I've had this little Catt for a long time. I was never crazy about it, but got it as a freeby years ago from EOM and free is free! Took years to get to flowering age and flowered a few times. Got what appeared to be black rot and I couldn't control it no matter how much I cut away the rotting bulbs. Every new growth would rot away quickly. I really didn't care and didn't stay on top of it.

Before I moved from NY, I decided to trash it. Somehow it got mixed in with my other plants during the move and made it to Florida. It continued the downhill slide, every new growth dying. Last summer I decided to see if I could figure something out to try to beat the disease.

I divided the mother plant into small divisions and cut most away. Some of the divisions were only two bulbs. I sprayed alcohol, fungicides, peroxide, anything I could get my hands on to see if I could stop the disease. It also occurred to me that the plant might be virused but I never tested it. I kept it far away from my other plants. I still do. \

All the little backbulbs are making small growths which, so far are green. This photo is what is left of the mother plant. It still gets black blotches but the new growths flowered.

So I got two flowers on an ugly plant. I was expecting color break but there is none. It is still somewhat sick but I will wait to see what the next growth cycle brings.

The color of the flowers is so bright and sort of trashy, not my type of flower. It almost looks artificial, painted. Really don't like it but am amazed it flowered. Its hard to see in the photo, but there are so many leafless pbulbs and most of the leaves will turn black eventually if it continues. So far, so good. Trouble is, I can't even give it away!

Jane