Massonia question
Roy Herold (Sun, 07 Nov 2010 14:21:17 PST)

Paul,

The pustules are definitely age related, and will show up in the second
or third year after sowing. The BX247 bulbs that I sent in this year
were from a very crowded seed pot (sorry!), and are probably a bit
behind in development. All of the seedlings that I have grown of this
selection eventually develop pustules. They will not flower until after
the pustules show up, or so it seems.

That said, there are smooth or nearly smooth forms of M. pustulata. Paul
Cumbleton from Wisley sent some seeds from a 'few pustules' form to
BX181. These were sown in 2008, and all are now at the two-leaf stage,
with no visible pustules. Some regular pustulata sown at the same time
are covered with pustules, not as heavily as a mature plant, and none
appear to have buds.

There is also a pustulate leaved form of M. jasminiflora. Seeds from
Penroc, also sown in 2008, have resulted in very attractive plants that
will bloom this year (jasminifloras seem to be quite precocious). These
seem to have colored pustules with a green leaf surface. The coloration
of M. pustulata is more in the form of blotches and streaks on the leaf
surface that go right through the pustules without changing color (got
that?).

Good luck...

--Roy

NW of Boston
First freeze last week, 11/3.
Massonia pygmaea (received as M. pustulata from Silverhill) has finished
blooming--bees did a good job on it, lots of fat seed pods already.