Crinum Season and hardiness... again

J.E. Shields jshields@indy.net
Fri, 05 Jul 2013 12:57:56 PDT
Hi all,

An interesting thing to compare between Crinum bulbispermum growing free in 
the garden here and C. variabile growing the same way:  Seed production.

Crinum bulbispermum is in full bloom here (in the ground) right now, and 
has been blooming for 2 or 3 weeks already, at least this year.  It is 
producing huge seed crops, and has done so in past years.  (Should I send 
some to the BX again?)

Crinum variabile blooms in August or September, continuing on into 
October.  It produces few if any seeds unless I hand pollinate the flowers 
myself.  (Anyone want any of these seeds again this year?)

I think the pollinators for bulbispermum are the various native Hawk Moths 
or Sphinx Moths (same family), which fly and visit flowers at dusk here.  I 
suspect that by late August, there are no crepuscular-flying moths left 
here in the adult form -- they are probably either still larvae eating 
leaves or already pupated below  ground, waiting for next spring.

Incidentally, the hybrid [variabile x bulbispermum] blooms in between 
bulbispermum and variabile, and also sets spontaneous seeds without my 
personal intervention.  However, I get somewhat more seeds from the hybrids 
if I also hand-pollinate them as well.

Curious, isn't it?

Jim Shields


Jim Shields             USDA Zone 5
P.O. Box 92              WWW:    http://www.shieldsgardens.com/
Westfield, Indiana 46074, USA
Lat. 40° 02.8' N, Long. 086° 06.6' W




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