A few more Z. 'White Giant' pix.

Just about five and a half inches across, including a bit that's turned under.

This message was edited Oct 9, 2006 3:23 PM

Five in length.

16 inches tall.

And it's fragrant!

Geee, that is Soooooo Sooooooooooo NICE!

Glad you're not tired of seeing it.

I tried pollinating it with 'Captain Chelsea', (the only pollen I had on hand.) Can't tell if it's taking. I also tried CC on 'Green Goddess'......can't tell there either.

Robert.

I can't believe the collar effect the spathe has as it veers towards the tip!

It does fold back broadly where it joins, it has a similar habit to Mr Martin. That didn't flower this year, it's supposed to have huge flowers too but doesn't have the spotty leaves. The plant last year was still small but had 4 spathes, it's a lot bigger now with none! Perhaps next year.... the spathes should be bigger too. I don't think it's scented, but not sure about that.

wallaby~

The scent is hard to place, hard to liken to anything else, but reminds me of something. Maybe papaya-mango or other fruity scent with a bit of resin to it. Not really strong, but it's there.

About Zant corms: I don't know how true this is, but one of the commercial sites states that large older corms flower less than say a 2-year old corm, which was the size this company sells. They were explaining that because some people might expect "bigger is better" and think that their bulbs were inferior because of that, but as they state, they were actually better. I'll try to find it again.

I've unpotted some of my Z. rehmannii corms and was really surprised to see how large the are. More or less single corms that remind me of Typhonium venosum corms. Some of the other varieties had a corm mass with some that could easily be removed with a gentle push and grown as a single, while other corms in the mass had a large area in common with the main one and might have to be cut apart (if I wanted to).

Robert.

Edited for spelling.



This message was edited Oct 10, 2006 8:37 AM

I have seen the site with the corms, I came across it again when searching jsut a day or two ago, California growers. There is a link to it on a pdf I posted somewhere!

They are probalby like iris, the old rhizome is replaced by new ones and should be discarded. Perhaps this is one thing we need to do in fututre! Many bulbs/corms renew themselves.

Zants do tend to have new ones attached, with a year or so of growth they might detach easier once developed.

There was a slight scent with Pink Mist too, perhpas they came from the same breeding programme? It was like a raspberry milk shake, with a slight acid squashed raspberry seed smell.

I found a seed catalogue from Penroc seeds last ight on my old computer, it hadn't loaded properly there because the computer was too old! I attached the file to an email and sent it to myself, it came out properly. They listed quite a few zants, from different locations, I can send you the catalogue if you want. It's listed in British Pounds, named Ret (retail) pound (money), 2005. Not simple to get from there unless you want to pay bank charges or risk a cheque, they might do credit by now but that's not safe either! Paypal is the safest, silverhill seeds do take that now.

Ohhh, 'Pink Mist'. I still get weak when I hear that name.......and now I can involve another sense when I enjoy them (someday--wink, wink).

Would love to have Penroc's catalogue. I have been to their site and drooled over their cauduciforms.

OT--I'll be bringing about all my tender plants in by the end of the week. Cold wave coming through and temp expected to dip a bit above freezing. {gulp}

Robert.

Uuugg, the cold is coming this here this week! I feel your pain, lol.

What an awsome calla! A real stunner. The 'Pink Mist' seedlings wallaby sent me are doing great, and since I think I see some little babies starting at the base of your 'White Giant', perhaps we can swap some babies in spring!....wink wink, nudge nudge, hehehe.

gemi~

Yep, the WG is offsetting some, but let me tell ya' this: "Green Goddess" is one "enthusiastic" mama......

I have some 'Pink Mist' seedlings from W too........

We'll talk.

Gotta go look up the dtails on storing dormant Zants over the winter. Never had it come up before this year. Any special tips or links?

Robert.

I stored mine in bags of dry peat moss last year and kept them in a cool closet with the rest of the tender bulbs. They were firm and beginning to sprout this spring when I brought them out. Mine were all planted in the ground, but if I were growing them in pots I would just store them dry in the pots in a garage, closet or basement. Sometime when you have extras of some varieties, you may want to try growing some in the ground and seeing if they'll overwinter. I know several people here who grow them as regular perennials, but then our winters have been mild for the last few years too. Being in a warmer zone, I'd say you'd have even better chances of success. I'm going to try leaving a few Z.aethiopica in the ground.

I've just come in from digging caladiums and the last 2 brugs; I've heard it may get down in the upper 20s by Wednesday night. I'm so dreading the cold, dark days of winter!

Not that cold here yet! Quite pleasant, some nights have been to 7C but forecast next 10 days are still around the 10-11 mark, days around 15-16C. Come November it usually changes, but if the weather gods are on my side it can remain mild well into December.

As you might already know, I have always stored my Zants in a cold greenhouse, and they are not always that dry but I don't water them. Young plants of Mr martin and albomaculata went through last winter fine, and it was long and cold, but not sure if I should risk the Pink Mist babies! I think my special free-draining mix might help. Those I bring inside will stay in pots, 'somewhere'!

I think we all intend on trying some outside whan we have a good back up!

Neal, if you would like to look at the Penroc catalogue I can send it to you too, it will be an attached file, so I will need email addresses.

I think I was most wondering about whether they should be in soil or peat or something or would dry out too much if just put in a paper bag. I left some potted but dried, but *had* to unpot some of the others to see how big the tubers were. Tell me you wouldn't be wondering too :-) .

