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Height: 35 cm.

Excellent ornamental value (A +)

Our philosophy and explanations about this page

INTRODUCTION

This is another Rhodophiala of the Central Andes of Chile - it has big flowers, somewhat smaller than of the other Rhodophialas, of almost pure yellow color. Although it is considered rare, in the few places where it grows, it can be found in largequantities.

Image of Rhodophiala montana

VII Region, Camino a Laguna Maule; Altitude: 500-2200 m. January 13, 2006

DESCRIPTION

This is a perennial bulbous plant of about 20 - 30 cm. The leaves are generally absent during the flourishing. The leaves are linear and 10 - 20 cm long and about 5 - 8 mm wide. The plant has yellow flowers with six yellow stamens and one yellowishpistil which is quite longer than the stamens. The flowers come in groups of 3 - 6. The seeds come in a three-parted greenish-brown capsule which contains about 20 - 40 shiny black flat round seeds of 1 cm of diameter stacked up one on the other like pages of a book. The flowers appear in November - January, and the seeds are ripe in February-March. This plant may hybridize with the Rhodophiala rhodolirion, because in places where they grow together the yellow color may take a pinkish, reddishor orange hue.

HABITAT

This plant gows at high elevations in Central-southern Chile, in Talca at about 1600 - 2100 m., close to the tree line, prefers sunny spots, generally on sandy or rocky ground with good drainage; it grows preferably on soils with low organic content. It needs a lot of water during its vegetative growth (in early spring), but during the flowering it can withstand dry spells of up to two months (the bulbs store nutrients and water necessary for flowering).

USES

Ornamental. There are oral reports (not confirmed) of local people indicating that its bulb may be edible.

GROWING TIPS

It can be easily propaged by seeds or by division of bulbs. The seeds must be immersed in water for a day o two and then planted at about 18ºC. The stratification at cold temperatures seems to be not necessary for this variety. Do not expect flowers for at least two seasons, because the bulb needs time to develop.

If you are interested in the seeds of this and similar plants, click here. For seedlings, click here.

More species from the same Amaryllidaceae family in our data base:

Phycella bicolor (Azucena del diablo)

Phycella ignea (Añañuca de fuego)

Phycella sp. #1538

Rhodophiala andicola (Añañuca de los volcanes)

Rhodophiala bagnoldii (Añañuca amarilla)

Rhodophiala montana (Añañuca de las montañas)

Rhodophiala phycelloides (Revienta ojos)

Rhodophiala rhodolirion (Añañuca de cordillera)

Rhodophiala sp.

Rhodophiala sp. #1593

Rhodophiala sp. #1638

Rhodophiala sp. #1501

Rhodophiala splendens (Añañuca esplendorosa)