Wow! Over $600, flower sight unseen, for a new variegated brug. I hope it was trialed properly and will thrive for the new owner.
It doesn't seem likely that it is a hybridizer that bought this. We have really pretty variegates that are available to us for a fraction of the cost. Well defined beauties. With maybe a couple of exceptions (just using these alone) there has not been much success yet to create improvements over what we already have. We mostly get less variegation and weaker seedlings. I can't imagine that a serious hybridizer would want to use a lesser unknown variegate ... but ya just never know!
Check out this new variegated brug.
I see the AxelRose cuttings just went for more than a recent rooted plant did, probably because of the sun sport auction.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7721738265&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1
Anyone that has put time into growing out seeds of any standard variegate on the market knows the disappointment in watching all the little white seedlings die. In my own humble opinion, _Only_ a serious breeder would persevere, using any new method, plant, or tool made available, to reach his/her breeding goal after so many documented failures have indicated a 0% success rate!
To date, no new variegates have been bred from the standard variegates that I'm aware of, so I am curious about the above statement, that "We mostly get less variegation and weaker seedlings"? I sure as heck don't know everything, so if there have been ANY variegated Brugs bred from seed, I'd dearly love to know the parentage that created them!? Any pictures available?
I knew of an AmberRose cross whose seedlings showed variegation briefly, but then turned green. Strevors new variegate (fingers crossed for him!) is from two non-variegate Brugs, and seems to be a sport of the seedling itself. Unless the statement was just speculation, please expound on it, here or elsewhere? I'd love to see one of the dark pinks or doubles etc, with even a Little color on the leaves!! Much more interesting than just solid green!
This is a seedling from Anne's Angel's Paradise cross. The only seedling that I'm aware of from about 100 seeds that was variegated. I lost this baby to root rot back in June or July. Huge major bummer! It was such a strong little squirt and I dreamed it would be a double pink. I hope it is possible that the other seedlings from this particular batch of seeds will produce variegated sports in the future.
For years USA growers have tried to create strong healthy variegates from seedS. After proper trialing none have cut the mustard yet. To date variegates from seeds are not uncommon, just puny!
ps .... "We mostly get less variegation and weaker seedlings"?
"We" meaning American growers that have attempted to create variegated seedlings using the standard variegates available in the USA.
What we see happening on the internet at any site does not represent everything that's going on in the brug world. I know of one nursery alone that has had 15% success to create variegates. They've been unsuccessful since 1999 to produce a seedling that has truly pretty leaf patterns, is floriferous, and a strong healthy new cultivar ... all combined.
Speculation? Yes to a degree but only as far as to understand the different types of collectors out there. $600+ is really great money for a single plant. But it does not represent the desires or the spending habit of the average American consumer. It represents a private collector that is blessed to be able to afford that kind of money.
I missed a good looking one this week, I had company and forgot to check it out, missed it by 50 cents grrrrr.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=ADME:B:ONA:US:11&Item=7720702223