Hab./Zephy./Rhodo. Cross & Self-Pollinating No-Goes

David Maxwell opbungalow@gmail.com
Sun, 26 Jun 2011 09:12:29 PDT
Alberto, thanks for responding with this info.

I'll just self them all...and that also explains why when I selfed the first
couple Z.grandiflora flowers, they didn't/wouldn't/couldn't set seed.

I'm curious though what you mean by taming the wild Chilean R.montana?

These R.montana are from my Fall 2008 online seed binge from
Chileflora/Mainly Bulbous Gems.

I was surprised, pleased and amazed that unlike all the other Rhodophiala
species seeds I planted (R.advena, R.splendens, R.bagnoldii, R.phycelloides,
R.rhodolirion, sp.#2495, R.andicola), which periodically & willfully go
dormant, in spite of my attempts to force them to grow continuously for the
first 3 years, these R.montana behaved like my Habranthus robustus; they
grew continuously/never went dormant, went from germinating to blooming in 2
1/2 years and 23 out of 30 seeds germinated (I got a 100%...20 out of
20...germination from the H.robustus).

One of the things that's been very interesting to me in my trial 'n'
error...dumb luck...approach to growing from seed, is finding out the
different 'personality profiles' of each of the species...even within the
same genus.

Right now I've got them all in pots...but this Fall they all go in the
ground, and I'll start treating them like my Amaryllis belladonnas...which
was the original plan.  Only now I know to keep the R.montana seperate,
since it's evergreen, and treat it like the H.robustus.

Anyway thanks again.

-David (Sacramento, CA)


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