THANK YOU On Nov 15, 2008, at 6:25 PM, Jane McGary wrote: > Kevin asked, > At 01:22 PM 11/15/2008, you wrote: >> Does the foliage of you N. cantabricus come out long before the >> flowers? > > This species has a number of different subspecies (or varieties, or > forms -- you'll have to ask Dr. Koopowitz about Narcissus taxonomy, a > subject on which I resolutely refuse to risk opinions). In some cases > the leaves are well developed before a bud emerges, and in others the > leaves seem to be about half their ultimate length when the scape > (flowering stem) is about half as long as the leaves. I noticed some > like that in the bulb frame today. > > I feel that the different subspecies, or whatever they may be, are so > mixed up in cultivation that it is unwise to apply names like > "foliosus" and "monophyllus" to plants one has grown from seed of > cultivated origin. In addition, N. cantabricus has been hybridized > with N. romieuxii and there are some lovely intermediate forms. > > In flower here today are a N. cantabricus selection from Walter Blom, > and seedings received as N. eugeniae, which I must look up to see > what the "correct" (i.e., British taxonomists') name is. The latter > are pale yellow and up-facing. > > Kevin also asked whether he should chill N. rupicola ssp. watieri > bulbs. I don't know, because they do get chilled here naturally. Ask > Harold. For those unfamiliar with it, this is a very lovely pure > white subspecies, from North Africa; N. rupicola ssp. rupicola is > deep yellow. I have had hybrids of N. watieri appear as self-sown > seedlings between the pots, but I don't know the other parent; the > flowers are pale yellow. There is another member of this complex > called N. atlanticus, or rupicola ssp. atlanticus, which has > cream-colored flowers; and one that bears multiple flowers on a > scape, called N. calcicola. N. rupicola and N. calcicola are hardy in > the open garden for me, but I haven't risked the others out of the > bulb frame. > > Jane McGary > Northwestern Oregon, USA > > _______________________________________________ > pbs mailing list > pbs@lists.ibiblio.org > http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php > http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/