Wachendorfia on the wiki
Mary Sue Ittner (Sat, 04 Jun 2005 19:38:15 PDT)

Hi,

John Bryan has often praised Wachendorfia thyrsiflora and I have wondered
why as when I grew it I always thought it looked sick even when the ones I
grew from seed attempted to bloom. The rhizomes were huge and it needed an
enormous container so I eventually tossed my plants. When we were
discussing our favorite yellow flowers, John wrote:
"Wachendorfia thyrsiflora, perhaps a little on the coarse side, but just
saying the name is exciting, and when you see masses of these in flower you
will never forget it.

A couple of weeks ago I toured a local garden when the gardener has planted
it next to her pond and almost in the pond and it looks very fine
indeed. For anyone requesting seed from the BX last year, here's how to
grow it.

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

It is interesting to note that in John's book and the Color Encyclopedia of
Cape Bulbs they both note in the wild that this plant grows with
Zantedeschia aethiopica. I mention this because the latter plant has
naturalized in the area where I live, but somehow I suspect that wouldn't
happen with Wachendorfia.

Mary Sue