Rhodophiala
gentian21 (Wed, 10 Sep 2008 09:42:44 PDT)

My first Rhodophialia bifida bloom opened a week ago on the day the rains
from Gustav started. It has opened another spike today. This is a bulb I
planted last fall and it kept it's leaves all summer and started growing
leaves again in early August. The early blooming one was planted shallowly
in a moist bed next to Crinum bulbispermum jumbo that is mulched in summer
and doing well in zone 5. All the others were planted as deep as I could
plant. Not that we really have winter anymore. In two other locations they
have sent up spikes in the last couple of days with a third one with old
leaf still dormant, This is under the overhang on the south but somewhat
shaded where few things will grow. Right in front of it I have one in the
moist zone sending up a spike. Much of the shade is from a large Magnolia
grandiflora Edith Bogue that I have to prune back due to lack of space. I
am hoping the rhodophilia patch will creep back toward the shadier area
where the were is little but Lycoris sqamigera. Next to it I have a
Tropaeolum polyphyllum that I have hopes for One of the was deciduous being
in a drier area but all others kept their leaves this summer both they are
still going to bloom for their second year. My potted ones have yet to grow
but I kept them too dry all summer as in forgot about it. I do like having
them in a pot so I can actually view the up close. Now that I have a cold
greenhouse I am finding it more useful that the heated one. I try to keep
the minimum at about 18 in there. It is a good place for Rhododendrons,
bulbs, delsopsermas, palms, hydrangeas and seed growing. Now that I am
retiring in a month I will be able to do a lot more and keep up with things
better.
Frank Cooper
Urbana, Illinois
zone 5b
----- Original Message -----
From: "James Waddick" <jwaddick@kc.rr.com>
To: "Pacific Bulb Society" <pbs@lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Wednesday, September 10, 2008 10:02 AM
Subject: [pbs] Rhodophiala