Another bulbocodium hybrid.

Lawrence Trevanian made ‘Gold Step’ a cross of ‘Alfriston, 2Y-R, by N. bulbocodium. This cross is fertile. I think Lawrence once told be that he had doubled the number of chromosomes to restore fertility. I made the first hybrids with it in 2015 and they are starting to flower now. I wanted a larger corona and used N. romieuxii as the pollen parent. There were 17 seeds. Here is the first to open with many more buds to come. I am not sure if all the buds belong to the same seedling bulb or its siblings. If the same bulb that is 5 flowers on the maiden bloom. Stems are 20 cm tall and I like the stance of the perianth. Tepals are wider. Still to open is the first of another cross that mated ‘Gold Step’ with a large petuniod yellow bulbocodium.

Goldstep x N. romieuxii

Happy New Year everyone.

Harold

5 comments for “Another bulbocodium hybrid.

  1. Hi Harold,

    Thanks for posting regular updates of your seedlings.

    I’m very pleased to see that Gold Step is succeeding for you. Gold Step is wonderfully vigorous here and so too are many of its seedlings.

    The pollen parent of Gold Step was treated with cochicine but I doubt that it was successful. I have a fully fertile hybrid from Gold Step that probably arose from selfing so my guess is that Gold Step, which is much less fertile, is triploid NNB with about 21 chromosomes.

    It is worth knowing that a good percentage of Goldstep’s progeny with bulbocodiums also have useful fertility. I have found that inbreeding with Goldstep has a weakening effect as a rule and don’t recommend it, but if you cross your seedling with another bulbocodium you can get superior exhibition bulbocodiums both miniature and otherwise, and these too can have ongoing fertility.

    Best wishes for the New Year to everyone.

  2. Thank you Lawrence. That information is useful. I am now crossing all the interesectional  bulbocodium hybrids looking for fertility.

    Happy New Year everyone.

    Harold

     

  3. I like this one a lot, Harold!  You certainly have some unique seedlings!  Thanks for posting!  Is ‘Gold Step’ available anywhere?

  4. Becky:

    I only have a couple of bulbs of Gold Step. Lawrence of course has a lot but I don’t know how one can get them.

    Harold

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