Jean Pasko

How long before JP starts to get the darker edge? This has been competely open for 5 days and is still all yellow.

Snow - I wonder if our cold November rain has anything to do with the color. I bet it will darken up if it ever warms up around here!! Gorgeous photo BTW.

Poppy, I've been wondering the same think. My EP bloom has been opened for two days and not a trace of pink yet. It's been downright cold here with rain. Right now it's only 48 degrees out. Scares me to death thinking we might get another frost but weather station says night temps in the 40's all week. Sure hope they're right.

Snow, you are kinda lucky, i had JP open last week and they flowers sure didn't last that long. BTW, last time i told you one of the seedlings had a pod i was lying, but one does know. i think another has a couple of tiny pods on it.
what i am wondering is if anyone else is noticing smaller blooms right now?

The color is really strange. Normally my JP's open up very light and shortly after that are a gold color with the orange around the rim. Doesn't take much time at all. Hope it starts turning for you and also hope the weather gets better soon. We aren't as cold as you, but 50 at night is too cool for this time of the year. You know, someone is predicting that we are going into another ice age in the next few years. Suppose it could really happen? Sure feels like it.

Brugie, you hush!! I couldn't afford to heat my babies for an Ice Age!!
Snow, I hope your's gets darker the next flush of blooms and hope your summer warms up.

This JP flower is still open and just as pretty as the first day it opened.It's a large flower and has been through wind and rain and still looks great but it's still all yellow.My EP is finally showing just a hint of pink but it doesn't look like it will turn the beautiful pink color I have been waiting for.Even the Isabella flowers have lightened up in color. It has to be the cold weather, lots of rain and lack of sun we have been having.It can't stay this cold forever so I'm hoping the next flush of flowers will show their true color.

snowhermit, even here in Mississippi the Jean Pasco (or is it Pasko--have seen it both ways)is more colorful the hotter it gets. If they don't wilt they are gorgeous.

Snow,
Mine hasn't truned that dark along the edges either.

Barb,
Maybe I'll have to wait till it get hotter to see the change?...I can wait. LOL

Snow, I posted my J. Pasco and it has an almost red edge. Ohio.

The girl I got it from in California, said it never changed for her, it was all yellow, she thought maybe if she fert. it, might do the trick?? Maybe, or might be the different weather?

i think the amount of fertilizer can make the colors darker/richer, it sure seemed to on one of my isabellas, but i am sure other things can affect color too. i have the cutest little flowers right now, jamaican yellow i think, in miniature, also a jean pasco with little flowers.... wondering if by product of the dought/not enough water while the buds were forming.

I think fertilizer can make color richer, also if sun isn't too bright, like a couple cloudy days, colors stay longer and darker.

Arlene: Sounds like you have miniture brugs, cool!

The only thing I can think of for lack of color is the cold, wet days with lack of sun. They are well fertilized and the JP flower measures 8" across. The JP and Jamaican Yellow blooms have lasted a long time.Even without the dark edge the JP is a beautiful flower. Hopefully the next flowers will be darker.

Didn't Monika say that you don't get the full size flower until July? Is this an unusual size for you in the hot zones for this time of year? I know that your climate kicks in way earlier and much more seriously for you than us and her. I just know that mine just get bigger and brighter as the season wears on. But then, there is no comparing my climate to yours.

Seems like the first time my rooted cuttings of Jean Pasco bloomed, they weren't that dark, now they are really dark.

Ok y'all if it gets any hotter here I'll roast and If I give this plant any more food it will up-chuck....why isn't it dark along the edges. :0)

HAH!! OK - you got me - I haven't a clue.

I was wondering if it might do better in more shade...we do have that killing hot sun here. I have it planted in the ground but it get sun about 3/4 of the day. How's about if I put an umbrella over it to give it some shade. LOL

Liz, So you're still clueless? LOL

The butler in the pantry with a corkscrew???

Your kidding us?

My jean pascos have a nice deep edge, was looking at them tonight. the flowers are small though. Liz, 2 weeks after our killer frosts, 26 and under freezing for about 14 hours, we were in the high 80s. i messed up on my fertilizer, and we had -0- rain for two months. is strange to see for example isabella with flowers 2 different sizes on same plant, some 2/3 the size of the others. i have the osmocote on now and summer rains are here, so i expect flower size to stabilize. i don't think peak color will be in mid summer here, don't know for sure but have been in 80s to 90s here since middle of march, will be until october. and the humidity won't quit.

But is this different from your usual weather? Sounds like you're getting the best and the worst at the same time.

yes, usual weather except usually have last bad frost january or february.

This message was edited Wednesday, Jun 19th 12:41 AM

Could the acid in the soil make the colors deeper or lighter? Don't know-just asking. If you are like me, I never get around to testing my soil. Have the greatest intentions but can't seem to get to it.

Barb,
I will test my soil and let you know....I have the kit now just have to figure out how to use it.

I have Jean Pasco in afternoon shade and she's plenty dark. Actually, she gets lots of shade, since she's growing under a big CG. The flowers were huge too.

We have alkaline soil, as hydrangeas are bright pink, mom had acid soil and the same plant was blue for her. My J. Pasco is in sun from noon until about 4:00, it has a dark almost red edge, so could be soil?

Just tested the soil and the PH is 7.0....maybe I should try and make it more alkaline? G. my hydrangers do the same as your Moms did.

Glory:

I have tried to grow azaleas and rhododendrens(sp.), they both need acid soil, can't seem to add enough acid to do it, they won't grow for me. I think we must have alkaline water also?

Hibiscus, do you know alot about hydrangeas? Mine are light pink and I want to darken them to deep rose. Should I add aluminum sulfate but not too much to make them blue??thanks

I think aluminum sulfate might make them an ugly shade of rose/purple. This is what happened to mine when I tried to make soil acid enough to make a blue hydrangea. I think our well water is also alkaline, so couldn't get mine blue.

It sounds like a more alkaline soil might be what we need to get more color from JP and hopefully it will work on other brugs. Will give it a try on same variety in separate pots. Anyone have an idea of how alkaline the soil should be?

Thanks Hibiscus for the warning. I sure do not want ugly, I guess I will settle for bland. Though it just is not fair, I drive all around my neighborhood and see the most beautiful colors and then get home and see mine! I have 5 bushes of blah pink.

Barb,
This site may help you out a little with you soil.

http://www.thegardenhelper.com/acidsoil.html

great site Glory, I learned alot! thanks

This is such a good site, but takes so long to get to latest post.

Glory: That was excellent about the ph of soil, didn't have any idea why ours is so alkaline, now I know, it was the old golfcourse and I imagine they limed, etc. it to death to keep the greens up to "Par"

As a cool climate grower, all my brugmansias are grown in large pots a glasshouse over winter and outside late May through late September. In some, the soil had not been changed or in over two years. None have been ph tested. As I move them to my new residence, I am repotting, etc.

Fall for me [zone 6] is the best time for intense colour ..September thru November. Strong growth and heat to a bit cooler.. they like.. brings their best for me. Maybe the light they prefer is there then, too.

I have had Equador bloom near white .. never changing to pink. Same plant has bloomed a deep pink at another time. I've had blooms long and thin. And another time blooms have been shorter and wider with a large upturn. Checking photos you would not even think them the same brug. ha

Very interesting. My EP bloom never did turn pink. I'll wait and see what color the next flowers will be.