Tropicals & Tender Perennials: Plantfiles for Ensete, 1 by wallaby1

wallaby1 wrote:
bwilliams......
IS THERE ANYTHING YOU HAVEN'T TRIED??????
I am seen as a nutcase when it comes to trying plants, and find I have to slow down to catch up, not that I want to but ...well I guess you already do know......do you do this for a living or a hobby? you have reached a much more advanced stage than I have ...as yet..but have given me an insight and I am still alive and kicking so here I come!
The cardiocrinum is the second of 2 offsets, first tried seed not viable, bought a bulb but as ready to flower don't establish well and only got to 3 feet high, but got seed, and sown fresh they do germinate over the next winter, some 2 years later, and yes the time does go anyway, so I see it as you do, why not start it off, worth a try. i have sold most of the seed grown bulbs, still small after 5 years, seed varies and some have better embryos so get off sooner, have 2 large and 2 medium off sets from first offset which took 4 years to flower (gave 1 large, 2 medium away besides), 2nd flowered this year in 5th year, looked much lusher but got to around 2 metres with a cool summer and flowered early, but flowers much different, more colour than last years. Last years got to around 8 ft had a v hot summer 2months no rain and well into high 20's to 30C. Also was in a slightly shaded spot, so did OK really. Have yet to dig this years offsets up, should be more with the extra year, weather turned nasty too soon.
NOW I have a bone to pick with you, what was that you were saying about trying? I challenge you to try this again! Even I wasn't going to sow more seed, but found myself thinking I should, why not? Easy, just sow and leave outside, don't know if your winters too cold though. I'm in a zone 8a to 8b, but in 1982 we had 3 months frost and snow down to -20C, not far off yours. I wasn't at my present home then though, have only had 7+ years here and done quite a lot, but I want a big shed like yours!
nice lasiocarpa, haven't tried that yet, want to , but you know...the spare room can't cope yet, I am getting inventive at space finding! Surprised at the size at flowering, seen photos in wild, they' been very fat, must get some.
I have other zantedeschias coming along, taking a while to bulk up but getting there, got Mr Martin this year, flowered with seed already germinated. Also have a bright red one just flowered, seed not sure if ripe enough but may be, albomaculata made seed still waiting, buried 1 seed head 2 years ago next to plant, they all germinated in summer the following year, still small. Last year loads of seed but not ripe enough (hot summer needed cool?), split them and got just a few . I have read some seeds germinate better if buried as a whole. Also a z. 'Cameo' missed flowering this year not had seeds. Do they hybridise naturally? If so I could get some crackers. Can't wait.
i also went mad and bought a lot of expensive hemerocallis from blue ridge daylilies this year, there is very little here, and most new ones any good get bought up, if they propogate quickly it takes 20 years to get to the market, sorry can't wait. Looking forward to having fun with those.
Purple canna could be good, another cross could bring out something interesting, i have some, tried a Canna Australis this year, but scold spring rotted it. have Black Knight, Durban, couple of others. bought a x ehemanii this year also, it has grown but not a lot.
Have you heard of canna altensteinii? I've got one. Seed grown from chilternseeds.co.uk, 1 out of 8, is double 2 bulbous tubers together, don't think is 2 separate, rest rotted. Only other place i have seen it ww is Table View Nursery in Cape Town, the rhs.org site should show it.
Another, eucomis vandermerweii 'octopus' (not sure if spelt that right) this year I got here, can't find it anywhere else ww, trying to think of the nursery, got it somewhere. It did make some leaves so hopeful, much darker red marking than the standard one, think I found something about its breeding on a Dutch site.

Photo here of the red calla, no name