Urceolina

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A small genus of summer growing members of the Amaryllidaceae from South America.

These are readily grown in a loam based compost under glass and although they are not hardy, they will succeed in the UK under cold glass as long as they are planted late in spring once severe frosts have passed. They can then be grown on over summer but lifted and dried in autumn. Winter storage can then be frost-free. My pet name for this is the 'potato cycle' as they are grown in the same way.

According to species the flowers are bright yellow or deep red-orange.

Urceolina urceolata

(pendula).

This grows from small, slightly elongated bulbs (dormant from about October to about March). After this growth starts with blue-green, elliptic leaves some 10cm wide, these are present at flowering.

The flowers are yellow, with green tips to the segments and are borne on 30cm stems in spring. Each tubular bloom is 1.5 cm wide and up to 8 cm long.

We find that this likes a loam-based soil with good drainage but plenty of water when in growth. In winter it should be stored dry and frost-free as this is not a hardy plant in the UK. It's natural home is Peru, though this stock is an old van Tubergen stock and has been in cultivation for over 50 years, perhaps even longer.


Urceolina urceolataurcurcurc	£17.50