Freesia

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Hilary

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Freesia
« on: September 26, 2011, 05:32:48 PM »
I have had no success in growing bulbs in pots.
We do have a built in trough on the balcony where I push in freesia bulbs amongst the succulents. There is always a good show in the early spring.
The freesias, which  the local shops sell, are imported from Holland.
I leave the bulbs in the soil all summer and if any float to the top I remove them and store until the autumn.
We do have this freesia which came to me in a pot of something else from my old neighbour.  It pops up year after year.
A few years ago we saw a garden of a then empty house near the Corinth Canal carpeted with these flowers.
I have left the photo un named for the experts to do their stuff.
MGS member
Living in Korinthos, Greece.
No garden but two balconies, one facing south and the other north.
Most of my plants are succulents which need little care

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John

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Re: Freesia
« Reply #1 on: September 26, 2011, 08:12:51 PM »
Too many for me to even think of a name! Though I thought that I would mention that in London we have grown them as summer bedding from "prepared" corms which will start into growth in spring and flower in late summer.
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

  • Full Member
Re: Freesia
« Reply #2 on: September 26, 2011, 09:28:53 PM »
The large wide open flowers with purplish exterior and yellow mark on the central lower tepal points to Freesia alba, but the flower is inverted.

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Alisdair

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Freesia viridis
« Reply #3 on: February 22, 2012, 09:30:54 AM »
For pictures of a most unusual freesia species, click here.
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

Hilary

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Freesia
« Reply #4 on: February 18, 2016, 02:01:38 PM »
The first Freesia to bloom this year.
I hope others come up in more interesting colours
MGS member
Living in Korinthos, Greece.
No garden but two balconies, one facing south and the other north.
Most of my plants are succulents which need little care

Hilary

  • Hero Member
Re: Freesia
« Reply #5 on: March 01, 2016, 06:10:40 AM »
The second Freesia to appear on the balcony was this blue one
MGS member
Living in Korinthos, Greece.
No garden but two balconies, one facing south and the other north.
Most of my plants are succulents which need little care

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Charithea

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Re: Freesia
« Reply #6 on: March 01, 2016, 01:28:42 PM »
Hello Hillary. How lovely to have beauty and scent all in one flower. Our freesias, which were given to us as bulbs by friends, are trying to keep up their spikes and flower. The poor things get flatten every year as our 4 cats play hide and seek in the garden. Anything delicate suffers. They flower but they don't stand up nicely.
I garden in Cyprus, in a flat old farming field, alt. approx. 30 m asl.

Hilary

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Re: Freesia
« Reply #7 on: March 07, 2016, 06:43:06 AM »
Another freesia decided to flower, a white one this time.
They all hang over the balcony and are mostly appreciated by the people living opposite!
MGS member
Living in Korinthos, Greece.
No garden but two balconies, one facing south and the other north.
Most of my plants are succulents which need little care

Hilary

  • Hero Member
Re: Freesia
« Reply #8 on: April 10, 2016, 06:15:00 PM »
The freesias seem to have all died down now.
I see this  copper coloured one , flowering in March, every year as it is at eye level  on a low balcony which I pass on my way into town.
MGS member
Living in Korinthos, Greece.
No garden but two balconies, one facing south and the other north.
Most of my plants are succulents which need little care

David Dickinson

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Re: Freesia
« Reply #9 on: April 12, 2021, 02:10:47 PM »
I have lots of hybrid freesias in a variety of colours. They never set seed. I have one species that is self-seeding nicely. This year a rogue freesia, in a pot all by itself, has sent up a flower, the colour of which is completely new to me. Is it possible that one of the hybrids has pollinated the species and resulted in this?
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.

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Charithea

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Re: Freesia
« Reply #10 on: April 12, 2021, 03:37:53 PM »
David we have to wait for our expert, Fermi, to tell us.
I garden in Cyprus, in a flat old farming field, alt. approx. 30 m asl.

David Dickinson

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Re: Freesia
« Reply #11 on: April 13, 2021, 12:24:21 AM »
Let's hope Fermi has an idea. I did buy some freesias this year but they can't account for the newcomer photographed above. They were already potted up and flowering when I bought them. A little bit more yellow than this photo shows but nowhere near as bright as the usual yellow freesias.
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.

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John J

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Re: Freesia
« Reply #12 on: April 13, 2021, 09:32:38 AM »
Every year we have yellow and white ones popping up all over the place, mostly in locations that I have no recollection of planting them. This year one solitary purplish one has put in an appearance.
Cyprus Branch Head. Gardens in a field 40 m above sea level with reasonably fertile clay soil.
"Aphrodite emerged from the sea and came ashore and at her feet all manner of plants sprang forth" John Deacon (13thC AD)

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Fermi

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Re: Freesia
« Reply #13 on: April 16, 2021, 03:34:21 PM »
David we have to wait for our expert, Fermi, to tell us.
Charithea,
I always remember a friend who was called an expert and she said that "x is an unknown quantity and a spurt is a drip under pressure"! ;D
I have lots of hybrid freesias in a variety of colours. They never set seed. I have one species that is self-seeding nicely. This year a rogue freesia, in a pot all by itself, has sent up a flower, the colour of which is completely new to me. Is it possible that one of the hybrids has pollinated the species and resulted in this?
David,
my guess is that you guessed correctly - especially if your bees are up this early
cheers
fermi
Mr F de Sousa, Central Victoria, Australia
member of AGS, SRGC, NARGS
working as a physio to support my gardening habit!

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Charithea

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Re: Freesia
« Reply #14 on: April 18, 2021, 10:42:10 AM »
Hi Fermi. Your friend's interpretation of 'expert ' is rather funny.  I did not want to call you what I call our almost 15 year old very smart grandson.  I can not remember if I mention that my Salvia canariensis died but my Salvia candelabrum has finally started to flower.  I am waiting for it to fill up with flowers and then ask John  to photograph it for the forum.
I garden in Cyprus, in a flat old farming field, alt. approx. 30 m asl.