Lycoris and Rain
James Waddick (Thu, 17 Aug 2006 09:12:11 PDT)

Dear all'
We have discussed this before (Ad nauseum to some), but here goes.

I reported earlier about the drought and heat in my Kansas
City garden. I've had a handful of Lycoris flower stalks.
We have also speculated about the immediate effects of rain
on stalk production.

2 days ago we had 1.3 in of rain after weeks of drought. One
Lycoris bed went from 3 substandard stalks to over 25 stalks. Another
went from 0 stalks to over a dozen and now stalks are appearing in
every bed.
Maybe a total of under a dozen stalks to over 100 stalks.

These are primarily the earlier species - L. squamigera, L.
chinensis and L. longituba. A few buds have also appeared in L.
caldwellii and L. sprengeri, but these are usually a week or so later
than the earlier bloomers.

I am firmly convinced that rain does immediately influence
flowering on these species and delayed rains are directly related to
delayed flowering.

Convinced. Now I see the obvious. Duh! Best Jim W.

--
Dr. James W. Waddick
8871 NW Brostrom Rd.
Kansas City Missouri 64152-2711
USA
Ph. 816-746-1949
Zone 5 Record low -23F
Summer 100F +