habranthus Archives - Mathai Sprouts & Art

habranthus

Rain Lily, Habranthus Argentina Pink, 2 bulbs, NEW, RARE, zephyranthes

DESCRIPTION OF ITEM FOR BID: You are bidding on 2 bulbs in mixed sizes, not necessarily a blooming size. Regardless of size, it usually takes only a year or two to reach a blooming size. They will be shipped bare root and should be planted right away. DESCRIPTION: Habranthus Argentina Pink is most likely a species bulb, possibly a form of H. robustus. As of the time of this listing, to the best of our knowledge, we are the only distributor of this bulb in the world. It opens pink with white centers and white rays radiating out about halfway in each petal and a yellow-green eye. By the second day they fade to a light pink. The flowers are large trumpets about 3 ” in diameter, 8-10″ tall and form bulbs up to 1 1/2″ in diameter. The bulbs multiply very fast like most H. robustus varieties and can quickly make spectacular mass plantings, because they form both seeds and new offsets bulbs. It’s possible to have a large number of bulbs in just 4-5 years. Our original, single bulb produced 100 bulbs in the first 3 years, not counting the seeds. We have recorded blooms from May through July here in northeast Florida, zone 9 but have not kept very good records on this particular bulb. We suspect it could bloom more like H. robustus from April-November. We are offering this for the first time on eBay in 2017. Rain lilies bloom about 4 days after a rain. Blooms are stimulated by the nitrogen, which is created by lightning, and picked up in the raindrops. In 2014 we started a small hybridization effort which by early 2017 has produced seeds from over 150 successful crosses and about an equal number of failures. Some seedlings did not survive, but we still have over 100 crosses growing and many of the seedlings from the same cross are exhibiting different markings and characteristics because each seed is unique genetically. We plan to continue this in the hope of introducing some of our own hybrids in a few more years. Currently we grow about 400 different rain lilies, including 261 zephyranthes, 31 habranthus and 3 zephbranthus (cross of zephyranthes and habranthus), and our new hybrids. We are actively seeking new species or hybrids to purchase or trade to increase our collection and can provide a list of our collection upon request. Our listings have free shipping. The two leading nurseries that sell rain lilies charge from $17 to $23 just for shipping one selection in addition to the cost of the plant. BACKGROUND: Habranthus ‘Argentina Pink’ is most likely a species and a form of H. robustus. We purchased 1 bulb in from a grower, Michael Willetts who managed a small operation called bulbmania.com, so all of these bulbs came from the original bulbs offsets or from seed. The only information we have about this bulb is that it originated in Argentina. Willetts specialized in seeking out rare and unusual bulbs and introducing them back into circulation. We bought a number of crinum and rain lilies from him about the same time. The primary difference between Zephyranthes and Habranthus is that the Habranthus bloom is at an angle to the stem and the Zephyranthes bloom, more or less, points straight up from the stem. GROWING CONDITIONS: Rain lily bulbs generally will grow in a wide variety of soils and will do fine in any garden setting with an average amount of water. A few varieties require much more water. They thrive in rich soil with ample water and full sun. We grow all of ours in the hot Florida sun, but generally they will do better with a bit of shade during the hottest part of the day. Plants require less care if planted in the ground, but rain lilies, especially, make excellent container plants. Most varieties form seeds and a few do not form offset bulbs reproducing only from seed. Growing them in pots helps in keeping the seeds out of adjacent plants. Most rain lilies will do better if they are pot-bound or growing in crowded conditions. If left alone, they will form dense clumps. Most rain lilies require 2-3 years to reach a blooming size from seed. A few, like Z. minima, can bloom in 1 year and others can take 4 or more years. They are usually evergreen in frost-free climates and many varieties keep their leaves even during sub-freezing temperatures. Here in the colder part of zone 9 with temperatures rarely below the 20’s, they keep their foliage. It is not uncommon for some varieties to lose all of their leaves in very dry weather and a few have a dormant period where the leaves disappear for 2-3 months. They are easy to grow in pots in any climate but they must be protected from freezing temperatures. If they are stored over the winter, the pots can be allowed to dry somewhat but should not go completely dry. Do not remove the bulbs from the pots or ground more than a few weeks, however, as rain lily bulbs do not store well when they are dry out of the soil. Otherwise they are very vigorous and tolerant of more dry conditions too when planted in the ground and will do fine in zone 7b-10. PHOTOS/ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: These are pictures of our plants, so you know exactly what they look like and what you will receive. The photos show the plant in various stages of growth. Please feel free to contact us for additional information, and click on “Me” following our star rating. Also, we invite you to go to our store (little red or blue door) and look at other items we have for sale.

