The MGS Forum

Plants for mediterranean gardens => Bulbs (including other geophytes with corms, tubers, rhizomes etc) => Topic started by: Alisdair on August 21, 2011, 03:33:39 PM

Title: Rain lilies (Habranthus, Zephyranthes etc)
Post by: Alisdair on August 21, 2011, 03:33:39 PM
Habranthus is a useful genus for mediterranean-climate gardens, coming mainly from Central or South America, with one or two species in the southern part of the USA. They are amaryllids, not unlike crocus-sized miniature Hippeastrums, mostly coming into flower when the rains start, after a dry or droughty period in which they are dormant. They set seed  very soon after flowering (most seem to be self-fertile), and reach flowering size in just a year or two if you grow them from seed. Indeed, the most commonly available species, H. tubispathus (http://H. tubispathus) (syn. H. andersonii), can seed itself around rather too freely!
The most commonly available species tend to have pink or copper-coloured flowers. One I have has pale blue flowers. When it was first collected in the wild, in South America in the early 1990s, it was thought to be a new species, and as far as I can discover it has not yet been described (Oron or Hans may know better!). It is a pretty little thing. Seed may sometimes be available from the MGS seed distribution. Here is a photo of this blue Habranthus, taken this morning:
Title: Rain lilies (Habranthus, Zephyranthes etc)
Post by: John on August 21, 2011, 10:56:51 PM
Alisdair's Habranthus reminded me of this bulb that I was given by Harry Hay, a new species of Zephyranthes but only as sp. nova. The only other information was that it came from Alberto Costello. I couldn't discern any scent. It seems to be pure white and the flower is about 50mm long. It flowers in October after a dry rest.
Title: Re: Zephyranthes
Post by: Alisdair on August 22, 2011, 07:07:49 AM
Does it come true from seed, John?
Title: Re: Zephyranthes
Post by: John on August 22, 2011, 09:32:42 AM
Can't say as it hasn't seeded but it has divided a bit.
Title: Re: Zephyranthes
Post by: Daisy on August 22, 2011, 12:46:19 PM
For the past few weeks, this pot of flowers has been flowering in my neighbouring village.
Every time I have had to go into the village, I have walked past it on my way to the post office, and every time I have cursed myself for forgetting my camera.
This morning I finally remembered my camera, just in time to catch the very last bloom!

(http://i567.photobucket.com/albums/ss112/daisyincrete/016.jpg)

I have never seen Habranthus before, but I am guessing, that this is one?
If it is, does anybody know which one?
If it is not, Alisdair had better put this post where it belongs! ;D ;D ;D
Daisy :)

Title: Re: Zephyranthes
Post by: John on August 22, 2011, 08:50:52 PM
I assume this is Habranthus robustus which even did well in London for quite a number of years. I even received it instead of a choice bulb I requested from China a few years ago!
Title: Re: Zephyranthes
Post by: Alisdair on August 23, 2011, 08:10:00 AM
John, I think I had the same bulbs as you, from China, as I think they came in the same package that we shared! But I always thought they were Zephyranthes rosea (and so did Brian Mathew). It never occurred to me that they might be Habranthus robustus, so I never did a detailed check. One can generally tell between Habranthus and Zephyranthes, which are so much alike in appearance and behaviour, by two pointers:
In Zephyranthes, the flowers are upright, in Habranthus at a slight angle to the stem
In Zephyranthes, the stamens are of equal length; in Habranthus they are unequal.
Unfortunately their flowers are over now, so I can't check, but in this picture of the bulbs in question the stamens do look pretty equal - it's difficult to tell from the picture of Daisy's plants but the ovaries of the faded flowers do look vertical, if that means anything. Perhaps you could do some stamen measurements, Daisy!
Title: Re: Zephyranthes
Post by: oron peri on August 23, 2011, 12:05:51 PM

I have never seen Habranthus before, but I am guessing, that this is one?
If it is, does anybody know which one?
If it is not, Alisdair had better put this post where it belongs! ;D ;D ;D
Daisy :)


