3 
The Hybrids of Am aryllis 
belladonna andit’s Allies 
By L. S. Hannibal, California 
(Reprinted from the February bulletin of 
the Bulb Society) 
The Amaryllis belladonna major of our 
gardens is not a typical representive of this 
well known Cape bulb as it grows in its 
natural state. Bulbs received some years 
ago from Stellenbosch throw only 7 or & 
blossoms to an umbel, are far from free 
flowering, and produce relatively small seed 
having practically no albuminous material. 
Apparently our garden forms such as major 
pr pallida, are distinctive clones selected 
tinder adverse growing conditions where 
they were found hardy and easy to flower. 
From the standpoint of breeding these clones 
have not had much to offer, even after 240 
years of known cultivation in England. 
The outstanding breeding results have shown 
up in less homozygous stock or by using 
hybrid material such as the Australian 
Amaryllis multifloras. 
Amaryllis multiflora hybrids 
The A. multiflora hybrids, which are now 
listed by several Southern California growers, 
date back to crossings made in 1841 by one 
J. C. Bidwell, who was director of the Bot- 
anical gardens of Sidney at that time. 
Evidence discloses that he crossed Bruns- 
vigia grandiflora var. Banksiana on an un- 
known clone of Amaryllis belledonna. The 
true value of his hybrid was not recognized 
until a white seedling appeared in a plants 
ing of bulbs at the McArthur estate in 
Camden, Australa, about 1860. The attract- 
ive white clone, which is still in the trade, 
was named A. multiflora alba or Baptisti 
alba. From this start a number of whites 
were developed, with the white ‘Hathor” 
of Bradley’s being considered one of the 
best. 
Mrs. Bullard apparrently imported some 
of the Australian bulbs into California a- 
bout 1918. Mr. Orpet used some of. thig 
white stock in his early breeding, thus thd 
origin of the Orpet White. Later, with the 
assistance of Mr. Dickinson of Las Positas, 
Mr. Orpet brought in more of the whites, 
including ‘Hathor’. As a result, both the 
whites and colored Multifloras are well es« 
tablished about Santa Barbara, Calif. It was 
about 12 years ago that the writer noted 
that the white seed from the Multiflorag 
tended to produce pigment-free plants that 
flowered with white blossoms. As a result 
both Mr. Orpet and the writer have had un- 
usual luck in building up a supply of white 
stock by segregating seed. However, the 
writer has been more concerned in obtaining 
free-flowering hardy whites more of the A. 
belladonna type. Such should eventually 
appear on the show bench as this goal has 
been attained. 
The Parkeri Hybrids 
The Parkeri hybrids from Kew have been 
acceptd as distinct for a number of years 
by the British. When a white Parkeri flow- 
it was promptly recognized asg_ identical 
ered for the writer with A. multiflora alba. 
Since then, close comparison and _ cross- 
breeding of colored Parkeri and Multiflora 
rosea have shown conclusively that. the 
plants are of the same hybrid origin. The 
earlier use of the name of A. multiflora 
gives this name nomenclatural precedence 
over Parkeri, but the designation of ‘Multi- 
flora’ for the hybrids should not mislead 
one to assume that Brunsvigia orientalis 
(Syn. B. gigantea or B. multiflora) was a 
parent. Unfortunately this confusioin of 
names will be with us for years to come. 
The Van Tubergen’s Brunsdonna hybrids, 
which are B. Josephine, pollenated by A. 
belladonna, can be considered a second hy- 
brid type. Apparently the late flowering A. 
belladonna pallida clone (sometimes called 
Minor) furnished the pollen, as the typical 
narrow foliage shows up in many of the 
seedlings. The A. multiflora hybrids and 
Brunsdonna either do not cross easily or are 
incompatible, as true crosses are not at- 
tainable. Seemingly the B. grandiflora genes 
in A. multiflora are reluctant to pair with B. 
Josephine genes. This is unfortunate ag 
some interesting tri-species hybrids should 
be obtainable. 
In England, a Nerine has been pollenat- 
ed by A. belladonna. The hybrid is known 
polinating A. belladonna with Crinium. 
pollen and seed. Attempts to Tepeat the 
cross here have not been successful thus far. 
Apparently only certain Nerines will respond 
to Amaryllis pollen. The hybrid has wide 
possibilities. 
The Crinedonna or Amarcrinum Crosses 
The Crinodonna or Amarcrinum crosses 
(sterile hybriids) which are obtained by 
Ipolenating A. belladonna with Crinum 
Moorei should be well known in Southern 
California. A wide variety of hybrids is 
possible, depending upon the combination 
of A. belladonna or C. Moorei clones used. 
Arno Bowers in San Marino had some 20 
variations, with a large white selected for 
further propagation. The writer has a min- 
jature red known as “Dorothy Hannibal” 
which is suitable for a 6-inch pot. The 
possibility of other Amarcrinums should be 
mentioned. From past experience (mostly 
failures), the writer knows that C. bulbis- 
perum and some of the hybrid Crinums will 
cross with A. belladonna, and that crosses 
can be effected on some of the A. multifloras. 
The latter crosses are tri-generic, having 50% 
Crinum genes, and the remaining Brunsvigia 
grandiflora and A. belladonna genes. Growth 
of a few of these hybrid seeds has been ach- 
ieved by planting them on a layer of clean 
sand, which is a good way to avoid trouble- 
some decay with delicate seed. If the hy- 
brids rich in Brunsvigia genes amount to 
anything, they are probably entitled to a new 
name, “Crinobrunsdonna” being suggested. 