Rain Lily, Habranthus Argentina Pink, 2 bulbs, NEW, RARE, zephyranthes Read More »

Rain Lily, Habranthus Argentina Pink, 2 bulbs, NEW, RARE, zephyranthes

DESCRIPTION OF ITEM FOR BID: You are bidding on 2 bulbs in mixed sizes, not necessarily a blooming size. Regardless of size, it usually takes only a year or two to reach a blooming size. They will be shipped bare root and should be planted right away. DESCRIPTION: Habranthus Argentina Pink is most likely a species bulb, possibly a form of H. robustus. As of the time of this listing, to the best of our knowledge, we are the only distributor of this bulb in the world. It opens pink with white centers and white rays radiating out about halfway in each petal and a yellow-green eye. By the second day they fade to a light pink. The flowers are large trumpets about 3 ” in diameter, 8-10″ tall and form bulbs up to 1 1/2″ in diameter. The bulbs multiply very fast like most H. robustus varieties and can quickly make spectacular mass plantings, because they form both seeds and new offsets bulbs. It’s possible to have a large number of bulbs in just 4-5 years. Our original, single bulb produced 100 bulbs in the first 3 years, not counting the seeds. We have recorded blooms from May through July here in northeast Florida, zone 9 but have not kept very good records on this particular bulb. We suspect it could bloom more like H. robustus from April-November. We are offering this for the first time on eBay in 2017. Rain lilies bloom about 4 days after a rain. Blooms are stimulated by the nitrogen, which is created by lightning, and picked up in the raindrops. In 2014 we started a small hybridization effort which by early 2017 has produced seeds from over 150 successful crosses and about an equal number of failures. Some seedlings did not survive, but we still have over 100 crosses growing and many of the seedlings from the same cross are exhibiting different markings and characteristics because each seed is unique genetically. We plan to continue this in the hope of introducing some of our own hybrids in a few more years. Currently we grow about 400 different rain lilies, including 261 zephyranthes, 31 habranthus and 3 zephbranthus (cross of zephyranthes and habranthus), and our new hybrids. We are actively seeking new species or hybrids to purchase or trade to increase our collection and can provide a list of our collection upon request. Our listings have free shipping. The two leading nurseries that sell rain lilies charge from $17 to $23 just for shipping one selection in addition to the cost of the plant. BACKGROUND: Habranthus ‘Argentina Pink’ is most likely a species and a form of H. robustus. We purchased 1 bulb in from a grower, Michael Willetts who managed a small operation called bulbmania.com, so all of these bulbs came from the original bulbs offsets or from seed. The only information we have about this bulb is that it originated in Argentina. Willetts specialized in seeking out rare and unusual bulbs and introducing them back into circulation. We bought a number of crinum and rain lilies from him about the same time. The primary difference between Zephyranthes and Habranthus is that the Habranthus bloom is at an angle to the stem and the Zephyranthes bloom, more or less, points straight up from the stem. GROWING CONDITIONS: Rain lily bulbs generally will grow in a wide variety of soils and will do fine in any garden setting with an average amount of water. A few varieties require much more water. They thrive in rich soil with ample water and full sun. We grow all of ours in the hot Florida sun, but generally they will do better with a bit of shade during the hottest part of the day. Plants require less care if planted in the ground, but rain lilies, especially, make excellent container plants. Most varieties form seeds and a few do not form offset bulbs reproducing only from seed. Growing them in pots helps in keeping the seeds out of adjacent plants. Most rain lilies will do better if they are pot-bound or growing in crowded conditions. If left alone, they will form dense clumps. Most rain lilies require 2-3 years to reach a blooming size from seed. A few, like Z. minima, can bloom in 1 year and others can take 4 or more years. They are usually evergreen in frost-free climates and many varieties keep their leaves even during sub-freezing temperatures. Here in the colder part of zone 9 with temperatures rarely below the 20’s, they keep their foliage. It is not uncommon for some varieties to lose all of their leaves in very dry weather and a few have a dormant period where the leaves disappear for 2-3 months. They are easy to grow in pots in any climate but they must be protected from freezing temperatures. If they are stored over the winter, the pots can be allowed to dry somewhat but should not go completely dry. Do not remove the bulbs from the pots or ground more than a few weeks, however, as rain lily bulbs do not store well when they are dry out of the soil. Otherwise they are very vigorous and tolerant of more dry conditions too when planted in the ground and will do fine in zone 7b-10. PHOTOS/ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: These are pictures of our plants, so you know exactly what they look like and what you will receive. The photos show the plant in various stages of growth. Please feel free to contact us for additional information, and click on “Me” following our star rating. Also, we invite you to go to our store (little red or blue door) and look at other items we have for sale.