Daisy, your plant is not Habranthus but Zephyranthes, probably Z. minuta [ syn Z. grandiflora].
There is a bit of confusion between these pink Zephyranthes as there are many cultivars  and probably hybrids in commerce.
Habaranthus robustus is a much taller and more elegant species.
Attached  photos from my garden where you can notice quite easily the differences.
Title: Re: Zephyranthes
Post by: John on August 23, 2011, 02:45:26 PM
Hi, yes, sorry I jumped in too quickly didn't I. Zephyranthes. Perhaps I should have kept out of this one!
Title: Re: Zephyranthes
Post by: Alisdair on August 23, 2011, 02:56:58 PM
Thanks for those really useful comparative pictures, Oron.
When we came with the MGS trip to Israel this spring, the bus passed within a mile or two of your house - I so wish you'd let us see your garden, obviously packed tight with treasures, but of course that explains why we couldn't come, a herd of forty pairs of clumsy galumphing feet would have caused chaos among all those countless pots of rarities!
Title: Re: Zephyranthes
Post by: oron peri on August 23, 2011, 04:36:32 PM
I so wish you'd let us see your garden, obviously packed tight with treasures, but of course that explains why we couldn't come, a herd of forty pairs of clumsy galumphing feet would have caused chaos among all those countless pots of rarities!

Alisdair,
Its not a garden any more, its a nightmare :-\....at the moment i am repoting about 800 pots, and i should be very carefull as some are rarities that as far as i know i'm the only one to grow, 95% of the collection  is originated to the Mediterranean.
Title: Zephyranthes smallii
Post by: Alisdair on August 24, 2011, 01:44:47 PM
Another of these little "rain lilies", so called because of the way that they rush to push up flowers when the rains come after a dry spell. Zephyranthes smallii (syn. Cooperia smallii) is I think the only one in the genus to have such clear yellow flowers. They open around noon, closing in the evening and reopening on following days. They have a fragrance which reminds me of daffodils – though I’m so easily suggestible that that might simply be because of the colour!
It is a distinct species, which some people believe may originally have been a natural hybrid between Z. pulchella and Z. chlorosolen - its chromosome number is between the two. The fragrance is perhaps derived from night-blooming Z. chlorosolen, if that was indeed an ancestor.
It comes from a small area in the extreme south-east of Texas close by the Mexican border, and is rare in the wild (on the Critically Endangered list).
Title: Re: Zephyranthes
Post by: Daisy on August 25, 2011, 07:43:42 AM
I was wrong when I thought that the flowering was over.
When I went into the neighbouring village this morning, more flowers had appeared.

(http://i567.photobucket.com/albums/ss112/daisyincrete/001-4.jpg)

(http://i567.photobucket.com/albums/ss112/daisyincrete/002-3.jpg)

(http://i567.photobucket.com/albums/ss112/daisyincrete/003-3.jpg)
They are growing through a dwarf antirrhinum.

Thank-you for the photos. It makes it easier to identify.
It's great to find bulbs that come up in the heat of the summer, and look so pretty and fresh.
I shall have to buy some of these next year.
Oron, After seeing your pictures of Habranthus, makes me want some of those too.
This is what is so exciting, about moving to a new climate. There are so many, (new to me), plants to try.
Daisy :)
Title: Re: Zephyranthes
Post by: Alisdair on August 25, 2011, 09:07:29 AM
Lovely pictures again, Daisy, thanks! Hard to tell Zephyranthes rosea and Z. minuta apart from photos, but perhaps as rosea seems to be more widespread that's the more likely; what do you think, Oron?
Title: Re: Zephyranthes
Post by: ezeiza on August 26, 2011, 05:47:54 PM
What an interesting and difficult topic. Difficult it is because most Zephyranthes and Habranthi are unknown. And things get worse as wrongly labeled material is further distributed.

