African Violet 'Sonoma Heather'

African Violet 'Sonoma Heather'
Saintpaulia

Labeled as 'Sonoma Heather.' Either a misnomer or an extreme variation due to conditions.

This message was edited Oct 27, 2006 12:53 AM

Kenton, are you certain that your plant is SH? I have this hybrid also (from Bluebirds) and my bloom is very pale pink. I thought perhaps I have the wrong name tag so I looked at the AVSA site and mine is like theirs http://www.avsa.org/Photographs/SonomaHeatherLrg.jpg#http://../Photographs/SonomaHeatherLrg.jpg#
What do you think?

I bought it from a reputable grower, Lali, and gave it away later not being a fan of light pinks. Colour is easily influenced by the age of the plant and conditions, I think that this one was just a mature plant given cooler night temperatures, or maybe it's the photo. Does yours have ruffled edges at all? PlantFiles could use a picture of yours, eh?

I did post, but it was stuck in the queue for a day or so. It's up now. It's likely the conditions. Mine does not have even a single ruffle. Curious.
no cool temps here. It's just now starting to cool off during the day. Nights are cool though.
Here's another shot of the flower. http://www.flickr.com/photos/begonias-photos/279124768/

This message was edited Oct 25, 2006 9:44 AM

Wow they don't look the same do they?

They really do differ. The leavees look quite right.
Is yours a new plant? Could it be first-bloom-bloopers? Like fantasies I've got whose first flowers barely have spots on their first try?

I bought this from Bluebirds not quite a year ago. (Dec or Jan?) And it's bloomed a few times now. Same color for me. I grow about 9 inches away from the grow lights. Not the most consistent temps because I dont have any central air or heat. So it averages between 60-100 depending on the day, and if I'm home to turn on the fan/heater! so I might say the growing conditions effect the color. I'll have to go back and look at Bluebird's site and see what they have. You know, here's something odd, the hybridizer lives about 40 minutes from here! How about that!

Fancy that. Do you have access to FC2 to see its picture?

http://bluebirdgreenhouse.com/html/fimages/20040401-1550-21_6788.jpg
http://commerce.clubphoto.com/perl/app.pl/select_photo/select_photo?link_code=ss10&id=94083&group_id=
http://www.violet-slava.ru/katal_230.htm
http://www.violetgallery.com/html%20pics/sonomaheather.html
All look mor like yours, some have mild wavy edges.
I just might have another photo of that plant. Can't say I liked it at all...

This thing was pretty darn frilly. I'm going to assume it was tagged correctly and that it was an oddball, but I will ask the grower next time if she remembers it or where she got it. But let us have Terry put your picture on the top of the PF listing in favour of its more credible appearance!

Here is my only other picture.
(K)

K

Interesting situation- both are really pretty.

Sadly FC2 is a PC program and I'm a Mac girl. I visit the AVSA photo site often though. I also cruise all the Russian photo sites (they're in the sticky) when I need a good drool fest! LOL.
Hybrids revert all the time. It's not uncommon with as much hybridizing that is happening today. It's a good thing, as we get some really incredible plants. but AV's are prone to revert and 'sport'. Perhaps that's what has happened. Your foliage in the photo above looks correct, albeit larger than mine. I'm surprised you're growing it, I recall that you're not a pink fan? right?

I've become obsessed with species violets and have started a nice little collection. Primarily because of the 'keep the species alive' and in circulation idea and secondly because of their stability. They dont shout out with those amazing flowers, but are easy and nice to grow. And since I still have so many hybrids that do bloom in amazing ways (when I can get them into bloom, which isn't that often! -due to neglect! )I'll not worry too much about the species smaller blooms.

either way, yours is quite sweet. Did you notice the near all cream/beige foliage in that Club Photo store link? Wow. Very interesting. I think mine gets too much light and heat for those kind of leaves.
it's been great chatting with you K!!!

You too, L
And note that I wrote that I no longer have it, keeping it for reasons of giving away and, incedentally, PF pictures!
But I will admit to having a number of pinks anyway... I have to tolerated it for some of the neater leaves.
I did see those highly mauve leaves. My 'Rob's Outer Orbit' I think, will prove to be that way when under my brighter lights.
(All I grow sp-wise is S. pendula, and it has been slug-bait slow thus far.)
Kenton

'Midget Lilian.'

Kenton, I will make sure to get some really pink flowers and send it to you. LOL. Hot pink if I can get my hands on some. A guy can never have too much pink in their garden. LOL.

Never in my garden, absolutely never. Yes, in my AVs. But not in my garden.
Hot pink is easier to tolerate (but still atrocious) than pale pink, which I find mostly to be a bastardization of red. Which it is, really...