Calostemmas
Paul T. (Sun, 27 Nov 2011 23:58:17 PST)

At 06:15 PM 28/11/2011, you wrote:

Roland,

Not Rob here, but I hope you don't mind some additional responses?

No problems for me growing them here in my
conditions. Definitely not semi-tropical.
<grin> The bulbs will pull themselves down quite
deeply into the ground, insulating them from the
summer heat. I had difficulties flowering them
in pots I must admit, as I think they get too
warm there in summer. Mine have started
flowering last year after dropping them into the
centre of a garden I built for my crocus and hoop
petticoat daffodils etc.... with a higher bit in
the middle that allows the Calostemma bulbs to
sink at least 30cm into the ground if they wish
to. They've only been in there a couple of
years, but the first flower stem appeared last
year. My fingers are crossed that there will be
more than that this coming summer.

I am growing here the "normal" red and yellow
species, the yellow, a pink and a white with pink
tips (only received from a friend last year). I
hope to collect more colours if I can ever find
them available. I have found them hard to get to
mature from seed unfortunately, usually finding
they die out for me after a couple of
years. This is in pots though, and I think that
is likely to be the problem as they get too hot
in summer and I lose the small bulbs. That is my
thought anyway. I am definitely finding that
they grow MUCH better in the ground for me than they do in pots.

Now, over to Rob. <grin>

Cheers.

Paul T.
Canberra, Australia - USDA Zone Equivalent approx. 8/9
Min winter temp -8 or -9°C. Max summer temp 40°C.
Thankfully, maybe once or twice a year only.

Growing an eclectic collection of plants from all
over the world including Aroids, Crocus,
Cyclamen, Erythroniums, Fritillarias, Galanthus,
Irises, Liliums, Trilliums (to name but a few)
and just about anything else that doesn't move!!