How very unfortunate that the more or less well known Zephyranthes grandiflora (Z. robusta, Z. carinata) has been changed to the misleading (but valid) name Z. minuta. This is a species from subtropical Mexico(winter dormant, therefore not Mediterranean) widely grown around the world in mild/hot climates. Sold by the Dutch for many years, seemingly a single freely offsetting clone is grown.
Zephyranthes minuta/grandiflora appears in
reply 3 one photo
reply 5 one photo as Z. rosea
reply 11 three photos

Zephyranthes minuta/grandiflora typically is large flowered, of a rose color. Tepals are six, but flowers with 7 or 8 tepals are not uncommon in the same plant. One can rapidly tell it apart by the stigma that is very long and normally looking "dismayed" (not rigid or erect but rather laying on a lower tepal.
There is one similar species, Zephyranthes macrosiphon, of an intenser shade of the same color but the flower is more regular and somewhat stouter; the stigma is shorter and more stout, never laying down.

Zephyranthes rosea is a tropical species of the Caribbean, where it is widely grown. It has small flowers of a deepest rose, not so star shaped as others but rather the flower is more rotaceous as in Ipheion 'Rolf Fiedler'. It is difficult to maintain except under greenhouse conditions.

Zephyranthes minuta, rosea and mcrosiphon are all dry winter dormant, therefore not Mediterranean.

In Zephyranthes anthers appear in two whorls. Flowers are inserted in the same axis as the scape/pedicel.

In Habranthus in 3 or 4 levels, never at two. Flowers are inserted at an evident angle to the axis

If you find it difficult to tell the species apart is because they are a single species.
Title: Re: Habranthus
Post by: ezeiza on August 26, 2011, 06:25:06 PM
Alisdair, it is not from Mexico, but from South America where I discovered it. I am glad to know it is in cultivation, no dobut via Australia.
Title: Re: Zephyranthes
Post by: Fleur Pavlidis on September 01, 2011, 11:53:23 AM
When I went to the MGS garden this morning, Sally Razelou showed me a lovely clump of Zephyranthes 'La Bufa Rose' (it seems to change the spelling a lot so Oron please correct). The plant has an interesting history.  A visitor from Utah gave Sally a few bulbs which grew well and allowed Sally to collect seed. Using the seedlings, she has made plantings among the shady parts of the terraces and the flowers are starting to show now in clumps and singly depending on age. There are seeds from Sally available on the MGS seed exchange.
Unfortunately Vina is away at the moment so I don't have a very good photo.
Title: Re: Zephyranthes
Post by: oron peri on September 01, 2011, 12:28:56 PM
Fleur,
To my knowledge, Zephyranthes 'Labuffarosea' is a natural hybrid discovered in the 90's in Mexico,
The name was given after the montains where it was first discovered.
As far as i know its status and  parents are not cleared yet.
Surly Ezeiza from Argentina knows better and can help us....

Any way it is a beauty.
Title: Re: Zephyranthes
Post by: ezeiza on September 01, 2011, 08:46:53 PM
This is very interesting. Zephyranhthes seeds have very short viability unless under Seed Bank conditions.
Many of the cultivars of "Labufaroae" are virused. By obtaining new plants from seed it is possible to start from healthy material. Therefore those that have access to these seeds please request them at once; they are really precious material.

Rereading reply 10, yes, there is another species of Cooperia with a similar yellow color, Cooperia jonesii.
Title: Re: Zephyranthes
Post by: Fleur Pavlidis on September 09, 2011, 01:42:22 PM
Sally tells me that she did indeed sow the seeds immediately after gathering them. In view of ezeiza's advice she'll send this year's seeds off immediately to Chantal when they are ripe and I'll let Chantal and the Forum know that they're on their way and will soon be available. More flowers from seedlings coming up today below.
Title: Re: Zephyranthes
Post by: pamela on September 09, 2011, 08:01:36 PM
Fleur ..you must have had rain in Greece for the Zephyranthes to emerge?  We haven't had any rain for months and mine are still tucked up.
Title: Re: Zephyranthes
Post by: ezeiza on September 09, 2011, 08:13:22 PM
Now that you mention it, "Labufarosae" is dry winter dormant, flowers in spring with the leaves well developed and will remain green in spring, summer and autumn.
Title: Re: Zephyranthes
Post by: Fleur Pavlidis on September 10, 2011, 11:25:59 AM
Pamela, no we haven't had any rain nor is any forecast. Sally recently watered the bed where the Zephyranthes are planted because she was planting out something else and the bulbs woke up, so she has continued to water. I have mine in a summer irrigated container and the leaves have come with the flowers.
Title: Re: Zephyranthes
Post by: Fleur Pavlidis on September 14, 2011, 10:07:05 PM
Seed is already forming on the Zephyranthes.
Title: Re: Zephyranthes
Post by: Alisdair on September 23, 2011, 04:39:20 PM
I can confirm that seed from Sally's plant is not viable if it has been stored for any length of time! :( :(
In the UK the current preferred nomenclature is Zephyranthes La Bufa Rosa Group. Yucca Do (http://www.yuccado.com) in Texas, the nursery that originally named it Labuffarosa when they introduced it in 1994, have now adopted the La Bufa Rosa Group name too, and sell a number of cultivars within the group. But given the plant's origin some taxonomist may well describe it as a valid species in its own right.
Title: Re: Zephyranthes
Post by: ezeiza on September 24, 2011, 04:18:36 PM
I first saw this at the nursery of the BG Berkeley in 1993. It was evidently a new species from the leaves alone: VERY broad and green. Yes, there are a number of variants but all show the same shape of flower. Some color forms are larger than others but all are the same thing.

