- Subject:
- From: J* M*
- Date: Thu, 16 Aug 2001 15:39:33 -0700
Title: <no subject>
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Pam, Joe, all, The fancy cultivar selections so often identified or marketed as Amaryllis belladonna L. are actually hybrids between that species and a member of the closely-related South African genus Brunsvigia--particularly B. josephinae (Red.) Ker-Gawl. The original cross was made in 1841 by J. C. Bidwell at the Sydney Botanical Garden, Australia, and first introduces as Amaryllis multiflora. Subsequent crosses developed from this original hybrid became the "Multiflora Strain." A second cross was made at the MacArthur estate in Camden Park, N.S.W. where Bidwill later took charge of the Arboretum. He was showing MacArthur's daughters how to hybridize Amaryllis belladonna. One of the daughters became Lady Parker and her bulbs were called Amaryllis parkeri (syn. Brunsvigio-donna tubergeni hort.). A similar cross was made by van Tubergen at the Zwanenburg Nursery in Holland in 1892, but it took as long as 16 years before the first flower appeared. The trumpet-shaped flowers of this hybrid are deep carmine-pink with yellowish-white base, 12-16 carried in an umbel. Ht. 40-60 cm. It was called Brunsvigio-donna tubergeni hort. By backcrossing these early hybrids and intercrossing their progeny, various persons at various locations have developed strains with broader petals and more open flowers in many different colors, from wine-reds through all shades of pink to white--with or without gold or yellow in the throat. These hybrids are generally a little less cold-hardy than Amaryllis balladonna, but otherwise require similar cultivation. They are correctly classified in the nothogenus XAmarygia as XAmarygia parkeri (W.Wats.) H.E.Moore. The pure white form is XAmarygia parkeri 'Alba'. A white selection with a yellow throat is known as 'Haythor' (n.b. this is the correct spelling!) A selection of these hybrids can be seen at: http://www.bulbsociety.org/GALLERY_OF_THE_WORLDS_BULBS/GRAPHICS/Amarygia/AMA RYGIALIST.html 'Haythor' is pictured (as 'Hathor') at: http://www.bulbmania.com/how2grow00.html This and several unnamed hybrids are available from Bulbmaina. Their home page is at: http://www.bulbmania.com/ A more extensive discussion of this course of development by Les Hannibal, the leading hybridizer of this group, is at: http://www.i5ive.com/discussion.cfm/alpines_and_bulbs/21930/latest/8 In California, some of these hybrids are available through Suncrest Nurseries (wholesale only). See: http://www.suncrestnurseries.com/descript/amarygia.html#Amaryg Their home page is at: http://www.suncrestnurseries.com/ John MacGregor jonivy@earthlink.net |
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