No subject

[Arisaema Enthusiast Group (AEG) Discussion List (and other=]

hardy  Aroids)" <ARISAEMA-L at NIC.SURFNET.NL> Aroids)" <ARISAEMA-L at NIC.SURFNET.NL>
Sender: "Arisaema Enthusiast Group (AEG) Discussion List (and other=
From: Roy Herold <rrh at GENESIS.NRED.MA.US>
Subject: The Weed of South Africa
In-Reply-To: <20010316.095419.11127.0.GRSJr at juno.com>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed"

When traveling in China a few years back, we all agreed that Arisaema
consanguineum was the 'weed of Yunnan'. Now, after visiting South
Africa last November, I think I can safely declare that Zantedeschia
aethiopica is the weed of that country (at least in the Araceae
department). It was amazing how widespread it is, with vast drifts
extending across the fields, especially in moist areas. Not
unattractive, but definitely weedy. We did spot a couple growing in
the wild up in the Drakensberg, but guessed later that they must have
been escapees from cultivation.

This is not to say that people don't grow them in their gardens,
which they most certainly do, and grow them well. There were dozens
growing in the spectacular garden of my wife's aunt in Hilton, Natal.
Plain old aethiopica gets seven feet tall there-- don't ask how big
'Green Goddess' gets. Nice selections of albomaculata, rehmannii, and
elliottiana, too. I was able to collect seeds from 'Green Goddess'
and one she called 'Marshmallow', which is a big blush pink form of
aethiopica. Please drop me a private note if you're interested in
seeds-- if there are more than a couple of you, I'll send them
directly to Craig at the seedex.

I think my favorite zantedeschia of the trip was a spectacular golden
elliottiana growing in the remains of a garden at an old farmhouse.
The cattle had long ago stripped the garden of most every other
desirable plant (except for aloes). The lonely calla just glowed with
dozens of perfect flowers (okay, inflorescences) amid the tatters of
the less palatable species.

--Roy