More Nerine coming

I had thought that some of them might need hot summer temperatures to bring
on bloom, but now I'm not so sure about that. We are seeing more bloom
this summer than usual in the Nerine, and it has been very mild overall,
only a couple of days reached 90 F (32 C). We have also had plenty of rain
here, which may be encouraging the summer growers.

I have one N. gracilis in flower, and several pots of N. rehmannii starting
to bloom. I should get a picture of at least the rehmannii to post to the
Bulbs_Images list.

Graham Duncan's nice little book called "Grow Nerines" is terrific for all
the name changes. However, "Nerine umtata" is not indexed, not even as a
synonym.

In my climate, hybrids of N. sarniensis are difficult, even in pots. I am
not sure how one should get them through a Midwestern summer in condition
to bloom in the Fall. Mine rarely do bloom, and a couple die each year.

N. 'Pink Triumph' is not prone to die, but it blooms only
occasionally. I'm told that 'Pink Triumph' is a hybrid of sarniensis and
perhaps something like flexuosa. In any case, it is very unhappy here if
you try to grow it on the N. bowdenii calendar.

Regards,
Jim Shields
in central Indiana (USA)

At 09:39 PM 8/5/2003 +1000, you wrote:

Jim,

I have two pots of Nerine krigei sending up scapes. These have bloomed
before, and I have old pictures at URL =
http://shieldsgardens.com/amaryllids/nerine.html/

Lovely. The flower looks very similar to Nerine humilis as far as I can
tell. I love the wonderful twisted foliage of N. krigei but have never
flowered mine yet (neither purchased bulbs or the 3 seedlings I have)

I have several large batches of bulbs of Nerine angulata, but I just now
have the very first scape any of them have produced. I guess they were not
up to blooming size until now. I'm really looking forward to seeing it
bloom. I gather that this species has been sunk into N. angustifolia.

Nerine angulata is one of my favourite species of Nerine that I grow here.
It flower religiously every year, which can't be said for that many of the
Nerines when grown in pots. This one has had a LOT of stems produced each
year.... this year there were 15 scapes from a 7 inch squat pot that was
not repotted after last years flowering. I find that this is pretty much
evergreen, at least it has been whenever i have looked. Lovely shape to
the flower and as I said, very floriforous. I am unfamiliar with N.
angustifolia

NN. gracilis and rehmannii are in bloom. This is the first bloom of N.
gracilis I've ever seen. The flowers are tiny.

I have never come across either of these names but would definitely be
interested in seeing pictures of either/both when in flower. Have you
flowered Nerine masoniorum? The flowers on it are absolutely amazing to me
(my other favourite species nerine.... although I was pretty taken with
Nerine undulata when it flowered this year <grin>) as they are perfectly
formed but only around 1cm wide, with gorgeous rippled edges to the petals.
How does N. gracilis compare to this (if you have flowered it)?

I have had NN. bowdenii (some variety or other, who knows), bowdenii
'Winter Cheer', fothergilli 'Major', flexuosa 'alba' (or is this now
undulata 'alba' as I have heard, but cannot at all understand the reasoning
for), undulata, filamentosa, masoniorum, angulata, filifolia, humilis and
pudica flower for me here, but have not yet flowered krigei, fothergilli
'Minor' and umtata (I have heard differing reports on umtata being a
synonym or form of another species?). I also have a heap of different
hybrids that flower well for me, plus the odd different form of bowdenii.
They are such a wonderfully varies genus and I love them dearly.... plus
they are a tough as nails which can be rather handy!! <big grin>

Lovely to see your pic of krigei as I am hoping it will flower one of these
years. As I said above.... please post more pics when you have them.

Cheers.

Paul Tyerman
Canberra, Australia. USDA equivalent - Zone 8/9
mailto:ptyerman@ozemail.com.au

Growing.... Galanthus, Erythroniums, Fritillarias, Cyclamen, Crocus,
Cyrtanthus, Oxalis, Liliums, Hellebores, Aroids, Irises plus just about
anything else that doesn't move!!!!!

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*************************************************
Jim Shields USDA Zone 5 Shields Gardens, Ltd.
P.O. Box 92 WWW: http://www.shieldsgardens.com/
Westfield, Indiana 46074, USA
Tel. ++1-317-867-3344 or toll-free 1-866-449-3344 in USA
Member of INTERNATIONAL CLIVIA CO-OP