Rigidella orthantha
Paul Tyerman (Sat, 23 Oct 2004 15:51:10 PDT)

At 04:30 24/10/04, you wrote:

I purchased 1 bulb of Ridigidella orthantha very early this year (around
Feb or March). I planted it at the corner of my house and nothing
happened all spring or summer... I figured it was dead, but today I found
a great big leaf growing out the ground right where I planted it. Being
in Cincinnati Ohio we could hit freezing temps any day now. Would you
advise I pot it up and bring it indoors? Or let it outside to
adjust? Does this species tend to be a winter grower or a summer
grower? I thought it would behave just like my Tigridias, but it
certainly hasn't so far!

Dennis,

For me here in Canberra, Australia Rigidella is definitely summer growing
(as I think it is in its natural state). It shoots rather late in
spring/early summer, flowering in early January here and growing through
until autumn from memory. It is definitely in a cycle where it would be
least likely to experience frost here, that is for sure! <grin>

This species has quite extensive fleshy roots underneath the bulb, so care
must be taken to keep this moist at all times as far as I know. It is
picky about being moved due to these root disturbances (or so I have been
told) and needs excellent drainage. It definitely likes to be left alone
once in a place where it is happy, so mine has been undisturbed for a
number of years now, slowly producing offsets and even seed one year. It
flowers most years for me and the colour is stunning, being a rich orangey
red that is almost electric. Definitely well worth finding it's ideal
habitat for, as it is a stunner when in flower.

Hopefully someone in your own hemisphere can give you more idea of the
actual timing (i.e normal months of growth) that you could expect from it
where you are. Obviously enough, the months I mention above don't mean
much to you, but it does give you an idea that yours is growing closer to
the cycle of my hemisphere rather than your own..... I'd be expecting mine
to start shooting in around 6 weeks or so I'd think.

Good luck.

Cheers.

Paul Tyerman
Canberra, Australia. USDA equivalent - Zone 8/9

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