Trachyandra ciliata

Started by Robert_Parks, June 21, 2022, 04:40:03 PM

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Robert_Parks

got three tiny tubers last fall, so I put all three in a 4"/10 cm square pot and set it out in the garden (as I do with most of my bulbs). Next thing I know it is sprawled a meter across with flower stalks everywhere, dozens of little white flowers lasting  a day...for months. It finally went dormant after setting seeds weakly, so I went to lift it and check/divide it. I had no idea you could expand one of these pots that much! 

Looks like every root has a growth bud or two on top, and they are weakly connected to the parent growth. Presumably an adaptation to survive being dug up and eaten. Of course,  packed in like this I could only loosen up a couple dozen root/tubers...after it dries out a bit, I think I'll got at it with a box cutter and separate the main tubers. 

We'll see in the fall if the seeds that dropped while I was distracted volunteer.  It certainly has the potential to be an annoying invasive...maybe next year I'll try steaming the flower stalks like asparagus,  edible, hmm.