Rain Lily, Habranthus Argentina Pink, 2 bulbs, NEW, RARE, zephyranthes Read More »

Rain Lily, Habranthus Robustus ‘Ted Doremus’, 1 bulb, NEW, RARE, zephyranthes

DESCRIPTION OF ITEM FOR BID: You are bidding on 1 bulb, not necessarily a blooming size. Regardless of size, it usually takes only a year or two to reach a blooming size. They will be shipped bare root and should be planted right away. DESCRIPTION: Habranthus Robustus ‘Ted Doremus’ is a clone (variation) of the classical H. robustus, a species. Yucca Do Nursery says, “Re-curved robustus! Habranthus robustus is a star of heirloom gardening in the South. It blooms so well and is such a hardy plant. When plants like this are so good, it is nice to have many forms to choose from. This form, given to us by Ted Doremus of Warren, TX, provides welcome diversity. The edges of the petals are a richer pink than the standard selection, and the flowers have bright, white throats. Petal tips also re-curve back a bit, giving the blooms a softer and frillier effect when borne in mass.” As of the time of this listing, to the best of our knowledge, we are the only one in the world selling this bulb. It opens pink with heavy white stripes running the length of 3 petals and a yellow-green eye. The flowers can be huge for a rain lily, up to 4″ in diameter, 12″ tall and will form bulbs up to 1″ in diameter. The wide open petals are a bit more narrow than H. robustus. All H. robustus forms are good at setting seed and rapidly form new offset bulbs. We have recorded blooms from May through August here in northeast Florida, zone 9. We are offering this for the first time on eBay in 2017. Rain lilies bloom about 4 days after a rain. Blooms are stimulated by the nitrogen, which is created by lightning, and picked up in the raindrops. In 2014 we started a small hybridization effort which by early 2017 has produced seeds from over 150 successful crosses and about an equal number of failures. Some seedlings did not survive, but we still have over 100 crosses growing and many of the seedlings from the same cross are exhibiting different markings and characteristics because each seed is unique genetically. We plan to continue this in the hope of introducing some of our own hybrids in a few more years. Currently we grow about 400 different rain lilies, including 261 zephyranthes, 31 habranthus and 3 zephbranthus (cross of zephyranthes and habranthus), and our new hybrids. We are actively seeking new species or hybrids to purchase or trade to increase our collection and can provide a list of our collection upon request. Our listings have free shipping. The two leading nurseries that sell rain lilies charge from $17 to $23 just for shipping one selection in addition to the cost of the plant. BACKGROUND: Habranthus robustus ‘Ted Doremus’ is a form of the species, H. robustus. We purchased our original bulbs from Yucca Do Nursery in 2007 and finally have enough bulbs to offer them for sale. The primary difference between Zephyranthes and Habranthus is that the Habranthus bloom is at an angle to the stem and the Zephyranthes bloom, more or less, points straight up from the stem. GROWING CONDITIONS:Rain lily bulbs generally will grow in a wide variety of soils and will do fine in any garden setting with an average amount of water. A few varieties require much more water. They thrive in rich soil with ample water and full sun. We grow all of ours in the hot Florida sun, but generally they will do better with a bit of shade during the hottest part of the day. Plants require less care if planted in the ground, but rain lilies, especially, make excellent container plants. Most varieties form seeds and a few do not form offset bulbs reproducing only from seed. Growing them in pots helps in keeping the seeds out of adjacent plants. Most rain lilies will do better if they are pot-bound or growing in crowded conditions. If left alone, they will form dense clumps. Most rain lilies require 2-3 years to reach a blooming size from seed. A few, like Z. minima, can bloom in 1 year and others can take 4 or more years. They are usually evergreen in frost-free climates and many varieties keep their leaves even during sub-freezing temperatures. Here in the colder part of zone 9 with temperatures rarely below the 20’s, they keep their foliage. It is not uncommon for some varieties to lose all of their leaves in very dry weather and a few have a dormant period where the leaves disappear for 2-3 months. They are easy to grow in pots in any climate but they must be protected from freezing temperatures. If they are stored over the winter, the pots can be allowed to dry somewhat but should not go completely dry. Do not remove the bulbs from the pots or ground more than a few weeks, however, as rain lily bulbs do not store well when they are dry out of the soil. Otherwise they are very vigorous and tolerant of more dry conditions too when planted in the ground and will do fine in zone 7b-10. PHOTOS/ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: These are pictures of our plants, so you know exactly what they look like and what you will receive. The photos show the plant in various stages of growth. Please feel free to contact us for additional information, and click on “Me” following our star rating. Also, we invite you to go to our store (little red or blue door) and look at other items we have for sale.

