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Nerine - Anyone growing some of these beauties?
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Posted by modjadje z7 S.W. Oregon (My Page) on Sat, Mar 1, 03 at 23:54
Hello everyone, I am interested in how many of you grow Nerines. I grow two kinds (in pots) and love them for their elegance and daintiness. I purchased the Nerine bowdenii bulbs out of a U.S. catalog, but the other kind I brought from South Africa about 8 years ago. (This was before stricter controls took effect). I have never been sure what my "mystery" nerines are, I am guessing N. filofolia or N. masonorum because the leaves are very thin and grass-like. I obtained a marvellous little book on Growing Nerines from Silverhill Seeds. Every year I save the little seeds and grow more of the "mystery" ones, the original five bulbs have now become about thirty.
If you grow Nerines, please share with us which species you grow. Perhaps we can swap seeds. Delina |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Nerine - Anyone growing some of these beauties?
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| Hello, I had never heard of them so I did a search. They are very beautiful. What are the growing conditions? I think I may have read bog like conditions. Thank you for bringing them to my attention. Bye,
Stella Blue |
Here is a link that might be useful: Beautiful Pictures of Nerines
RE: Nerine - Anyone growing some of these beauties?
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| I am just about to order from a supplier here in OZ they have 21 varieties in their catalogue ,I thought I was clever having six varieties. |
RE: Nerine - Anyone growing some of these beauties?
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| Hello neighbor, Someone just referred a nursery to me out on Sauvie Island, outside of Portland. They have lots of rare plants, including several Nerines. I'm planning on going out there on the 30th of March. There is also a swap in the same area, so I figured I'd make the most of it. I just thought I'd let you know in case you're in the area, or I can also pick something up for you and mail it. They are working on a website, but they do have an old catalog list up that you can view. Have a great day!
Rochelle |
Here is a link that might be useful: Cistus Design Nursery
RE: Nerine - Anyone growing some of these beauties?
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| They grow fairly well in Phoenix, in the garden. They need well-drained soil and as I recall, aren't picky about getting full sun. Almost everything here likes a bit of shade in the afternoons. |
RE: Nerine - Anyone growing some of these beauties?
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| You can safely grow Nerine bowdenii outdoors anywhere near the coast. Some stands are known to have survived for at least thirty years here. |
RE: Nerine - Anyone growing some of these beauties?
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| Hi Stella Blue, No, Nerines don't like boggy places, they need good drainage (as pointed out by lazygardens above). Nerine bowdenii is indeed hardy to USDA Zone 7. It prefers to be dry in winter (its dormant period) but with excellent drainage it survives outside even in our winter rainfall climate. Delina |
RE: Nerine - Anyone growing some of these beauties?
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- Posted by bahia SF Bay Area (My Page) on
Mon, Mar 3, 03 at 0:26
| Nerine bowdenii, N. sarniensis and N. masonorum are the three most commonly sold species here in California, and I have all three in the garden. Of these, N. bowdenii has done the best with general garden conditions, and can be grown with plants that will get summer irrigation, and reliably blooms each October/November with those glowing pink flowers. The form I have is almost evergreen, and is usually in full leaf during flowering, as opposed to other forms. This winter the foliage seemed particularly attractive to the slugs and snails, so I trimmed it all back. The plants are already leafed out again, and look quite abit like Agapanthus foliage to the average gardener. N. sarniensis is a little more demanding of less water during its summer dormancy period, but is just as easy if grown in containers. It also seems to bloom earlier, late summer/early fall rather than mid to late fall for N. bowdenii. N. masonorum is also delightful in containers, or planted out in very well drained soil. I can't seem to keep this one going in my heavy clay soil, it only lasts a few years before passing on. It is much dwarfer and smaller flowered, but makes up for this with masses of flowers when happy. N. bowdenii is fairly easily found, I have recently seen it at the local Home Depot outlet, along with all the other Dutch grown bulbs. A great plant, I highly recomend it. David
Landscape Designer
Berkeley, Calif. |
RE: Nerine - Anyone growing some of these beauties?
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| Hi David,thanks for the wonderful first-hand info. To help me identify my "mystery" nerine, could you please tell me more about N. masonorum's growth habits in your garden, their dormancy season, and what the leaves look like? Mine are at present looking very ragged, with only a few of those little round, thin, grassy leaves present, sort of in a semi-dormancy. I suspect that they are either N. masonorum or N. filifolia, but would appreciate any more pointers. Thank you, Delina |
RE: Nerine - Anyone growing some of these beauties?