As said above, most of the forms in the trade (if not all) show heavy mosaic symptoms. Therefore anything that could be done to propagate this from seed (and therefore virus free) is most important. Growing such virused plants in one's collection is crazy as they are carrying an AMARYLLID virus.

The parents' ID is not certain but there are several natural hybrids that behave like species, like Cooperia morrisclintii) and accepted as such. And a number of color variants within the same species is not so uncommon. Therefore "Labufarosae" could well be a species.
Title: Re: Zephyranthes
Post by: JTh on September 30, 2011, 03:48:43 PM
I discovered these large, pink flowers on short stems in my neighbours "lawn" (a pension which is closed for the season), and I suppose are Zephyranthes sp. as well, from what I have read here. I don't know the species or variety, what do you suggest? I remember they had some flowers which probably were of the same in a flower box on on of the balconies several years ago, when I asked what they were, the answer was κρίνοι (lilies). Some seed have fallen down on the ground below, where I found the flowers, I'll see if there any seeds before I leave Greece next week.
Title: Re: Zephyranthes
Post by: ezeiza on September 30, 2011, 05:01:46 PM
They are Zephyranthes grandiflora again. The normal flowering time is mid-late spring with the leaves.

It seldom (if ever) sets any seed. It seems the Dutch grow a single offsetting clone.
Title: Re: Zephyranthes
Post by: Alisdair on September 30, 2011, 07:22:16 PM
My Zephyranthes grandiflora, which also never set seed, came - in the same batch as John Fielding's - from China, labelled as something much more exciting. Brian Mathew once told me that he'd seen it naturalised in the Himalayas.
Title: Re: Zephyranthes
Post by: JTh on September 30, 2011, 07:22:27 PM
Thank you, Ezeiza, great to know! If the normal flowering time is in the spring, then these must behave abnormally,  the photo  was taken a couple of days ago, and I am sure they must be the result of seeds coming from the veranda above. There is no way they would have been planted there by the owners, they are in a walkway around the building. Luckily, there is nobody there now to destroy them.
I also found some pots with Z. candida on sale in Thessaloniki yesterday, I hope they survive here.
Title: Re: Zephyranthes
Post by: ezeiza on September 30, 2011, 07:44:07 PM
Z. grandiflora is dormant in winter, with  no leaves. These bulbs must have been dying of thirst during the summer and resurrected with the first autumn weather. Of course this is not encouraging for a plant to be forced to grow in the opposite cycle. If seeds are available they are very precious as one could obtain clean stock from them.
Yes, Brian and others mentioned seeing them in China. Someone even published those plants as a new species, no doubt without ever wondering how a genus only present in the Americas would appear out of the bolt in Asia.

