Dierama
Robert Hamilton (Thu, 04 Dec 2003 03:38:37 PST)

Hi all,

Dierama are one of my favourite genera and happily are beginning
to flower here in Tasmania at the moment.

I grow them all in garden beds which for me consist of a heavy
clay soil built up 30 to 45cm from the excavated soil when we
built our new home 2 years ago. They are much happier here
getting only very occasional summer water , than being watered
daily in a container. I guess they develop deep roots down to
moisture as this soil doesnt dry out 30cm down even after several
dry months. ( As I get more experience with summer rainfall South
African plants I feel they are all happier grown this way.)

As others have pointed out they resent disturbance but will
tolerate division if replanted fairly rapidly. They are easily
grown from seed and I have found they germinate equally well when
planted in spring or autumn. Seed of my own D jucundum sown in
March this year germinated in early winter. Hopefully some of you
will have seedlings already from seed I sent to the SX. Some D
reynoldsii I sowed in February 2002 have a flower spike
appearing so the wait is not too long and considerably less
than from divided plants which tend to sulk.

A wonderful range of seed can be on its way to you now with a
couple of clicks on the mouse.

I have posted images of Dierama's luteoalbidum, pauciflorum and
pendulum which are all flowering at the moment. I have several
more species close to flowering so will post them soon.

http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/index.php/…

http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/files/…
http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/files/…
http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/files/…

Mary Sue I think your species is D pulcherrimum.

Cheers,

Rob in Tasmania
Temperate Marine Climate
Zone 9 equivalent.