As you will see in the following photos, the H. (calyptratum x aulicum ‘Corupa’) seedling is very similar in appearance to ‘Fall Star.’ However, there are some characteristics that make it possible to differentiate the two. Specifically, unlike ‘Fall Star,’ the seedling does not have the unpleasant odor associated with H. calyptratum. The seedling also has markings in the throat of the flowers and the outer base of the tepals is speckled.

The H. (calyptratum x aulicum ‘Corupa’) seedling and this H. reticulatum hybrid, which I think is likely Mrs. Garfield, both had their maiden flowering at the same time this fall.

‘Orange Varie’ and ‘Santos’ also celebrated the arrival of autumn. ‘Santos’ usually flowers reliably for me in the spring. This year, as days grew shorter, one of the bulbs went a bit wonky and surprised me with a bounty of out of season (and much appreciated) blossoms. Of note is the fact that, although the number filaments was correct; two of one flower's stigmas were completely absent.

Ciao for now,

Blanca

Hi Blanca,

I absolutely love you aulicum hybrids and I think I would even put up with it's skunkiness :-)))) and your Mrs. Garfield is simply to die for. I thought I lost my Orange Varie last year and my heart sunk. When I purchased the (very expensive) bulb, it was nice and plump but things went down hill from there and all I had left was a tiny wisp of a bulb thanks to rot. I was able to rescue it by dusting some sulfa powder and letting it dry a bit and planting it in almost pure pumice. Now it's growing nicely and has put out new leaves :-))))))) Thank you for your beautiful pictures.

Blanca, thanks for taking the time to post all those lovely photos, we all appreciate seeing them I know!!

Your Orange Varie makes me a bit envious as to what might have been for me!! Also my Santos is only about half the size it originally was but it's alive at least.

Fred, the same thing happened to my Orange Varie! I had bought two of them and both were plump when they arrived but one rotted to its death and the other shrunk in size but is still alive. I really hate to take so many back steps with these bulbs but I guess a small Orange Varie is better than none!! Good luck to us both!

At least I did get to see my Santos bloom for two years before it went backwards but I can only admire Orange Varie through Blanca's pictures!!

Donna

Update!

Dear Fred and Donna,

First of all, thank you very much for the kind words.

I don’t know if these suggestions will help you to have more success with ‘Santos’ and ‘Orange Varie,’ under your growing conditions; but they may be worth a try.

I make a point of waiting until my H. reticulatum var. striatifolium bulbs, their primary hybrids (e.g., papilio x reticulatum var. striatifolium and neopardinum x reticulatum var. striatifolium), and all mid-striped leaf cultivars (e.g., ‘Mrs. Garfield’ and ‘Orange Varie’) are in active growth before watering. When I do water them, it is from a saucer placed beneath the pots. There is no way that I could possibly water all of my bulbs from below. However, these treasures are prone to rot, so I treat them with extra care.

When they are young and most vulnerable, the mid-striped leaf cultivars also seem to be mealybug magnets. These sap-suckers can be tiny and still cause serious damage; getting down into the necks of bulbs and causing disease. If I see any of these dreaded pests, I go after them with cotton swabs dipped in alcohol.

Even though our growing conditions are different, I hope that this info will be useful.

Best,

Blanca

Hi Frank,

Did you mean to post an update photo of your H. aulicum?

Thank you Blanca for your sage advice, I know you are correct! I will make a concerted effort to not overwater my striped leaf varieties!! Thanks for taking the time!

My striped leaf varieties (some seedlings also) are here and there so this weekend I will attempt to gather them together so they can all be thirsty together; perhaps they will like the company of family members!

Frank, you did it once, we know you can do it again!!

Donna

Blanca, I want to thank you too for posting your beautiful pictures! I really enjoyed looking at them since those are all varieties I donly can admire through your pictures. I love your Mrs. Garfield and it is so good to see a blooming Santos. I will never understand how they could destroy the whole propagation stock of this beauty!

Don't you think that the bad smell of Fall Star is a sign that it is a child of H. calyptratum?

It looks as if I have a seedpod on my H. aulicum. I dusted this flower with pollen of Amputo but it could also be a self. I made a wrong move when I was removing the stamens and there was defintely some pollen flying around.

Frank, please try again!

Anja

Yes, Anja. although I didn’t express it explicitly, I do think that H. calyptratum is a progenitor of ‘Fall Star.’

Blanca , sorry for answering so late , and thank you so much for takink time to post all those intructive pictures. I never saw a 'Fall Star' as well as you did.

I have never tasted any nectar !! Obviously now I have to do it to understand what it is !!

