Wha'ts blooming

Leo A. Martin leo@possi.org
Tue, 11 Mar 2008 17:04:47 PDT
Hello All,

It's been rewarding to see some of my seedlings blooming for the first
time. Here's what's bloomed in the past two weeks:

Babiana attenuata (1st season bloomed)
Babiana curviscapa (1st season bloomed)
These two plants are very similar (but not identical) and the flowers are
also very similar (but not identical.) I can't find B. curviscapa in
Goldblatt's Cape Bulbs. Each pot will have two plants blooming but
consecutively. I don't want to make hybrids. Several of my friends detect
a distinct sweet aroma to the B. attenuata but I can't smell anything. I
don't know whether that's due to a stuffy head or my genetic makeup.

Babiana sinuata (3rd season bloomed) Has a wonderful scent that carries.
For the first time two plants are overlapping bloom by a few flowers so I
hope to get some seed for the seed bank.

Bulbinella eburnifolia (1st season bloomed) Also two plants overlapping
bloom. Bottle brushes of white with brigbt yellow stamens. Musty aroma.

Ferraria ferrarioloa (1st season bloomed) The color and bouquet of fine
absinthe. Just one plant.

Freesia tricuspidata (2nd season bloomed) A tiny plant without scent but
with nice flowers.

Gladiolus scullyi (1st season bloomed) I've read it smells like violets,
but to me it has a strong scent just like the leaves of what is sold as
"Lime Geranium."

Hesperantha vaginata (1st season bloomed) Wow. Just one plant blooming.
The shine on the petals is like that on tulips that have just opened.

Lachenalia aloides var quadricolor (has bloomed for many years) I can't
think of a more vigorous and easy-to-grow winter bulb than this Lach.

Lachenalia kliprandensis (1st season bloomed) Powerful scent, very similar
to that of L. comptonii.

Lachenalia unicolor (1st season bloomed) Just opening. Nice electric
purple-blue.

Lapeirousis jacquinii (1st season bloomed) Two different sowings. One came
as L. sp and the other as L. jacquinii. One plant is almost finished and
the other hasn't quite opened yet but I have hope.

Pelargonium incrassatum (1st season bloomed) One of the tuberous ones.
Electric magenta flowers in a surprisingly large umbel for the size of the
plant. Just one plant but it seems to be making some fruits.

Romulea monticola (1st season bloomed) Small yellow flowers. One tiny
plant of four will bloom this year; one flower is finished, another
opening today, and another just emerging.

Leo Martin
Phoenix Arizona USA


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