The MGS Forum
Plants for mediterranean gardens => Bulbs (including other geophytes with corms, tubers, rhizomes etc) => Topic started by: Daisy on August 09, 2011, 04:18:30 PM
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I feel just like a child at Christmas. ;D ;D ;D
My spring bulbs have arrived. So exciting!!!! There is nothing like opening a boxful of new bulbs. All that promise. ;D ;D ;D
I only ordered them from Bulb' Argence eight days ago. That was quick.
I am used to some parcels from the U.K. taking weeks.
They are mainly Narcissi, but I also have Moraea polystachya and Moraea collina (syn. M. flaccida aurantiaca).
These last two are new to me. I have googled them to see if they should be planted immediately, or not until the autumn rains start. But I cannot find that information. Does anybody know?
Daisy :)
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Get them in as soon as you can, Daisy!. What they have in their catalogue under the name M. flaccida aurantiaca appears from their picture to be Moraea collina (syn. M. aurantiaca), rather than M. flaccida, which instead has yellow-eyed flowers, but anyway both will flower in spring, as does M. polystachya. M. polystachya is particularly drought-tolerant.
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Thanks Alisdair. I will pot them to-day.
Daisy :)
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The first of my new bulbs arrived on the 9th August. I potted them on the 10th August.
I arrived home from shopping today 4th October and found the first flowers of the Morea polystachya had opened. ;D ;D ;D
Daisy :)
(http://i567.photobucket.com/albums/ss112/daisyincrete/022-3.jpg)
(http://i567.photobucket.com/albums/ss112/daisyincrete/024-3.jpg)
(http://i567.photobucket.com/albums/ss112/daisyincrete/023-4.jpg)
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I have missed this.
The flowering season of M. polystachya is autumn (and winter). A similar smaller species, M. bipartita only flowers in spring.
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Well done Daisy - how nice to see them flowering so soon after potting!
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Daisy you can speak to Lauw directly , he speaks English- he studied in Scotland, French and Dutch so take your pick. David
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Moraea fugax is one of the prettiest in the genus, but is aptly named as its flowers though profuse are so short-lived. These flowers opened just before noon today, and were over by teatime. Depending on weather, they should produce seed in a couple of weeks or so. They have a good slightly spicy fragrance, and like others in the genus are well worth looking at closely. Some populations have white or blue flowers. It comes from the winter rainfall area of South Africa and does well in mediterranean conditions, but in its native areas does not grow on alkaline soils.
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Beautiful, Alisdair, you were lucky to catch it just in time, if the flowers last for such a short time.
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Just a word of caution: some Morea's have weed potential in Med. climates. Their seeds pop out unless carefully watched and some make numerous very fine cormlets that can be spread by digging and on garden tools used for digging them.
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Thanks, Jorun; last year, the year before and the year before that I missed it altogether - each time we were away for a week, and came back to see seed pods. So this was the first year we'd actually seen it! The first flowers had opened the previous day, so yesterday I was virtually lying in wait for it and luckily it was another sunny day - they may not open at all on dull days.
So it all was just in the nick of time, as crack of dawn tomorrow we're off on the MGS trip to Croatia (http://www.mgsforum.org/smf/index.php?topic=873.0).
Beautiful, Alisdair, you were lucky to catch it just in time, if the flowers last for such a short time.
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Some Moreas in our garden this spring,
The short but prolific Moraea (Gynandriris) setifolia,
Moraea aristata (though it might be a hybrid!) x2
cheers
fermi
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This is a moraea which came up as a "volunteer" in a pot of Dichelostemma which I got from Garry Reid a local bulb seller; we think it might be Moraea gracilenta. It sends up a long whippy leaf stalk and the flowers arch outwards from the stem. The flowers open suddenly in the late afternoon and fade by nightfall, so rather fleeting and I only seem to get good seed set if 2 plants are present - unfortunately this doesn't happen every year and this is one of the years where there's only one in bloom,
cheers
fermi
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Nice, Fermi! That's one of the scented ones, isn't it? (I've never seen it myself.)
