I fell in love with a chimera at rainbowviolets. I didn't even know what one was until now. I didn't know about the wasp AV either. Those chimera AV are soooooooooo pretty. The have one called Patty Anne. If you pay $20.00 for a AV do you get a good size one?
Oh My Gosh
Chimera plants are rare. They can not be progated by leaf only sucker or bloom stalk.
It says on her web sight plants are starter plants.
If Patty Anne on Ebay ? I did not see it on her web sight. A chimera on Ebay can go into the hundreds. A miniature plant also or a set of leaves. Price is determined on how rare the plant is and how much people want it to bid it up. But all Chimera cost a lot has nothing to do with the size of the plant.
What Allison said :) They don't propagate by leaf so they are more rare and ergo more expensive.
I tend to buy mine at Violet barn since his are lovely and cheaper then raonbows BUT..Rainbow sends LOVELY and healthy plants of a good size :) She is very fussy about her plants :)
I was a lucky duck and got one at my local AVSA club meeting last month for $5. Victorian Parosol
Here's a shot of it blooming today.
(it lost a few leaves after I dumped it on it's head)
This message was edited Feb 16, 2006 4:15 PM
My my and you talk about my threats to be sent to the freezer. You dropped her on her head. Bad bad mommy.
Hey, I never said anything about the freezer, I just read and laughed! I've done some threatening like that my self! LOL!
didn't want to start a dust storm in begonias, but be careful not to over water it. Rexies don't like wet feet (or frozen feet), I let mine go almost dry before I water again. BUT they do want high humidity. So you might want to put it in a pebble tray or use some florist oasis, get it wet and place the pot near or on top of, but not so it can draw any water from it.
Oh and I don't generally make it a habit of dropping my AV's on their head, but look how she behaved after!! Got a bunch of blooms! That'll show her!
(only kidding, I generally just drown all my AV babies!)
Actually, I think dropping the pot to shock the root ball is an official method of getting AVs to bloom... I know I've read about it in a couple of places!
Japanese growers do something similar with logs innocculated with shiitake mushroom spawn... when they are ready to stimulate a flush of mushrooms, they soak the logs in rain barrels and then "throw them around and knock them together." Doesn't that bring some kung-fu imagery to mind, LOL! I guess the mushrooms "think" Oh no, this is IT, we are going to die, so we'd better reproduce NOW.... Perhaps AVs flower for the same reason when they get knocked or shocked.
LOL
trimming the plant should have the same effect??
Maybe.... I don't know if trimming is considered a "shock." But I trim back outer leaves from time to time because I figure if the plant has fewer leaves it has more energy for producing flowers.
found this very interesting study of experiments by "culturing" CHIMERICAL african violets...normal cuture techniques didn't result in the "pinwheel" offspring..but when they used the inflo's to propagate in the culture...they had success at reproducing the pinwheel effect..."culturing" is such a fascinaton to me..i wish my brain and money were sufficient to try it....the "kitchen" kits not too expenisve..but almost "sterile" conditions are necessary
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/tisscult/chimeras/valprop/val.html
jill..i certainly think trimming has some effect..."topical dominance" is very interesting..to make the plant bushier etc....and , of course...with roses...and many plants...removing the blossoms...tells the plant to make new ones...leaving them on..tells them to put their energy to making seed...etc
Do you try to root the cut off leaves? The AV family facinates me. They are so pretty and bloom aften.
I confess that some leaves just hit the trash, especially when I think I have enough started of that variety. In milder weather, of course, I would offer to send leaves out to people who wanted to propagate them! :-) The older, battered looking leaves are not good candidates, but I generally get a few nice ones when I trim plants back. I am holding off on trimming some of my plants so I'll have some extra leaves available to tuck into trade boxes this spring.
Makshi, I've got your name on a "Rosie Girl noid," a little 'Champagne Pink' plantlet, and a 'Rebel's Rosebud'. PLMK if anything else has caught your eye! :-)
Thanks critter,
I just love most of them.
Oh, then it will be easy & fun to pack your box this spring! :-)
I put down leaves of all plants so I can share ! I think it's fun to grow by leaf and share extra babies hoping someday those people will share the Joy also. If you don't grow some by leaf you won't have any to trade and share.
Not talking about you Jill :)) I know you have zillions of babies growing !
My husband says I have to many plants to care for. I told him God must want me to have them or he would not keep growing babies for me to share.:))
I pray DG African and Gessie Friends will always
continue to all grow by leaf and share your extra babies with others and people who have none.
There is more joy than words can express from growing from leaf and even more Joy sharing :))
I am trying again. I put one in to root 3 days ago and am crossing my fingers.
Good luck ! What method are you trying ?
I used no soil mix. Hope it works.
Do you mean soil-less mix ? If so and it's light will be perfect. I keep making mine lighter and lighter. I use 60 percent Perlite now for everything. But the babies seems to be growing faster.
Yes, it has no soil in it so soil less it is.
just to make sure we're all on the same page, "soil-less" mix is like that potting mix you buy in bags, with peat moss, perlite and/or vermiculite... not to be confused with bags of "top soil" or "garden soil" or with plain old dirt from the yard. For African violets, especially if you're wick watering or using self watering containers, it's best to use at least 1 part perlite to one part soil-less potting mix (even if you start with "African Violet Mix," add the perlite).
If we're talking about starting leaves in water, or in a closed container by themselves with nothing but a bit of humidity to get them started, that's a different thing.
Good luck & keep us posted, makshi!