Congrats

Hi Beatrice and Anja,

They look very healthy and plump and even better after the clean up. Please post pictures when they bloom :-)))

Fred

Hi all , Anja I didn't ordered Fledermaus so I wait for your photos !! yes Fred they are healthy bulbs , I am happy with them .

We just got home and mine were sitting on the steps too!!! They look just like yours, absolutely huge; 2 Jungle Stars, 1 Party (mine didn't do well from before) and I just had to try a Double Circus. I've never seen such huge bulbs!! One Jungle Star has the start of a scape the other a few leaves and the other two just big and fat!! Offsets on a few of them.

After I clean them up I'll add a picture too!!

Earlier, I got two nice bulbs (but nowhere near as large) from ETGB, a replacement Bogota and hopefully, an Exotica (last year it was Terra Cotta Star masquerading as Exotica).

I've got a cockeyed bloom barely out of the bulb on Exotic Star opening, I don't know why they do that!! And, I have a scape on Terra Mystica growing normally.

After taking an inventory, I realized that all I had was a pot of Limas, my Tango/La Paz was gone so I ordered one from ETGB and which ever one it turns out to be will be fine. And...not wanting to order just one bulb, I threw in a Glee (which I do have already but it's such a pretty flower.....)!!

Donna

Oh ooh.... I just started peeling and the first Jungle Star was perfect but the second one is half rotten, I think that somewhere along the journey it froze because I could feel that it felt like an ice cube while the others didn't. I have already peeled about 4 fleshy layers off and I still haven't come to clean flesh also, the basal plate is 3/4 gone with rot about 5/8" into the bulb. This will most likely bloom for me but die after. This is the same condition my Cirque du Soleil arrived in, and after it bloomed half heartedly, it died. I'm so glad I ordered 2 of these, I think I had a premonition!!

Party has a gash in it about 3 layer deep but I think it will heal as it won't be under the soil and will be able to dry out. Sometimes you win and sometimes you don't.

I'll email these pictures to Paul and Daphne and hope that they will at least give me a

credit next year for one bulb.

Oh Donna, that looks really bad! I'm glad your other bulbs seems to be ok! I will clean up mine tomorrow. Did anybody else order Caramel? There was something that took my attention so I had to get one although the pictures were not very good...

Anja

I don’t think that is frost damage Donna. Looks more like basal plate and scale rot.

Hi Donna,

I've gotten bulbs like this before and I just sliced off the damaged part of the basal plate until I can see undamaged tissue, then apply some rooting powder and let it dry for a few days. The only thing I do is keep the soil kinda dryish until the roots start growing. Your Dunkin Donuts cups are perfect for this :-)))

Hi Everyone,

Well this is what's left and as I peeled off two more layers this morning, I don't really dare to go any further. I scraped out what was the consistency of cork, dry with no odor to speak of so I think I will leave it at that. I'm hopeful that I will get a scape and we'll see what's left of it after it blooms.

is any root growth.

That piece of basal plate that is left has nothing underneath it so who knows!!

Donna

I wish you all the luck and keep us posted.

I hope RC will give you a credit Donna , poor bulb !! this is the reason why now I order several bulbs of the same variety , I don't need more than one , but when I have a bad surprise and when bulbs are no more available for years...

Yes, Béa, I just heard back from them as they will gladly give me credit for another bulb next year. Lucking, I still have the one Jungle Star and I suspect this batch is a different clone from others that we have seen in the past. We'll know soon.....☺☺

Well, it's a good thing for the commercial service. Do you think this Jungle Star might be a different clone? it is true that their photos are neither very explicit nor very attractive, I ordered in the doubt not to miss out ...

Yes, Béa I suspect that this might be a different clone, at least from the variety that was available many years ago. I too am hoping that these are prettier than their pictures. I didn't want to miss out either so we will know soon, as my good one is jobbing out with a nice firm scape and fat bud! Maybe one of yours will bloom sooner!! We all need a little excitement in our lives don't we!! ;-))

Hello everyone!

Oh dear Donna, what a shame you had to peel off so many layers, I hope it will root soon and I'm sure you'll get it to grow nicely

My bulbs finally arrived yesterday, only one problem.. one bulb was missing.. :( everything else seems to be fine, but I was so looking forward to Party.. I sent them an email yesterday, I guess I won't be hearing back before monday. Has this ever happened to any of you?? I'm hoping I'll still get my bulb, I checked the order three times in case it was my mistake, but it clearly says one party. Anyways lets see what they say on Monday.

