January Pictures and Chit Chat

Blue Blazes is a georgeous AV. I aee it is growing in a Starbucks coffee cup. One of my favorite kinds of pot. Luciee {;^)

'Blue Blazes' certainly is cute! Thanks for the pointer. :)

Kohleria 'Strawberry Fields'. Small plant - plenty of rhizomes. This one makes rhizomes in ABUNDANCE! This is the second harvest on this very shoot. The first harvest took place in Summer before the plant even bloomed...

I hope there will be Kohleria rhizomes in the RR. I would like to try them. I understand that they grow tall. True? Or can they be grown in small pot to keep them tiny?

Kohleria rhizomes are possible but not likely in the RR. They don't store well for me and I usually wind up just potting them up. There will, however, be starts and/or cuttings.

Kohlerias get as tall as they want to get even when underpotted. However, they are impossible to keep hydrated in small pots. They love large pots, a relatively heavy, always moist mix and as much light as they can get.

Here's what the bulk of my Kohlerias looked like after the "Great Kohleria Massacre Of 2012"...

Eucodonia verticillata GONE CRAZY... LOL

First things first: Thanks, Lynn, for this great, little plant! I got two pots of nice rhizomes out of the deal... :)

Here's what happened:

When I received this plant last Summer, it was already towards the end of the regular season for Eucodonias and eager to not lose the plant, it went straight into the propagator and promptly got forgotten for months...

Today, I was in a clean-up-my-plant-room kind of mood and this particular propagator also was on the to-do list.

Turns out, the plant had spread through half the propagator and started sending out distress-signals in form of those white, stringy rhizomes that a lot of rhizomatous Gesneriads make to a different extent, when stressed.

Funny enough, the plant made, like pearls on a string, fat, little rhizomes along the stringy ones, which were enough to fill a large, square pot. I also kept the original roots, gave them fresh mix and stuck them straight back into the propagator... :)

Gesneriads are always good for a surprise, aren't they?

Olaf

I finally got through grooming, repotting and restarting everybody that needed it, which was pretty much everybody... LOL

And some more...

Saintpaulia 'Cirelda'. Waiting for flowers... :)

What a happy place you've created Olaf, look at all the dwellers! no doubt why those rhizomes are so nice and fat, hehe. Another reason why I enjoy your posts is It's always something new for me to learn. So here my 2 questions: what kind of propagator do you use (1) and is it safe to remove the rhizomes and repot a kohleria without any of them (2)? My Longwood had a few but I was afraid to remove them and harm the plant. I suspect it may sound silly but it was my very first repotting a kohleria ever! The second pot is due very soon so an expert advise will be very helpful

Thanks, Maria!

As for your questions: Any large (tall) enough container with a clear lid will do as a propagator. I use anything from plastic storage boxes to fish tanks to plastic produce and carry out containers. If the container itself is clear, that's even better but generally, literally anything will do.

Okay, for the second question: you can remove any and every rhizome on a Kohleria when repotting. I do that all the time. It won't hurt the plant one bit. Rhizomes are means of both propagation and getting through dormancy. So, removing the rhizomes and potting them up kills both those birds with one rock.

What the plant will do is simple: keep on growing/blooming and make even more rhizomes. :)

Kohlerias are generally VERY tough plants and some are considered noxious weeds in some parts of the world.

The way, I have learned to look at Kohlerias, Achimenes and other rhizomatous Gesneriads (or even Sinningias, which are, of course tuberous) with a (possible) dormancy is this: treat them like you would a tender perennial like a Dahlia or a Gladiola in the garden. It's essentially the same thing when you think about it... ;)

Olaf

Thanks Olaf. Interesting thing about my few sinns (pusilla, Freckles, Snow Bird) -- actually they're full of leaves most of the time and never dormant, maybe because they're young plants, less than 2 years old?

And just one more question: is it better to plant 1 K. rhizome per pot or do they like company?

You are most welcome!

Well, the micro and mini Sinningias don't really go dormant. By the time, the old shoot is finished, there's usually new shoots already coming up.

If a micro decides to go dormant, this dormancy usually doesn't last longer than a few weeks. With minis, it's essentially the same, only that their dormancy (if any) can last a little bit longer.

Dormant micro-tubers, you can just leave where they are and continue with your regular routine. They'll be back in no time.

With minis, take the tuber out of the pot and put it into a plastic bag with a little bit of Vermiculite and one or two squirts of water out of a spray bottle.

Store in a box and check regularly for new shoots. As soon as they come up, pot up the tuber and start watering carefully.

I grow most of my Sinningias (including the minis) with their tubers exposed. Grown this way, you can even leave the tuber in the pot and just cut back on watering until you see new shoots.

Many of the larger species won't go dormant until they have bloomed the first time. However, Sinningia seedlings have a tendency to look completely different and not very attractive for the first few growth cycles. Once the tuber is mature enough, the habit of the plant changes and looks like the ones in the pictures. A classic example for this are Sinningia leucotricha or Sinningia cardinalis. This type of Sinningia goes dormant every year. On the other hand, the micro mini species only go dormant if necessary.