Rain Lily, Habranthus Robustus ‘Ted Doremus’, 1 bulb, NEW, RARE, zephyranthes Read More »

Rain Lily, Habranthus Magnoi, 1 bulb, NEW, RARE, zephyranthes

DESCRIPTION OF ITEM FOR BID: You are bidding on 1 bulb, not necessarily a blooming size. Regardless of size, it usually takes only a year or two to reach a blooming size. They will be shipped bare root and should be planted right away. DESCRIPTION: Habranthus Magnoi is a species bulb. As of the time of this listing, to the best of our knowledge, we are one of only a few sellers of this bulb in the world. It has a light pink bud and opens white with a green eye and a blush of pink on the keel (back of the flower). The flowers are about 1 3/4 ” in diameter, 7″ tall and form bulbs up to 1″ in diameter. It is not showy but is a very reliable bloomer with a long season. It is a good seed setter and steadily forms new offset bulbs. It has a very long blooming season, and we have recorded blooms from May through December here in northeast Florida, zone 9. We are offering this for the first time on eBay in 2017. Rain lilies bloom about 4 days after a rain. Blooms are stimulated by the nitrogen, which is created by lightning, and picked up in the raindrops. In 2014 we started a small hybridization effort which by early 2017 has produced seeds from over 150 successful crosses and about an equal number of failures. Some seedlings did not survive, but we still have over 100 crosses growing and many of the seedlings from the same cross are exhibiting different markings and characteristics because each seed is unique genetically. We plan to continue this in the hope of introducing some of our own hybrids in a few more years. Currently we grow about 400 different rain lilies, including 261 zephyranthes, 31 habranthus and 3 zephbranthus (cross of zephyranthes and habranthus), and our new hybrids. We are actively seeking new species or hybrids to purchase or trade to increase our collection and can provide a list of our collection upon request. Our listings have free shipping. The two leading nurseries that sell rain lilies charge from $17 to $23 just for shipping one selection in addition to the cost of the plant. BACKGROUND: Habranthus ‘Magnoi’ is a summer flowering species from Argentina. We obtained our bulbs in 2010 from Telos Rare Bulbs here in the United States. The primary difference between Zephyranthes and Habranthus is that the Habranthus bloom is at an angle to the stem and the Zephyranthes bloom, more or less, points straight up from the stem. GROWING CONDITIONS: Rain lily bulbs generally will grow in a wide variety of soils and will do fine in any garden setting with an average amount of water. A few varieties require much more water. They thrive in rich soil with ample water and full sun. We grow all of ours in the hot Florida sun, but generally they will do better with a bit of shade during the hottest part of the day. Plants require less care if planted in the ground, but rain lilies, especially, make excellent container plants. Most varieties form seeds and a few do not form offset bulbs reproducing only from seed. Growing them in pots helps in keeping the seeds out of adjacent plants. Most rain lilies will do better if they are pot-bound or growing in crowded conditions. If left alone, they will form dense clumps. Most rain lilies require 2-3 years to reach a blooming size from seed. A few, like Z. minima, can bloom in 1 year and others can take 4 or more years. They are usually evergreen in frost-free climates and many varieties keep their leaves even during sub-freezing temperatures. Here in the colder part of zone 9 with temperatures rarely below the 20’s, they keep their foliage. It is not uncommon for some varieties to lose all of their leaves in very dry weather and a few have a dormant period where the leaves disappear for 2-3 months. They are easy to grow in pots in any climate but they must be protected from freezing temperatures. If they are stored over the winter, the pots can be allowed to dry somewhat but should not go completely dry. Do not remove the bulbs from the pots or ground more than a few weeks, however, as rain lily bulbs do not store well when they are dry out of the soil. Otherwise they are very vigorous and tolerant of more dry conditions too when planted in the ground and will do fine in zone 7b-10. PHOTOS/ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: These are pictures of our plants, so you know exactly what they look like and what you will receive. The photos show the plant in various stages of growth. Please feel free to contact us for additional information, and click on “Me” following our star rating. Also, we invite you to go to our store (little red or blue door) and look at other items we have for sale.

