Tropaeolum tricolor, was Mystery bulb identification
Jane McGary (Fri, 16 Feb 2018 08:47:05 PST)

Tropaeolum tricolor is one of the hardier species in its genus, able to
survive ambient temperatures in the 20s F but not much lower, in my
experience. I lost my old plants after training them on metal supports
inside the bulb house; the metal apparently exacerbated freezing
temperature around 18 degrees F, and the upper parts of the tubers
rotted. However, one of them had leapt to the wire mesh side of the bulb
house and flowered outside, where hummingbirds pollinated it (these are
the natural pollinators), so I have a few self-sown seedlings now that
are about flowering size. I hope they survive the 23 degrees F predicted
for next week.

Tropaeolum speciosum is usually considered the hardiest species (it
comes from a climate similar to that of the coastal Pacific Northwest),
but Tropaeolum brachyceras, which someone mentioned is in flower in a
greenhouse now, is also pretty tough. There are alpine species, but in
nature they're protected under snow in winter and emerge in spring. I
also grow Tropaeolum azureum (and may lose it next week as it's now too
tall to cover, but you never know). All the ones I've grown except T.
speciosum do well with a dry summer dormancy.

Tropaeolums form large seeds and you have to watch them closely in order
to harvest them before they drop off and are carried away by ants.

Jane McGary
Portland, oregon, USA
_______________________________________________
pbs mailing list
pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net
http://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/cgi-bin/…