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Dave,
You always amaze me at the amount of plants that you know about. Delina,
A good person to contact about the difference of the masonorum and filifolia (I have both and can't tell them apart) would be Rachel Saunders (Silverhill Seeds) or Rhoda McMaster (Croft Wild Bulb) in S. Africa. The other one would be Jim Shields who made the Nerine page listed about.
John Ingram |
RE: Nerine - Anyone growing some of these beauties?
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| You are in luck, the plant of the week is Nerine masonorum. Take a look at the link below. John Ingram |
Here is a link that might be useful: Kirstenbosch Plant of the week
RE: Nerine - Anyone growing some of these beauties?
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Hi John, thank you for letting us know that Nerine masoniorum is Plant of the week at PlantzAfrica! It provides a lot of detail. The foliage shown in the photograph looks just like that of my bulbs, but the flowers shown have crinklier edges. I noticed that the author is Graham Duncan, who wrote the small book 'Grow Nerines' in the Kirstenbosch Gardening Series. I got my copy from Silverhill Seeds.
Unfortunately the book doesn't show a close-up of the foliage of N. filifolia. I noticed one detail in the book description of N. masoniorum that may help ID next time it blooms ... 'the filaments have short appendages at their bases, and the pedicels are distinctly hairy, growing up to 30mm long.' Next time it blooms I will take a digital photo and post flower and leaf detail.
PlantzAfrica is such a marvellous resource ... perhaps we can provide a link on a regular basis to their Flower of the Week? I would gladly do it. Delina |
RE: Nerine - Anyone growing some of these beauties?
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Delina,
I would suggest emailing Graham diretly and ask him. I'm sure the web site has his email on it somewhere. I find many authors to be very helpful (especially when you already have their books and would like further clarification).
John |
RE: Nerine - Anyone growing some of these beauties?
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| I just bought Nerine Bowdenii, and we get hard winters here in MA. I planned on planting this one in a pot on my deck, a big pot, hoping to get the bulb to multiply by fall. Do these bulbs usually need to be lifted in the Fall? If I plant it in the ground, would it multiply more than in a huge pot? THANKS! |
RE: Nerine - Anyone growing some of these beauties?
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- Posted by bahia SF Bay Area (My Page) on
Fri, Apr 4, 03 at 23:21
AmosQuito,
I would suggest growing this as an indoor/outdoor plant in a container, rather than lifting it in the fall. This bulb resents being disturbed, which will often delay blooming for another year if divided here in California. It is also not hardy below USDA zone 8, where it can be left in the ground and is hardy, if protected in winter from too wet soils and severe frosts. In such situations it is usually grown under the protection of an overhanging eave against a south facing wall. Some forms are more evergreen in winter than others, but with heavy frost the foliage will definitely be deciduous. In most winters my plants never completely go deciduous, but the foliage looks a little ratty because of the snails and slugs. You can probably do well with this if you bring it into an unheated garage for the winter, as long as the temps don't get too far below freezing, and let it be dormant until it warms up. Here in my northern California garden, it was blooming in October/November, and the new foliage started activley growing again in January/early February, and is really getting full and tall again now that it has warmed back up into the 60'sF during the day, and above 40F at night. |
RE: Nerine - Anyone growing some of these beauties?
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Hello
I also have nerines growing and I'm wondering if and when they should be divided?
Thanks Debbie |
RE: Nerine - Anyone growing some of these beauties?
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| I've just got some sprouting seeds from Chiltern Seeds (England) Has anyone grown any from seeds? I have some bulbs which are flowering at the moment and hope to get more seed in the near future. Any tips? Janet |
RE: Nerine - Anyone growing some of these beauties?
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| Hey, if you want the best Nerine for the zone 6 and colder zones you should absolutely consider N. krigeii. As opposed to most others mentioned above it flowers in August in zone 6 and therefore you are sure to get flowers every year. I have quite a few others, but they rarely flower because our season is too short.....N. krigeii can be absolutely counted on and also does not waste all its energy producing babies like some other species do. Just a thought from zone 6 :o) Dan |
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