A list of Drakensberg geophytes with elevations part 2
J.E. Shields (Fri, 02 May 2008 09:08:39 PDT)

We grow a lot of South African bulbs here, but almost all of them inside
the greenhouses. The summer growing Nerine are summered outdoors, most in
full sun but the N. bowdenii in the lath house (partial shade).

We have one plant of Kniphofia northiae that has survived in the raised
rock garden for several years; and Gladiolus oppositiflorus salmoneus
survive outdoors all year round in one or two beds. We have a few Crinum
that survive the winters outdoors in the ground here, but I'm not sure any
of them actually grow in the Drakensberg. C. [bulbispermum X Natal
lugardiae] are pretty winter hardy here, as are C. variabile and C.
[variabile X bulbispermum]. An occasional C. [macowanii X bulbispermum]
and C. [graminicola X bulbipsermum] or the reverse crosses will survive one
of our winters.

I have one Zantedeschia aethiopica 'Green Goddess' that survives outdoors
in the ground all year round, but only right up against the greenhouse
wall. Z. rehmannii ought to as well, since some of its hybrids do (e.g.,
'Black Forest', 'Black Pearl'). We grow Z. albomaculata only in pots and
winter them indoors, dry and cool.

Inside the greenhouses, the sky is the limit! Haemanthus, Clivia,
Lachenalia, Massonia, etc. Lachenalia and Massonia are strictly winter
rainfall plants, of course. Clivia caulescens qualifies as a Drakensberg
plant I think, since it grows at Gods Window. Haemanthus albiflos and H.
pauculifolius are probably berg plants too. Nerine bowdenii have survived
the winter outdoors in the ground here, but they just barely make it; and
they never bloom in the ground.

Jim Shields
in central Indiana (USA)

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Jim Shields USDA Zone 5 Shields Gardens, Ltd.
P.O. Box 92 WWW: http://www.shieldsgardens.com/
Westfield, Indiana 46074, USA
Tel. ++1-317-867-3344 or toll-free 1-866-449-3344 in USA