> I recently got some bulbs of Littonia modesta and cant find much reference > to it on the 'net. Can anyone tell me how to look after the tubers and > plants. Hardiness would be good too. > > Do you know anything about cultural needs of Bongardia chrysogonum? > > thanks > Mark > N Ireland Hi Mark I grow Littonia as a tender bulb, left just moist over winter in a frost free greenhouse, and started into growth when it warms up in spring. I move the pot into the warmest part of the garden after the last frosts, and grow it inelegantly up a cane, or through a shrub. It has weak tendril ends to the leaves which hook onto anything they can, but needs tying to a cane. It flowers for me in the summer at about 5 feet high, and then continues growing for maybe another 2 feet or so by this time of year. The seed pods are just splitting now, revealing many bright orange seeds. I forgot to do anything with last years seed crop, so late spring I stripped all the orange flesh off by soaking in water and rubbing it off, and sowed then all, very thickly, into a 6" pot, and left it in the greenhouse. Well it is supposed to be a bit difficult so I did not expect them all to come up. You can see the result on the Littonia wiki page http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/index.php/… Too many to count but well over a hundred seedlings. I have also loaded a photo of the tubers I have just lifted showing the dominance of one leg you/I get when growing Littonia, and Sandersonia. I read a website of one of the New Zealand commercial Sandersonia growers last spring that suggested splitting the tuber into 2 by snapping across the central disc, to avoid this, but got poorer growth this year after doing it, and now have single leg tubers again. Maybe not enough feeding, although I find Littonia less fussy than Sandersonia to grow. It is more difficult to split the chubby Littonia tubers. Anyone tried this method of increase? Bongardia chrysogonum I grow in an almost frost free alpine house, keeping it on the dry side most of the time. Just a bit damper when in growth in the spring and early summer. Give it plenty of light when in growth to stop it getting leggy. Brian Whyer, zone 8'ish, Buckinghamshire, England