Have a nice weekend everyone!

Sabrina,

Well, that's a shame! Depending on where you are located maybe they will send you another one as they still have them listed as available. My shipping was a whopping $30 for my 4 bulbs so they're not going to replace mine this year unless I ordered more but are giving me a credit for next year, I'd rather have the bulb now of course but a credit is better than not. What others did you order? I did get a huge Party and although it has a small harvesting gash it didn't really go very deep and I know the bulb will be OK as the gash is way above the soil line.

Good luck blooming the rest of your order and please post pictures when they bloom!!

Donna

Yes, Donna, we do need a little exitement and lots of flowers in our liifes! I'm sitting here with six freshly planted bulbs and no sign of a scape yet! My Jungle Star is huge but it seems that it has already bloomed. There is the rest of a scape and I just hope that there will be at least one more. I ordered only one of each variety, I don't have the room to grow two. It looks as if I will see pictures of your blooms first.

Good luck for all of you and your new bulbs! I hope they will send you a Party, Sabrina. It is such a great variety and RC seems to be the only company this year that is offering Party, at least in Europe. Hopefully they keep growing it!

Anja

So Anja, you think your Jungle Star may have already bloomed? Is the bulb punky as it gets after it has sent up a scape or two? I hope that it hasn't, that would be too disappointing; both of mine were very firm, even the sick one! I can't wait to see what they look like!! I've got a Bogota and a La Paz from EasytoGrowBulbs each sending up a nice stalk too.

Well, this is the extent of my bulb excitement so far this fall, one lovely flower on a short 4" stem of Exotic Star!!

But she is staring me in the eye as I sit on the computer and I've been enjoying her for several days now....I almost think I saw her wink at me!!☺☺

Donna

Well Donna,, there is this rest of a scape, the part that is outside is already dry but the part inside the bulb still fresh and green. I don't know what else it could be than the rest of a flower stem. I'll post a picture tomorrow.

Thank you for that brave Exotic Star bloom! I hope you winked back to her:-))

I planted my first Exotic Star more than two weeks ago but it is just sitting there. Even Aulicum is taking its time which is good on one hand because I'm still waiting for the Papilio pollen to arrive. On the other hand I'm longing to see a Hippie bloom!!! I don't feel very patient these days...

Anja

Well Anja, When I saw her wink, I knew what she wanted! She then got a couple of dabs of Green & Saturn's pollen!! ;-)) We'll see, for me Exotic Star has always been a better pollen parent than a seed parent but it's not impossible.

Some Exotic Stars have more pink coloration, this is one that isn't as pink but beggars can't be choosers.

There are several different types of aulicum do you know which you have? I don't think it matters though any variety should love papilio's pollen. Have you ever seen the amazingly gorgeous flowers that come from the pairing of these two?? Google it, you will be amazed. In fact Pavel a year or so ago posted a

picture of his aulicum x papilio on this forum, see if you can find it, it will stop you in your tracks!!!

Donna☺☺

This certainly will be an interesting cross, Donna! Fingers crossed... I spotted just the tip of a bud today on my Exotic Star, season is beginning :-))

I don't know which type of aulicum I have but I will post pictures, maybe you can tell then. They are almost open, I'm getting exited... As soon as they're open I will bring the bulb to a cooler room to keep it in bloom for a longer time to wait for the pollen.

I was looking for Pavels picture but I couldn't find it. Just found pictures from Kristie and HoustonPat, I think. And they are gorgeous too!

Anja

Best of luck with your aulicum Anja ;) some day, maybe I'll get one too

I'll keep you guys posted what they say

edit: Donna! I completely forgot to tell you what else I ordered! I got 2 papilios, 3 gervase (1 is for my mom) 1 sofia, 2 amore(one for gandma) and 1 tres chic, well and one party that never came... and I payed 37,50€ for shipping.. I really hope I still get my bulb, next season it wil depend on their shipping rates if I order again or not, this was kinda ridiculous shipping..

I promised to post a picture of my Jungle Star with that rest of a scape. The bulb is still huge, so I'm hopeful.