I really love your Calyptranum X aulicum 'Corupa' sedling , very refined with this speckled, and he also took the grace of calyptranum , really wonderfull obtention !!

also , I never had a calyptranum blooming , no Mrs Garfield , allways dreamed for a Orange Varie that I never get ....only have a medium Santos (but not doing bad).............so your pictures with plants so happy and healthy make me totaly dream, thank you :-)))

the vegetable background behind Santos makes really good in the photo, what is it? Crataegus ?

Hi Béatrice,

I am still in awe over the wondrous variation among your H. aulicum seedlings. Your photos inspired me to start more seeds; even though it isn’t the ideal time of year to do so.

You should definitely taste the nectar, but not from H. calyptratum or its relatives like ‘Fall Star.’ Cybisters produce quite a bit and it is very sweet.

And yes, good eyes! You correctly identified the Crataegus (common name Hawthorn) tree.

Béa and Anja, I’m happy that you enjoyed the photos. I understand about ‘Santos’ being out of production, but please clarify if Mrs. Garfield is unavailable in Europe, or if she just doesn’t do well in your growing conditions. Once your ‘Santos’ grows to a good size, Béa, it should flower regularly without problems. Anja, I hope that your H. aulicum was successfully pollinated by ‘Amputo.’ That cross should produce beautiful seedlings. I love the trumpets!

Hi Blanca, as far as I know we can get Mrs. Garfield only from Asia. There are some offerings on Ebay but you will never know what you really get and if it is virused or not, so I cannot say if I could grow it in my conditions. I think there are people in Germany that are growing it. I only have H. Silhouette (which is said to be H.reticulatum v.striatifolium). I got it last summer and haven't seen a flower yet but more offsets than I could count, so I have a big pot full of that beautiful leaves...

I love trumpets too! The seedpod is growing well and I too hope that it is x Amputo! Do you know if H. aulicum usually is self fertile?

Béatrice, H. aulicum produces lots of sweet nectar...

Back to topic! :-) i have an update!

Frank,

That looks beautiful!!! Please send pictures when the blooms open.

Nothing new, except the stalk is still growing! This year i need a lot of patience!

I think I'll ask Santa Claus for some of that too :-)))

aulicum is a real eyecatcher Fred. But keep them nearly epiphytic and in normal potting substrate. no coco. I have better success with normal substrate.

I think Fred was asking for patience, Frank :-) He sure has at least one bulblet of H. aulicum in his collection...

My bulb seems to be happy in my coco mix (Coco fibre, vermiculite, clay marbles).

I'm really curious to see your flower! Where did you get that bulb from?

Roundabout 20 years ago they sold bulbs of aulicum here in Germany like the hybrids now. I got mine as a bulblet from a old lady, sie did grow it for 20 years on her windowsill

Last year i had a little Problem with red blotch with this bulb, but it survived

something is going on!

I'm definitely asking for patience and I'll give Santa all the cookies he can eat for some of it :-)))

update

The anticipation builds before the reveal!

They seem to take forever when we really want to see their flowers!

Chinese lover cross Hippeastrum aulicumxnelsonii Flower picture from “开心鱼"

Soon, it seems, but not too soon! I've never met a bloom that didn't reward the patience and anticipation :)

I see some beautiful color coming...

Here we go!

Definitely a beauty worth waiting for, Frank!

Way to go Frank, love her!! Your patience has been rewarded!! Now, what are you going to pollinate her with, she usually will set good seed pods with the correct partner!

liuyq, thanks for posting that lovely aulicum x nelsonii! Something to try if the opportunity presents itself!!

Donna

Donna，thank you,If my aulicum flowers in the future,I will trying.aulicum x nelsonii hybrids It is so excellent, I like. This is another one aulicum HYB from "猫小七"。

fishing_dentist，Very beautiful，Do you know which individual it is？

There is a Papilio blooming in the next time and hopefully some others. In the moment i only have some old ambiance- pollen to put on her.

Ask for some papilio pollen, I'm sure someone over there must have some even it is from last year!! Aulicum and papilio make the most beautiful flowers!!!

And of course, save your aulicum pollen for you next papilio.. either way, the flowers will be gorgeous!!

There you go....... ;-))

Liuyq and Frank,

Congratulations on your exceptional blooms and thank you for sharing them :-))))

liuyq,

This one with the 4 flowers is simply precious!! I love them both and thank you for sharing them!!

Donna

Thanks a lot Agapanthe for the offers but my fresh bourght Papilio right in the moment opened! :-)

Good luck Frank! I love your aulicum!

Beautiful Frank! Obviously, the pairing of these two was meant to be, get busy playing bee!! It should work both ways!

Donna，Fred

Thanks，I like red edged green heart with the 4 flowers too。