Grrr Firefox keeps freezing on me! Back on Safari so trying again.
Mark
Southerner? Not me I was born in S. Staffs and been here so long I don't belong anywhere *G*
Wallaby
A friend and I decided to aquire seeds from different places and include each others requests in the order, then swap them. It worked out well since we often only had to share a packet.
I've aquired the following so far:
G. imbricatus
G. italicus (which I already grow)
G. tenuis (which is most likely palustris or possibly imbricatus as tenuis probably doesn't exist)
G. meliusculus
G. scullyi
G. ecklonii
G. virescens
G. uysiae
G. cunonius
G. huttonii
G. orchidiflorus
G. alatus
G. caeruleus
G. gracillis
G. abbreviatus
G. carneus
G. carinatus
I'm sorry I don't have G. illyricus, even though the Plant Finder lists 6 nurseries with it, I haven't seen any for sale so far.
Gladiolus
Mark
;o))) what is life with out some fun teasing :o)))
Amazing did not think they would give flower that fast.
A very pretty color Wallaby :o))
Baa, did your flower so quick as well?
No Zest, my G. alatus is two years old and still no flower. Perhaps I'm going wrong somewhere!
see there you go Zest spray those nasty weeds you have with some good old fashioned chemicals and grow some Gladiwhatsits. Dont touch Marks crocosmias though they'll take over your lawn. Lol
Oi....................... my crocosmias dont spread anywhere...................LOL
Yeah i agree zest.................. get rid of those nasty wood sorrel weeds........... plant something worth looking at!!!
Never! I am beyond rescue LOL
a photo to make you jealous ;o))))
Those don't look much like Glads! Lol.
Hey Mark i dare you to try and kill one of those crocs. You can leave them to dry out, bury them over 1 foot deep, put them in a bucket of water for 4 weeks and even mow them every time they poke out the soil. They kind of amaze me. Ok they won't flower but they won't die either. Quite amazing really.
Photo to make us jealous indeed. (ok there kind of nice)
Thanks ;o)))
Baa, maybe that species need to be mature?
Don`t know much about glads, just guessing.
Baa, as zest mentions, they probably need more time to mature. I will post a pic of the full plant, you will see the rest at the bottom that are still very immature, some have already died back. I think one grew a lot sooner than the rest, this is possibly the reason it has a head start. Is G. alatus the only one you have as yet in growth, the rest being seed needing to be sown?
It looks like I'm not the only Glad enthusiast around! I still haven't got my final price from silverhill, they do add the postage on automatically but may need to be sure all are in stock, although there was another I was going to order which was removed, so I assume they will have them all. I have read they can be a little slow.
I have checked your list Baa, we have 7 the same (assuming I get them all), namely:
alatus
caeruleus
carinatus
carneus
gracilis
meliusculus
virescens
That leaves 10 extra that you have, and 7 extra of the seed that I may have, plus G. papilio, dalenii, communis ssp. byzantinus. Assuming you don't have any of hte last 3, that means we each have 10 that the other doesn't have!
G. dalenni was nearly fully open today, by the pic I have of it that came with the seeds it should open further. The colours on the pic look more orange tips with yellow centre, but they are often poor. It's a really vibrant colour, greenish yellow throat at this stage, and yes zest it is very pretty! The satisfaction of having grown it too!
It is tall!
What a flower! It doesn`t look like a “typical” glad.
Nice looking :o))
I think the 'typical' glad is bred ffrom G.ecklonii. It's a very dainty (and pretty) one but selective breeding has been going on for some time.
Type in 'gladiolus' and you will get the ones on offer. They accept Paypal too!
http://www.silverhillseeds.co.za/ByName.asp
zest, are you getting a taste for the species?
Like glads very much, did not know there were so many different ones :o))
I think i am going to have to invest in some Glads.................. are there any books on the subject, giving a little of the history, where they originate, and the different species etc.........????
Mike........................ its only the common montbretia that is that hard to kill................. Most of the crocosmia i have are quite tender and can be too easily killed!!!!!!!
Mark
Beutiful glads - like Monica I had no idea there were so many species. I'd only heard of G. imbricatus and I grew that from seed last year. They're still very, very tiny and have withered for now - hope they come up again next spring! I love gladiolus - not had any luck with the big showy ones (like the dahlias) hope the species will work out better :-)
It is amazing! Today it has fully opened, and DOES look like the picture, but just a little brighter! Posting a pic later when downloaded.
rannveig, these are hardy to zone 8, but certain conditions need to be met. Some are winter growers, some summer growers, and in their natural habitats they mostly get summer rains or winter dry or the reverse. I have some Ixia viridiflora I grew from seed which flowered this year, it goes dormant in summer and should be kept dryish, it's starting to grow now and over winters easily in the greenhouse/garage. I will need to be doing the same with some of these, but if you have enough then some can be tried outside in a suitable location (when mature). A bulb grown yourself in your own climate stands more chance of success. G. imbricatus is from colder zones.
Mark, there is a good book on the subject I came across, I will see if I can dig it up. I'm considering getting one myself! They can, unfortunately, be very expensive!
This is the Ixia, very delicate and some of the flowers were a little dried, I had 2 out of 10 that flowered, I think in their 3rd year.
Hey Wallaby
There is only one book on crocosmia.................... and that is also very expensive!!!
Much appreciated if you can dig it up.............. would love to know what it is called!!
Wow nice pic................ love it!!!!
