Zephyranthes

Michael Kent via pbs pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net
Mon, 08 Nov 2021 15:24:43 PST
Bob,

The 'conventional wisdom' answer (per web and book research) seems to be
that without a period of dormancy, Zephyranthes and Habranthus will
eventually lose vigor and die out.

However, my personal experience has been that it makes little difference.
I've been growing both Zephyranthes and Habranthus species for the last
eight years or so. I'm in the Finger Lakes region of Upstate New York, so
mine are also grown exclusively in pots. Some winters, I have the space to
keep specimens under lights, and continue to water all winter (at about
half the rate of summer watering, and no fertilizer). Other years, due
mostly to a number of newly sprouted specimens, I don't have the space
under lights, and they are allowed to dry out and go dormant. (Watering
without lots of light usually ends up rotting the bulbs.)

There has been no noticeable change in vigor either way. And, it seems that
when they are kept evergreen, the individual plants get larger and produce
more flowers during their usual growing season.

The exception for me is the few I have that are fall/winter growers. They
almost always enter dormancy in late spring, no matter how much water
they're getting. I keep them out in the open with the other rain lilies. I
don't directly water the dormant ones, but we get enough rain over the
summer that they're rained on at least once every ten days. Hasn't had any
adverse effects yet. They tend to restart growth earlier than the
'appropriate' dates given in growth guides, and begin blooming in
mid-August.

Mike, in 6B Finger Lakes region, where we apparently can not ship our soil
out of the area (per a recent list post)
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