Serapias lingua

Tanis · Posted: Wed Jul 30, 2008 9:01 pm Post subject: Serapias lingua

I know there is a topic on Serapias from last year (and I have read that and anything else I can find Laughing

) as I finaly got my long awaited tubers today.

I have already planted them in a pot and left them in a shady spot for the night.
Some of the tubers are sprouting already Smile

so I have some hopes of a bit of a show this year.
Do they really increase that quickly? And has anyone tried free planting? (can they be naturalised?)
If they do multiply that quickly I might try some in my sheltered loggery in a couple of years and see what happens.

Cat

Rob-Rah · Posted: Wed Jul 30, 2008 9:25 pm Post subject:

I wouldn't rely on them outdoors, even in Essex: they are a properly Mediterranean plant, wanting sunny and frost-free winters for best growth. I don't know their frost-tolerance as such: for a large colony naturalised somewhere good drainage will help - a sink garden would be a place to start perhaps.....

They do multiply quickly - the shooting tubers probably won't show above soil for another c.6-8 weeks yet, and they won't be flowering until winter normally. So don't be in too much of a hurry to water them much yet.

Tanis · Posted: Wed Jul 30, 2008 11:22 pm Post subject:

Thanks Rob,

From what I have read they will go down to 15f, (thats about -9c) )but I don't want to try that yet, not untill I have a couple extra to 'spare' Smile

I only got 14 Very Happy

The mix I used was very slightly damp, but I havn't given them any extra, it was originally recomended as full shade, but I will move them up to a semi-shaded spot if the weather holds, if not I will put them in my cold frame for the evening sun (south facing gardens can be a pain) Wink

Craig · Posted: Thu Jul 31, 2008 7:36 am Post subject:

I grew my S.lingua outside last season with only the protection of a sheet of polythene on the coldest nights. They were potted and plunged in a sand box. I'm in South London so it's a real heat island affected winter but the plants still had to cope with -4c at least, and on a couple of nights the leaves were completely frozen.~It was horrible to see but they thawed went on to flower beautifully and incresed from 36 tubers to just under 90! (BTW if anyone is interested in growing these you shoul pm me) Oh, one other thing the plants were in as close to full sun as I could give them all the way through the growing season..In the wild they can be found in full sun to mid shade. As with a lot of terrestrials found in full sun they may benefit from a bit of very light shade as the sun gets stronger in the spring , as the leaves would naturally recieve a little from neighbouring vegetation at that time.

Good luck with them!

Tanis · Posted: Thu Jul 31, 2008 8:57 am Post subject:

I am now so looking forward to seeing these plants flower Smile

I did have to put them under cover for today as we are getting a lot of rain in my area, I will bring them out into the sun (when and if we get it back Laughing

)

I don't think I'm going to risk loosing them to frost this year, so I'll play it safe for now and use the cold frame when needed Wink

Thanks for the tips they have been a big help

Cat

cricketerry · Posted: Thu Jul 31, 2008 9:06 am Post subject:

Tanis I tried my first serapias lingua last year. I had about 9 tubers and planted them in two pots of John Innes with added grit for better drainage.

They were left in the unheated part of the greenhouse over winter and started to show good strong growth above ground in the Spring. I moved them into a cold frame when frosts were over and they died Crying or Very sad

Not sure why Wink

Tanis · Posted: Thu Jul 31, 2008 9:24 am Post subject:

Earthsong · Posted: Thu Jul 31, 2008 2:25 pm Post subject:

Tanis · Posted: Thu Jul 31, 2008 3:05 pm Post subject:

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