Rain Lily, Habranthus Magnoi, 1 bulb, NEW, RARE, zephyranthes Read More »

Rain Lily, Habranthus tubispatha, 1 bulb, NEW, RARE, zephyranthes

DESCRIPTION OF ITEM FOR BID: You are bidding on 1 bulb, not necessarily a blooming size. Regardless of size, it usually takes only a year or two to reach a blooming size. They will be shipped bare root and should be planted right away. DESCRIPTION: Habranthus tubispatha is most likely a species bulb, similar to the classical H. robustus. It blooms well for about 5 months and is a hardy plant. When plants like this are so good, it is nice to have many forms to choose from. The edges of the petals are a richer pink than the standard selection, and the flowers have bright, white throats and random white rays that go out the length of the petals. Petal tips also re-curve back a bit, giving the blooms a softer and frillier effect when borne in mass. As of the time of this listing, to the best of our knowledge, we are the only one in the world selling this bulb. It opens a blush-pink which is darker towards the petal tips and has a yellow-green eye. The flowers can be huge for a rain lily, up to 4″ in diameter, 12″ tall and will form bulbs over 1″ in diameter. The wide open petals are a bit more narrow than H. robustus. Most H. robustus forms are good at setting seed and rapidly form new offset bulbs. We have recorded blooms in May through September here in northeast Florida, zone 9. We are offering this for the first time on eBay in 2018. Rain lilies bloom about 4 days after a rain. Blooms are stimulated by the nitrogen, which is created by lightning, and picked up in the raindrops. In 2014 we started a small hybridization effort which by early 2017 has produced seeds from over 150 successful crosses and about an equal number of failures. Some seedlings did not survive, but we still have over 100 crosses growing and many of the seedlings from the same cross are exhibiting different markings and characteristics because each seed is unique genetically. We plan to continue this in the hope of introducing some of our own hybrids in a few more years. Currently we grow about 600 different rain lilies, including about 571 zephyranthes, 34 habranthus and 3 zephbranthus (cross of zephyranthes and habranthus). We are actively seeking new species or hybrids to purchase or trade to increase our collection and can provide a list of our collection upon request. Our listings have free shipping. A leading nursery that sells rain lilies charges from $17 to $23 just for shipping one selection in addition to the cost of the plant. BACKGROUND: We have no information on this plant. It was purchased in 2005 from Michael Willetts, who ran the now discontinued bulbmania.com. The primary difference between Zephyranthes and Habranthus is that the Habranthus bloom is at an angle to the stem and the Zephyranthes bloom, more or less, points straight up from the stem. GROWING CONDITIONS:Rain lily bulbs generally will grow in a wide variety of soils and will do fine in any garden setting with an average amount of water. A few varieties require much more water. They thrive in rich soil with ample water and full sun. We grow all of ours in the hot Florida sun, but generally they will do better with a bit of shade during the hottest part of the day. Plants require less care if planted in the ground, but rain lilies, especially, make excellent container plants. Most varieties form seeds and a few do not form offset bulbs reproducing only from seed. Growing them in pots helps in keeping the seeds out of adjacent plants. Most rain lilies will do better if they are pot-bound or growing in crowded conditions. If left alone, they will form dense clumps. Most rain lilies require 2-3 years to reach a blooming size from seed. A few, like Z. minima, can bloom in 1 year and others can take 4 or more years. They are usually evergreen in frost-free climates and many varieties keep their leaves even during sub-freezing temperatures. Here in the colder part of zone 9 with temperatures rarely below the 20’s, they keep their foliage. It is not uncommon for some varieties to lose all of their leaves in very dry weather and a few have a dormant period where the leaves disappear for 2-3 months. They are easy to grow in pots in any climate but they must be protected from freezing temperatures. If they are stored over the winter, the pots can be allowed to dry somewhat but should not go completely dry. Do not remove the bulbs from the pots or ground more than a few weeks, however, as rain lily bulbs do not store well when they are dry out of the soil. Otherwise they are very vigorous and tolerant of more dry conditions too when planted in the ground and will do fine in zone 7b-10. PHOTOS/ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: These are pictures of our plants, so you know exactly what they look like and what you will receive. The photos show the plant in various stages of growth. Please feel free to contact us for additional information, and click on “Me” following our star rating. Also, we invite you to go to our store (little red or blue door) and look at other items we have for sale.

