Acnistus - Iochroma

These are seedlings. They look like baby brugs... don'tcha think?

Poppy, they're cute little guys and real healthy looking. What color are they?

They are supposed to be blue-purple shades. The seeds are from Chiltern's. Their description says "varying shades from lilac to purple with a few lovely deep blues thrown in for good measure" We'll see. I ordered a red one from Kartuz. I'm really falling for all the solanacea plants. I also ordered the Lycianthes rantonetii (solanum rantonnetii). If you have the Preissel book it's the fabulous shrub with the purple flowers behind the big culebra picture. Now I just need a culebra to go with it ;)

Poppysue, Jody sent me seeds from T&M as did Mystic.(I just love you guys who find all the weird, hard to find seeds) I think they all came up. Mine are about the size of yours I think.

I can't wait to see some picture of your acnistus blooming. Mine didn't do well at all. Very sparce on the bloom and washed out baby blue. I guess you can say it was a flop. That is why I ordered the Iochroma plants and they look totally different as does the bloom on them.

Brugie, my acnistis bloomed well, but pale blue and white flowers, really tiny. I gave a couple to friends and theirs were dark blue, but still tiny flowers. Not nearly as impressive as pictures I've seen in T&M catalogue. Guess that's why they have close up lens. LOL

how did you start the seeds? have some, just haven't gotten to them yet.

Poppysue.. I had Iochromas in Calif..they grow kinda scrubby but have really full clusters of flowers ,I especially love the deep blue/purple types.Some have larger flowers than others..theres even a red form thats real nice. :-)

tiG - I just surface sowed the seeds at room temp. I think they took a few weeks to germinate [can't remember now]. One book I have says the colors are sometimes duller in colder regions.

I surface sowed and covered with vermiculite(fine grade) and kept on bottom heat and they popped up in less than 2 weeks.

Mine are about 2' tall now. Planted in BIG pots. I agree that the blooms arn't real eye catching, but the Indigo is really beautiful. The wine hasn't produced any blooms yet. Interesting since they both had the same condidions. Anyway, they like it outside in part sun/shade and so far are doing quite well. Have "topped" them to stay bushy. If anyone wants a cutting let me know.
And tell me how to do it, since the stems are much more delicate than a Brug.

I would give my eye teeth--if they weren't fake, lol!---for a ROOTED cutting of the Indigo Iochroma! Is there anything in the WORLD I can root you for one?!? I have tried and tried to root them, but always fail.

Hi MsBatt...I can send you a couple of small ones if you have any rooted brug cuttings to trade?

Talk soon,

Bruno (in Ireland)

Agapanthus, I would love it if you could start me a cutting. You must let me know what you're looking for. I'm re-taking inventory today, and I might have something you dont'. lmk

I have a container book that says to take herbaceous cuttings in summer - preferably from plants that flower freely. Maybe a little rooting hormone will help.

Poppy, Where did you buy the seeds. I like to grow these too. They look like a confusion between B. sanguinea and Farmer Tobacco (N. rustica). I saw the blue form in Botanical Garden in Copenhagen last year and I must say, that I loved the large clusters of hanging trumpets.

*lol* I got Brugs on the brain for sure. Acnistus reminds me of them and worse yet, - yesterday I went to a nursery and came home with an Abutillon, because it had tiny, red flowers reminding me of B. sanguinea "sangre" *lol*

Tonny - the seeds came fro Chiltern's in England. Let me check my package - I think I have a few left. I'll e-mail you.

You dont need to buy seeds, Tonny. You can order them from Quelle garden cataloge as blue Angels Trumpet.

tiG, I sent you mail last night. Will cut today and experiment! :>)