Cyrtanthus elatus

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David Dickinson

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Cyrtanthus elatus
« on: April 04, 2015, 07:28:12 PM »
Does anybody grow this in conditions similar to mine? That is, hot summers and mild springs and autumns with temperatures occasionally down to 0°c in January. I have one bulb in a pot which I keep moist. It produced flowers about 3 years ago. It has produced a series of little bulblets but they haven't really developed and only a couple have survived. I suspect that it may be in too much shade but on my balcony I either have relatively deep shade or full sun. Should I try full morning sun followed by afternoon shade? I know that it has a reputation for being a sporadic flowerer but mine doesn't even produce many leaves.

Any advice gratefully received.
I have a small garden in Rome, Italy. Some open soil, some concrete, some paved. Temperatures in winter occasionally down to 0°C. Summer temperatures up to 40°C in the shade. There are never watering restrictions but, of course, there is little natural water for much of June, July and August.

Trevor Australis

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Re: Cyrtanthus elatus
« Reply #1 on: April 07, 2015, 12:05:19 AM »
I have both red and yellow forms and grow them in pots that stand in almost full sun, and always in the weather. I do not disturb them so the clumps are well packed in the pots. In fact the red clump has cracked its pot and now stands, undisturbed, in another pot. I feed them throughout the growing season. We get frosts too, but no freezes. The yellow is less vigorous but o/wise both flower quite well.
M Land. Arch., B. Sp. Ed. Teacher, traveller and usually climate compatible.

David Dickinson

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Re: Cyrtanthus elatus
« Reply #2 on: April 07, 2015, 01:33:41 AM »
Thanks for the useful info Trevor. I will get them into full sun for at least the mornings and see how they go on from there. Hope I might have some photos of the flowers to put on the forum this year.  :)
I have a small garden in Rome, Italy. Some open soil, some concrete, some paved. Temperatures in winter occasionally down to 0°C. Summer temperatures up to 40°C in the shade. There are never watering restrictions but, of course, there is little natural water for much of June, July and August.

David Dickinson

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Re: Cyrtanthus elatus
« Reply #3 on: April 04, 2019, 11:10:51 AM »
I have found another supplier of Cyrtanthus elatus in Italy and I am hoping to get some bulbs at the Landriana plant fair at the end of April. In the meantime my Cyrtanthus mackenii, which I believe to be var cooperi, have flowered. They have flowered before the orange C mackenii hybrid I have which was a point made back in 2011 by Heinie
I have a small garden in Rome, Italy. Some open soil, some concrete, some paved. Temperatures in winter occasionally down to 0°C. Summer temperatures up to 40°C in the shade. There are never watering restrictions but, of course, there is little natural water for much of June, July and August.