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Nice, Fermi! That's one of the scented ones, isn't it? (I've never seen it myself.)
Alisdair,
I've never thought to sniff it!
I'll see if I can get close enough to do so the next time I notice it in flower,
cheers
fermi
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Moraea polstachya is now flowering here,
cheers
fermi
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Must be one of the most "iris-looking" of all Moraeas!
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The Moraea polystachya are still flowering a month later and should continue for awhile yet.
On the weekend I noticed a white one has come into flower - in a little cluster of self-sown seedlings - and one of the other ones also has white buds showing and a third has a flower with paler exterior to the petals,
cheers
fermi
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One of my favourites, Moraea macronyx,
which to me is scented like lemon meringue pie! ;D
cheers
fermi
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Great flowering on Moraea macronyx this afternoon! I discovered that one plant had flowers without the brown marks on the yellow "tongue",
cheers
fermi
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This was once a Galaxia but is now Moraea fugacissima,
cheers
fermi
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That middle picture of M. macronyx is absolutely gorgeous, Fermi!
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Alisdair, it smells even better! ;D
It's a shame the flowers only last a few hours but usually there are new ones each day over a couple of weeks,
cheers
fermi
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I raised this from NZAGS Seedex 2011, sown in 2012, Moraea bipartita
cheers
fermi
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I've grown two Moraea bipartita from NZAGS seed one from 2011, shown above, and another from 2008.
The 2008 seems to be twice the size of the 2011!
Today both were in flower so I could photograph them together for comparison,
cheers
fermi
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A couple more moraeas ;D
Moraea aristata (or perhaps a hybrid)
Morea spathulata
cheers
fermi
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That lovely shot of your Moraea spathulata shows how Iris-like these plants can be!
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Moraea setifolia is in flower fleetingly, but fortunately it flowered well this weekend!
cheers
fermi
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New one this year is Moraea polyanthos from NZAGS Seedex 2011, sown July 2012,
cheers
fermi
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Moraea tripetala is quite variable and apparently will be divided up into separate species or subspecies; this one looks like it'll fit into a subspecies
cheers
fermi
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Fascinating markings, like little insects
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Fascinating markings, like little insects
Blue aphids? :o
;D
cheers
fermi
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Moraea macronyx is flowering again
cheers
fermi
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Moraea aristata (or possibly a hybrid of it and something similar?)
Is just starting again,
cheers
fermi
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Moraea macrocarpa from seed from Gordon Summerfield in South Africa, sown in 2010,
2 flowering sized corms and they were not synchronized! This is the second to flower so I hope it is self-fertile. And yes, Alisdair, it is scented - a spicy fragrance, a little like cinnamon!
cheers
fermi
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I appreciate that, Fermi, thanks! At least you didn't have to get down on your hands and knees, as they're still in a pot....
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This moraea has started flowering but no sign of a label!
Any suggestions?
cheers
fermi
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Darren on the SRGC Forum has suggested that the above is Moraea cedarmontana and I'm pretty sure that's what it is
cheers
fermi
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Moraea polystachya is now a reliable autumn to winter flowerer in our rock garden
cheers
fermi
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A new one for us is Moraea (syn Homeria) marlothii.
It was grown from seed from SIGNA Seedex and sown 3-06-2012; first seedlings 11-08-2012,
cheers
fermi
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So lovely seeing these fresh springtime pictures as we head into a gloomy autumn! (And that's a fascinating Moraea)
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This is the newest moraea in our collection:
Moraea herrei grown from Silverhill seeds in 2013; sown 16-08-14 and first germination 28-06-15.
It was previously known as Barnardiella spiralis as can be seen by the foliage which actually wraps around the flower stems.
The flowers open in the afternoon and fade by evening.
The first pick was taken last night and the subsequent ones are of two new flowers which opened today,
cheers
fermi
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Fascinating plant Fermi - lovely 'photos - what patience you have and well rewarded in this case.
