Anyone grow these bulbs?

I figure this will get everyone's attention. Some bulbs I'm considering trying but before I do, I'd like to see if anyone has tried them before.....Like maybe you Wallaby! =)

Nerine laticoma
from South Africa--looks a lot like Lycoris but with big broad strappy leaves. Pink blooms too which is hard to find in Lycoris that tolerate it way down here.

Pancratium maritimum
This ones from Crete, Israel, meditteranean region, I think. Called Sea daffodil and smells great at night. White, smaller plant.

I've googled them so that info I know--just wonder whether anyone has them and likes them. It won't take much to twist my arm into trying them--lol I've also consulted the PlantFiles. Seen IBS and PBS websites too. There is a great pic somewhere on the web of the second one growing on the beach in Israel.

Well I haven't tried them, yet! the only nerine that is said to be hardy enough here is N. bowdenii, which I got a couple of years ago. I did buy another red one last year, it survived in a cold greenhouse and is said to be a little tender but I will try it in the ground eventually. N. Red Pimpernel

http://www.jacquesamand.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=JAUK&Category_Code=Nerine

Pancratium maritimum is another I have thought about, but is said to be tenderish here, it may survive by a south wall. Sorry, can't help you there. There was one pic which said it grew as far north as Bretagne, which is on the north coast of France. Hardy to zone 8, but tender, so with the right type of conditions it may be OK. It would get sea spray near the shoreline so I'm wondering if your climate would be too dry for it.

http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Pancratium+maritimum

http://www.floracyberia.net/spermatophyta/angiospermae/monocotyledoneae/amaryllidaceae/pancratium_maritimum.html

http://aolsearch.aol.co.uk/image?query=bretagne+&isinit=true&x=23&y=12

deb, i had both at the start of the summer. neither made it thru the drought............don't know if i drowned them with water or what. i got mine from buggycrazy and she would be able to give better information on them.

Wallaby--its very humid here so the sea daffodil would probably be happy; its the nerine's I'm worried that its too wet and humid for; but I can solve that with large clay pots.

Thanks for the links Wallaby--that second looks a lot like the one blooming on the beaches of Israel. Rather impressive for a bulb, no? I would probably only have to bring it into the house a few nights a year.

This message was edited Nov 19, 2006 10:48 AM

Go for it! Let us know how it fares, I might even try it. It is impressive for sure.

mamajack...from what I read it would seem that pancratium is above the high water level, so you may have drowned it. Even if it did get the occasional dousing it grows in sand so that would drain easily.

yep--they both like it dry in summer. But that's easy to replicate in clay pots.

maybe wallaby. but i dug out a clay bed and replaced with garden sand, potting soil and some native clay. maybe they did get too much hose water though.