These are all the new bulbs I've planted so far. Jungle Star is on the left, Caramel right next to it. On the very right you can see aulicum...

Hi Anja,

They look absolutely wonderful :-))) especially your aulicum. I can't wait to see the blossoms open :-)))

Sabrini, you picked some lovely choices and soon I hope your home is full of lovely blooms. Really sorry about your Party though....

Well Anja, that is disappointing, it looks like that bloomed a while ago but the good thing is that that bulb is so fat (appears to be the fattest in your window) that I'm sure there will be at least one more scape, maybe two, there'd better be!! ☺

Yes Donna, you are right, I hope that too. They say on their website that the bulbs are guaranteed to produce two flower stems. Last year I got two bulbs from them that sent out only one and I didn't complain...

Those are some huge bulbs! I️ wish mine would speed things along and fatten up! Donna it looks like that little offset might make it on the bulb that rotted if the mother doesn’t.

Everado, Yes, there actually was another offset that was about 2 inches long that broke off when I was peeling the bulb and that one I stuck on some warm, moiar perlite and it is already sending up a leaf and appears to have rooted already, I can't pull it up!! I think today, I'll pull the other smaller offset that's still on the bulb off and do the same with it!

It's strange that these bulbs are so fat that the cybister shape is lost and they appear to look just any other fat bulb but after peeling off about 7 layers the cybister shape that we all know and love returnes! You can see it in that last picture I posted seven layers later! I also bought a new La Paz/Tango from ETGBs and that too was a fattie with no cybister shape although it wasn't as huge as these RC bulbs.

Anja, I can't wait to see your aulicum!!

Heard back from RC yesterday afternoon, it seems they forgot to include my party.. :( they offered to either refund me or give me credit on my next order, I guess I'll go for the refund

On a happier note, 10 or so days ago I went to my local garden center to get pots and earth for the new arrivals and couldn't resist buying a bulb with a bud, the label says hot pink although I'm thinking it's probably mislabeled (not unusual for this place) but hey, for 4,95€ I won't complain. I think in 2-3 days it will be open, and from what I can see it will be a light pink

Ely,

Great looking bulbs!! It appears that you've got a lot of enjoyment coming your way in the next few months, look at all those bulbs!! We can't wait to see your pictures!!

My first good Jungle Star has grown a large beautiful scape with a bud that is currently 4.5 inches long.

and the sick one, after peeling off seven layers. has turned green and I just trimmed what was left of that carved out basal plate until I came to solid flesh. It is currently sitting in a cup of moist perlite, hoping it will decide it wants to live and set roots. In this picture the leaves look like a bud but it's not, there are no sign of any buds yet.

The one "tiny" offset that broke off when peeling has rooted and sent up a 7 inch leaf already, the second offset that I pulled off this injured bulb died.

Donna

Donna, are these tiny roots coming out of that basal plate? And is this Terra Mystica flowering in the background? Can we see a closer picture?

My bulb is just sitting there but its offsets are growing leaves already...

Ely, yes please post pictures of all that flowers...

Anja, no those are just bits of perlite, I just set the bulb in the cup yesterday.

Here is Terra Mystica. Just 3 flowers but the first two lasted until the third one opened, last year they didn't last as well probably no roots syndrome.

Here is the little Jungle Star offset that rooted immediately in perlite, I just potted it up this morning.

Donna, I wish you much luck with Jungle Star and you Terra Mystica is beautiful.

Donna I love Terra Mystica ! I don't grow her

Donna, your Terra Mystica is very lovely! Don't you think it looks different than last year? I remember that yours was a little different from all the others but I don't remember it having so much white.

Béatrice, mine has a very small offset so maybe you can grow it someday in the future :-)

Anja, this was taken early Jan of this year and you're correct!! The color of this first blooming appears to be more intense with less white. The one currently blooming has been in my sunny rather hot bay window as soon as I spotted the bud while the other was blooming soon after arriving with most like a cold period of rest before blooming!

The only other place I saw this for sale this year was WFF I think....

Donna

Oh, I hope mine will bloom this season too! It is currently having a rest in my cool bathroom window and decided to go dormant, only the offset kept its leave. As soon as I have room on my warm windowsill (after all the new bulbs finished flowering) I will bring it there :-)