Rain Lily, Habranthus tubispatha, 1 bulb, NEW, RARE, zephyranthes Read More »

Rain Lily, Habranthus Pleased As Punch, 1 bulb, NEW, RARE, zephyranthes

DESCRIPTION OF ITEM FOR BID: You are bidding on 1 bulb, not necessarily a blooming size. Regardless of size, it usually takes only a year or two to reach a blooming size. They will be shipped bare root and should be planted right away. DESCRIPTION: Habranthus Pleased As Punch appears to be some type of Habranthus Robustus hybrid, but it has some unique characteristics, so we gave it a name. As of the time of this listing, to the best of our knowledge, we are the only one in the world selling this bulb. It opens a blush-pink with more pink towards the tips of the petals and a large yellow-green eye. Sometimes 2 flowers form on a single stem, not an uncommon trait in habranthus. The flowers are 2 1/4 ” in diameter, 10″ tall and form bulbs up to 1″ in diameter and generally shaped like H. robustus with wide open flowers, not elongated trumpets like many habranthus (see photo #1, 2, 6). They often have unique, darker pink veins that run the length of the petals, best seen in photo #5, but the eBay photos are not large enough and are in reduced resolution, so the veins are not readily visible. It sets seed and steadily forms new offset bulbs. For some reason we have not kept a blooming record on this bulb but think it would bloom May through September here in northeast Florida, zone 9. We are offering this for the first time on eBay in 2017. Rain lilies bloom about 4 days after a rain. Blooms are stimulated by the nitrogen, which is created by lightning, and picked up in the raindrops. In 2014 we started a small hybridization effort which by early 2017 has produced seeds from over 150 successful crosses and about an equal number of failures. Some seedlings did not survive, but we still have over 100 crosses growing and many of the seedlings from the same cross are exhibiting different markings and characteristics because each seed is unique genetically. We plan to continue this in the hope of introducing some of our own hybrids in a few more years. Currently we grow about 400 different rain lilies, including 261 zephyranthes, 31 habranthus and 3 zephbranthus (cross of zephyranthes and habranthus), and our new hybrids. We are actively seeking new species or hybrids to purchase or trade to increase our collection and can provide a list of our collection upon request. Our listings have free shipping. The two leading nurseries that sell rain lilies charge from $17 to $23 just for shipping one selection in addition to the cost of the plant. BACKGROUND: Habranthus ‘Pleased As Punch’ is almost certainly a hybrid of H. robustus. After growing it since 2003, we recently decided to give it a name, because we were “pleased as punch” with this selection. We obtained some bulbs and some seed from The Tropical Plumeria Garden in Lakeland, FL, but the bulbs turned out to be Z. grandiflora. The seeds turned out to be Pleased As Punch, so we know nothing about the origin of this seed other than the flowers are unique to anything else we grow. The primary difference between Zephyranthes and Habranthus is that the Habranthus bloom is at an angle to the stem and the Zephyranthes bloom, more or less, points straight up from the stem. GROWING CONDITIONS: Rain lily bulbs generally will grow in a wide variety of soils and will do fine in any garden setting with an average amount of water. A few varieties require much more water. They thrive in rich soil with ample water and full sun. We grow all of ours in the hot Florida sun, but generally they will do better with a bit of shade during the hottest part of the day. Plants require less care if planted in the ground, but rain lilies, especially, make excellent container plants. Most varieties form seeds and a few do not form offset bulbs reproducing only from seed. Growing them in pots helps in keeping the seeds out of adjacent plants. Most rain lilies will do better if they are pot-bound or growing in crowded conditions. If left alone, they will form dense clumps. Most rain lilies require 2-3 years to reach a blooming size from seed. A few, like Z. minima, can bloom in 1 year and others can take 4 or more years. They are usually evergreen in frost-free climates and many varieties keep their leaves even during sub-freezing temperatures. Here in the colder part of zone 9 with temperatures rarely below the 20’s, they keep their foliage. It is not uncommon for some varieties to lose all of their leaves in very dry weather and a few have a dormant period where the leaves disappear for 2-3 months. They are easy to grow in pots in any climate but they must be protected from freezing temperatures. If they are stored over the winter, the pots can be allowed to dry somewhat but should not go completely dry. Do not remove the bulbs from the pots or ground more than a few weeks, however, as rain lily bulbs do not store well when they are dry out of the soil. Otherwise they are very vigorous and tolerant of more dry conditions too when planted in the ground and will do fine in zone 7b-10. PHOTOS/ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: These are pictures of our plants, so you know exactly what they look like and what you will receive. The photos show the plant in various stages of growth. Please feel free to contact us for additional information, and click on “Me” following our star rating. Also, we invite you to go to our store (little red or blue door) and look at other items we have for sale.

