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chasmanthes

   Date: Sun, 19 Apr 1998 18:51:53 GMT
   From: tim@eddy.u-net.com (Tim Longville)

   While I'm posting: does anyone in the group grow chasmanthes? and if
   so what would be their notion of their hardiness levels and cultural
   requirements (in the ground and/or in pots)? I'm growing a couple of
   spp from SIGNA seed, having, in my usual way, leapt before I looked -
   so having leapt I'm now looking at a couple of pots of v.healthy
   seedlings about which I suddenly realise I know absolutely zilch.=20

Chasmanthes are all over the place here in the San Francisco Bay Area.
They are similar to some other bulbs so I'm guessing this is actually what
we have around here.  I don't have any in my yard but the landscaping
around my acpunturist's office is filled with them so I'm going to ask if I
can grab a few when they go dormant.  We are USDA zone 9, if that means
anything to you.

Here is the info out of the Sunset Western Garden Book (note to others, if
this info is wrong, please say "Sunset has it wrong" instead of "Cyndi is
wrong."  A minor but important detail):

Chamanthe aethiopica
Zones 15-24 (out of 24 possible...24 is coastal Southern California, 15 is
around here, but a bit more inland and colder than where I live (zone 16))
Full sun or partial shade
No water once estabilished

"Fan's of 2 foot light green swordlike leaves of this South African plant
appear shortly after first rains.  One-sided, 2-3 foot narrow spikes of
bring orange red follow in late winter or early spring.  Plants are fairly
hardy, but frost may damage flower buds.  Extremely showy plant in a dull
season.  Cut faded flower stems to prevent self-sowing.  Corms multiply
rapidly, dig and divide every 2-3 years."

There is a catalog of South African bulbs (in Southern California) that has
tons of pictures of them plus basic descriptions of several varieties.
It's at http://www.thebulbman.com/Catalog.html (the main page is
http://www.thebulbman.com/).  Three varieites of chamanthe are mentioned
and each has a picture:

Chasmanthe aethiopica; 
30-36", tubular red-orange with greenish-yellow marks, can naturalize: 

Chasmanthe floribunda; 
56-64", orange with soft yellow-orange and some green in the throat;
naturalizes and spreads quickly, can be weedy: 

Chasmanthe floribunda duckittii
58-67", a very nice lemon yellow - rare: 

For a third source, I have the HP Bulbs book:

Chasmanthe
Bloom: spring for 1 month
Colors: orange-red
Height: 4 feet
Planting time: fall
Planting depth: 2 inches
Soil: no special requirements
Water: regular during growing season
Fertilizer: not necessary
Spacing: 6 inches
Expsoure: full sun or partial shade
Propagation: collect and plant cormels from base
Storage: if planted in spring, keep dry during winter

"Chasmanthe is common in established gardens in Calif...native to South
Africa and so well adapted to dry summers that it grows in abandoned
gardens.  Chasmanthe is rarely seen in nurseries. ...
	"The biggest problem is confusion over its name.  It has been called
Montbretia, Tritonia, Crocosmia, and, at one time, was labeled botanically
as Antholyza, from which it got its common name, "Aunt Eliza."  The correct
botanical name is Chasmanthe aethiopica.
	"Chasmanthe is easy to grow in mild climates such as zones 9 and 10
if given at least a couple of hours of sun a day.  Outside of these areas,
it should be dug and stored during winter like Gladiolus.  Cover corms with
1 or 2 inches of soil.  Divide after the foliage dies down."

Cyndi

-- 
_______________________________________________________________________________
"There's nothing wrong with me.  Maybe there's                     Cyndi Norman
something wrong with the universe." (ST:TNG)                   cnorman@best.com
__________________________________________________ http://www.best.com/~cnorman
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