Cypella

J.E. Shields jshields104@insightbb.com
Sat, 24 Aug 2002 07:47:01 PDT
Hi all,

The discussion of Cypella was interesting.  I'm moved to comment now 
because one plant of C. coelestis that I planted outdoors in May is showing 
color on a flower bud.  It's sibling still, in a pot is not showing any 
sign of flowering yet.  This is the light-blue flowered form.  I also got a 
dark-blue form from Eric Walton in 1998, but I lost it.  If anyone has 
seeds or a bulb of the dark-blue flowered Cypella coelestis, I'd be 
interested in obtaining some.  You can contact me 
at  <jshields104@insightbb.com>

Cypella peruviana were also planted out in the same bed, a raised rock 
garden with distinctly limey soil from a local riverbed (lots of old snail 
shells in it).  They are growing vigorously, but not showing any flower 
buds yet.  These were grown from seeds from Chiltern in 
1998.  Hesperoxiphion peruvianum from seeds from Bill Dijk in 1998 is not 
as vigorous as the Chiltern plants.

All of these were left outdoors in their 6.5-inch plastic azalea pots until 
well into December last winter.  Some died, but some lived.  I think folks 
in USDA zone 7 should try these outdoors.  I'd like to hear from anyone in 
zone 7 or colder who has tried this with any Cypella.  I plan to take my 
plants out of the rock garden in December and carry them over winter in 
pots in the greenhouse.  This is nominally zone 5 here, and I have not 
dared try these outdoors through an Indiana January.

Judging from how well the plants in the rock garden have done this summer, 
I repotted my potted Cypellas from their 6.5" azalea pots (5" deep) into 
1-gallon nursery containers today.  It looks like they might appreciate 
more of a root run than they have been getting.

Calydorea amabilis, which someone said is probably also a Cypella based on 
the structure of the flowers, is reblooming after I followed the list 
members' advice and dead-headed the seed pods that were forming.  I wonder 
how hardy it would be?

Regards,
Jim Shields
in central Indiana


*************************************************
Jim Shields             USDA Zone 5             Shields Gardens, Ltd.
P.O. Box 92              WWW:    http://www.shieldsgardens.com/
Westfield, Indiana 46074, USA                   Tel. +1-317-896-3925




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