South African Bulbs in the Conservatory
February 28, 2021Snow blankets the gardens and the wind whistles through bare branches—though both show signs of relenting and letting us feel the approach of spring. Inside the Marco Polo Stufano Conservatory, plants from all corners of the world are tucked in clay pots, snug under the warm sunlight.
For the next few weeks, an ever-rotating collection of South African flowering plants graces the Palm House, the central portion of the Conservatory. This small yet diverse selection of plants, started early in Wave Hill’s years as a public garden, represents only a fraction of South Africa’s vast plant diversity, which includes 20,000 plant species, 70% being endemic to the country.
This year, something special is happening in the collection. Two species, newly returned to our collection, have reached maturity and are expected to flower for the first time. Curated and cared for by Gardener Gelene Scarborough, Babiana rubrocyanea (baboon flower) and Scadoxus puniceus ‘Magnificus’ (royal paintbrush cv.) were added to the collection in 2018 as seeds and bulbs. Now, two years later, it is time to see her hard work paid off.
South African bulbs have very specific needs, so understanding their growth and dormancy cycles is imperative to the plant’s survival. In late summer 2018, B. rubrocyanea seed and S. puniceus ‘Magnificus’ bulbs were planted. From September to April, a strict watering schedule helps the roots develop and encourages foliage growth.
South African bulbs have very specific needs, so understanding their growth and dormancy cycles is imperative to the plant’s survival. In late summer 2018, B. rubrocyanea seed and S. puniceus ‘Magnificus’ bulbs were planted. From September to April, a strict watering schedule helps the roots develop and encourages foliage growth.
The effort that goes into growing South African plants serves as a good reminder that great horticultural feats require patience! The Conservatory, warm and colorful in winter, is always a worthwhile stop this season. By mid-March, when our hours return almost to normal, you can count on being able to see these blooms for yourself—weather permitting.
By Jess Brey, Wave Hill's Ruth Rea Howell Senior Horticultural Interpreter.