Z. candida is evergreen but its dormancy is in summer. It is a marsh plant and can be grown in a pot with a container with water (a dish? a tray?) below. Offsets freely.
Title: Re: Zephyranthes
Post by: Fleur Pavlidis on May 31, 2012, 10:35:26 AM
One of our local nurseries recently put on sale pots of flowering Zephyranthes and Sally bought some for Sparoza. She'd like to know if this is a particular spring-flowering species or if itis just another quirk of the weather this year making them flower out of season. Vina Michaelides took the photo.
Title: Re: Zephyranthes
Post by: Daisy on June 02, 2012, 06:28:47 AM
Fleur, it must be the season. The Zephyranthus that I photographed and posted, on page one of this thread last August, are flowering now too.
I saw them last week, when I went to drag my husband out of the kafenion ;D
It will be interesting to see, how long they flower for.
Daisy :)
Title: Re: Zephyranthes
Post by: Fleur Pavlidis on June 04, 2012, 05:45:11 AM
Thanks, Daisy. Just another eample then of what a good spring.early summer this has been for flowers, including those which should be resting. Cheering us up in this time of woe etc etc.
Title: Rain-lilies 2013
Post by: Fermi on February 28, 2013, 09:06:54 AM
I find that the plants known as rain-lilies, storm-lilies or (appallingly mis-named) autumn crocus do very well in our "mediterranean" garden.
Recent rainfall has brought on a few such as Habranthus martinezii
cheers
fermi
Title: Re: Rain-lilies 2013
Post by: Fermi on February 28, 2013, 09:09:23 AM
The hybrid Zephyranthes 'Grandjax' is hardier for me than its parent Z. grandiflora (the other parent Z. 'Ajax' is fine here as well)
cheers
fermi
Title: Re: Rain-lilies 2013
Post by: Fermi on February 28, 2013, 09:11:11 AM
There are more on the way,
including a second "flush" of H. martinezii
cheers
fermi
Title: Re: Rain-lilies 2013
Post by: Trevor Australis on March 01, 2013, 01:30:00 AM
 :) Fermi, we got one (rain liliy) from David Glenn yrs ago. It has large rosy pink flowers and it has a 'name'. I don't suppose you might remember what it is? tn
Title: Re: Rain-lilies 2013
Post by: Fermi on March 01, 2013, 07:27:56 AM
Hi Trevor,
a form of Habranthus robustus called "Russell Manning" has been "doing the 'rounds" for awhile and may've been in David's catalogue at some stage. It can have a flower as large as a Amaryllis belladonna but usually only one per scape which maybe as tall as 25cm
cheers
fermi
Title: Re: Rain-lilies 2013
Post by: Alisdair on March 01, 2013, 09:35:22 AM
Or may be Zephyranthes 'La Bufa Rosa Group'?
Title: Re: Rain-lilies 2013
Post by: Fermi on March 04, 2013, 08:49:28 AM
This is what we have as Habranthus robustus 'Russell Manning'
cheers
fermi
Title: Re: Rain-lilies 2013
Post by: Fermi on March 04, 2013, 08:55:44 AM
Heavy rain last week meant plenty to see on the weekend!
1. Habranthus tubispathus
2. Zephyranthes 'Grandjax'
3. Habranthus martinezii x H. r. Russell Manning
4. Z. primulina
5. a mystery - the only (broken) label near it said "Habranth. brachy." - I think it be a Cooperia or maybe Z. drummondii.

cheers
fermi
Title: Re: Rain-lilies 2013
Post by: Fermi on March 07, 2013, 08:31:42 AM
Some more from Central Victoria;
A seedling from the hybrid Zephyranthes "Bangkok Yellow" x2 views;
A "stray" unlabelled one which Alberto suggests maybe a Cooperia,
Zephyranthes 'Ajax'

