Thank you Jim. They sure have some interesting varieties. I must try the C. Persephone. Apparently it is very fragrant. C.Lolita has good color. Have you grown any of those and what do you recommend? Laura Niagara, Ontario PS I tried to send you this message privately, but it was rejected. On Thu, Jul 9, 2020 at 12:43 PM James Waddick via pbs < pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net> wrote: > Laura, I should have,mentioned that Jenks Farmer is the > best source for Crin um bulbs. Not cheap, but they are large blooming size > ( https://jenksfarmer.com/). He is a grower and hybridizer, too. > Best Jim > > > > On Jul 8, 2020, at 11:39 AM, Laura Grant via pbs < > pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net> wrote: > > Hi James, > Thank you for great suggestions on crinums. > I grow C. powellii in the garden and agree with you. It takes a large space > for not so impressive bloom. Furthermore, the roots go down two feet and to > dig it up is a challenge. > Laura > Niagara on the Lake, Ontario > > On Sun, Jul 5, 2020 at 12:12 PM James Waddick via pbs < > pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net> wrote: > > > Dear PBS friends in Cooler zones, > > > > Please be aware that some Crinum do very well in cooler zones and > > are not ALL plants for milder climates. I have been growing a variety of > > Crinum species and hybrids for decades and am shocked when good gardeners > > don’t believe they grow in the ground and are not dug every winter. I > have > > average winter lows of 0F and lower, summer high above 100 F. All Crinum > > appreciate abundant watering here, but my climate is very dry most > seasons. > > > > One of the easiest and cheapest to try if you doubt my words is C. > > x powellii although I do not recommend it. It is totally hardy, vigorous > > and floriferous, but its flowers are not especially attractive with > narrow > > petals and pale wimpy pink. It is may be too vigorous and spread rapidly. > > Fortunately it does not produce seed, but the clump expands yearly. There > > are so many MUCH better Crinums. > > > > One of the nicest and easiest is C. bulbispermum. It is very easy > > from seed if given a very little care when it is young. In decades of > > growing this here I do not think I have had any self sown seedlings. I > > just sent a pile of seed to the Seed Ex. Seed must be planted immediately > > as they do not keep long and will germinate in or out of the soil. Press > > fresh seed into damp soil or sand only about 1/2 deep as they need light > to > > germinate. A large root will emerge and go into the soil. Soon after a > > single thin leaf will emerge . Wait until the second leaf then cover the > > seed with an inch of soil. If you have one seed per pot keep this > seedling > > frost free over the first winter. If you have a pot of seedlings transfer > > to 1 seed to a pot for winter care. In spring after frost you can either > > move it to a larger pot until fall or plant it right in a sunny spot in > > the garden. Either way it is ready for the garden. It may take a year or > 2 > > or 3 before it blooms, but it will. It is slow to form a clump, but will > > bloom for years. > > > > There are many excellent Crinum for the northern garden, but a few > > comments: > > > > “Super Ellen”. Huge abundant flowers, but gets to 6 ft tall and a > > spread of 8 to 10 ft or more. Not for the small garden.Gorgeous flowers. > > > > ‘Glory’ a smaller plant, but similar to ’Super Ellen’. > > > > C. powellii ‘Alba’ a pure white form of this hybrid, but with > > nicely formed pure white flowers. > > > > ‘Cecil Houdyshel’ a nice pink x powelli type. > > > > Many others. I should mention a couple that have not grown for > > me, but are abundant and popular in the southern : ‘Ellen Bousanquet’ , x > > herbertii , ‘“Milk and Wine” types all proved too tender here. Avoid C > > asiatum and variants. > > > > And finally if this has sparked any interest go to the PBS image > > pages for species and hybrids. Start here: > > https://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/index.php/… > > > > Do consider finding room for at least one Crinum in Zone 5 and > > certainly in Zone 6 . enjoy Jim > > > > > > > > > > On Jul 5, 2020, at 9:10 AM, Tim Eck via pbs < > > pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net> wrote: > > > > Thanks Jim, > > I live in zone 6B, about 60 miles due west of Philadelphia but I > overwinter > > the pots in an unheated greenhouse. I am starting to plant some out in a > > field this year for the first time. My Super Ellen has produced very few > > seed over the years, but this could be one of them. > > Or it could be a migrating tag. I have occasional helpers re-potting and > > they don't always pick up the same tag they lay down - a source of great > > frustration. > > Tim > > > > On Sun, Jul 5, 2020 at 9:36 AM James Waddick via pbs < > > pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net> wrote: > > > >> Tim, > >> > >> Not knowing where you live, I can't tell for sure as some of these > >> are not hardy every where. As I understand ’Super Ellen’ is not self > >> fertile and my plant in Kansas City has grown here for over a decade and > >> never produced a seed even with hand pollination attempts. > >> > >> I suspect you live in a mild climate if you grow this in an above > >> ground pot so that’s the end of my guesses. It is however very > > beautiful. > >> Jim > >> > >> > >> > >> On Jul 4, 2020, at 8:33 PM, Tim Eck via pbs < > >> pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net> wrote: > >> > >> Here is an unknown hybrid where the first half of the tag was destroyed > > and > >> the second half said "X Herbertii". > >> I suspect it is SuperEllen x Herbertii or SuperEllen x self. Maybe > Eagle > >> Rock x Herbertii? > >> I would appreciate any opinions.. > >> > >> Dr. James Waddick > >> 8871 NW Brostrom Rd > >> Kansas City, MO 64152-2711 > >> USA > >> Phone 816-746-1949 > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> _______________________________________________ > >> pbs mailing list > >> pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net > >> http://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/cgi-bin/… > >> > > _______________________________________________ > > pbs mailing list > > pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net > > http://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/cgi-bin/… > > > > Dr. James Waddick > > 8871 NW Brostrom Rd > > Kansas City, MO 64152-2711 > > USA > > Phone 816-746-1949 > > > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > pbs mailing list > > pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net > > http://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/cgi-bin/… > > > _______________________________________________ > pbs mailing list > pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net > http://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/cgi-bin/… > > Dr. James Waddick > 8871 NW Brostrom Rd > Kansas City, MO 64152-2711 > USA > Phone 816-746-1949 > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > pbs mailing list > pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net > http://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/cgi-bin/… > _______________________________________________ pbs mailing list pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net http://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/cgi-bin/…