascens (still), C. cilicum and C. coum. I have a few 
plants of the latter that bloom as early as September which makes for 
confusion with some of the keys that start with the months they bloom.

My second Romulea, R. kombergensis opened yesterday. R. hallii has been 
putting on a long show and is still blooming. I have another Babiana in 
bloom that is confused and Erythronium multiscapoideum has just about 
finished. I know it is the earliest California species, but November?

The Polyxena once known as pygmaea is in bloom and Massonia pustulata too 
with what I now think is M. echinata just about to open. I think Massonia 
pustulata has got to be one of my favorite bulbs. It is just gorgeous. I 
too have Lachenalias in bloom: L. rubida and L. viridiflora. I admire the 
leaves of many other species this time of the year before the flowers 
come.  I've started planted some of the extras in the ground since some 
like L. mutabilis have been coming back each year so have one L. 
viridiflora in the ground now open. I grow most of mine outside in an area 
that has a cover but open sides so I have to water the plants except when 
the wind blows the rain on them (which does happen.) This is one of my 
sunnier spots since my garden has so many trees and still some of them look 
like they could use more light.

I too have Haemanthus albiflos in bloom and have appreciated my fall 
blooming Oxalis. Many of them are done, but Oxalis luteola and a few Oxalis 
hirta continue. Oxalis luteola is continuing to do very well in one of my 
raised beds and the low form covered by blooms is very appealing. O. 
versicolor is in bloom, a first O. obtusa, O. goniorhiza, and O. purpurea 
(white form). I have a few unidentified Oxalis plants from Uli that I hope 
to add to the Mystery bulb page soon and get identified.

Besides the Canarina canariensis in the greenhouse, Cyrtanthus mackenii is 
blooming and to my surprise yesterday I saw a bud on Phaedranassa cinerea. 
A Gladiolus that usually blooms in February is in bud and so is Spiloxene 
serrata. Jim Duggan used to boast about how long blooming it was for him in 
Southern California. Mine usually bloom in February and March so this will 
be very early if they actually do open. A long bloomer for me, Moraea 
polystachya, continues to delight.

Finally I have Muscari in bloom: M. neglectum, M. botryoides, and one with 
a missing tag.

Our winter pattern seems to be here finally however so perhaps things will 
settle back to normal with a few things trying to bloom between storms.

Mary Sue  


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