cheers
fermi
Title: Re: Rain-lilies 2013
Post by: Alisdair on March 07, 2013, 11:15:20 AM
Fermi, What a great collection of these rain lilies you have! Thanks for showing us.
The currently accepted name for what you show as perhaps Cooperia smallii is Zephyranthes smallii - there's an earlier posting about it in this thread which you can see by clicking here (http://www.mgsforum.org/smf/index.php?topic=216.msg863#msg863).
Title: Re: Rain-lilies 2013
Post by: Fermi on March 08, 2013, 07:19:46 AM
Alisdair,
I have to admit that these ones are the sort that enjoy our climate so I don't have to do much for them at all!
The ones from summer rainfall areas are harder to manage.
cheers
fermi
Title: Re: Rain lilies (Habranthus, Zephyranthes etc)
Post by: Fermi on December 08, 2013, 02:21:58 PM
Some rain-lilies have responded to some brief showers after a brief hot spell!
cheers
fermi
Title: Re: Rain lilies (Habranthus, Zephyranthes etc)
Post by: Fermi on December 11, 2013, 07:48:01 AM
Another habranthus to respond to the rain is 'Russell Manning'
cheers
fermi
Title: Re: Rain lilies (Habranthus, Zephyranthes etc)
Post by: Fermi on December 13, 2013, 03:24:20 AM
Habranthus martinezii has produced a few sporadic blooms but not the huge display they put on in autumn,
cheers
fermi
Title: Re: Rain lilies (Habranthus, Zephyranthes etc)
Post by: Fermi on February 09, 2014, 03:49:18 AM
Rain a few weeks ago did result in a few more blooms on the above rain-lilies and also on Zephyranthes primulina, pic taken 27-01-14,
cheers
fermi
Title: Re: Rain lilies (Habranthus, Zephyranthes etc)
Post by: Fermi on March 30, 2014, 02:32:24 PM
Habranthus martinezii has produced a few sporadic blooms but not the huge display they put on in autumn,

As I was saying!
After the recent rain Habranthus martinezii has really responded!
cheers
fermi
Title: Re: Rain lilies (Habranthus, Zephyranthes etc)
Post by: Alisdair on March 30, 2014, 06:19:20 PM
Wow, a great show, Fermi!
Title: Re: Rain lilies (Habranthus, Zephyranthes etc)
Post by: Fermi on March 31, 2014, 02:53:03 PM
Alisdair,
It's like a magic trick - just add water (rain) and they appear ;D
This is the only flower so far on the hybrid between Habranthus martinezii and H. robustus. Actually I recreated this hybrid using H. martinezii and what I got as H.'Russell Manning' and it looks identical to the form in the trade, so I figure that 'R.M' must be a selection of H. robustus,
cheers
fermi
Title: Re: Rain lilies (Habranthus, Zephyranthes etc)
Post by: Hilary on March 31, 2014, 04:15:01 PM
Fermi and Trevor,
I am really enjoying seeing all the photos of flowers from Australia.
Here in the Peloponnese, Greece, the countryside is bright green, for the moment
Title: Re: Rain lilies (Habranthus, Zephyranthes etc)
Post by: Alisdair on March 31, 2014, 06:53:08 PM
Fermi, it's very interesting that you seem to have a touch of blue in the flowers of that hybrid Habranthus. I wonder if the Russell Manning plant had any of that blue-flowered Habranthus species which Alberto Castillo discovered a few years ago, which hasn't been named yet. I think it has found its way to Australia.
Title: Re: Rain lilies (Habranthus, Zephyranthes etc)
Post by: Fermi on April 03, 2014, 08:19:15 AM
It hasn't reached me, yet, Alisdair ;D
This is another rain-lily - the diminutive Zephyranthes minima
cheers
fermi
Title: Re: Rain lilies (Habranthus, Zephyranthes etc)
Post by: Fermi on April 04, 2014, 08:33:51 AM
2 new ones this morning:
The "common" while rain-lily, Zephyranthes candida x 2 pics
Zephyranthes drummondii
cheers
fermi
Title: Re: Rain lilies (Habranthus, Zephyranthes etc)
Post by: Fermi on April 05, 2014, 02:57:09 PM
Zephyranthes candida looks better in full sun! ;D
This is a seedling of Zephyranthes Ajax x Z. Grandjax,
cheers
fermi
Title: Re: Rain lilies (Habranthus, Zephyranthes etc)
Post by: Fermi on April 10, 2014, 09:00:53 AM
I think this is Zephyranthes fosteri
cheers
fermi
Title: Re: Rain lilies (Habranthus, Zephyranthes etc)
Post by: Fermi on April 19, 2014, 01:00:26 PM
Zephyranthes 'Ajax' - a hybrid between Z. candida and Z. citrina;
a seedling of 'Bangkok Yellow' which has the same parentage as 'Ajax'
cheers
fermi
Title: Re: Rain lilies (Habranthus, Zephyranthes etc)
Post by: atravacio on October 29, 2014, 04:42:16 PM
Hello!