Die crocs die! Lol.
Silly question is there a way of telling common montbretia and proper crocs when they never flower?
Mike
LOL.............
Nope, not really Mike............. May be able to tell by the leaves.............. are they ribbed?????
I'll check when its light. If i ever dig up my lawn i'll send you some! Lol
Yeah i will have some if you dont want it..................!!! Cheers!!
Mark
I found this link to the British Gladiolus Society, there is a Library of books listed which can be borrowed by members. Useful as a reference list. I think the one I saw was the 1972 "A revision of The South African Species of Gladiolus" G.L.Lewis, A.A.Obermayer and T.T.Barnard.
http://www.britglad.com/library.html
there are other interesting titles, which a search may turn up.
Direct from the publisher, this is for Tropical species, the summer growing species mostly. Last I looked the Rand was 10-12R to the £.
http://www.succulents.net/umdaus/gladiolus.html
Here is the 1998 GLADIOLUS IN SOUTHERN AFRICA
Goldblatt, Peter & Manning, John
http://www.africabookcentre.com/acatalog/index.html?http%3A//www.africabookcentre.com/acatalog/Environmental_Studies_Southern_Af.html&CatalogBody
£29 plus, get this, £2 up to £10 value, then 15% in £5 increments up to a maximum of £5 postage!
A useful list of species
http://dictionary.laborlawtalk.com/gladiolus
I found the first book (1972) above on Abe Books, the second one down would cost around £30 with postage.in VG condition.
http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?&isbn=0360001556&nsa=1
Oh wow................... thank you Wallaby.................... I will have a look!!!!
Goldblatt and manning are the ones that wrote the only crocosmia book, in congunction with Garry Dunlop...
Goldblatt is a very very knowledgable chap............. (for a south african) LOL
Thanks again
Mark
I am very, very tempted to buy that book myself! £34 sounds a lot of money, (especially when it can be spent on seed!), but it would be great to have, 144 colour plates, ooooh wow! Maybe I will treat myself for Xmas (hoping my daughter gives me part of it!).
I didn't get around to posting the pic yesterday, a second flower is part open now too, it has a scent which gets better as the flower matures. I love it!
The lower petals are still quite green, such a beauty!
Yessssssssssss £34 is a lot of money for a book.................... But probably well worth buying!!
Oh wow, it as that many colour plates in it...........???
Hmmmmm may just have to have that book myself...............
oooooooooooo thats a pretty plant!!!!!!!! Gorgeous aren't they!!!!!!!
Mark
Yep, 150 detailed line drawings too!
"including 150 finely executed and botanically detailed line drawings by John Manning. Gladiolus in Southern Africa reflects both the complex biology and simple beauty of a genus that is admired the world over. 144 colour plates, 464pp, SOUTH AFRICA. FERNWOOD PRESS 1874950326"
I just checked Abe Books, sellers have it for a lot more than it can be got new from that shop, £37.71 + postage from Sth Africa is the cheapest. First Edition, well, I think I'd rather pay less and get new!
I found it from the publishers, same price but more carriage?. I think the African Book shop must be something to do with them.
http://www.fernwoodpress.co.za/Detail.php?id=45&PHPSESSID=a535d5f3fa09d17aed5f52a1c557b281
Good god.................... thats a bit expensive!!! Wonder what the postage would be from there??????
What is the book acyually called?????
Mark
Oh just looked.............. Gladiolus in south africa..!!
Doh!!!
must be able to get it cheaper somewhere!!
Mark
GLADIOLUS IN SOUTHERN AFRICA
Goldblatt, Peter & Manning, John
I saw postage on the tropical gladiolus book, it was R160, possibly a smaller book.
Yes, from The African Book Centre in the link I gave above, £29 + £5 postage!
I JUST BOUGHT IT......................................!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
£33 inclsive of postage
That I was going to check, but it says from £36.12???? price rise or did you get the last one from Amazon!
I bought it from the african book centre £29 + £4p&p
Amazon are too expensive...............!! LOL
Now what was that they said about 15% in £5 increments, max. £5 postage!!!!???
Looks like you will be growing Gladiolus species, yes? Now I WILL have to buy one!!!!!!!!!
I didnt read all that about 15% in £5 increments etc............. I just added it to cart etc, to see how much the postage was.......... when it said £4 i was suprised............... so i thought what the hell.............. and bought it!!!
Hmmmmmmmm yes i might be growing Gladiolus species................. going to read up on it all first before i make my mind up!!!!
Hahahahahaha yessssssssssssssssssss go on, buy one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hey i hope when / if i get national collection of crocosmia, you will come over when i have my open day????
Have to have an open day at least once a year as part of being a collection holder!!
Mark
Oooohhhh yes! I could do with a trip to Potterton's, kill two birds with one stone!
I guess it won't be until next year anyway!
Hmm, I ALMOST hit that button myself, but decided to go hunting a little more. Got waylaid in the jungle!
I like it, buy the book first........go on, you're hooked!
Ohhhhhhhhh yes, Pottertons is only 3 miles away from me............. i am often in there looking around!!
Yep, it will be next year now.................... no point in people coming round now i view half dead crocosmia!! LOL
Ohhhhhhhhh you know you want to hit that button.................... thats why i hit it, i dont like getting waylaid in the jungle. If i want something i just get it................ within reason of course!!!!
Nooooooooo not hooked.............LOL
Just for research purposes!!!!
Mark