Some comments on Rhodophiala
Alberto Castillo (Mon, 24 Mar 2003 06:30:35 PST)
Dear all:
There has been a surprising interest in Rhdophialas of late and
I always hate proposing new ones when there is a Topic of the Week. A lot of
people is very busy and can not post within a week so adding a new subject
may complicate things further. Perhaps some lines could be added to clarify
things a bit to the many newcomers we have in this forum.
Rhodophiala is a genus of southern South American amaryllidaceae that look
like small flowered Hippeastrums or multiflowered Habranthi. It has been
placed in Hippeastrum, in the former Amaryllis or even in a new genus
Rhodolirion. The foliage is very different from all known Hippeastrums and
rather resembles that of the large flowered Habranthus or Zephyranthes (i.
e., narrowly strap shaped). The main difference is not apparent and it
consists so far as is known of a different chromosome count that could make
crossing impossible. Future research may be prove otherwise but we have no
evidence of both genera producing any offspring.
From the cultivation point of view we can separate them in
four groups:
a) the autumn/winter/spring growing Chilean species that need a dry summer
dormancy, like bagnoldi, ovalleana, splendens, advena. All of them are
better grown under frost free conditions although several of them can be
quite tolerant of cool conditions. Some flower in autumn without leaves,
others in spring with leaves. Propagation from seed as only single bulbs are
found in the wild. Alkaline to neutral soils in the wild, always in full
sun.
b) the spring/summer growers from the Andes of both Chile and Argentina.
They spend a long very dry winter unders snow. They include rhodolirion,
araucana, andicola, elwesii and some 3 or 4 undescribed species. These need
cool conditions the year round but are half hardy in places like England.
Flowers produced in Spring with leaves in most cases. Propagation from seed
but in some species offsetting individuals can be found. Neutral to acid
soils in the wild, always in full sun.
c) the autumn/winter /spring growing Rhodophiala bifida from Uruguay and
Argentina. It is dormant in summer but receives year round rains. Therefore
intolerant of thorough summer drought that would make it lose the roots. It
is quite hardy (-12 C frosts are experienced by the southernmost
populations). Summers always long and hot in the wild. Propagation from seed
as only individuals bulbs are found in the wild. There is an interesting
range of color forms in this easy species. As a rule a population has
flowers of a single color with few if any variant. It flowers in late summer
before heavy foliage production. Alkaline soils in the wild although it the
northernmost corner of its distribution it grows in acid red clays. Full sun
in all cases.
d) the dark “oxblood lily” form of Rhodophiala bifida grown in Texas. It
flowers in autumn before leaves. It is well known by its strong offsetting
habit and no seed production. The color form of this variant is found in a
population of the Province of Entre Rios, Argentina.
e) the species we dub Rhodophiala “granatiflora” that was supposed to be a
giant
Rhodophiala bifida until Dr. O’Farrell found the true bifida in the
same area of Uruguay. “Granatiflora” is very rare in the wild, only
a few individuals remaining. It has the same cycle as bifida mentioned in c)
but conditions are warmer and it is better grown frost free. It has very
large flowers with blunt tipped tepals (tapering in typical bifida) and is
larger in scape, bulb and foliage. Rocky hillsides in the wild in slightly
acid soils. Full sun.
Something odd about Rhodophialas in the wild is the depth at which you can
find the bulbs, in bifida down to I metre (over 3 ft.). Mature bulbs develop
long necks and if grown in small pots they waste all its energy in trying to
go deeper and in the meantime will not flower. Therefore cultivation in
small pots is not the best. When potting place the bulb at the bottom of the
pot to stop this movement downwards but the plants are happier in really big
pots. It will sound incredible but my granatifloras left the pots THROUGH
the drainage holes and are growing in the plunging material now, of course
far deeper than they were in the pots.
Happy growing
Alberto
Dear all:
There has been a surprising interest in Rhdophialas of late and
I always hate proposing new ones when there is a Topic of the Week. A lot of
people is very busy and can not post within a week so adding a new subject
may complicate things further. Perhaps some lines could be added to clarify
things a bit to the many newcomers we have in this forum.
Rhodophiala is a genus of southern South American amaryllidaceae that look
like small flowered Hippeastrums or multiflowered Habranthi. It has been
placed in Hippeastrum, in the former Amaryllis or even in a new genus
Rhodolirion. The foliage is very different from all known Hippeastrums and
rather resembles that of the large flowered Habranthus or Zephyranthes (i.
e., narrowly strap shaped). The main difference is not apparent and it
consists so far as is known of a different chromosome count that could make
crossing impossible. Future research may be prove otherwise but we have no
evidence of both genera producing any offspring.
From the cultivation point of view we can separate them in
four groups:
a) the autumn/winter/spring growing Chilean species that need a dry summer
dormancy, like bagnoldi, ovalleana, splendens, advena. All of them are
better grown under frost free conditions although several of them can be
quite tolerant of cool conditions. Some flower in autumn without leaves,
others in spring with leaves. Propagation from seed as only single bulbs are
found in the wild. Alkaline to neutral soils in the wild, always in full
sun.
b) the spring/summer growers from the Andes of both Chile and Argentina.
They spend a long very dry winter unders snow. They include rhodolirion,
araucana, andicola, elwesii and some 3 or 4 undescribed species. These need
cool conditions the year round but are half hardy in places like England.
Flowers produced in Spring with leaves in most cases. Propagation from seed
but in some species offsetting individuals can be found. Neutral to acid
soils in the wild, always in full sun.
c) the autumn/winter /spring growing Rhodophiala bifida from Uruguay and
Argentina. It is dormant in summer but receives year round rains. Therefore
intolerant of thorough summer drought that would make it lose the roots. It
is quite hardy (-12 C frosts are experienced by the southernmost
populations). Summers always long and hot in the wild. Propagation from seed
as only individuals bulbs are found in the wild. There is an interesting
range of color forms in this easy species. As a rule a population has
flowers of a single color with few if any variant. It flowers in late summer
before heavy foliage production. Alkaline soils in the wild although it the
northernmost corner of its distribution it grows in acid red clays. Full sun
in all cases.
d) the dark “oxblood lily” form of Rhodophiala bifida grown in Texas. It
flowers in autumn before leaves. It is well known by its strong offsetting
habit and no seed production. The color form of this variant is found in a
population of the Province of Entre Rios, Argentina.
e) the species we dub Rhodophiala “granatiflora” that was supposed to be a
giant
Rhodophiala bifida until Dr. O’Farrell found the true bifida in the
same area of Uruguay. “Granatiflora” is very rare in the wild, only
a few individuals remaining. It has the same cycle as bifida mentioned in c)
but conditions are warmer and it is better grown frost free. It has very
large flowers with blunt tipped tepals (tapering in typical bifida) and is
larger in scape, bulb and foliage. Rocky hillsides in the wild in slightly
acid soils. Full sun.
Something odd about Rhodophialas in the wild is the depth at which you can
find the bulbs, in bifida down to I metre (over 3 ft.). Mature bulbs develop
long necks and if grown in small pots they waste all its energy in trying to
go deeper and in the meantime will not flower. Therefore cultivation in
small pots is not the best. When potting place the bulb at the bottom of the
pot to stop this movement downwards but the plants are happier in really big
pots. It will sound incredible but my granatifloras left the pots THROUGH
the drainage holes and are growing in the plunging material now, of course
far deeper than they were in the pots.
Happy growing
Alberto
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