Crinum Crosses on Brunsvigia 
Crinum crosses on Brunsvigia appendicul- 
ata have been attempted without results, 
and attempts to cross Nerines with several 
Brunsviiigias have been attempted without 
any indiications of hybrids being detected 
in the seed. These “Bruns-nerine” crosses 
should not be too difficult and should pro- 
duce interesting plants. The Brunsvigias 
usually throw 50 to 60 blossoms, and if these 
were as vivid as some of the Nerines, tha 
plants would be as striking as Ammocharis 
coranica var. coccinea, which some few of 
us have seen in flower. The writer is partic- 
ularily partial to breeding with B. append- 
iculata as it hias been found to be extremely 
hardy to cold, and flowers easily. It is the 
anly amaryllid to grow naturally in the 
writer’s garden from volunteer seed—this is 
in the foothills of the Sierras east of Sac- 
ramento, not in the balmy winterland of 
Southern California. 
Seed of Amaryllis belladonna, A. multi- 
flora, Nerines, Amarcrinum, Brunsyigia and 
the like should be started on damp sand. 
The writer uses deep flats filled with loam 
containing some ground limestone or oyster 
shell. A quarter inch of sand is spread. 
over the Joam, and the seed are scattered om 
the sand.,A sheet of glass over the flat 
maintains moisture to suit. This procedure 
eliminates decay of tender seed before they 
become established. 
Breeding amaryllids of the type enumerat- 
ed gives many strange results. Parthenogen- 
etis development of seed is very common 
and seed which one may innocently accept of 
hybrid may be purely a maternal type yield- 
ing seedlings quite like the female parent. 
Such seed usually occur in wide crosses, 
but it can also develope where intra-specific 
incompatibilities exist. If one has an out- 
standing clone, say a select Nerine, that 
— mere 1) ent ‘ ete - > to=pry 
needs to be increased many fold the germin- 
ation of 500 or more parthenogenetic seed 
from one or two umbels will easily out- 
produce 20 or 30 years of straight veg- 
etative multiplication. Seed of Nerine may 
flower in three or four years from planting, 
but the A. multifloras and Brunsvigias may 
take 7 to 12 years. This is no hobby for the 
impatient amateur. 
JAPANESE IPOMOEAS IN POTS 
Arthur E. Thatcher of Hulls Cove, Me., 
writes about these large flowering Morning 
Glories being grown in 5-inch pots. 
They are climbers but not tall ones; they 
are especially good for pot culture and of 
course will not stand winds and adverse 
weather conditions as will the common 
kinds like Heavenly Blue, etc. I hope none 
of our readers have planted them where they 
will be whipped by the winds or beaten down 
by hard rains; six inch flowers naturally 
want stand much of this treatment. Why 
not write us how you grew these Morning 
Glories and your opinion of them? They 
are very popular. 
Mr. Thatcher remarks: ‘I must congratul- 
ate you on your excellent seed list which 
contains an abundance of good things.’ We 
hope many feel the same way; in revised 
issues, very much additional cultural _in- 
formation is being added; this all takes time 
but you will find much additional informat- 
ion in every issue. 
Champion Tomato Crop 
In a recent issue of one of the Market 
Gardener Magazines there appeared an art- 
ical on the champion tomato grower and the 
award of a $100 Saving Bond. 
Here is what went into an acre of soil to 
produce this bumper crop! 
400 lbs of 5-10-10 fertilizer at planting 
time; 800 Ibs of the same fertilizer 2 weeks 
later: 900 Ibs a month later; then every 7-10 
days 100 gallons of a Dithane-Rhothane 
spray was applied and this was increased to 
150 gallons during the later part of the sea- 
son; at picking time 60 lbs. of anhydrous 
was applied per acre! 
Now, this program certainly produced the 
tomatoes but what about the soil? What 
treatment will be given it next year and what 
sort of bacterial life remains? Even with 
hybrid corn the kernels are so hard that our 
young pigs cannot eat it, it must be ground! 
Some crates of this same corn was placed 
so that rats or mice could get to it and all 
that they ate was the germ; the balance was 
given to some sows and after three days they 
even refused to eat it! Of course, when this 
corn is ground up and flavored with some- 
thing to fool the pigs they will eat it but 
never the less it is the same food that they 
refused to eat before hand! .Grow your 
own garden vegetables and know what you 
are eating. 
SANGUINARIA CANADENSIS 
Unlike many double forms. the double 
Sanguinaria is an improvement on the type 
and its flowers are less fugacious. It was 
first discovered in a woods near Ann Arbor, 
Michigan. It makes a dandy pot plant and 
succeeds in shady woodland locations. 
When plants have been established it can 
be increased by division of the rhizomes 
after the leaves have died down. 
LITHOSPERMUM GASTONII 
This is a rare native of the Pyrenees, a 
neat erect shrubby plant with leafy stems 
about 12 inches high. The leaves are an, 
attractive dark green and the flowers are 
a nice blue with a white eye, borne on leafy 
cymes, ; 
It likes a sunny position in a calcareous 
loam; flowers in July. After once establish. 
ed it is very hardy. It is not hard to grow 
from seed. 
