Hymenocalllis liriosme: Conroe, TX
ConroeJoe@aol.com (Mon, 27 Feb 2006 16:17:11 PST)

Hi Gang,

The local H. liriosme-type plants is an early bloomer, a welcome sight in
spring. I photographed 2 plants over the weekend; the earliest bloom opened on
2/15 or 2/16. Last year they opened about 2/26 and the year before it was
about March 5. They sure open a lot earlier than many populations.

Right on the coast there is a population I've been monitoring for about 4
years; the first flowers there have never opened before April 1. Those plants
are at least half a climate zone warmer, and some years nearly a whole climate
zone warmer. Yet, they bloom a month behind my local plants.

So, the Conroe plants open a 3-5 weeks before the coastal plants. And the
Conroe plants are smaller. Who knows, perhaps the Conroe plants are just a
minor variation on a theme or perhaps there are real differences between the 2
populations.

In the photos (see LINKs below), the Conroe plants are in standing water. It
doesn't show but they are in a man-made low area that is slated to become the
next 2 lanes of a 4-lane highway. This winter was dry, and many of the
Conroe plants have not bloomed yet. I will be curious to see if the population by
the coast gives its normally heavy bloom, or if they have reduced bloom. In
my garden H. liriosme often blooms even if not submerged for the winter.

LINK: H. liriosme, photo 1, Conroe, 2006 (submerged)
http://members.aol.com/conroejoe/…

LINK 2: H. liriosme, photo 2, Conroe, 2006 (submerged)
http://members.aol.com/conroejoe/…

LINK 3: H. liriosme, photo 3, coastal, May 2005 (not submerged)
http://members.aol.com/conroejoe/…

LINK 4: H. liriosme, near Victoria, TX (near western and southern limit for
species)
http://members.aol.com/conroejoe/…

Cordially,

Conroe Joe