Eucomis - Topic of the Week
Jane McGary (Sun, 10 Aug 2003 17:07:34 PDT)

Thanks to David for his excellent review of Eucomis. These are among the
few South African bulbs that do well in my garden here in the foothills of
the Cascade Mountains. I have had E. bicolor for many years and more
recently planted out E. autumnalis, which has not flowered yet, and E.
pole-evansii, which started flowering last year. I was quite impressed with
the lovely white flowers of E. pole-evansii, on a tall stalk but not the
1.2 meters that David mentions. It flowered in September here, probably
later than it would in a more hospitable climate.

Both E. bicolor and E. pole-evansii have survived winter temperatures of 5
degrees F without snow cover here, while dormant under a deep mulch of
bark. They are growing in ordinary loam and are watered regularly in summer.

I tried a tiny plant of the beautiful burgundy-leaved variety 'Sparkling
Burgundy' that is available commercially now, but it died while still in
the pot; it was grown from a leaf cutting and I think it may not have been
well rooted.

Jane McGary
Northwestern Oregon