PBS Forum

Quote from: Uli on June 25, 2024, 12:57:57 AMThank you for posting the pictures of flowering potatoes. What are they? Local cultivars of edible potato? Or wild species? I know that the edible potato originated in the Andes of Peru and Bolivia but I am not aware of native Californian ones. How does the whole plant look like?
I managed to acquire a species potato Solanum jamesii which looks like a white flowered mini potato plant. For safety reasons I keep it in a pot, because of bulb/tuber eating rodents and also because I know of a botanical garden where a purple flowering species has invaded the whole garden.....

Genetics based on cultivated Andean potatoes. Virtually all of these are from seed of selected cultivars sourced from Cultivariable in Washington state, USA. In general, my choice was for plants suited for cool summers, late tuberization (after fall equinox), and strong dormancy.
Plants are generally sprawling and very vigorous, a few clones grew tall and upright this spring (it was very dark and cold for a while). A few seedlings in a planter are now a lush mound a meter across (seed planted in April). Flowering and seed set is generous the local pollinators do buzz pollen collection. Everything is in planters, and escape us unlikely, given the local conditions.

Lilium Vico Gold 
Raised by Sir Peter Smithers as Lilium sulphureum as one parent, this was once only available in the trade. It is very tall and needs careful staking and is best in shade in my climate. It is fragrant.
However, I sometimes wonder if I have not been sold the hybrid African Queen instead. The apricot touch makes me think this. But I am not a Lily specialist, is there someone around who would be able to tell them apart?

Hello @Robert_Parks,

Thank you for posting the pictures of flowering potatoes. What are they? Local cultivars of edible potato? Or wild species? I know that the edible potato originated in the Andes of Peru and Bolivia but I am not aware of native Californian ones. How does the whole plant look like?
I managed to acquire a species potato Solanum jamesii which looks like a white flowered mini potato plant. For safety reasons I keep it in a pot, because of bulb/tuber eating rodents and also because I know of a botanical garden where a purple flowering species has invaded the whole garden.....

Quote from: Martin Bohnet on June 24, 2024, 11:54:46 AM@Robert_Parks love that blue potato. I once tried blue-fleshed potatoes, but they flowered pale lilac for me.

Flower color is not strongly linked to tuber/flesh color in potato, although if stem color is also unpigmented, it isn't going to be a bright potato. It is fun playing with these, the diversity of resulting tubers from more less focused seed.

Robert
Clear, brisk, and windy on the hill in SF.

I'm in the process of renovating a part of the bulb lawn. Near the street where people park weed-dispersing cars, it acquired an infestation of Geranium lucidum (shiny geranium) that could not be stopped except by killing the whole area. I'm thinking of applying the persistent pre-emergent Casoron now and having the area covered with a bark mulch, then waiting to see if the weed reappears next spring. If it doesn't, I'll replant with low shrubs and bulbs. Does anyone know how Casoron might affect bulbs planted about 14 months after application?

@Robert_Parks love that blue potato. I once tried blue-fleshed potatoes, but they flowered pale lilac for me.

time for more orchids: Epipactis thunbergii, Bletilla ochracea

Height:	20-30 cm (0.7-1 ft)
Flower Colors:	yellow, white
Life form:	corm

, Bletilla striata

Height:	10-30 cm (0.3-1 ft)
Flower Colors:	pink, purple, blue, white
Life form:	deciduous rhizome
Climate:	USDA Zone 7-9

'Blue Dragon', Bletilla striata

Height:	10-30 cm (0.3-1 ft)
Flower Colors:	pink, purple, blue, white
Life form:	deciduous rhizome
Climate:	USDA Zone 7-9

'Trilips' and Bletilla 'Brigantes'

Height:	30-45 cm (1-1.5 ft)
Flower Colors:	pink, yellow
Life form:	corm

Bessera ramirezii , recently separated from Bessera elegans

https://www.biotaxa.org/Phytotaxa/article/view/phytotaxa.512.4.2

Stenomesson flavum, coll. north of Lima Peru, van der Werf et al. 14458
Winter leaves, mid summer flowers