Hippeastrum brasilianum in Bloom and other things like groundhogs

Hippeastrum brasilianum in Bloom and other things like groundhogs
J.E. Shields (Sun, 21 Mar 2010 12:17:32 PDT)

Dell,

They are two separate species as far as I know. Hippeastrum immaculatum [2
m's] (syn. argentinum, syn. tucumanum, syn. candidum) is native to
Argentina, Peru, and Bolivia. H. brasilianum is native to Brazil. Both
immaculatum and brasilianum are fragrant.

H. immaculatum has plain margins on the tepals.

H. brasilianum has undulate margins on the tepals, as my photo shows. It
may or may not have the maroon band along the midrib of the outside
(abaxial side) of the tepals. I'm pleased that mine does, as I think it
looks quite elegant.

H. immaculatum grows in the desert, is deciduous, and has a very long dry
dormant period. H. brasilianum grows in a wetter climate, is evergreen,
and rests for only 3 or 4 months. Only one of mine bloomed this year.

Vermin Control in the Garden

I've never found a cure for most garden rodents. I had a cure for
groundhogs years ago -- one female black Lab who loved to hunt, teamed with
one male "full-blooded Indiana farm dog" (i.e., mutt) who tagged along when
the Lab went hunting. Groundhogs they could get, working together; only
raccoons were too tough for the two of them.

Good Luck!

Jim Shields
in Westfield, Indiana
USA

At 02:22 PM 3/21/2010 -0400, you wrote:

Jim,

Is H. brasilianum a synonym for H. imaculatum (I think it must have two m's,
but I have rusty Latin)? I have plants of both names, though none has ever
bloomed. I have barely kept them from dwindling. What beautiful blooms, and
you say they are fragrant? I grow the hybrid 'Jewel' which is also supposed
to be fragrant, but to my nose, it is only slightly scented and not really
pleasantly so.

Here, the early crocus are beginning to fade and the late ones (vernus) are
in full bloom. Chionodoxas sardensis and luciliae are starting, also Scilla
sibirica. Bulbocodium vernum (Colchicum whatever?) have managed to put up a
few blooms after two years in the ground. This year I saw evidence for the
first time of deer trying to feed on Eranthis hyemalis. It looks like they
tasted them and spit them out. But next to them, they had a feast on the
common Hemerocallis and Scilla hispanica shoots.

In another garden I have used castor oil in the form of "Scoot Mole" and
this year there are quite a few crocus blooming. The first year I put crocus
in that garden, the critters ate 80% of them. The ones that are blooming
this year are what was left from my initial planting. So it looks likes
castor oil really does work.

Now to find a cure for groundhogs (aka woodchucks). One young one caused
quite a lot of damage last year on leafy greens - it even ate parsley and
cilantro, but it didn't touch peppers or eggplants. I have started setting
traps baited with apples and a "store-bought" bait, but something gets in
and out of the trap with the bait in mouth and no catch. If you have never
been plagued by these rodents, let me tell you that they can destroy a
garden in one night!

HELP!!!

Dell

-----Original Message-----
From: pbs-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org [mailto:pbs-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org]
On Behalf Of J.E. Shields
Sent: Sunday, March 21, 2010 12:40 PM
To: Pacific Bulb Society
Subject: Re: [pbs] Hippeastrum brasilianum in Bloom

There is a picture of my Hippeastrum brasilianum now in my blog at:

http://shieldsgardens.com/Blogs/Garden/…

as well as a Trillium nivale and Bulbocodium (or Colchicum) vernum.

Happy Springtime!

Jim Shields
in Westfield, Indiana
USA

At 01:33 PM 3/20/2010 -0400, you wrote:

My first flower on seed-grown Hippeastrum brasilianum is open. It is a
long white trumpet, fragrant, with slightly frilly edges. I have the form
with purple along the midrib on the outside of the sepals. I've never seen
this species in bloom before! I guess I ought to go take a picture of
it. I'm quite thrilled.

Jim Shields
in sunny and mild Westfield, Indiana
USA

*************************************************
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

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