Pancratium maritimum

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Pancratium maritimum
« on: October 03, 2011, 10:49:20 AM »
In Crete last year Jorun, John and myself "saved" some bulbs from a ploughed up field
After some rain last weekend this is what I have in my "Greek Meadow" right now.

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John

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Re: Pancratium maritimum
« Reply #1 on: October 04, 2011, 11:57:37 PM »
Hey Brian that looks like quite a sharp photo to me.
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: Pancratium maritimum
« Reply #2 on: October 05, 2011, 07:29:35 AM »
Great picture, Brian; thanks!
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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Miriam

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Re: Pancratium maritimum
« Reply #3 on: October 05, 2011, 03:53:04 PM »
Nice!
agronomist from Rehovot, Israel

Re: Pancratium maritimum
« Reply #4 on: October 21, 2011, 06:15:21 PM »
Hi John
You showed me how to focus.  Many thanks.
And you should see the ones from Mallorca!!


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JTh

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Pancratium maritimum already in bloom in Ammouliani
« Reply #5 on: August 14, 2013, 09:25:43 AM »
We went to the little island Ammouliani yesterday (beautiful island, but  very crowded in August, we discovered). To my big surprise, Pancratium maritimum was already in bloom, at least a whole month earlier than I expected. The photos were taken in a hurry, handheld and not very  sharp, but it was so nice to see them near the beach Megali ammos.
« Last Edit: August 27, 2013, 06:57:38 AM by Alisdair »
Retired veterinary surgeon by training with a PhD in parasitology,  but worked as a virologist since 1992.
Member of the MGS  since 2004. Gardening in Oslo and to a limited extent in Halkidiki, Greece.

Trevor Australis

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Re: Pancratium maritimum
« Reply #6 on: August 17, 2013, 12:55:03 AM »
 ??? I have had a clump of this for 20 yrs, at least, and it has never flowered. Why? We do not live anywhere near the sea and our soil is not sandy. Should I give it some salt? Sand? Seaweed?
M Land. Arch., B. Sp. Ed. Teacher, traveller and usually climate compatible.

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John J

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Re: Pancratium maritimum
« Reply #7 on: August 17, 2013, 06:07:49 AM »
Trevor, I have no idea why your plant has never flowered but 3 years ago at the AGM in Crete I picked up a few seeds from a beach there and sowed them on our return home. One of them germinated and once it was large enough I planted it out into a dry, stony area. For a couple of years it only produced one or two strap-like leaves then earlier this week it suddenly sent up a flower spike with at least 6 buds on it. Last night we sat outside with a few friends enjoying the odd 'lemonade' and we could literally watch as 2 of the buds swelled and unfurled. It was too dark by then to get a photo but I took these this morning.
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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John J

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Re: Pancratium maritimum
« Reply #8 on: August 17, 2013, 06:10:42 AM »
I forgot to mention that the scent is truly amazing.
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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JTh

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Re: Pancratium maritimum
« Reply #9 on: August 17, 2013, 07:46:16 AM »
Mine is from the AGM in Crete as well, it was planted in pure sand, no fertilizer, and it bloomed very well last year, there were many small seedlings as well. There were a few leaves earlier this summer after lots of rain in the beginning of July, but they are dry now, we haven't had a drop of rain the last month. I wonder if there will be any flowers this year, maybe if we get some rain soon?
Retired veterinary surgeon by training with a PhD in parasitology,  but worked as a virologist since 1992.
Member of the MGS  since 2004. Gardening in Oslo and to a limited extent in Halkidiki, Greece.

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John J

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Re: Pancratium maritimum
« Reply #10 on: August 17, 2013, 10:03:52 AM »
Jorun, we've had no significant rain for over 3 months and the leaves on the Pancratium were drying up so it was a complete surprise when the flower spike suddenly put in an appearance this week.
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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JTh

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Re: Pancratium maritimum
« Reply #11 on: August 17, 2013, 10:38:59 PM »
I suppose I'll not be seeing any flowers this year then, we are going back to Norway on Tuesday, and any flowering will be over when we come back here again. I'll check tomorrow if the pancratiums on the beach 200 m from our house are in bloom now, they were started from seeds collected from Ammouliani 30 years ago.
Retired veterinary surgeon by training with a PhD in parasitology,  but worked as a virologist since 1992.
Member of the MGS  since 2004. Gardening in Oslo and to a limited extent in Halkidiki, Greece.

Trevor Australis

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Re: Pancratium maritimum
« Reply #12 on: August 18, 2013, 01:06:19 AM »
Thanks for the helpful responses. I will dig the bulbs carefully when the leaves go down and replace the soil with more sand and rocky bits. Are the roots permanent or made afresh annually? Does anyone know?
M Land. Arch., B. Sp. Ed. Teacher, traveller and usually climate compatible.

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oron peri

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Re: Pancratium maritimum
« Reply #13 on: August 18, 2013, 11:32:59 AM »
Trevor,

Mature bulbs of P. maritimum have few permanent roots.
 These roots go very deep in the ground in order to anchore the bulb as it often grows in moving sands but they serve to store nutrients as well.
These roots are very sensetive to overwatering during summer and will rot rapidaly, when that happens ususally the bulb will not set a flowering stem as energy serves to rebuild a new root system.
Young bulbs start to develop these roots only after they reached the right depth.
New seasonal roots develop every winter and dry completely when the dry season arrive, these are shorter in length. .
« Last Edit: August 18, 2013, 11:55:02 AM by oron peri »
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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JTh

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Re: Pancratium maritimum
« Reply #14 on: August 18, 2013, 11:59:43 PM »
I discovered today that the flowers of the pancratiums on our beach were almost finsihed already, there was one single plant with one open flower left, plus a few buds on the same stem.

It was very windy.as usual, and almost hopeless to take a photo, but I got some shots which were not too much out of focus. The little spider insisted on being photographed as well, although I tried to lift it out.

The plants grow in the sand dunes, not fra from the edge of the water.
Retired veterinary surgeon by training with a PhD in parasitology,  but worked as a virologist since 1992.
Member of the MGS  since 2004. Gardening in Oslo and to a limited extent in Halkidiki, Greece.