I thought about just putting them back into the soil they were in, but I have new milled peat, so I'll use that- less likely to have fungi.

Thanks for the tips. My problem is finding a frost-free place as cool as you two have. Maybe the coolest part of the house will be OK.

Robert.

I found this about growing, it shows the new one Red Desire, Van Meuwen has it and Green Desire, I am very tempted!

By dry soil I think they mean open and free draining, they say later it needs plenty of water!

http://www.classiccalla.com/how2grow.shtml

May be of help

http://www.thegardenhelper.com/callalily.htm

http://www.whiteflowerfarm.com/growguide-293.html

I think the general idea is to withold water, but to keep in it's pot. Pink Mist was just a fleshy, thick root, I don't think this would store well dry, the White Giant could be the same.

I use lots of leafy compost and gritty soil with peat moss, sharp sand may help drainage if you don't have river soil.

My cool spot has taken -9C!

Oh! Bad girl! Bad Girl!

No, No! Not a bad girl!

Was that for wanting to buy the new Zants, or for freezing them?

Now that I've collected myself.....

Love that 'Red Desire' (what a name, tee-hee). It is to be desired, purchased amd loved! That spadix color! And isn't that some pink blush around the spathe? The pix on the other page show down in the spathe--lots of color in there. Mmmmmmmmm.........

I've seen pix of 'Green Goddess' that resemble 'Green Desire', (with all the extra green). That was one thing I didn't care so much for in GG and have heard other people say it has too much green. I'm very peased with mine not having a LOT of the green, I was afraid I'd get one of the other ones. Wonder if this is a selection of GG from the ones that show more green? Breeding those that show more green?

I'm keeping my aethiopicas going. I have to now, anyway. May be having some hybrids coming.

Wallaby1~

Today it was near 80F (26.7C) and expected to be 55F (12.8C) overnight. That's normal here in the temperate US southeast. I kept track of the temps in GB for awhile last year and noticed how the day and night temps didn't vary near as much. BTW, they've upped the predicted lows for the weekend to around 44F (6.7C) so I won't have to take the Hippis in just yet.

I decided to put my bulbs in a baasement lav that doesn't have a heat vent, so by keeping the door closed, it'll prolly be the coolest spot inside. I may check out my brother's garage, but he works in there in the winter and may keep it a bit warm alternated with just right.

Thanks for the reference pages.

gemi~

I was going to put most if not all of my callas (except aetiopicas) in the ground but let that go. I could pop them in of course, but I'll just wait til spring. Want to have the site just right and need to up the drainage a little as well as add more humus.

I have a pink rehmannii in the ground now and it's still green and not yet showing any desire to go dormant save not putting out any more foliage. I didn't do much with the soil, so it'll be interesting to see if it makes it through in the heavy clay soil that stays on the moist side.

Robert.

No, it was for showing me that 'Red Desire'.

Oh, so bad,bad, bad. :-))))))))))))

Robert.

Red Desire does look to have pink-reddish flush, it's quite amazing really!

Green Desire pic on this site, look under Arum

http://www.vanmeuwen.com/times/list/az.html

Oho! I am an enabler!

I have ideas of getting 3, if you really want one, perhaps there is a trade with White Giant? IF I get them, they are fairly expensive but with buying two I get one free, + carriage makes £17. I am spending Soooo much!

Bad, Bad girl!

You'll be getting some D-mail I do believe.......

That extra color on 'Green Desire' is nice. {Whispered}--but I can't let GG think that there's anything less than perfect about her special "flair".

I am thinking of doing the paperwork to get an importers permit and at least getting enough bulbs to pot up and grow for sale locally, either wholesale to a garden center or from my yard or at the local "farmers' market".

DG is so full of enablers..........and that can't help but result in a prettier yard..........that makes going broke OK, right?

Robert.

Oh it most certainly makes it OK! What can be more important?

It sounds like a great idea, but oh dear, more stacking ahead!

OK. I will go ahead and order! I have talked myself into it!

Cool idea Robert! I've been toying with the idea of selling at the Farmers Market too. There's something nostalgic about it that appeals to me.

Gemini~

I think a good market for potted plants is out there just waiting. There is a large farmer's market in Charlotte, just across the river for me, and I keep meeting plant people who say they found this or that plant there. Those plants being the ones that are rarely offered at your local plant shop. or at least different ones. Think of all those calla hybrids we've all been ogling and think what you might find at your local shop.....My local plant store only ever has five or so, mostly run-of-the-mill ones in their greenhouse for blooming pots and I know some of those we've drooled over would sell over, say, the pink rehmanniis that seem so overused.

And NOBODY ever has potted Crinums around here, EVER. So maybe that's another little niche a person could fill.........I know I'd be buying them!

Plants that people want but can't find and would snap up if they saw them by chance? Hmmmm........a very wide field indeed, don't you think? One could include those plants that are generally available only by seed, like "Four O'Clocks" in 'Broken Colors', for example.

This year, I *so* wanted to walk into my local garden center and pick up some "Sweet Cream" marigolds and they didn't have them this year at all. When I worked there, they would only have a few flats for a limited time and if you weren't there *that day*, you prolly wouldn't get any. I think that one would sell around here, for sure..........

Divide your clump of whatever and have a dozen too many potsfull? Head on over to the market with 'em!

Yes, toying and mulling that idea, too........

Robert.