Hi, Cameron et al - just catching up here, so this response is a bit dated, but as Cameron said, Jim, those brachystelmas all come from seed he collected. However, I want to report that B. meyerianum sets seed easily here (and it's perfectly viable seed), and (from memory) I believe B. cathcartensis has set 1 good pod as well. I find the 2 aforementioned brachystelmas very easy to grow here in summer in clay pots in full sun (northern sun, of course). They're easily killed in winter by any moisture when dormant - and since my greenhouses are really humid and c. 35F for much of the winter, the requisite dryness is sometimes hard to maintain. They haven't seemed to mind the cold when they were dry (desicated, in tree bands). Of the two, B. cathcartensis is the more resilient under my less-than-optimal conditions. It's hard to replicate the Eastern Cape in upstate NY. Ellen Ellen Hornig Seneca Hill Perennials 3712 County Route 57 Oswego NY 13126 USA http://www.senecahillperennials.com/ ----- Original Message ----- From: "Rhoda and Cameron McMaster" <africanbulbs@haznet.co.za> To: <pbs@lists.ibiblio.org> Sent: Thursday, May 20, 2010 4:06 PM Subject: Re: [pbs] pbs Digest, Vol 88, Issue 17 Brachystema cathcartense > Hi Jim and all > > Since I supplied Ellen with the see, I will respond. The comments in the > Wiki on the flowering of Brachystelma cathcartense are based on the > behaviour of wild plants which occur in fairly poor and dry conditions in > the Cathcart distirct of the Eastern Cape. Jim, you must have grown them > very well so they have developed more flowers than they would in the wild. > Your plants come from pure wild seed so what ever they do for you is > correct. B. meyerianum is often absolutely covered in flowers - it is > really rewarding. Please let us know if you have pollinators that will do > the job and if your plants set seed. This year my Brachystelma caffrum > developed some seed horns and I was able to harvest some. It will be > interesting to see if the seed is viable from nursery plants > > Camron McMaster > > Cameron and Rhoda McMaster > African Bulbs > PO Box 26, Napier 7270 > Tel/Fax: 028 423 3651 > Mobile: 082 774 2075 > Email: africanbulbs@haznet.co.za > Website: http://www.africanbulbs.com/ > > ---- Original Message ----- > From: <pbs-request@lists.ibiblio.org> > To: <pbs@lists.ibiblio.org> > Sent: Thursday, May 20, 2010 7:21 PM > Subject: pbs Digest, Vol 88, Issue 17 > > >> Send pbs mailing list submissions to >> pbs@lists.ibiblio.org >> >> To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit >> http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php >> or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to >> pbs-request@lists.ibiblio.org >> >> You can reach the person managing the list at >> pbs-owner@lists.ibiblio.org >> >> When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific >> than "Re: Contents of pbs digest..." >> >> >> List-Post:<mailto:pbs@lists.ibiblio.org >> List-Archive:<http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php >> >> Today's Topics: >> >> 1. Brachystelma question (Jim McKenney) >> >> >> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- >> >> Message: 1 >> Date: Wed, 19 May 2010 14:13:39 -0400 >> From: "Jim McKenney" <jimmckenney@jimmckenney.com> >> Subject: [pbs] Brachystelma question >> To: "'Pacific Bulb Society'" <pbs@lists.ibiblio.org> >> Message-ID: <EB3D139253AF4F2389F7CD98034172D8@Library> >> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" >> >> Brachystelma cathcartense is about to bloom here; the plant was received >> from Seneca Hill Nursery just in time. I?ll be shedding tears over the >> demise of Ellen?s nursery for a long time ? and I know I?m not the only >> one. >> >> >> >> >> This plant is shown on the PBS wiki, but the text there raises a >> question. >> The text states that the plant ?has one or two cup shaped flowers?? The >> plant I have has produced a cluster of stems and each stem has multiple >> flowers, two at each of several nodes. >> >> It just so happens that I also obtained a plant of B. meyerianum, and >> when >> I >> compare the two plants, I see that B. meyerianum has multiple buds per >> stem >> but only one flower bud per node. >> >> >> >> Brachystelma experts, here?s your chance to shine: should the wiki text >> for >> B. cathcartense be changed to say ?has one or two cup shaped flowers per >> node? ? >> >> >> >> Cool plants by the way?. >> >> >> >> On a related note, I saw a wide low mass of Asclepias viridis in full >> bloom >> the other day ? that one has so far escaped my net. The color scheme is >> quiet, but the architecture of the plant is stunning. >> >> >> >> >> >> Jim McKenney >> >> jimmckenney@jimmckenney.com >> >> Montgomery County, Maryland, USA, 39.03871? North, 77.09829? West, USDA >> zone >> 7 >> >> My Virtual Maryland Garden http://www.jimmckenney.com/ >> >> BLOG! http://mcwort.blogspot.com/ >> >> >> >> Webmaster Potomac Valley Chapter, NARGS >> >> Editor PVC Bulletin http://www.pvcnargs.org/ >> >> >> >> Webmaster Potomac Lily Society http://www.potomaclilysociety.org/ >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> ------------------------------ >> >> _______________________________________________ >> pbs mailing list >> pbs@lists.ibiblio.org >> http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php >> >> >> End of pbs Digest, Vol 88, Issue 17 >> *********************************** >> > > _______________________________________________ > pbs mailing list > pbs@lists.ibiblio.org > http://pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php > http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/