tough bulbs, weak bulbs-especially crosses

10 years ago

Just a generalized conversation. I find it interesting for example, how some crosses are tough: my pink floyd x papillo, and how some have been weak: pink floyd x exotic star. The former grew fast and bloomed while the latter have been small and less likely to. I only retain 1 Pink floyd and understand it was put out of production due to its weakness as a cultivar despite the outstanding beauty of it's flower (and it's fragrance!). My Pink floyd is tiny and fragile and hasn't bloomed for years for me.
Also, why is it that my papillio blooms each year,and has never succumbed to the bulb fly, or gotten it?
Elvis has been around for years and has a lovely flower yet each of my bulbs usually abort the 2nd set of blooms. Yet these bulbs just keep on keeping on. (I find this an irritating bulb, but like the flower.).
Jewel I like, it likes to lose it's leaves each fall, so I try put it to sleep and 2 weeks later it'll put up a scape.
Does anyone else find their bulbs have certain personalities like this?
Waiting for blooms,
Sally

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Comments (5)

Fred Biasella
10 years ago
Hi Sally,

I agree with you in that Pink Floyd is very weak. Many years ago I tried this one, but after flowering it went to mush and into the compost heap it went. Last year I tried Little Devil and it too was a pretty flower but the bulb was very weak. I didn't want to throw it out, so I experimented on it. I cut up into quarters, dusted it with rooting hormone and let it dry for a few days then planted it in a seed starting mix and waited. This year I have 4 or 5 bulblets growing nicely, so we'll wait and see. Perhaps folks that have a "weak" bulb might want to try this as well. It could be that the bulb is stressed from forcing and it needs a little TLC to build some mass and jump start it's immune system. If you're gonna throw it out, why not play mad scientist. LOL

Warm Regards,
Fred
salpal
Original Author
10 years ago
Fred- So little devil is a sonatini, correct? I have not had that one. That's cool that you were able to get bulbets growing, to me that would indicate it isn't "weak". There is no way I would dare cut up my 1 remaining P.Floyd, my hope has been to get it to flower, cross it back to the P. Floyd x Pap, and get a stronger version which has that gracilis fragrant flower without the weakness. Perhaps a fantasy, especially since I haven't been able to reflower it recently. I was kind of thinking of "weak" as being one I had tried many times or had many seedlings of showing a consistant weakness.
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kaboehm (zone 9a, TX USA)
10 years ago
I'll share what I think is a tough bulb! My H. Exotica blooms year after year and any cross made with it is very vigorous. H. Limona is another "toughie" in my GH.
K
dondeldux z6b South Shore Massachusetts
10 years ago
Interesting topic!

Well I agree that Exotica is a superb bulb and one of the best!! I too have crossed it with papilio (like Kristi) as well as Mocca and I have strong vigorous seedlings. Just about anything you cross it with takes and it makes huge seedpods! I bought another this season as I noticed that not as many sites offer it these days.. (ETGBs)

As for Elvas I have nothing but trouble with him!! He grows lovely leaves on two healthy bulbs and just as Salpal says, mine usually abort or reward me with very disappointing flowers. I acquired my first bulb as a mislabel and the flowers were just outstanding and I was in seventh heaven! Bought another and since then the flowers have been very disappointing but the bulbs themselves continues to carry on. Each year I threaten to get rid of them when I get another homely blooming and then I can't do that to such a healthy bulb!

I just love my papilios and a few years back I lost a whole pot to the NFB so they do enjoy eating papilios! I think you've just been lucky!

I am growing about 16 seedlings of my first cross of papilio x Exotic Star and one bloomed last Nov and I have one other that is large enough to bloom. Why the others are so much smaller is a mystery, same location and several community pots all with the same treatment. It just must be in the genes

I find certain bulbs turn into work horses and others remain primadonnas.. I have two Party Poopers both healthy one is small even though it grows leaves and has bloomed twice in the past. The other is 3 times as large with 3 times the leaves and they are sitting side by side!

I found a Chico from last year well rooted sending up a scape. I think I might try some aulicum pollen on Chico I wonder if anyone has tried this cross??

Donna
kaboehm (zone 9a, TX USA)
10 years ago
I was just out back cutting down leaves and my H. Limona x H. Lady Diana (AU) babies are huge. I think they will be 3 this next season and I will be very disappointed if they don't bloom.

I cut leaves before they go into the GH as it's easier to manage shorter cut leaves than a multitude of broken leaves that are 3-5 feet long!

I did find a little green frog and hope he hitches a ride into the GH. There are already 3 lizards hanging out, eating bugs! Yay!
K