Bulb with no growing point

[PeterS]

What happens to a bulb that has lost its growing point?

I have 4 bulbs of Uvaria (edit: should have said Urginea) maritima. I understand that this is a tender relative of the Hyacinth that grows leaves over the winter but doesn't flower till the following autumn.

I have had them for a couple of years now, but they haven't flowered yet - perhaps its too cold.

Three of the bulbs have been growing leaves for the last two months, but the fourth shown above has not. It presumably has lost its growing point. If it was a small and cheap bulb I would throw it away, but these are quite large and I am loathe to do that.

The bulb appears to be firm and healthy. Will it survive till next year and make a new growing point. I am interested in the principle here - not just this bulb.

[Chad]

I think it is a bit early in the year to say it isn't going to grow leaves yet. Water it well and wait even longer. Bulbs do sometimes 'have a year off' and grow away normally the next season. I would treat it the same as its brothers even if it doesn't put up growth this year.

If this is Urginea maritima syn. Drimia maritima then the bulbs probably need to get a bit bigger yet before they flower. They like a 'summer bake' once they have died down. It is said [but I have no evidence to support this!] that they flower better after a summer fire has burnt off the competition. In UK cultivation they need to be kept dry in the summer [under the bench in a greenhouse for example] and may flower when first watered in the autumn.

Chad.

[LONGK]

Is the name correct? I googled this and got nowt.
Is this what you're after - Urginea maritima.....................

http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswi ... a#maritima

I can't help much, but I had a similar thing happen to a flowered Scadoxus last year which has now started new bulbs.

[PeterS]

Thank you Chad. Yes you are quite right it is Urginea. I wrote off the top of my head - I don't know what I was thinking of.

That's interesting that the bulbs may need to get bigger. Its a long time since I Googled it - I had rather forgotten about them. But Googling now I see that the bulbs can be as much as 12 inches wide - so mine are still tiddlers.

I can certainly organise a bit more heat this year, having just had a conservatory built - but I am not sure about the fire bit. :roll:

I have heard it said that bulbs won't survive for an extra year if they don't grow leaves, but you have confirmed my thought that they can. After all, they aren't expending any energy.

Hi LongK - just seen your post, as I was writing. Thanks for the link - very good. Yes I got the name wrong. If they are Mediterranean they may get enough heat under glass - but need time to bulk up - as Chad said.

[Chad]

Pete,

I've been mulling over your picture.

For full winter growth the leaves are very thin and sparse for Drimia maritime.

They really do like as much direct sun as they can get through a UK northern latitude and drizzle dominated winter.

Are they on a south facing window? If not I think growth will be very slow.

Chad.

[PeterS]

Yes Chad - you are right. I had also looked at my leaves compared to the pictures on the internet. The bulbs are in a window facing south west, which is about as sunny as anywhere else that I have.

But the leaves grow mainly over the period of January and February and at the time there is not much sun anywhere.

However I will move them to my new garden room. I will also repot into larger pots. I am a great believer that the larger the pot the larger the plant. I have often come across small pots holding a plant back even though it was not obviously pot bound. I will try a bit more feed as well.

[LONGK]

However I will move them to my new garden room. I will also repot into larger pots. I am a great believer that the larger the pot the larger the plant. I have often come across small pots holding a plant back even though it was not obviously pot bound. I will try a bit more feed as well.

Did you notice that all the plants in the pics in that link appear rather pot bound?

[PeterS]

Yes I did Longk - that thought was passing through my mind as I repotted them this morning. :lol: I also fed them.

Being pot bound may make them flower better, but I can't see it making the bulbs grow larger quicker. When I repotted mine they had a good root system - more roots than leaves, and were almost root bound. I also noticed that the bulb without any leaves had just as big a root system as the others. The bulb's outer skin is green so its probably getting some goodness and it doesn't appear to be any smaller than the others - but then none of them appear to be any bigger that when I bought them 2 years ago. :?

[Chad]

I'm sure you already know this, but keeping them in growth for as long as possible each season should make for bigger bulbs. I think dormancy is triggered by drying out so keeping them in full sun and not letting them dry until August should given them time to get bigger. Feed, water and full sun should make for bigger bulbs. Flower initiation may require a summer bake though, so let them desiccate in your sun room from August until you would usually water them again.

Do post an update; I'll be very interested to learn how they do.

Chad.

[PeterS]

Chad - that's a good point you made about keeping them in growth as long as possible.

I will keep you posted.