Galanthus reginae-olgae

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John

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Galanthus reginae-olgae
« on: July 11, 2011, 11:52:01 PM »
I would perhaps consider this a very marginally mediterranean plant as it grow in the very sheltered valleys principally in the Peloponnese. I have grown a lot of this species from seed and this one shows these subtle green markings on the sepals. Twenty years ago this would have been considered very exciting by the few Galanthofiles that were around then. Of course today there are better clones around and especially 'Fotini' which has really strong markings both on the petals and the sepals.
John
Horticulturist, photographer, author, garden designer and plant breeder; MGS member and RHS committee member. I garden at home in SW London and also at work in South London.

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Alisdair

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Re: Galanthus reginae-olgae
« Reply #1 on: July 12, 2011, 09:09:15 AM »
It's worth noting that although most people think of this handsome species as an autumn-flowering bulb, there are populations at least in the southern Peloponnese which flower in February or even March, at what northern Europeans think of as "snowdrop time". They maintain this habit in cultivation.
Our Greek garden, at low altitude on the coast, is really too warm in early spring for this species. We had it growing there in deep shade by a water tank, which may have helped moderate the temperature, and it was reasonably happy, but when we removed the water tank it gradually died out.
Alisdair Aird
Gardens in SE England (Sussex); also coastal Southern Greece, and (in a very small way) South West France; MGS member (and former president); vice chairman RHS Lily Group, past chairman Cyclamen Society

HansA

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Re: Galanthus reginae-olgae
« Reply #2 on: July 20, 2011, 10:36:21 AM »
Very beautiful plant John! I would be very happy to find such a  seedling.
Agree completly with you - 'Fotini' is a really spectacular plant (as some other G.r.-o. bred by  M.J. are).
Galanthus reginae-olgae and some other species grow well here on the Balearic Islands (so far only G. nivalis and G. woronowii do not like the conditions, also G. elwesii ssp. elwesii could do better)- a friend of mine had a great looking plant in a batch of seedlings - meanwhile it is registered as 'Anmarie Kee'.
Here a last years picture
bulbgrower on the balearic islands, spain
landscape architect

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Alisdair

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Re: Galanthus reginae-olgae
« Reply #3 on: July 20, 2011, 11:04:16 AM »
Very handsome cultivar, Hans; thanks for showing us.
Do you grow G. elwesii in the Balearics? We haven't tried it in Greece yet but bake it mercilessly here in UK and it loves it.
Alisdair Aird
Gardens in SE England (Sussex); also coastal Southern Greece, and (in a very small way) South West France; MGS member (and former president); vice chairman RHS Lily Group, past chairman Cyclamen Society

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oron peri

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Re: Galanthus reginae-olgae
« Reply #4 on: July 20, 2011, 01:10:24 PM »
Alisdair, Hans manages to grow almost every bulbous plant in his garden, his Oncocyclus collection is something to die for... ;)

G.r-o is quite easy to grow even here in Israel as long as it is grown in a cool shaded area.
Galanthus peshmenii, its closest relative from Antalya region in  Turkey, can survive even hotter and drier conditions. It grows in low altitudes not far from the Mediterranean sea.
Both are Autumn flowering species.
« Last Edit: July 20, 2011, 06:08:50 PM by Alisdair »
Garden Designer, Bulb man, Botanical tours guide.
Living and gardening in Tivon, Lower Galilee region, North Israel.
Min temp 5c Max 42c, around 450mm rain.

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John

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Re: Galanthus reginae-olgae
« Reply #5 on: July 30, 2011, 10:25:13 PM »
Hi all. Are you saying that 'Anmarie Kee is an autumn flowering  G. reginae-olgae? I assume you are. It is rather striking. I have a few clones of G. elwesii that are autumn flowering (one can be as early as my earliest G. reginae-olgae) and have produced a few hybrids with G. reginae-olgae. Early days yet though. I also have a clone of G. ikariae which flowers in the autumn. I believe that G. elwesii comes from a huge range of habitats and altitudes and therefor it is quite possible that some would be more med. garden friendly than others.
John
Horticulturist, photographer, author, garden designer and plant breeder; MGS member and RHS committee member. I garden at home in SW London and also at work in South London.

