I just planted mine up to the necks, the oldest two bulbs bloomed this year, they multiply very fast.

Thanks!!

I have mine planted right up to the neck too. I treat them just like the hipps, and they do multiply fast. It seems like when they get over crowded they don't want to bloom. I've tried crossing them with the hipps, but no luck-they do self though.
Mike

Beautiful picture Mike, I just love the shape! I'm surprised that they don't like to be pot-bound as I've seen many pictures of them growing in the ground au naturale and they appear to be in large clumps with many flowers. I should be able to make my own assessment in a few years as all 3 of my new bulbs have visible offsets, one being quite large.

Will they grow as evergreen or do they naturally die back for you?

I have an almost ripened seed pod of my sprekelia hybrid Mylan, will be interesting to see what's inside!

Maybe if my new bulbs bloom I'll try Mylan's pollen on one...

Donna

I hope you get the chance to do the back cross it could be interesting--and maybe a papilio cross with the Mylan in the future. This is from a few years ago -- pretty crowded in the pot. Lots of leaves, few flowers.
Mike

Hi Donna,

I got my bulbs this spring too and planted them up to the necks in the ground. I didn't use the well-draining mix for hippies, but they actually seem to be doing very well in soil with good compost though. I didn't check, but what is the blooming bulb size for Sprekelia formosissima?

My

HI My,

My 3 bulbs were on the small side but I think there may be some buds emerging..not sure yet, it might just be vegetative growth. I would say (not from experience) that they are probably normally smaller bulbs than the regular hippies. Have yours grown leaves yet?

I see Mike's big pot of beautiful leaves with only one flower but I've seen photos of clumps growing (in the ground) as large as Mikes with many flowers...will be interesting to see what we both end up with. Were yours pre-packaged bulbs like mine or were they growing in pots?

Donna

I bought some in a pot years ago and they just sit amongst other plants in the front. I think they might have bloomed last year. Guess I should take better care of them so they'll bloom. They have produced offsets as the pot is full! Larger pot with better soil, maybe. I sort of forgot that I had them!
K

Repotted tonight. One big bulb and about 15 offsets that are marble-size. Is there such a thing as a peach colored Aztec Lily?
K

I'm pretty sure I saw a picture of a pinkish one somewhere, it was on the internet somewhere so if you google everything and anything related to Axtec Lilies or sprekelias, you might find it...;-) I didn't think it was nearly as striking as the red.

Donna

I was thinking of a peach colored Rain Lily... Sorry!
K

But I actually DO think I saw a pink colored sprekelia.. , now I'll have to go looking for it just to prove to myself that it wasn't just the power of suggestion!! ;-)

I guess I'm not loosing my mind..this week anyway... :-)

It's the heat Donna. Drink more fluids. LOL

I had Sprekelia before and got tired of it's hundreds of leaves and 1 flower. Ha!

Same thing with Hippies...watch for virus infection please.

Hmmmm.....

Donna, what the heck!!!?
K

Hey Donna - very cool that you got to see yours bloom right away! Congrats!

And I think that "peach" one is just a red one that is fading. Mine look like that when they are old and fading in the hot sun, although they come out bright red.

I'm interested in the planting depth - I buried mine deeper, with the majority of the neck buried. I wonder if it makes a difference for them like it does with hippeastrums?

Angela,

I believe I read somewhere that they like to be buried deeper than regular hippies but don't quote me because I don't remember where I saw it.

I planted mine deeper in their pot than I ever plant regular hippies, covering the entire bulb with just the neck showing but there's not much else I can do in pot culture..

These 3 bulbs wasted no time sending up leaves, sure which certain other bulbs of mine would be as eager to grow!!

Donna

Those look super healthy Donna! Way to go! All of mine were moved this year, it will be interesting to see how many bloom next year. This year 3 out of about 15 bloomed. They seem to like the new spot better and have nicer foliage, so fingers crossed for lots of blooms next year=)