Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Zephyranthes Candida x10


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When I moved from California, I had so many of these little plants I literally did not think I could care for them all.
I've had them since 1983.
Without fail, they bloom on my birthday in September.
Certainly, they bloom at other times as well, but it's a nice little surprise to always check and see the familiar tiny white bloom to greet me as I age yet another year.
Turns out, that worry that I couldn't care for them all was not for naught ....
Like so many other plants and trees, they did not survive last summer's drought.




This is the only one left.
I placed a post on Native Texas facebook page, hoping to identify them.
Those many years ago, back in 1983, when we bought two gallon containers from University Nursery on Sunnymead Blvd, the nursery employee assisting us told us they were mexican grass plants. I think we got them free because we were frequent customers, they were the last two he had left and we were also purchasing about $100.00 worth of plants that day. (1983 $100.00)

I've never found them anywhere else, never found anyone who has heard of them and until last summer, had never had them in danger. They multiplied and multiplied. I brought nearly a thousand, still leaving a good 500 behind.
(Sadly, a recent google picture search of my old property reveals that the new owners, or the second new owners, took them all out... gadzooks, also took out my kumquat, lemon, gardenias and most of the palm trees!)

Another FB fan of Native Texas plants identified them as a rain lily (Zephyranthes Candida). Turns out, as I tried to find a site to order some, there are many varieties of Zephyranthes. But I have 10 bulbs on the way.
10.
Can you imagine ... only 10.
We'll see how they do, if they're the correct variety.. and hopefully we can get them to flourish again!


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