Now, the minis are combinations of the larger species (S. eumorpha and conspicua are often involved, 'Freckles' is S. hirsuta x S. concinna) and the micros (S. pusilla, concinna and muscicola) and they inherit a set of characteristics from their parents, one of which is dormancy. This explains, why the minis are somewhere intermediary between the (almost) "everblooming" micros and the much more seasonal standards.

Before it's over, I'll have everybody convinced that the world needs more Sinningias!!! LOL

Olaf

Olaf, you've already convinced me. I want everyone I see posted. I have one plant stand that has three shelves with lights. My saintpaulia and sinningia make there home on it. I'll have to take some pictures and post them here. I just got a 30" bakers rack at a garage sale, and have one shelf, so far, with a light fixture. I have Epicia on that one.
Three years ago I had so many violet babies that I ran out of room. I had them sitting in aluminum trays in the bathtub. Sadly, I lost almost my entire collection between the last two winters. I'm starting again and this time I've added sinningia and epicia. The sinningia are mostly from you, Olaf. They are doing well. Can't wait for the RR to start.
Here's the violets in the bathtub. It's a good thing we shower instead.

That's a great and creative use of available space, Eileen! :)

Everybody looks very happy in there and I love this kind of improvisation.

Olaf

I'm really enjoying reading about ya'lls growing methods and plants. That's a good use of space in the tub. I may have to do that myself.
I bought this Chirita/Primulina today at our local nursery. This is a plantlet growing out of the flower petiole. I've never seen this on a Chirita before.

Here's the plant that came labeled 'Chirita hybrid'. The flowers are yellow and come three to a petiole.

Hey Jamie!

The adventitious plantlet is cool! :)

I have seen a picture with this before but I don't know where. Darn it! That memory of mine isn't what it used to be...

The Primulina/Chirita could be 'Aiko'. There is one or two large nurseries in the US who produce large quantities and distribute them to the big box stores and local nurseries.

Olaf

Thanks for the info!

You're welcome! :)

Now I'll have to go to Lowes and check out their plants. My HD is terrible for plants. They mainly have philodendrum and orchids and nothing else for inside the house. They should be getting some new plants at Lowes. Around the holidays they don't have too much. I only have one chirita that is from a leaf I got in a RR at GW. I didn't think it would send up a baby, but it did. I don't know which one it is. When it blooms, I'll have to post a picture for an ID.
Now I have to go and take pictures of my plant shelf with some blooming gessies.

I want to see your pics too.
Here's a Primulina 'Louisa' with a pretty pale pink bloom.

This is Sinningia 'Flair' on the left and 'Country Tiger' X self on the right. Gifts from Olaf.
Jamie

I agree with Jamie! Show us some pictures, Eileen! :)

That pink Chirita/Primulina makes me want to fall in love with the genus... Maybe this time... LOL

Here's a better image of the container & with more plants blooming.

Cool, Jamie! :)

My 'Flair' is just waking up from a bit of a dormancy after blooming literally all year and 'Country Tiger' x self is about to pop the first few buds after dormancy...

I'm always glad to see the "babies" all grown up! LOL

Olaf

It would only be pay back to get you hooked on Primulinas after how you got me started with Sinningias! I'd be happy to send you a starter box this Spring.
Jamie

Turnabout is fair play, huh? LOL

Well, I guess that it was more a lack of time and growing room that caused quite a few disappointing results...

I'll pick you up by your offer in Spring! ;)

Olaf

Sinningia 'Heartland's WOW!'. Almost... :)

(Mini) Sinningias getting started...

OK, I promised some pictures. Here's my plant shelf with violets on the top shelf with sinn. guttata in the middle. The middle shelf has mostly violets and bottom shelf has babies on left and right with sinningia in the middle back and sinn. seedlings of mico-mini Bright Eyes x self.

a better picture of collection of sinningia in salad bowl in back and micro mini sinninga 'Bright Eyes seedlings in front.

My very first Saintpaulia chimera King David

Here's Saintpaulia Rob's Whatever. Every flower is different. This is the first time it has bloomed.

Very, very nice!

Good job, Eileen!!! :)

Olaf

Eileen,
Beautiful! And clean. I like the organization too. Is that Sinningia 'Bright Eyes' on the front left?

Sinningia 'Ozark Rosy Cheeks'. Another almost... LOL

Sinningia tubiflora. New shoots on this approximately 8 months old tuber.

Kohleria 'Peppermint'. One more shot of this cute, little plant. :)

jamiew, sinningia Bright Eyes is in the middle brown terrarium. The sinningia on the left is Chippewa Merry Martha. The violet on the right is Ballet Snowcone. Sorry, I should have put text on the pictures, but I'm still learnig to use PaintShop.