A. griffithii v.pradhan

[Adam Fikso]

Thanks Pascal.  I certainly did not know that they were barely moist at the
time they started to emerge from the ground.  But that is about how the soil
is at the moment.. , some moisture from gentle rains, earlier moisture from
snowmelt, but we did not have a lot of snow this winter.  Today, I also
noticed a thunbergii v. urashima coming up also, about 2.5 " out of the
ground  (5 cm.).

I think that your information will be helpful because the soil is quite
dense, and I should probably be more careful of the moisture content ,
because there's little aeration through it, I suspect.


When you say 2800-3200--I gather that you mean meters, not feet.  Even
though I understand metrics, in the U.S.  we tend not to use it except in
scientific settings, and not always, even then, aa-a-and we think in inches
and feet unless we have shifted (in our heads) to the other system.   Minus
10 C is still +14 F and from my narrow point of view well above the zero and
below zero  (F) temperatures we are accustomed to in the Chicago area.
You're right, however about the moisture issues, and Kniphofia which can
tolerate zero (F) temps if relatively dry will rot out if much wetter.

This winter was mild (for us) only aout 2 days and nights at zero (F) and
Scilla peruviana came through in good health planted about 20 " from the
foundation of the house along with Crinum "Super Ellen"

You make a good point and I'm glad for the information.    They really do
want the water AFTER  blooming?.... Just the opposite of some of the irises
I grow.  Thanks, Pascal.  Regards, Adam Fikso in  Glenview, IL.  Z 5a



----- Original Message -----
From: <pbruggeman at TISCALI.NL>
To: <ARISAEMA-L at NIC.SURFNET.NL>
Sent: Tuesday, April 26, 2005 8:10 PM
Subject: Betr: A. griffithii v.pradhan


Dear Adam,

Maybe I will achieve the opposite effect of what I intend but it might be
helpful to tell something about the natural habitat of grifiithii. Arisaema
griffithii generally occurs between 2800 to 3200 in the Himalayas (except
for the "hookerianum"-form which grows at 2200-2400 but is not in
cultivation)
in the company of plants that should generally be able to survive -10C for
long periods so I do not think frost is the problem, in that respect it is
hardy. The problem is more likely the moisture level of the soil. I have
studied thousands of griffithii during flowering time and the most striking
thing about all habitats it occurs at is that the soil during flowering is
just moist and very much on the dry side. They can take a lot of moisture
but only after the flowering when the monsoon begins in their natural
habitat,
NOT during dormancy. Although generalisations regarding cultivation are
often
tricky with widespread species like griffithii that occupy varying habitats
(some griffithii grow very exposed in full sun, others in deep shade of
bamboo
forests), most of the clones currently in cultivation should be protected
from winterwet. WIth the increasingly wet winters in the West this is a
measure
that must be taken with more species that should be "hardy enough" but
nevertheless
still die.

As for A. griffithii pradhanii, most (if not all!) plants in cultivation
under that name are just "broader than usual" variants of plain griffithii.
Griffithii is a much more variable than the clones currently in cultivation
suggest (although several new clones will be introduced in the next few
years
under cultivar names by an Indian nursery) and the griffithii pradhanii in
cultivation comes from certain populations of griffithii that have broader
spathes than other populations. "True" griffithii pradhanii sometimes occurs
in populations of normal griffithii and is a completely different "beast".
Generally these plants are very big with spathes upto 28-30 cm broad and
might possibly be polyploid forms of griffithii. The type locality of
griffithii
pradhanii is under military control so the plants at this locality can't
be studied but I have been told this particular population is also a mixture
of normal griffithii's and specimens "on anabolic steroids"....... True
griffithii
padhanii is horticulturally different from most griffithii currently in
cultivation
but does not deserve a different taxonomic status, it's just a big form of
griffithii and I would much more prefer the use of a cultivar name for the
broad forms that are wrongly sold or "griffithii pradhanii".


Greetz,

Pascal


>-- Oorspronkelijk bericht --
>Date:         Mon, 25 Apr 2005 15:17:15 -0500
>Reply-To:     "Arisaema Enthusiast Group (AEG) Discussion List (and other
>hardy              Aroids)" <ARISAEMA-L at NIC.SURFNET.NL>
>From:         Adam Fikso <irisman at AMERITECH.NET>
>Subject: A. griffithii v.pradhan
>To:           ARISAEMA-L at NIC.SURFNET.NL
>
>
>Hello all. I was delighted to see--just now-- the emerging cataphyll sheath
>
>of A. griffithii, v. pradhan.  So, I can confirm that it is probably hardy
>
>in Zone 6.  I am in Zone 5a, but the winter was relatively mild, with only
>2
>nights of 0. F weather, during a two-week period of single digit weather
>
>where the range was from 0 to 13F.  The tuber was planted about 8" deep
in
>a
>clayey loam that has had occasional fertilization during the last  3
>years.)
>
>The bottom of the hole was  amended with  a handful of gypsum and pea
>gravel
>
>in the bottom, dug in for about another inch or two.
>
>There was a recent question about  A.griffithii's hardiness, so this should
>
>be useful information.  The tuber was planted about 4.5 feet from the
>concrete block foundation of my house on the east side, where it is warmed
>
>by morning sun.  Radiant ground heat from the basement and the house
>foundation is regarded as too far away to have made  much more than a
>minimum difference.   In this area, the frost line is regarded as at least
>4
>feet below ground, for the location of water pipes, etc..
>
>The height of it is about 4" which suggests that it came up with the
>sikokianum, the SikoTak, and a day or two before the earliest triphyllum
>I
>have--unless, of course,it grew 4" overnight.  Of course this raises the
>
>question as to whether there is much data on the growth rates of these
>things.  Please, Ray, Don't send me to the Archives, as I have not been
able
>
>to find anything there rapidly enough, even if it is there.  I'm willing
>to
>do my homework, but basically, I'm still a 3" x 5 card" man,  or maybe
>Hollerith cards, even..
>
>    Happy growing, Adam Fikso-- in Glenview, IL.



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