Beschorneria question

[MartinNicklin]

I have four types of this but on the internet I see lots of images of flowering plants (some appear to be the same plant with different names) and am wondering, if any of you grow multiple species, which has the most impressive flower. By this I don't necessarily mean the biggest spike but rather the most eye-catching and colourful spikes. Some of them look a little wishy-washy and the one I want in the front garden I would aim to have as the showiest. Of course it might be one I haven't yet got. Cheers!

[Paul S]

Yes, online info on beschorneria is a minefield and they don't appear to have been studied much in habitat, either. I wrote them up in my book as best I could with descriptions and pictures but had to include a paragraph about the names being muddled. 2 years on I believe my suspicions are confirmed but with a lingering doubt or two.

Anyway, I grow all the known species except wrightii, a couple that don't fit comfortably into any taxa, plus a handful of man-made hybrids. I would say B. septentrionalis and/or its hybrid with yuccoides are the best garden plants as they are more compact than, say, yuccoides, with stronger, radish-red flower spikes and flowers. They seem to be the hardiest plants, too. This is followed by a plant I acquired as rigida but actually isn't. I think it might be tubiflora (which makes the tubiflora that is in circulation actually rigida). It is smaller still and has very strong red stalk and flowers - more of a spike than a panicle. And that is at the heart of the problem - how can I recommend a plant that I don't know the name of?

[MartinNicklin]

Thank you Paul. If you found it confusing, I'd have no chance. I've got yuccoides, albiflora, (Paul look away NOW!) Desert Glow and Flamingo Glow. I see Burncoose have septentrionalis which I may get based on your comments. I've also seen that Botanico offers calcicola and the inflorescence on that looks attractive as well, assuming the photo is correct.

[Paul S]

I've also seen that Botanico offers calcicola and the inflorescence on that looks attractive as well, assuming the photo is correct.

That is one of the no-name species, Martin. I got it a long time ago as calcicola from Cotswold Garden Flowers, which is where I reckon a lot of nurseries have got it from, but it isn't that taxon - 'real' calcicola looks like a pot full of chives with really grassy leaves. Nevertheless this one is pretty, very compact, quite colourful and different to anything else - yet not named. Not that hardy - I get away with it here now it is established - but certainly cute.

[MartinNicklin]

Thank you Paul. That confirmed my suspicions that the leaves on the pictured plant appeared too broad. Nonetheless, as you say, an attractive thing.

[charlie]

Whats the secret to getting them to flower? Rob senior gave me a B septentrionalis many years ago, I had it for about 10 years but only saw flowers the once so got bored of it!

[Paul S]

I don't know, Charlie - I'd never considered them to be tricky. Each time they flower the offsets need to bulk up before they can, in turn, flower but here that only takes maybe 3-4 years.

[MartinNicklin]

Oh I assumed they were easy to flower which is why I have got myself a few. Are they like Agaves and die when the plant seeds?

[Paul S]

Not really like agaves. You start with a single crown which bulks up over a few years then flowers. Offsets are produced at the base of the plant which then bulk up and flower... and so it goes. It remains as a spreading clump, although the crown that flowers dies off. A lot of clumping perennials behave like this.

The only species that differs to this model is B. albiflora which will usually offset after flowering but the stem also continues on a new growth point next to where the flower stalk arises, eventually forming a trunk. A bit like yuccas.

[charlie]

I don't know, Charlie - I'd never considered them to be tricky. Each time they flower the offsets need to bulk up before they can, in turn, flower but here that only takes maybe 3-4 years.

OK, I think that explains my lack of success as it was a very small off set to start with and was kept in a pot, it sounds like I would have been much better to have planted it out!