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John

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Re: Galanthus reginae-olgae
« Reply #6 on: July 30, 2011, 11:43:40 PM »
Just to mention that the latest I ever saw a Galanthus flower in the wild was in Italy and it was in May in the Appenines south of Rome.
John
Horticulturist, photographer, author, garden designer and plant breeder; MGS member and RHS committee member. I garden at home in SW London and also at work in South London.

HansA

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Re: Galanthus reginae-olgae
« Reply #7 on: August 01, 2011, 07:56:19 AM »
Thanks a lot Oron! Wish you would be right - but some bulbous plants still resist  ;)

Thanks Alisdair and John - yes, 'Anmarie Kee' is an autumnflowering G.reginae-olgae.
A few Galanthus elwesii monostictus also start to flower here at End of October/ November - it seems they like the mediterranean conditions much more than G. elwesii elwesii which generally are later (End of January/ February) and have a shorter vegetative period, they hardly produces any seeds.
bulbgrower on the balearic islands, spain
landscape architect

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John

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Re: Galanthus reginae-olgae
« Reply #8 on: September 10, 2011, 03:15:56 PM »
I thought I'd post a picture of one of the autumn flowering forms of Galanthus elwesii. This has an almost green petal but I assume it still to be a form of monostictus. They are already on the move and having re-potted them quite late a few already have rooted. Occasionally some of the G. reginae-olgae flower in September but most a little later.
John
Horticulturist, photographer, author, garden designer and plant breeder; MGS member and RHS committee member. I garden at home in SW London and also at work in South London.

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John

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Re: Galanthus reginae-olgae
« Reply #9 on: September 11, 2011, 12:28:32 PM »
Having just mentioned that some clones flower in September here in cultivation today the first clone is up and the flower buds are already a few centimetres high.
John
Horticulturist, photographer, author, garden designer and plant breeder; MGS member and RHS committee member. I garden at home in SW London and also at work in South London.

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John

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Re: Galanthus reginae-olgae
« Reply #10 on: September 23, 2011, 07:52:58 PM »
Here's a picture of the one I mentioned just starting on the 11th. Now in full flower and well extended. It was quite short when it came out.
John
Horticulturist, photographer, author, garden designer and plant breeder; MGS member and RHS committee member. I garden at home in SW London and also at work in South London.

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John

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Re: Galanthus reginae-olgae
« Reply #11 on: September 24, 2011, 08:39:52 PM »
I thought you might like to see these. Pictures of twin scaling of Galanthus which were done in May. I recently took them out of their bag of vermiculite photographed them and then potted them. Though obviously treated with a fungicide they have a mould on them which hasn't harmed them, see in close up.
John
Horticulturist, photographer, author, garden designer and plant breeder; MGS member and RHS committee member. I garden at home in SW London and also at work in South London.

ezeiza

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Re: Galanthus reginae-olgae
« Reply #12 on: September 24, 2011, 11:13:31 PM »
John, you have tried the triplet scale method.

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John

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Re: Galanthus reginae-olgae
« Reply #13 on: September 24, 2011, 11:14:54 PM »
Oops Ok.
John
Horticulturist, photographer, author, garden designer and plant breeder; MGS member and RHS committee member. I garden at home in SW London and also at work in South London.

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Alisdair

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Re: Galanthus reginae-olgae
« Reply #14 on: September 25, 2011, 07:49:48 AM »
Any hero who feels up to making a pictorial lesson on scaling, and posting it in the Cultivation/Propagation section, would be very popular!! ;D
Alisdair Aird
Gardens in SE England (Sussex); also coastal Southern Greece, and (in a very small way) South West France; MGS member (and former president); vice chairman RHS Lily Group, past chairman Cyclamen Society