Sunday, February 25, 2024

Will this Miniature Achimenes keep flowering?

Achimenes 'Petite Fadette, Buds, Feb 25, 2024



         The common question at garden centers is:  Will this keep flowering?


        Commercial flowering plants are grown to their peak capability of flowering so the homeowner can have a pretty decorative plant to take home.


        Most flowering plants sold in flower have buds that should continue to open in the house.  Some home gardeners give up too soon.


        The Achimenes 'Petite Fadette' growing at my West window has lost its original four red flowers.


        This is my test to see if the three buds at the top will open.


        I'll report what happens.











Sunday, February 4, 2024

Begonia in Terrarium or Not?

Begonia with vigor.


          This Begonia is an unnamed hybrid of the cross of (B. malachosticta X B. amphioxus).


            Any reference to it on the internet says that it must be grown in a terrarium.   They said that about amphioxus also, but I proved that not to be necessary. Hundreds have been sold and they do just fine out on your windowsill.


            I'm betting that this newly released clone will be an exceptional plant that will survive in any good household environment.


            No known name is available, so I will call it 'Painted Lizard'.


            No terrarium required.




 

Roosters are Nearby

Roosters on Guard



           Sometimes you need a Sunny Rooster to watch over you.






Tuesday, January 23, 2024

And then what happened?

'Beyond' - Jan 13, 2024

 



'Beyond' - Jan 23, 2024


     This is not a trick.

     The pictures are 10 days apart.  How is xA. 'Beyond ' holding up at the windowsill?





Monday, January 15, 2024

Achimenantha 'Beyond' must be seen

Achimenantha  'Beyond'



             We knew Achimenantha 'Beyond' was a very good Achimenes X Smithiantha hybrid created by Serge Saliba, premier hybridizer from Romania.


              We had seen the big pretty pink flowers last year, but how to grow it for sale?


                A few pots happened to get in the mix with our Miniature Achimenes project under LED lights with 16 hours day length.  We learned that the plants grow and flower extremely short.  Can this be a good thing?  Maybe an inch taller?


            We have limited stock, having started with one rhizome.  The scaling method will give us more.


            A Little Spot of Color - There is great potential here.






Tuesday, January 9, 2024

The Million Dollar Begonia

 



     You heard it here first --- This Begonia hybrid, (malachosticta X amphioxus),  will be a successful commercial houseplant.

    Since none have been sold yet, this is a wild prediction.  Check back in 3-4 years to see what happens.

    The one parent --- amphioxus, has proven to be good houseplant.  It has shiny pointed leaves with pink spots.  We call it 'Spotted Lizard' --- It's pointed on both ends.

    I'm trying to collect any hybrid with amphioxus in it.  This is the best one so far.  It grows quickly, branches, and has bigger leaves than amphioxus.  Until a hybrid name shows up, we will call it 'Painted Lizard'.

    I have evaluated a lot of new plants over the years and I am betting on this one.

    There will be 1-2 years of stock build up and testing.  We will sell it in the third and fourth year.

    Hide and watch.

    

    



Saturday, January 6, 2024

Less than Perfect Vietnamese Violet in Flower

Vietnamese Violet in Flower



I always want to show plants in show quality conditions, but that is not real life.

This Vietnamese Violet (Primulina tamiana) is not worrying about what it should look like, it just knows that it's supposed to keep flowering.