| The nerines are treated mostly as greenhouse plants. When well established in pots, they bloom year after year. In winter, the foliage is grown, and in spring water is gradually withheld until the bulbs are well ripened, when they remain dormant until August. John Robertson, in "Florists' Review" 1:675, gives advice as follows: the secret of success with nerines is to secure the fullest possible development of the bulbs. This refers to their winter treatment. They enjoy abundance of water at the root and overhead, with occasional applications of liquid manure. This treatment should never cease until the leaves turn yellow, which is a sign that the plants are finishing their growth. Then diminish the water-supply gradually, lay the pots on their sides where they are not likely to get wet, and in full sunlight, so that the bulbs may ripen thoroughly. The plants should not have then- roots disturbed, nor do they require much root room: they grow and flower best when hard pot-bound. Three bulbs planted in good fibrous loam with a little sand may remain in a 5-inch pot for five or six years, or even longer, as the offsets can be rubbed off and separately potted while the parent bulbs go on increasing in size. Each year as the flower-scape appears pick off about an inch of the surface soil with a sharp-pointed stick, and give the ball of roots a good soaking and a slight top-dressing. | | The nerines are treated mostly as greenhouse plants. When well established in pots, they bloom year after year. In winter, the foliage is grown, and in spring water is gradually withheld until the bulbs are well ripened, when they remain dormant until August. John Robertson, in "Florists' Review" 1:675, gives advice as follows: the secret of success with nerines is to secure the fullest possible development of the bulbs. This refers to their winter treatment. They enjoy abundance of water at the root and overhead, with occasional applications of liquid manure. This treatment should never cease until the leaves turn yellow, which is a sign that the plants are finishing their growth. Then diminish the water-supply gradually, lay the pots on their sides where they are not likely to get wet, and in full sunlight, so that the bulbs may ripen thoroughly. The plants should not have then- roots disturbed, nor do they require much root room: they grow and flower best when hard pot-bound. Three bulbs planted in good fibrous loam with a little sand may remain in a 5-inch pot for five or six years, or even longer, as the offsets can be rubbed off and separately potted while the parent bulbs go on increasing in size. Each year as the flower-scape appears pick off about an inch of the surface soil with a sharp-pointed stick, and give the ball of roots a good soaking and a slight top-dressing. |
| + | The following names are mostly important hybrids which in. many cases are more popular than the species: N. amabilis (N. pudica X N. humilis), rosy, dark-striped. Var. grandiflora, Hort. Van Tubergen, has larger fls.—ff. candida, Hort. Pure white, the fls. 15-20, each about 2 in. diam., the segms. undulate: hardly distinguishable from N. flexuosa var. alba. Offered abroad.—N. crispa, Hort. Thorburn, scarlet.—-N. elegans (N. flexuosa X N. sarniensis var. rosea), pink. Var. carminata, cerise. Var. caerulea, shaded blue.—-N. excellens, Moore (N. flexuosa X N. humilis var. major), carmine rosy, dark-striped.—-.V. excellens major tardiflora, Hort.-N. Bowdenii.—ff. Gaiminii, Hort., is an erect-flowering form of the sarniensis group, with large bright pink fls. "keeled throughout with red:" fls. about 10 in an umbel, each 2 in. across. —N. Haylockii (N. curvifolia X N. flexuosa var. pulchella). One of the oldest hybrids in cult. Raised by Wm. Herbert. The others in this list are more modern.—jV. jap6nica, Miq.-Lycoris radiata. —N. Meadowbankii (N. sarniensis X N. curvifolia var. Fothergillii). —-V. O'Brienii (N. pudica X N. sarniensis var. Plantii). Var. caerulea. Van Tubergen, pale violet, tinged blue.—N. tardiflora. Hort. Van Tubergen, not accounted for by Baker. Fls. bright red in Dec.—N. Zoroaster, Hort., is a garden hybrid between N. pudica and N. sarniensis var. corusca. |