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stevejohn_gw

Boophane distichia

stevejohn
17 years ago

I have a very large Boophane distichia bulb (it's in an 8" pot) that I purchased earlier this growing season and was wondering about winter care. Once it goes dormant, can I just put it aside somewhere (even the basement...) and not water it, or does it need some light and/or watering in the winter months? thanks in advance

Comments (6)

  • kudzu9
    16 years ago

    I bought a boophane disticha bulb about a month ago online and it came to me in a small pot all leafed out. It's currently in my greenhouse, doing well, and doesn't look like it's ready to go dormant yet. Is yours still putting out leaves or not?

  • bluebonsai101
    16 years ago

    Hi, I have several B. disticha and once the ends of the leaves start to brown it is going into dormancy....one of mine is now and the other half-dozen are not yet entering dormancy. Once it starts into dormancy just stop watering completely.....NO water at all winter....I put mine in the basement where it is around 50F and in the spring bring it up and give it some water and wait for the leaves or flower to start pushing. I absolutely love these plants and if anyone knows of a source for some rarer species please let me know. I have B. disticha (standard and frilly leaf forms), haemanthoides (monster bulb and seedlings), sp. Aus, Namibia and sp. Ootshorn. I would kill for a ernesti-ruschii if anyone knows of a source. These are easy to care for bulbs and I would love some more unusual ones :o) Dan

  • tomato
    15 years ago

    My plant is growing well in full sun, but the small bulb seems to have disappeared. It was sitting on top of the soil, but now I can't feel anything under the brown area where the bulb was. Does anyone know what happened?
    Thanks.

  • bluebonsai101
    15 years ago

    Hi Pontus, they bloom in the spring before the leaves emerge so you may get lucky this spring. The form of the bulb all depends on the location where it came from....there are short/fat ones and long/thin ones......there are ones that are evergreen and those that are purely summer growers. Mine stay in the basement bone dry for the winter at 50F or so. Mine are potted in pure pumice and do well that way with our rain in the summer. In the U.S. you can buy them almost all the time from Guy Wrikle who sells some wonderful specimens. I both have some from Guy Wrinkle and also have imported many for my own collection. Good growing :o) Dan

  • bluebonsai101
    14 years ago

    Here is a pic of mine that flowered in the past week.....a lovely flower that smells wonderful as well :o) Dan
    {{gwi:409813}}

  • lindafrew
    9 years ago

    Hi. I'm in Tucson, AZ. Purchased one of these several months ago and lost it almost immediately. Trying another, but not sure what to do with it. It has a long, slender bulb and it arrived with a significant space between the papery outside of the bulb and the bulb inside. Any advice for what to do with it here? Very hot here, of course, but we do have monsoon rains in the summer. Would a mixture of mostly perlite work? Temps in my greenhouse can reach well over 100 degrees and I have a 50% sunshade as a roof. Any help would be appreciated. Don't want to lose another. Thanks, lindafrew

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