I am a new member from Argentina.

This picture shows the variability I have found in some plants collected from different regions of Argentina.
Title: Re: Rain lilies (Habranthus, Zephyranthes etc)
Post by: Fermi on January 22, 2015, 02:42:40 AM
More of the same after some summer rain!
Zephyranthes 'Grandjax'
Zephyranthes primulina
Zephyranthes macrosiphon
Habranthus robustus 'Russell Manning'
Habranthus martinezii
Habranthus martinezii x Habranthus robustus ("commercial form")
Habranthus martinezii x Habranthus robustus 'Russell Manning' Seedling #1 (appears identical to "commercial form")
Habranthus martinezii x Habranthus robustus 'Russell Manning' Seedling #2
Habranthus tubispathus
Habranthus tubispathus "pink form"
cheers
fermi
Title: Re: Rain lilies (Habranthus, Zephyranthes etc)
Post by: Alisdair on February 05, 2015, 12:59:45 PM
Lovely pictures, Fermi - and these come to flower so quickly from seed, I'm always surprised that more people don't grow them in med climate areas.
Title: Re: Rain lilies (Habranthus, Zephyranthes etc)
Post by: Fermi on February 10, 2015, 02:45:38 AM
If anyone would like seed of those I collect, please send me an e-mail or Personal Message,
cheers
fermi
Title: Re: Rain lilies (Habranthus, Zephyranthes etc) -2015
Post by: Fermi on December 31, 2015, 03:51:56 AM
At the tail end of the year we are once again getting some rain-lilies flower after recent showers.
Habranthus tubispathus - clump and close-up
Habranthus tubispathus "Salmon pink" form
Habranthus robustus x H. martinezii
Habranthus robustus in bud and open the next day (this morning)
cheers and Happy New Year
fermi
Title: Re: Rain lilies (Habranthus, Zephyranthes etc)
Post by: Fermi on March 25, 2016, 03:53:36 PM
Zephyranthes candida is flowering well this autumn
cheers
fermi
Title: Re: Rain lilies (Habranthus, Zephyranthes etc)
Post by: Fermi on January 27, 2019, 05:58:49 AM
This little patch of Habranthus tubispathus have seeded themselves here and are a mix of pink and salmon-pink forms
cheers
fermi
Title: Re: Rain lilies (Habranthus, Zephyranthes etc)
Post by: Alisdair on January 27, 2019, 08:20:13 AM
Very pretty!
Title: Re: Rain lilies (Habranthus, Zephyranthes etc)
Post by: Charithea on January 27, 2019, 12:01:02 PM
Thank you Fermi.  Once more lovely flowers to enjoy.  After our heavy rain we have been having sunshine and the wild flowers are out. Yesterday  I was pointing out to our granddaughter the orchids which are growing at the base of  their hill.  She was excited and was taking photographs to show her Dad.
Title: Re: Rain lilies (Habranthus, Zephyranthes etc)
Post by: Fermi on March 12, 2019, 03:29:38 AM
Habranthus brachyandrus growing in a pot which has been getting regular water during the summer
cheers
fermi
Title: Re: Rain lilies (Habranthus, Zephyranthes etc)
Post by: Alisdair on March 12, 2019, 04:31:47 PM
Golly!
Title: Re: Rain lilies (Habranthus, Zephyranthes etc)
Post by: Fermi on November 10, 2019, 02:19:19 PM
This is what I've been growing as Zephyranthes drummondii though it might actually be the smaller Z. chlorosolen
cheers
fermi
Title: Re: Rain lilies (Habranthus, Zephyranthes etc)
Post by: Fermi on January 31, 2020, 01:57:23 PM
Habranthus brachyandrus managed to open two flowers at once!
I either need to get a bigger pot or try a bulb in the open garden though I think this one likes water through the summer
cheers
fermi
Title: Re: Rain lilies (Habranthus, Zephyranthes etc)
Post by: Fermi on February 15, 2020, 11:20:33 AM
This cluster of Habranthus had lost their label but I think they might be a 3rd clone from  the Habranthus martinezii x Habranthus robustus 'Russell Manning' cross I made many years ago and posted pics of in 2015
cheers
fermi
Title: Re: Rain lilies (Habranthus, Zephyranthes etc)
Post by: David Dickinson on February 15, 2020, 12:19:40 PM
A very appropriate posting after the rains have finally arrived and doused the fires. Thank goodness. Hope neither you nor anybody you know has been badly affected by the fires.
Title: Re: Rain lilies (Habranthus, Zephyranthes etc)
Post by: Alisdair on February 16, 2020, 09:43:10 AM
... and what a lovely subtle colour
Title: Re: Rain lilies (Habranthus, Zephyranthes etc)
Post by: Fermi on February 16, 2020, 10:03:02 AM
Hi Alisdair,
yes, it's a softer colour, more like the H. martinezii parent, while the other clone is a similar shade as the other parent.

