I have a large yard and great growing conditions......hehehe
Hap
HARDY!!! COLOCASIAS !!! Top secret :>)
We Floridians will be more the ecstatic to help you with any of your ventures Brian.... :D
MerryMary
MM,
If you make it up this way come Summer..............a trip to Brian's ?
Ric
WOW, Brian that's a lot of babies. How long before you'll be able to pot them up?
I ordered Alocasia seeds, but they've been germinating for a month and nothing happening. Guess the seeds were not fresh. Next summer, I'll definitely try (if I get a flower) pollenation. Love the new leaf. How long does it take them to get to that size?
I always enjoy talking with plant people so if you are up my way do stop in. As for growing conditions I am sure many of you probably have better conditions than I do but have to pick out the neat ones first LOL. Sorry I am sure most will be on the market in the upcoming years. :>)
Colocasia seeds are not easy they are about the size of a grain of sand. They are also fairly hard to grow when young. Alocasia seeds are a bit easier larger size and less problems. But as you can see on nice flower head can produce a lot of babies and each one is genetically different meaning each one could be very unique though likely only a few out of all of them will be worth mass producing. The market is rough you have to have something really showy to make it.
Just wanted to note to anyone planning on visiting Brians' place. It is quite spectacular. The largest collection I have ever seen. And all the times Ive been have been in the fall/winter so i havent even seen it in its full glory in the summer. Have a good one!!
Ric, it's a deal, we'll go to Brians on my next journey to Ohio. Did your crinums arrive, I'm afraid with the weather you're having, they'll freeze if they get stuck in a warehouse somewhere. If they end up popsicles, I'll send larger ones once spring gets here.
Brians will be better in the spring/summer (I think?) I'll be in Dublin for Christmas, but won't be spending any time in Cinci.
MerryMary
spring I have tons of small plants growing and new cuttings and the gardens are getting put out for the year. summer or late summer everything is grown up and looking amazing. I usually suggest late summer for most people. But if you are after certain plants spring is a good time to get them as well.
Hi bwilliams,
I am curious as to your success in your 2-zones-less-than-mine climate. Do you plant these out in the summer in the ground and lift them for winter, or just mulch them?
In our climate we don't often get the hot summers to sufficiently ripen some of the more tender plants, which I have read helps them overwinter. Here I think the sellers of tropicals are always wary of letting people know of the possibilities in case it reflects on their professionalism. On the other hand some will lead people to believe a plant is more capable of cold temperatures than it is. It has a lot to do with how the plant is grown from the start, i.e. not in peat only, which many here use for ease and cost. Also each area has a slightly different micro climate, different soil types, and on top of that a lot depends on the experience of the gardener!
I am trying to develop a tropical garden here, and so far doing OK but have a long way to go. It is encouraging to see you do so much in your climate, and while I couldn't possibly reach your level of expertise, I like to try to convince people here it can be done. So many think it can't, and I know it can.
Would I be correct to think that my Williams hybrid banana is one of your developments? i got it from a seller on ebay, who has imported some different tropicals as plug plants from, I think, agristarts in the States. We have so little here, and anything new is very popular, but expensive to import. I do envy you all, but I should add that people in the States are very lucky to have someone like yourself who has the passion and belief to bring new and exciting plants to the people. You are an example to us all.
I did not produce the williams hybrid banana but did produce a alocasia going by the name williams hybrid or brian williams. Not sure how that came to be but aparently before my time.
As for your climate you should be able to grow a very good tropical garden with just a little care. Most bananas and Colocasias should grow well were you are so should some of the hardier and easier to grow alocasias. Getting them to flower usually only takes a few months colocasias flower mid to late summer most alocasias flower in the spring as do Amorphophallus. This can be hard on your area for the spring flowering form as they maybe just coming back from winter. I have Colocasia pink china which has shown to be hardy in zone 5 for the last few years and Colocasia gigantea which is also hardy if mulched in zone6 both of these can flower mid to late summer for me. Most colocasias will be a zone 7 so you should have good luck with most every form. I do think that if you produce seed you will have to grow them indoors much like I do. The thing that I think helps me is I have seasons so I get blooms all at once usually so it makes for easier breeding than people in the tropical climates. Not to mention most people look at these as weeds or common plants and here I look at them completely different. Breeding is very easy and hard at the sametime. Once you do a few hybrids and get the idea of it It becomes a different kind of hobby. Instead of looking for the new plant you can create it. Cannas are easy colocasia are a bit difficult alocasias seem to be easy for me. But you need to work with as many species as possible they are the most fertile. As you breed you learn what can produce and what cannot. But it is a learning process I try to keep a lot of hybrids growing at all times so to keep my interest peaked. I am no smarter than anyone else on the group I think it comes down to doing it or not doing it. Putting pollen on another plant is all it boils down to and the dedication to grow the seeds out. Hope this helps let me know if their is more info your looking for on this. THANKS
Dedication is the word, more born out of a passion, and it grows as you realise you can do it. i keep thinking each year I will slow down and catch up, but it just gets worse, I find more I want to grow. bw have you got my message on the canna seed from Chiltern seeds? Out of stock, but should at some time get them in as it is listed, they get seed in as available. I have a pic of mine, I actually listed it in PF and put up a photo of a winter-resting plant, but thought why not? there is not another! Some green on it, they may decide not to list it! If you are not fortunate enough to get seed, or doesn't grow, then you are welcome to a bit off mine, but should maybe let it grow a bit more first for safety sake, if i split it and 1 got lost, and the other failed we're done for. It is looking good.
Good news about the alocasias, I have an alocasia amazonica 'Purpley', grown from a plug and just getting some size 1 year on. Also a colocasia a. illustris, which I thought would be easier than the alocasia. I thought growing them from plugs might make them healthier. Had a Black Magic last year, left in its pot in the shed and it rotted, it was a bit bigger and grown in peat, only had 5 frosts to -5C last winter. I now rip off any peat when I get a plant, but I think it may damage the plants chances outright. We have just had 2-3 weeks of constant cold and night frosts to -4C, a sudden shock.
I am surprised you get flowers in a season, I don't really know of anyone growing them here, time to fine out I guess! We had such a cold spring, very cool summer (often no more than 17C), and it came cold early in autumn. I am starting to do that myself, look at plants and think I can produce my own, did you see the pic of my poppy... you might get a good laugh along the way...
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/560061/
Hey, I have a few acres, in your zone and am looking for a cash crop. ROTFLOL
I did take note of the cannas seeds form Chiltern seeds. I have ordered form them before. But I do not believe I have grown this form. It does sound interesting what does the flower look like? As for your poppy plants very nice I have only seen common ones around here your look very ornamental. You should do well with colocasias in your climate I would suggest planting them in rich soil in the ground. Some plants specially colocasias do not do to well in a pot compared to the ground. I would believe them all to be hardy if slightly mulched.
Haven't found a pic of it, google only revealed the 2 sources, description says 'small, soft apricot, flushed in pink at the face and and with a recurved lower petal'. It sounds very nice for a species, not the red or yellow often seen. Here's a pic of the 'babies having a rest'...
Here is the latest picture of the plant in the ground. It seems to have a bit of a blue tint to it. But in full sun almost black.
Pic of it in part sun.
In full sun
Niiccee!
Wintered over w/ no mulching?
Any release date yet?
Ric
It could be in the next two to three years depending on how hardy it will be it has not yet been tested for hardiness though the mother plant is extremely hardy. The other thing is getting a patient and then having a company build up enough stock. If all goes will 2 to 3 years I hope.
To the left in this picture you see my other seedling it is a bit darker but has not grown near as much. It will hopefully be test as well very soon.
