Awsome! Now I need one of these too......
Merry Christmas
Mike

Donna,

H. cybister is a beautiful species and it's wonderful you've finally experienced it first hand :)

Thanks Mike, It is certainly unique and we can't take our eyes off of it! Get one if you can...and there is only one scape..I've seen pictures of 2 scapes out at the same time and WOW!

Josh, If I were to self it (which I don't think I intend to do) would I end up with Little Chicos since it is a species or would they differ a bit? I have an Evergreen just opening now, I will most likely give that cross a try..and a supposed Lima about to open..not sure yet but it is going to be a cybister anyway. Half & Half is due to open shortly, it's small and so far it looks like a cybister type also..has yours opened yet?

Donna,

If you self a species you should get the same plant, H. cybister is indeed a selection of the species and it would be the same as selfing H. papilio.

Donna congratulations to that beauty!

Wow, is that pretty and interesting! Cool!

Carol

Thanks Everyone..Chico is still looking good and has a drop of nectar on each flower that has dripped halfway down the filiments and then hardened! When the sun hits it,(which I try not to do when in bloom) it looks like 4 tear drops!!
Here is another picture...

{{gwi:450484}}

She really looks like a graceful dancer..should have had a better name...

{{gwi:450485}}

Haha, Donna, you're seeing the femininity in 'Chico' where I guess the others saw masculinity hence the name 'Chico'. I do see what you see tho, quite a beauty!

H. cybister is something you must see in person to really get the full effect, it's really graceful with the backswept tepals and nectar. It truly is a spectacle amongst the Hippeastrum species!

I definitely need to get a Chico next year! *swoon* You've gotta love the species plants!

Donna, your Chico pictures are impressive! Nice job. My Chicos didn't bloom last year but I'm hoping for better luck this spring. Have you found that you need to keep them dry to rebloom?

Alana

Hi Alana,

This is a brand new bulb and it put up it's first scape with no trouble at all..must have been well primed at the factory.;-) Now the trouble will begin..I've read that they should be kept on the dry side..will do so and hope for some leaves! I had good luck with Sumatra last year and Bogota also..both are large solid bulbs and Sumatra has just started to poke out a bud so, I'll just do the same with Chico and Evergreen and hope for the best!!

Donna

Alana,

Hippeastrum cybister has a natural dormancy period in nature, it's important that it is given this period or it will probably keep it from blooming and could eventually lead to the plant shrinking. I would suggest letting it sleep once the leaves start to yellow, I water mine from the bottom about once a month to keep the roots from desiccating as the roots are much more fleshy than other Hippeastrum.

While it isn't really important for the hybrids to be given a dormancy period the species are different. Not all species have dormancy periods but most do and those that do don't usually seem to do well if they aren't given that period to rest. H. cybister has a longer rest period and usually only grows for maybe six months in nature, this length or dormancy isn't necessary in cultivation as they do well and bloom with only 8 weeks and possible 6.

H. cybister receives a small amount of rain, it grows in areas along with native cacti and deciduous shrubs. It is never found in really shady areas and it does well from heavy feedings.

Josh

Thanks for the great information about cybisters, Josh. Though I have mine in fairly course mix (about 1/3 each of potting soil, coco croutons and perlite), I may want to choose something that retains less moisture for next year's growing cycle. In the meantime, I'll be cautious about how often I water my cybisters!

Tina

Hi guys,

Part of my post makes it seem I only water once a month from the bottom but this ONLY applies during dormancy. During the growing season I was much more frequently.

Hippeastrum cybister 'Chico' I suspect is a cross between two plants that are from different localities. I think this gives 'Chico' a large advantage as it creates a stronger and more diverse plant that can handle incorrect growing habits.

Josh

Ooooh... Easy to Grow Bulbs has Chico on sale for only $8 (or even less in groups of 3 or more)! I thought I was done buying bulbs this year, but I may need to purchase a trio of Chicos!

Yep, I did it... I purchased a trio of Chicos for only $7.20 each! The sale ends today, if anyone is interested. Of course, while I was there, I had to buy others too. http://www.easytogrowbulbs.com/

I'm regretting that I picked up another Benfica (which I already have) instead of buying an Apple Blossom. I bought a bulb labeled as an Apple Blossom, but the flowers are VERY red. That bulb was in a notoriously mislabeled gift kit.

Donna,

So what pollination attempts did you make?

Well, I removed all the pollen for possible future use and in the process (I wasn't trying to be careful) I selfed all 4 flowers. I didn't really have anything other than Evergreen as a recipient but I didn't bother. I did however, dab some Chico on Evergreen. I have lots of Chico's pollen for future use..I have a Sumatra and a Bogota poking up a bud and I have a Nr0016 that is still in full swing with its leaves..huge hard rock solid bulbs..all of them. I hope I get a few seeds..as last year I selfed Sumatra and ended up with (would you believe) "one" seedling that grew on!!

I haven't nary a one papilio even thinking about sending up a scape..last year I had more than I needed and this year nothing (yet)but no matter, I am growing on several crosses from the last two years..this year I will go in a different direction.

I have a White Christmas just opening and I am going to douse all flowers of it with my Maguire's pollens. If any of them are virused it won't matter, I can always replace a White Christmas. I am especially interested in Tammy Tucker which was a gorgeous speckled raspberry pink with a strong picotee..maybe mixed with a white it wouldn't over power the pink and speckles..we'll see. I also want to use Grantly which was another gorgeous raspberry pink highly saturated flower ( the flower itself was very stressed, but the color was great)! Hopefully, if I'm successful I'll have some pinks to send to Carol..and anyone else who might be interested. I'm going to sacrifice the whole bulb of White Christmas (should be 8 flowers) and I should end up with something don't you think? Should be plenty of extras and if nobody wants them, they'll go to S Africa via Maria..
By the way, I have a Cappuccino/Mocca on its way...

Donna

Donna, but will you have room for all these seedlings?!!! I'm completely out of room with mine and have started moving the older seedlings out to the garden.

Nooo, Not much more room at the Inn...most older seedlings will go out in the yard for the summer where nature weeds out the weaker ones (hopefully) and those that I'm left with.. when they bloom.. I'll only keep the ones that I really like. I'm really impressed with the way they grow in the ground! And, I'm trying to not grow on any more than 10 of any cross, (unless of course it's papilio x something or other)...Looks like my big plans for Maguire's pinks on Christmas Gift are about to go down the drain..it appears that Christmas Gift is not! Can't tell what it is yet, but it isn't looking like a nice big white...!