I wrote to LBJ and asked what was going on with this plant, and today I got a reply from Dr. Patrice Dreckman of Rainbow Nurseries in Rainbow, CA, who supplies this and many other plants to LBJ. I don't think it would be polite to post someone else's e-mail on a public forum, but anyone who'd like to see the letter can e-me and I'll pass it on.
LBJ's Double Pink-the real story
Hey Jude,
Are you stirring the pot again? Hee-Hee
Cheers,
Reb
Just a little 'oil on troubled waters', Reb!
I'm going to be gone till Monday, so if you e-me asking ofr this, you'll get it when I get back. Have a nice weekend, everybody. It's supposed to be in the 70s here tomorrow, but down in the 20s by Tuesday, so I'm getting outside while I can!
If you ask me, I think VH and this Patrice character have pulled anything that anyone could possibly use to hybridize with. I think it's odd that they KEPT the ones they had virus problems with. I think also that she didn't even have the double one in the first place!! JMHO
What I want to know is if they deny the fact that their brugs had virus,and have continually tested for them,what were the virus brought in by the European brugs that VH was talking about?
CC, Vicki said on this forum that she had a terrible problem with viruses. I haven't seen where they deny having a problem. I do hate it for them, I would be devastated if I got a virus here and lost everything.
Yes, having a nursery and getting viruses, would be enough to make you go bonkers.
But the problem with virus is that it can hide for years in a relatively healthy looking plant and burst forth when the plant is stressed.Every brugmansia collection has some viral factors lurking.Its the rteally devastating Potyvirus that scares me.I would rather make my own plants than risk bringing that virus home.
Eclipse, that's what the inspector said they are so worried about with plants coming in from other countries. He said that's why none are allowed in from Colombia at all, and they want all inspected that come in from anywhere. It's almost made me afraid to trade with someone I don't know and trust. The potyvirus wouldn't just affect the brugmansias, they are afraid also for tomatoes, peppers and potatoes.
Guess someone better come up with the step by step instructions for getting a double when starting from scratch. Eric has done it in a past post, but now it is looking like we better be heeding his advice in order to get that double pink. I know, Eclipse, but I just had to say it one more time. :-) I'll sure try, but the only double white I have is Species from Eric and it sure isn't doing well in the house. Needs good old sunshine for a while. I just hope that in the next few years, someone will do it and that it will be magnificent!!!!
S.
The Potyvirus is indeed something we should all be on guard against, but I don't think the Rothkirch LBJ eliminated had that virus. And I do believe Monika is our resident double expert and not I. I will keep trying to create a double in color as well as some aurea x arborea crosses though until I get lucky or die trying though. Who knows, perhaps the Culebre is our bridge plant?
The Potyvirus is indeed something we should all be on guard against, but I don't think the Rothkirch LBJ eliminated had that virus. And I do believe Monika is our resident double expert and not I. I will keep trying to create a double in color as well as some aurea x arborea crosses though until I get lucky or die trying though. Who knows, perhaps the Culebra is our bridge plant?
This message was edited Monday, Feb 25th 3:14 PM
This message was edited Wednesday, Feb 27th 5:24 PM
Lets here it for more seed grown Brugmansia!!! Yes, it is time consuming, but well worth it to have a hybrid free of the potyvirus.
I have enough seeds started to never have a virus, except I already had brugs from lots of different people and I also grow tomatoes. oh well :)
But, if we grow from seeds and put outside, we are likely to get a virus, right? Guess I'm not going to worry about it and just enjoy what I have. If something starts looking like it has a tummy ache, I'll either doctor it or burn it.
Just hope it doesn't come to that. tiG, I also grow tomatoes, peppers, etc. All of it, so if it happens, it happens. Can't give up my vegies.
Brugie,that my thoughts too....
Even if this seem to be taking great risks, I have sometimes growed Datura species together with tomatoes in the greenhouse. Both the Daturas and tomatooes were fine.
Also in the old garden (of TDCI) several of the Datura beds was only separated from Ruths potatobeds by an 1 m. broad pathway. We had no problems (visible signs) of virus though.
Recent years the standarts of starter potatoes and sold tomatoo-plants were very high.
In fact I never saw any visible sigens of tvm or other common viruses in any of these.
I also assume (but I don`t know it for a fact), that CPD doesn`t exist in European plant cultures, so I wouldn`t worry much about it, except if I had to order living plants of Colombia or Countries with free importation from there.
So CPD is not my major concern, when we discuss viruses, but the more common ones :) - and most of them are reasonable rare, so I will spend most of my hours just enjoying to grow and hybridize, - and of cause take the usual precautions (washing cutting gear, no tobacco near the Brugs etc.).