I've had Sprekelia for probably at least a dozen years and grow them in containers overwintered in my basement dry. They have bloomed intermittently during this span. Some years they do, some years they don't. It seems letting them crowd in the same pot may be a positive factor in re-blooming. They're kind of temperamental, but when they do bloom, it's a glorious sight to behold!

Sprekelia formosissima is a gorgeous bulb plant originary from Mexico.

Many years ago I was presented 3 bulbs that bloomed non-stop in polluted Santiago city. They also produced side bulbs, which when grown I passed to friends.

When I moved to the countryside (now 5 1/2 years ago) I gave my favourite bulb (produced two opposite flowers on one stem!) to my neighbour and friend. This bulb has not only reproduced like mad, but has two or 3 blooming stems (always double) per season.

Although my bulbs have reproduced 3 or 4 times the originary amount, they bloom scarcely. Let's see what happens this year, since I separated the bulbs.

Quite a temperamental beauty!

JuneOntario said:I'm not known for my patience, but I hate to throw out a plant that's still growing. I picked up some shiny, black seeds when I was exploring the Roman ruins of Leptis Magna on a tour of Libya in 2005 and - ahem - forgot they were in my pocket until after returning home. I planted the seeds in pots, five germinated, I gave away two plants, I killed one of my three by overwatering, and the remaining two just made bigger and bigger bulbs. Finally, after TEN YEARS, one of the plants has bloomed. It's a Sea Daffodil (Pancratium) of some kind, I think.

Gosh, I lived in Libya for three years (a long, long time ago). I had no idea that you could still tour there in 2005. I loved Leptis Magna. I did find a small ancient Roman coin in the sea though -- just paddling on the shore to cool off a bit - and there it was ! Hadn't thought about that coin in years and am wondering where I put it.

That's pretty neat, I'd like to find an old Roman coin, or for that matter a golden Spanish doubloon!

mcash70 said:I waited 4 years for my daylily seedlings to bloom.

Me too, most of mine took 4 years, though a few bloomed at 3. And there were a few others that took 5 years.

In 2009 I bought 8 different brugmansia cuttings. That's 6 years ago. They've all gotten to be big trees. 2 of them have never bloomed for me, but both have buds now! I'll finally get to see if I was sent the right cuttings.

It took four years for bloodroot to bloom from seed.

I'm at 7 years for a tree peony. Healthy as can be, about 6' tall, but nary a bloom yet. I have about written it off as a foliage-only plant.

I've been waiting 3 years for my voodoo lily to bloom but nothing yet.

Waiting 20 years for a Pine tree to get pine cones I planted as a seedling, nothing yet.

We're a patient lot -- we gardeners. At a plant show last summer my girl-friend and I admired a plant that was about 15 years old -- and not for sale. However, we each bought a "baby" and jokingly said that we'll probably be pushing each other around in wheel chairs by the time our new plants got that big !

The reason I quit some years ago buying Orchid babies, I would like to see them bloom still in my life time!

Ursula, I probably have close to a dozen plants started from flask that are getting to blooming size. Several of them are in sheath/bud, including my C. Chocolate Drop 'Kodama' AM/AOS, Bc. Star Ruby 'Xanadu' AM/AOS, and Blc. Mystic Lady 'Lime Morning'. I have had these (seedlings) for 3-4 years. It looks like I WILL live long enough to see these plants bloom.

Ken, do you have one of those mirrors in your closet?

Seriously now, you are doing great!!

It is not me, Ursula. I am still growing orchids by the seat of my pants. Luck, luck, luck. I won't begin to tell you how many (flask) seedlings I have lost. I don't grow them well simply because their needs are different than the needs of my older seedlings and certainly my blooming size plants.

@shadytrake, I have lost almost all those seedlings. I told you I was probably wasting my money.......... No one to blame but myself.

I try not to keep too many mirrors around. It is a scary sight when I walk past one.