Barclaya Bulb not sprouting

[Fenrir]

I have had a Barclaya longifolia bulb I got sometime in January during that coldspell and it has yet to sprout anything.....the bulb is still firm and doesn't float it does have some green hair algae but I just don't know how to promote the bulb to start sprouting roots at least any tips or tricks? Or is my Bulb actually dead?

[Phantom240]

Probably dead. For what it's worth, I've had about a 30% success rate with sprouting bulbs through the years. 

[Fenrir]

On 7/6/2021 at 7:12 PM, Phantom240 said:

Probably dead. For what it's worth, I've had about a 30% success rate with sprouting bulbs through the years. 

I normally would agree but I scratch some material off the bulb to see if it would grow back. The crazy thing is that it grew back the material that was scratched off.

[Phantom240]

That's absolutely bizarre.

[gardenman]

Bulbs do what bulbs want to do. As long as it's not rotting, it's probably still alive, just dormant. How do you break that dormancy? God only knows. I got a lily bulb from the Coop back on January sixth. It's done nothing since being bought. It's still solid and firm, but no growth. They sent me a replacement a while back and it's growing great. The first one I followed their directions initially then decided to experiment when I got the replacement. I tried drying it out again to see if that would break the dormancy. Nope. I put it in a bowl of water in direct sun hoping the sunlight would encourage it to sprout. Nope. It looks just like it did when I got it, but it's refusing to sprout. It's just hanging out in one of my tanks now in the hope that it eventually decides to sprout. Who knows? Maybe it will.

[Odd Duck]

Some bulbs need some chilled time to break dormancy.  There should be information somewhere on what breaks dormancy on any given type of bulb.  Keep reading, it’s out there somewhere.

[Expectorating_Aubergine]

I would hesitate to chill a barclaya bulb. They are tropical in origin and probably would die if you chilled them. Tropical stuff tends to have wet/dry cycles as opposed to warm cold cycles. I know barclayas grow in shallow jungle streams that periodically dry out. Perhaps you could try and have it in a pot of soil that's out of the water? Personally I've only been able to find 2 barclaya bulbs for sale and both died on me. Where did you buy yours?

Edited July 9, 2021 by Expectorating_Aubergine

[Odd Duck]

Got me curious and chilling would probably be very wrong for Barclaya.  I did only mean that as an example, not a specific for Barclaya.  After some searching and reading, it seems they do tend to like it warm.  Range most quotes was 73-82.4 Fahrenheit.  One site mentioned they may not flower until it gets over 85 degrees.  Maybe your bulb wants to be warmer?

I did find this posting on a forum from 2003 by a guy that appears pretty experienced with them.  He doesn’t talk about temperature but does mention sometimes storing them in damp peat.  He also mentions a couple dormancy periods.  Interesting plant!

All of the following was just copy pasted including the authors name at the end.  Thank you, Roger Miller!

#3 · Feb 28, 2003

 

I've grown gobs of Barclaya, but I'm not sure that everyone sees the same pattern I get. Starting from the bulblets that appear around an old tuber, the normal life cycle seems to consist of:

1) a period of fairly rapid growth that lasts a few months until leaf blades are about 6 inches long and the tuber reaches about thumbnail sized. 

2) a period of dormancy or near dormancy usually lasting 2 or three months. Commerically distributed bulbs are usually look like they're at this stage. 

3) a period of "adult" growth when the plant blossoms and leaf blades can reach nearly a foot in length, with petioles extending the whole leaf to a length of 2 feet or more. The tuber at this point can be almost an inch thick and 2 or 3 inches long. 

4) a long period of gradual decline during which the new leaves are progressively smaller and the plant produces numerous bulblets around the mature tuber. On reaching this point the plant is probably about 2 years old. I have seen plants go dormant at this point then come back for a second, weak adult season. Usually the tubers are pretty thin and wasted at this stage and I have so many young plants from the bulblets that I just discard the old tuber.

The pattern is sometimes disturbed by transplanting. Other times transplanting doesn't seem to bother the plant. Maybe the difference depends on whether the plant is on the waxing side of a cycle, or on the waning side. I've seen periods of dormancy triggered by transplanting, and I've also seen plants that were in decline rejuvenate after being uprooted, trimmed and replanted. Your mileage may vary. A lot.

In my experience dormant period usually last 6 weeks or more; I think I've had them stay dormant or near dormant under water for as much as 6 months. As long as the tuber is still whole and firm it can start back up again. I've also stored them out of water in baggies with moist peat moss for 3-4 months. They could probably last longer than 3-4 months if you can keep them from drying out.

Rob, with your bulbs, I would probably replant them in the substrate somewhere out of the way and just wait for something to happen. I don't recall having much trouble transplanting them soon after they start a new growth phase. Keep in mind that when they do start again they could become "tank buster" plants at full growth.


Roger Miller

Edited July 9, 2021 by Odd Duck

[anewbie]

Just for the record I too have two bulbs purchased last week of dec that have not yet sprouted but are still firm.

[Fenrir]

Not to concerned about tank busting it will be going in a 210 once ready. Being that they do come from a warmer climate I wonder if 79 is still a tad to chilly for it maybe? Just don't want to disturb my Polypterus with to drastic of a temp change they are my water babies. I wonder if 83 degrees would initiate anything in regards to the bulbs growth.

[ARMYVET]

On 7/9/2021 at 12:55 PM, Fenrir said:

Not to concerned about tank busting it will be going in a 210 once ready. Being that they do come from a warmer climate I wonder if 79 is still a tad to chilly for it maybe? Just don't want to disturb my Polypterus with to drastic of a temp change they are my water babies. I wonder if 83 degrees would initiate anything in regards to the bulbs growth.

Ok now you need to show some pis of your Polypterus!  I love them!