Rain Lily, Habranthus Pleased As Punch, 1 bulb, NEW, RARE, zephyranthes Read More »

Rain Lily, Habranthus Floryi Pinky, 2 bulbs, NEW, RARE, zephyranthes

DESCRIPTION OF ITEM FOR BID: You are bidding on 2 bulbs in mixed sizes, not necessarily a blooming size. Regardless of size, it usually takes only a year or two to reach a blooming size. They will be shipped bare root and should be planted right away. DESCRIPTION: Habranthus Floryi Pinky is a hybrid bulb. As of the time of this listing, to the best of our knowledge, we are the only distributor of this bulb in the world. It opens pink with a light yellow-green eye and by the second day fades to a blush pink with white streaks out to the ends of the petals, especially down the middle of the petals. The flowers are large and elongated trumpets about 2 3/4 ” in diameter, 12″ tall and form bulbs up to 1 3/8″ in diameter. All of the Floryi varieties can quickly make spectacular mass plantings, and because the bulbs form both seed and rapidly form new offsets bulbs, it’s possible to have a large number of bulbs in just 4-5 years. It is a good seed setter and quickly forms new offset bulbs, which is typical of most Floryi varieties. We have recorded blooms from May through September here in northeast Florida, zone 9. We are offering this for the first time on eBay in 2017. Rain lilies bloom about 4 days after a rain. Blooms are stimulated by the nitrogen, which is created by lightning, and picked up in the raindrops. In 2014 we started a small hybridization effort which by early 2017 has produced seeds from over 150 successful crosses and about an equal number of failures. Some seedlings did not survive, but we still have over 100 crosses growing and many of the seedlings from the same cross are exhibiting different markings and characteristics because each seed is unique genetically. We plan to continue this in the hope of introducing some of our own hybrids in a few more years. Currently we grow about 400 different rain lilies, including 261 zephyranthes, 31 habranthus and 3 zephbranthus (cross of zephyranthes and habranthus), and our new hybrids. We are actively seeking new species or hybrids to purchase or trade to increase our collection and can provide a list of our collection upon request. Our listings have free shipping. The two leading nurseries that sell rain lilies charge from $17 to $23 just for shipping one selection in addition to the cost of the plant. BACKGROUND: Habranthus ‘Floryi PInky’ is a cross of H. brachyrandrus x H. robustus. Brachyandrus has extra large elongated trumpets and very large bulbs, traits both passed to ‘Pinky’. This particular cross has produced many different variations including Floryi ‘Green Base’ (base of the flower is green, like Pinky), ‘Purple Base’ and ‘Cherry Pink’ all of which we grow and sell (see our listings). The primary difference between Zephyranthes and Habranthus is that the Habranthus bloom is at an angle to the stem and the Zephyranthes bloom, more or less, points straight up from the stem. GROWING CONDITIONS: Rain lily bulbs generally will grow in a wide variety of soils and will do fine in any garden setting with an average amount of water. A few varieties require much more water. They thrive in rich soil with ample water and full sun. We grow all of ours in the hot Florida sun, but generally they will do better with a bit of shade during the hottest part of the day. Plants require less care if planted in the ground, but rain lilies, especially, make excellent container plants. Most varieties form seeds and a few do not form offset bulbs reproducing only from seed. Growing them in pots helps in keeping the seeds out of adjacent plants. Most rain lilies will do better if they are pot-bound or growing in crowded conditions. If left alone, they will form dense clumps. Most rain lilies require 2-3 years to reach a blooming size from seed. A few, like Z. minima, can bloom in 1 year and others can take 4 or more years. They are usually evergreen in frost-free climates and many varieties keep their leaves even during sub-freezing temperatures. Here in the colder part of zone 9 with temperatures rarely below the 20’s, they keep their foliage. It is not uncommon for some varieties to lose all of their leaves in very dry weather and a few have a dormant period where the leaves disappear for 2-3 months. They are easy to grow in pots in any climate but they must be protected from freezing temperatures. If they are stored over the winter, the pots can be allowed to dry somewhat but should not go completely dry. Do not remove the bulbs from the pots or ground more than a few weeks, however, as rain lily bulbs do not store well when they are dry out of the soil. Otherwise they are very vigorous and tolerant of more dry conditions too when planted in the ground and will do fine in zone 7b-10. PHOTOS/ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: These are pictures of our plants, so you know exactly what they look like and what you will receive. The photos show the plant in various stages of growth. Please feel free to contact us for additional information, and click on “Me” following our star rating. Also, we invite you to go to our store (little red or blue door) and look at other items we have for sale.