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Presumably those extraordinary leaves twirling around the stem have brought some evolutionary advantage. Fascinating!
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Another first time flowering today!
Moraea lurida grown from seed from the SRGC Seedex 2015; sown in May 2016; first seedlings in July 2016,
cheers
fermi
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Well deserved name!
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We grew this Galaxia (Moraea) versicolor from seed from Gordon Summerfield in 2010!
It's flowering for the first time but it's so small maybe I missed it before ;D
The pot has been colonised by a wayward romulea so that may also have slowed it down a bit I suppose,
cheers
fermi
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Beautiful- patience (or neglect) rewarded 😊
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What a pretty little thing!
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Beautiful- patience (or neglect) rewarded 😊
Benign neglect is the rule here!
The day after that one this one the tiny yellow Galaxia (Moraea) fugacissima came into bloom!
At least I think that's what it is - it came up as a "volunteer" ;D
cheers
fermi
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The exterior of Galaxia (Moraea) fugacissima is quite fascinating!
cheers
fermi
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I wish I had volunteers like that. My volunteers are usually nettles and the like.
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Truly beautiful Fermi. I also noticed how beautiful the reverse side of my purple Ipomea are this year having an abundance of flowers. Am unable to post photos at the moment due to my Photogene⁴ app malfunctioning - must find another way to reduce them to an acceptable size........once the weather forces me into the house!
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Moraea marlothii had its first bloom for the season open yesterday
cheers
fermi
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Amazing, Fermi! Is it as tall as it looks?
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Hi Alistair,
I haven't measured it but I think it's over 3 foot tall
cheers
fermi
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Wow - amazing for a moraea!
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Moraea bipartita has gone from strength to strength - also from pot to pot ;D
cheers
fermi
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Thanks again Fermi, for introducing me to yet another wonderful Moraea that I didn't know - and that I'll now try to add to my own very modest collection....
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Thanks again Fermi, for introducing me to yet another wonderful Moraea that I didn't know - and that I'll now try to add to my own very modest collection....
Hi Alisdair,
if you participate in the SRGC Seed Exchange, I'm hoping to send them some seed (still green at the moment!).
Here's another seed-raised moraea which came up in a pot labelled M. gigandra, which it isn't! I think it might be Moraea (Galaxia) lewisiae. The flower is quite distinctive with the style split into 6 thread-like filaments,
cheers
fermi
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Moraea lurida is in flower again - the only difference between this one and the one that flowered last year is that it has tiny yellow tips to the "standards". It appears to be pollinated by flies
cheers
fermi
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Aptly named!
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Moraea atropunctata - a new one for us this year
cheers
fermi
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Moraea 'Karen Howard' from a few weeks ago - a hybrid between Moraea atropunctata and Moraea loubseri which we got from Garry Reid (Obscure Bulbs)
cheers
fermi
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Moraea marlothii - is doing better and better each year
cheers
fermi
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Fermi I don't know which of your flowers to admire. They are a joy to see them on the forum. Thank you.
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A mystery moraea which appeared in the old "South African Sand Bed".
Any suggestions to what it might be? Could it be Moraea pritzeliana?
cheers
fermi
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Moraea herrei flowering today
cheers
fermi
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Moraea lurida in two forms, one a cream colour and the other a clear yellow
cheers
fermi
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Moraea polystachya is starting in our garden as autumn is here
cheers
fermi
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The next two to flower are
1) Moraea ciliata
2) Moraea tripetala
cheers
fermi
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Moraea setifolia seeds itself around a bit and the flowers are fleeting but en masse can be quite showy,
cheers
fermi
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Moraea bipartita - previously I'd only grown this in pots but had some spare corms to plant in a new bed. They have done very well so far,
cheers
fermi
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Moraea lurida in two forms, one a cream colour and the other a clear yellow
cheers
fermi
This year we have paler versions of Moraea lurida!
cheers
fermi