Night flowering
I was surprised when I went out to the greenhouse last night to discover there was a flowering party going on and I had not been invited. I went out there just to look any random slugs that might be taking the opportunity for an evening stroll. These little star shaped flowers blew me away, because in the daytime they look like this.
Unknown Night Flowering plant
The label says Babiana odorata which they definitely are not. However, I’m not sure just what they are. The foliage looks gladiolia-like, the buds and flower stalks look kind of like Ornithogalum, but the flower doesn’t resemble anything that I can identify.
Night flowering mystery
These plants came from seeds distributed by NARGS in 2013. It’s possible they actually flowered last year, but I wouldn’t have known unless I went out to the greenhouse after dark. The flowers seem to persist, not the once and done like some of the South Africans. I’m hoping someone in the Pacific Bulb Society can help me out on this one. The night blooming should be a dead giveaway.
It’s a busy time for the greenhouse with seed starting, sheltering the new arrivals, and seeing some of the South African plants flower for the first time.
Greenhouse mid-March 2015
A couple of other South Africans popped out today.
Romulea pratensis
Romulea gigantea
Moraea tripetala
Meanwhile on the outside the sunshine brought the crocus into full bloom.
Crocus tommasinianus ‘Roseus’
It’s a wonderful time of year!
I found an image of what may be the same plant, Babiana ‘Pearly White’, but can’t find any identification as to species:
http://www.easytogrowbulbs.com/p-103-babiana-pearly-white.aspx
Oops, should have read further. They identify it as Babiana stricta, but I have no idea if that is correct.
Did some checking around; the genus appears to be Hesperantha (Iridaceae), and the species possibly Hesperantha cucullata.
It’s possible that it is Hesperantha cucullata, but I think I’m going to go with Hesperantha falcata until proven otherwise. I’ll explain in my next post.
Looks like you need to start spending your evenings in the greenhouse or you’ll miss the show! I have no idea what they are. But they are beauties!
Maybe you could set up a web cam in the greenhouse so you’ll know when the party starts.