Re: x Ruthyrospolia 'Phyllis van Heerden' and bits....
Just to add to Tim's posting on this: It would appear that the plant
is quite readily propagated from cuttings and a small amount of
material that Tim sent has yielded four that are just showing roots
now. Semi ripe, nodal cuttings inserted in pure sand and kept very
moist (I have not used any base heat or hormone rooting powder)
produced the first roots in just over 3 weeks. Of course there is
every possibility that they still won't make it, but somehow I suspect
the major hurdle has already been cleared. I plan to transfer them to
small modules in a week or so's time where they will remain until
early spring (February) when I'll move them on to 1 litre pots. They
will be kept under cover for the first winter, but should be ready for
planting out permanently by next summer. It will be interesting to
see how they cope with our climate down here. Some Cape plants do
exceptionally well, whilst others either steadfastly refuse to flower,
or simply dwindle away. Excessive humidity may the part of the reason
- especially during the cooler months.
Excellent growing weather here by the way - pleasant evenings just
dipping down to the mid 60's by dawn, warm sunny days plus enough rain
to keep everything growing at full pelt. Hedychiums have rocketed
skyward this month with plenty of spikes and lots of new shoot pushing
through to provide late colour should October and November remain as
mild as normal. Ipomoea indica has formed a sea of rose-tinted blue
and Musas are going (dare I say it ) - bananas. Musa basjoo, which is
now just over 4 metres high provides cool shade in which to sit when
it gets too hot and although its growth rate has been impressive, a
smaller cousin - the pink fruited Musa velutina must take the prize
this year. In June it was in dire straights with just two 20cms. long
leaves, a rapidly rotting cube of rhizome and no live roots. After 3
weeks of being 'hospitalized' on a hot bed at 33C. it is now a
strapping plant near shoulder height with four young 'pups' all bigger
than the main plant when it arrived. A 'seedling' Ensete ventricosum
has gone from 0 - 1.25 metres, producing about 10 leaves in a few
months and a recently acquired Musa hookeri took just 3 days to open
a new leaf promising great things for next year.
Although we had an unusually cool June which held everything back,
near tropical heat and humidity in July soon gave everything a good
kick and the much needed rains of early August helped to get
everything back on course. Even Bougainvillea glabra which threatened
to give this year a miss, is now covered in buds and should give a
fine show in September. Pandorea jasminoides wreathes my back door in
a mass of glossy leaves, bronze new shoots and rich pink, carmine
centred trumpets - by the look of it, I suspect this plant will carry
one for a good few months yet.
David Poole
TORQUAY UK
