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| Primulina 'Loki' grown by Gary's Specialty Plants |
Story # 132,
Primulinas, formerly named Chiritas,
have never been a commercial crop.
Growers who may be familiar with these Gesneriads, native to China and
North Vietnam, soon eliminate them as a flowering houseplant when it’s learned
that it may take a year or more to flower.
My friend, Quentin Schlieder, has
been trying to get me to see the value in Primulina. I’m starting to come around. The variegated forms are interesting as foliage
plants. I’ve propagated P. vericunda, P.
‘Betty’ and P. ‘Loki’ and easily sold the few that I’ve had in 2 ½” ‘Mini’
pots. They are young variegated
plantlets that are attractive as little rosettes---- no flowers required.
Primulina ‘Loki’ is a hybrid by Peter
Shalit, past President of the Gesneriad Society and a hybridizer famous for not
releasing selections too soon before testing them.
All of my ‘Loki’s have been grown
from a single leaf of Peter’s show plant that he handed me during break-down at the Mid-Atlantic Gesneriad Show at the
University of Delaware in 2012.
Since I had not been following
Primulina, I didn’t have the story until later.
P. ‘Loki’ is a cross between P. brassicoides and P. dryas ‘Latifolia
Dwarf’. Peter tells me that it has
hybrid vigor and was the most compact seedling he selected.
So what commercial plants are sold
as small foliage plants and if they eventually flower you get a surprising
bonus? Succulents or cactus, maybe?
I’ve seen ‘Loki’ used in Terrariums
and Miniature Gardens with great success.
It is a better long term choice with its variegation than Mini Violets
which look nice while flowering but need replacing.
Primulina ‘Loki’ is propagated by
rooting leaves, similar to African Violets.
I finally have enough stock plants to stick several hundred leaves. Once a steady supply of 2 ½’ plants can be produced,
we will find out if there is demand.
Primulina ‘Loki’ with its distinctive
variegation and faster growth may be the one that gains commercial acceptance. But it will take time.
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| Primulina 'Loki' grown by Jay Sespico |
