Hi folks: The hardy white agapanthus was selected by plantsman John of the former H&H Botanicals in Michigan. John had planted a batch of seedling out for summer bedding and noticed that one came back for several years. We got our plants from John in 2000, long before he went out of business. For those who want to read the sad saga or H&H Botanicals, go to their new website at http://bsnursery.com/message.html While we're talking about hardy geophytes, how about Clivia gardenii. We grew this from seed and have had it in the ground for 5 years with no problems and no protection or winter mulch. During this time, the lowest temps that it has seen are probably 8F with no snow. Has anyone else tried this outdoors? Tony Avent Plant Delights Nursery @ Juniper Level Botanic Garden 9241 Sauls Road Raleigh, North Carolina 27603 USA Minimum Winter Temps 0-5 F Maximum Summer Temps 95-105F USDA Hardiness Zone 7b email tony@plantdelights.com website http://www.plantdelights.com/ phone 919 772-4794 fax 919 772-4752 "I consider every plant hardy until I have killed it myself...at least three times" - Avent -----Original Message----- From: pbs-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org [mailto:pbs-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Matt Mattus Sent: Saturday, June 05, 2010 4:50 PM To: Pacific Bulb Society Subject: Re: [pbs] Agapanthus This subject comes up so often, but out dozen or so cultivars of Agapanthus, never bloomed well until we build our cold greenhouse, where they get moved each autumn before heavy frost. Inside, the temperatures on the foundation where the tubs are kept, reach near 0 C or 32 Degrees F. In spring, they are relocated outside in mid-May, and all bloom at exactly the same time, near July 1. I have noticed that the quantity of buds decreases as pots become full, and on the years that I divide the large tubs, there are a fewer flower stems, which I assume is due to the shock of having their root ball sliced into quarters. It is the following year when I get dozens of stems, and the pot is still not full of roots yet. The same goes for Clivia. Our collection of Cliva ( about 200 plants from Nakamura in Japan) used to fuss and bloom off schedule until we moved them all into the cold greenhouse. In there, they never go dry, rather, they respond I believe to temperature and day length ( much like me). Now, they all bloom at exactly the same time, which seems to change each year, but they all bloom together. Since they are under the benches they get watered all winter, so it's not about being dry as much as temperature and light changes, I believe. The Agapanthus, seem to react in very much the same way, except with blooms during the summer. Temperature and day length factors in to the 'blooming equation' clearly. Matt Mattus Worcester, MA Zone 5/5b On 6/5/10 10:14 AM, "Linda Foulis" <lmf@beautifulblooms.ab.ca> wrote: > Good morning all, > I have Agapanthus africanus albidus which I started from seed back in 2005. > It has only bloomed once, if I remember correctly back about 2007 or so. It > is quite > > > _______________________________________________ > pbs mailing list > pbs@lists.ibiblio.org > http://pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php > http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/