I really like the look of this plant and wanted to know best way of getting some in my garden this summer? Should I buy tubers or will they take a number of years to flower? Is it possible to buy them already established? Is this best place to post perennial related posts?
Hi Banker , They are ever so easy to grow and cold hardy as well , the only problem is that they need space , sun and a wind free spot . buy the roots/bulbs from an online cataloque and make a really shallow bed of sand , pebbles and compost , they need a really good drainage soil , almost like you are about to plant a cactus outdoor , the plant will die down in August and come back in March , so you will have a blanc spot from September onward.
I hate discussing a plant I've not managed to grow, but for what its worth I dont think they are easily pleased. They have long surface roots that should not be disturbed once established. I've seen them in those plastic bags at garden centres all dried out, I think they stand a chance but they need a place where they will be undisturbed. Not sure I have the space to be honest. Good luck. Nice plant.
You might try Anglia Bulbs. They don't have a huge range, but the bulbs tend to be decent sized and reasonably priced. http://www.angliabulbs.com/eremurus-foxtail-lilies-c-36.html
got one from them last year and actually was more then a foot wide ..... also a try j parkers bulbs , but don`t really like them so much.
Thanks for replies So far, just found some seeds which I might try. Any excuse to use the new heated propagator! Would these flower in summer though?
I agree, they are not necessarily straightforward. I've had them and they've failed in the end, probably due to overcrowding. The tubers form a shape like spokes radiating from the centre of a wheel so lie just under the surface. You need a lot of room when planting them for this reason. I think they are a prairie plant so weren't keen on my densely planted, partially shaded garden.
If you do decide to try seed be aware that this genus is a cold germinator. They need to be in a cool spot outdoors somewhere and not the heated propagator.
These are growing instructions I have copied from seller on eBay PLEASE COPY OUT GROWING INSTRUCTIONS BELOW . SOW ANY TIME OF THE YEAR AS MOST PERENNIALS IN TRAYS WITH SEEDLINGS COMPOST AT 0,5 CM DEEP. OPTIMUM TEMPERATURE FOR GERMINATION 20-24 C. TAKES ABOUT 2-3 WEEKS TO GERMINATE. SEEDLINGS CAN BE TRANSPLANTED INTO SINGLE POTS WHEN 3 LEAVES ARE FORMED. KEEP MOIST, BUT DO NOT OVER WATER. OPTIMUM TEMPERATURE IS 15-17 C. Do you think these are incorrect?
These are the sites that I use to review germination requirements (in order of increasing usefulness IMHO): Plant World Seeds B & T World Seeds Their site is a bit haphazard. At the bottom of the page you get generic instructions for the Genus, followed by instructions for the specific cultivar (if any). The two can sometimes be at complete odds with each other, so if there are specific instructions go by those Tom Clothier - If he has the plant listed it is something he has tried - usually several different methods, and if that is the case I consider his information usually the most helpful. You may also find information on RHS site, but it tends to be a bit generic. In this instance his instructions are very specific (not a good sign for the likes of me to get good success!): "Sow moist at 25-30ºC (77-87ºF) for 4-5 wks. Move to 2ºC (35ºF) in darkness for 11-12 wks. Slowly raise temperature and light levels."
Info does tend to vary depending on where you look. The above is pretty much the same as what I found when I was thinking about growing some................... "Sow the seed in a gritty mix, water, keep warm for 2 or 3 weeks, then chill at 40F (5C) for 3-4 months. When the seedlings come up, give them strong light, but keep the soil cool." I decided against them as from what I was reading the shoots on the mature plants emerge early but can be susceptible to late hard frosts.
