Nerine "falcata" from SA Bulb Company

[Carlos]

Hi, I ordered both N. falcata or N. krigei falcata from SABC, one from Stilfontein which seems to be the right thing:



And the "regular" one which seems another species,. I know that it is difficult without flowers, but are there any hints?



I now find it strange that this Nerine is listed as "spiral leaf Nerine" when krigei is not particularly spiralled, or at least leaves should be wider (or are the bulbs still young?)... I am new to Nerine and most SA bulbs.

Thanks

[CG100]

No-one is perfect, but I would be surprised if Johan and Leigh were wrong/mistaken.

Drop your observations, questions and pic's to Leigh. If there is a problem they will sort it, for sure.

[Anonymized User]

You need to grow them hard! Full sun. They do however like to be well-watered.
European growers tend to think everything must be grown like N. bowdenii - a cool area grower that likes gentle summers.
Nerine falcata subsp krigei likes full sun in order to get the best foliage.

[Carlos]

Hi, I don't like how she replied to me in the past,I know that the mistake is theirs, I just want to know what it is.

Thanks, Robin, they get morning sun. I  read in the SABC site that it grows in a drier area, so I added a good  deal of pebbles and I'm watering once a week.

Bowdenii are in the same conditions and don't seem so happy, I'll try to move them.

Carlos

[Anonymized User]

Sorry Carlos - it's N. krigei subsp falcata not the other way around!
All of these Nerine from arid areas grow in seasonally quite wet places - especially small valley bottom, seasonal washes and around massive dolerite dykes. The thing is that they are never in stagnant water. Even when there is water on the surface it is constantly percolating and draining.
I have seen N. laticoma and Ammocharis coranica around dolerite dykes where they are growing in glutinous fine-grained clay - with surface water and in winter there's no sign of life in the concrete-hard barren surface.
Water them at least twice a week and include some fine-grained material such as crushed clay brick in the growing medium

[CG100]

I don't like how she replied to me in the past,I know that the mistake is theirs, I just want to know what it is.

I strongly suspect that there is a problem in translation. Certainly I am unsure exactly how to understand your original post.

Also, you do not know that there is a mistake at all, not until you get flowers.

As @Robin Jangle suggests, most species with distorted leaves in nature lose some or even all of this in cultivation, unfortunately.

If you refer to Duncan, ssp. krigei has "strongly spiralled" 10-12mm wide leaves and ssp.falcata "slightly spirally twisted" 18-26mm wide leaves. Based on that the upper photo in your original post would be ssp. falcata and the lower ssp. krigei

[CG100]

Referring to the SABC list and your names in post 1 -
Nerine krigei falcata Stillfontein has no mention that implies anything except broadish flat leaves.
They do not list N. falcata, but do list N. k. falcata with no mention of specific habitat location, but that has "boadish" slightly twisted leaves.

I very strongly suspect that you have exactly what you ordered.


NERINE KRIGEI SUBSP. FALCATA
Endemic to the hot and dry eastern and north eastern parts of North West Province. Summer growing, winter dormant. 4-7 broadish strap-like slightly twisted leaves. Large heads of pink flowers with a darker keel, from mid to late summer. Flower stems to 60cm tall. Sun. Hardy. Requires very well drained soil and even though they are winter dormant, our experience has been that they can be subjected to some winter rains. Water once every 10 days or so in summer.  Soil must dry out inbetween waterings. Uncommon in cultivation.

NERINE KRIGEI SUBSP. FALCATA Stilfontein form
Summer growing, winter dormant. Sun. Hardy. Average water. Broadish erect leaves. Glistening pinkish red flowers in mid-summer. Same water requirements as above.

[Carlos]

Hi, I don't translate my posts, I write them in English. Of course I can fail to explain well what I mean to say, sorry.

I agree about the Stilfontein plant. It is the other N. krigei falcata on their list which does not match the description of the taxon (broadish leaves). Stilfontein seems OK.

Thanks to both of you for the info.

Carlos

[CG100]

Please do not apologise - your English is approx. 100000000 times better than my Spanish!!  

According to the description in Duncan, the Stilfontein plant is incorrect in having flat leaves.
I very strongly suspect that it is simple natural variation across the range of the ssp. and due to age/size difference between the plants.