Re: anigozanthus culture
- Subject: Re: anigozanthus culture
- From: G* B*
- Date: Sat, 20 Apr 2002 08:47:28 +0200
Hi all
I tried doing a line of these commercially at one stage. They are a
beautiful line but fell out of favour because of their susceptability to ink
spot fungus. I never spray, so if anything isn't tough enough to pull
through by itself i've got no space for it.
I remember the tall, yellow flowered A. flavidus as being a true perennial &
the toughest of the lot. Does tend to look rather scrappy after a while
though.
The smaller varieties were especially susceptible to the fungus. A
manglesii - which was a real eyecatcher - would only last me one season with
summer watering. I think these really must be treated as real Med. seasonals
with no summer watering at all. Allow them to die right off & rejuvenate
with the autumn rains. The fungus doesn't seem to get a deadly grip that way
& the rotting won't set in. Last Spring I saw a lovely show of these growing
at the Gingin cemetery, northeast of Perth. Coming through very strong &
clean & with no additional watering at all.
Fertilizing I can't comment on, but would tend to compost & mulch well with
no artificials.
Whilst on this subject - can anyone explain the process whereby Med plants -
such as the Anigozanthus & many of the pelargoniums - will be rotted off by
watering in summer but can take any amount & thrive in winter ? Its a
strange phenomenon.
Regards
Glenn Breayley. Ragnarok & Valhalla Research.
POBox 26158, Hout Bay, 7872, Capetown, South Africa
Ph/Fax SA 021 7904253 E-mail valhalla@iafrica.com
Wholesale nurseryman & Tillandsia specialist wholesale & retail grower.