Rain Lily, Habranthus Floryi Pinky, 2 bulbs, NEW, RARE, zephyranthes Read More »

Rain Lily, Habranthus Floryi Cherry Pink, 3 bulbs, NEW, RARE, zephyranthes

DESCRIPTION OF ITEM FOR BID: You are bidding on 3 bulbs in mixed sizes, not necessarily a blooming size. Regardless of size, it usually takes only a year or two to reach a blooming size. They will be shipped bare root and should be planted right away. DESCRIPTION: Habranthus Floryi Cherry Pink (appears to be a Floryi hybrid – H. brachyandrus x H. robustus. As of the time of this listing, to the best of our knowledge, we are one of only a few distributors of this bulb in the world. It opens with a pink blush on the outer half of the petals with a large white center and a dark magenta eye (purple base). The flowers are very large, elongated trumpets 3 1/2 ” in diameter, over 3″ long, 12-14″ tall and form bulbs up to 1 1/2″ in diameter. The bulbs multiply very fast like many habranthus varieties and can quickly make spectacular mass plantings, because they form both seeds and new offsets bulbs. It’s possible to have a large number of bulbs in just 4-5 years. We have recorded blooms from May through September here in northeast Florida, zone 9. Rain lilies bloom about 4 days after a rain. Blooms are stimulated by the nitrogen, which is created by lightning, and picked up in the raindrops. In 2014 we started a small hybridization effort which by early 2017 has produced seeds from over 150 successful crosses and about an equal number of failures. Some seedlings did not survive, but we still have over 100 crosses growing and many of the seedlings from the same cross are exhibiting different markings and characteristics because each seed is unique genetically. We plan to continue this in the hope of introducing some of our own hybrids in a few more years. Currently we grow about 400 different rain lilies, including 261 zephyranthes, 31 habranthus and 3 zephbranthus (cross of zephyranthes and habranthus), and our new hybrids. We are actively seeking new species or hybrids to purchase or trade to increase our collection and can provide a list of our collection upon request. Our listings have free shipping. The two leading nurseries that sell rain lilies charge from $17 to $23 just for shipping one selection in addition to the cost of the plant. BACKGROUND: Habranthus ‘Floryi Cherry Pink’ came to us in 2003 as H. Cherry Pink, so we kept the name, however, we think it is essentially the same as H. Floryi Purple Base (see our listing). It was sold on eBay by Buried Treasures, which is now out of business. The primary difference between Zephyranthes and Habranthus is that the Habranthus bloom is at an angle to the stem and the Zephyranthes bloom, more or less, points straight up from the stem. GROWING CONDITIONS: Rain lily bulbs generally will grow in a wide variety of soils and will do fine in any garden setting with an average amount of water. A few varieties require much more water. They thrive in rich soil with ample water and full sun. We grow all of ours in the hot Florida sun, but generally they will do better with a bit of shade during the hottest part of the day. Plants require less care if planted in the ground, but rain lilies, especially, make excellent container plants. Most varieties form seeds and a few do not form offset bulbs reproducing only from seed. Growing them in pots helps in keeping the seeds out of adjacent plants. Most rain lilies will do better if they are pot-bound or growing in crowded conditions. If left alone, they will form dense clumps. Most rain lilies require 2-3 years to reach a blooming size from seed. A few, like Z. minima, can bloom in 1 year and others can take 4 or more years. They are usually evergreen in frost-free climates and many varieties keep their leaves even during sub-freezing temperatures. Here in the colder part of zone 9 with temperatures rarely below the 20’s, they keep their foliage. It is not uncommon for some varieties to lose all of their leaves in very dry weather and a few have a dormant period where the leaves disappear for 2-3 months. They are easy to grow in pots in any climate but they must be protected from freezing temperatures. If they are stored over the winter, the pots can be allowed to dry somewhat but should not go completely dry. Do not remove the bulbs from the pots or ground more than a few weeks, however, as rain lily bulbs do not store well when they are dry out of the soil. Otherwise they are very vigorous and tolerant of more dry conditions too when planted in the ground and will do fine in zone 7b-10. PHOTOS/ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: These are pictures of our plants, so you know exactly what they look like and what you will receive. The photos show the plant in various stages of growth. Please feel free to contact us for additional information, and click on “Me” following our star rating. Also, we invite you to go to our store (little red or blue door) and look at other items we have for sale.

Rain Lily, Habranthus Floryi Cherry Pink, 3 bulbs, NEW, RARE, zephyranthes Read More »

Shopping Cart