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Kniphofia varieties
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Posted by JayEmVee z9 SF Bay, CA (My Page) on Wed, Sep 1, 04 at 21:56
| Over the years I have collected many varieties of Kniphofia, some are blooming now, some in December. Can anyone tell me why the blooming period which is so punctuated takes place in the summer and winter. What are the differences among these plants? Are they from different areas in South Africa? Also, I usually spread them by division, but has anyone had any experience with seed germination? Finally, has anyone grown K. Uvaria nobilis, and is the cultivation any different? Thanks. |
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RE: Kniphofia varieties
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| According to John Bryan in this "Bulbs" book, while Kniphofia mostly come from South Africa, a few species also come from other parts of Africa, Madagascar, and Yemen. Add to this the fact that South Africa has summer rainfall and winter rainfall areas and you will likely have quite a bit of difference in blooming periods. Bryan says they bloom spring, summer and fall. Do yours bloom after November? John Bryan lives in Sausalito, so I would have hoped he'd noticed that they bloomed later than fall for us! As to culture, Bryan says seed germination is easy and rapid, and to sow seed in fall or spring in a sandy soil mix. I don't know if this cultivation is different than most other Kniphofias, but Bryan says K. uvaria itself grows in marshy places and beside streams, flowers from late spring to summer or fall (in the wild it depends on the smoke from brush fires to trigger mass flowering). He makes no mention of K. uvaria nobilis. Hope this helps. |
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