Hi David,
the fire season isn't over though conditions have become milder so we hope we survive the summer unscathed. A few friends in other areas such as the Blue Mountains have had damage to their properties and others have had to evacuate. It's been a harrowing time for so many people. With the recent rains I'm afraid people will become complacent and take the pressure off the government. The Conservatives are already lobbying for a new coal-powered Power Plant.... ::)
cheers
fermi
Title: Re: Rain lilies (Habranthus, Zephyranthes etc)
Post by: plazbo on February 20, 2020, 08:36:38 AM
And both major parties publicly in support of some of the biggest coal mines so far...while also claiming zero emissions in the next couple decades but revealing no details on how they plan to achieve that...

Very nice pictures, I've been cross pollinating the various species from hab and zeph that I could get access to....nothing exciting to show for it yet so it's always fun to see what's happening for others.
Title: Re: Rain lilies (Habranthus, Zephyranthes etc)
Post by: Fermi on March 18, 2020, 12:01:52 PM
Recently got this Habranthus gracilifolius from Garry Reid from Obscure Bulbs
cheers
fermi
Title: Re: Rain lilies (Habranthus, Zephyranthes etc)
Post by: Charithea on March 18, 2020, 02:20:51 PM
wonderful flowers!
Title: Re: Rain lilies (Habranthus, Zephyranthes etc)
Post by: Fermi on April 15, 2020, 02:31:28 PM
Zephyranthes candida has done very well this autumn
cheers
fermi
Title: Re: Rain lilies (Habranthus, Zephyranthes etc)
Post by: Charithea on April 16, 2020, 12:09:36 PM
Fermi they look amazing. It is the correct colour for the Greek Orthodox Easter. On Easter Sunday, normally,  in our village church there are white flowers everywhere. Maybe next year I can take some of our white roses for the decorations!!
Title: Re: Rain lilies (Habranthus, Zephyranthes etc)
Post by: Fermi on April 18, 2020, 04:25:52 AM
Hi Charithea,
Happy Easter for Sunday!
These Zephyranthes are amazingly adaptable. I've seen them flowering in tropical Goa as well as our "Mediterranean-style" garden in Central Victoria.
One story I heard is that they flowered in sheets of white along the riversides in Argentina and were the "silver" which the Spanish saw and named the country after! Not sure how credible that is but it's a good story!
cheers
fermi
Title: Re: Rain lilies (Habranthus, Zephyranthes etc)
Post by: Charithea on April 18, 2020, 03:22:32 PM
Thank you for the wishes. I will put white flowers in the vase tomorrow.
Title: Re: Rain lilies (Habranthus, Zephyranthes etc)
Post by: Fermi on March 23, 2021, 11:31:17 AM
Habranthus brachyandrus has produced a double-header this time!
cheers
fermi
Title: Re: Rain lilies (Habranthus, Zephyranthes etc)
Post by: Fermi on February 06, 2022, 10:10:55 AM
At the end of January we had a couple of days with an inch of rain each and the rain-lilies responded!
1) Habranthus hybrid (H. martinezii x Russell Manning) #1
2) Habranthus hybrid (H. martinezii x Russell Manning) #2
3) Habranthus tubispathus
4) Habranthus tubispathus pink
5 & 6) Habranthus martinezii
cheers
fermi