I got this Optimara mini at Walmart tonight. Optimara has evidently stopped IDing their AVs on the tag. The tag is in the pot but is blank where the name is usually printed. I had promised myself I'd ONLY LOOK and not buy anything, but just look at this bloom! I've never seen one like it! Look how the petals are shaped at the top! Anyway, I'd love to have a name for it, if there is one. I looked at Optimara, but couldn't find one that matched well enough that I was satisfied with the ID.
Here are the blooms on the other side of the plant.
A close up of some fading white blooms but they still have that same separation/split/whatever you call it in the top of the upper petals.
OK, to be totally honest, I bought a begonia, too. :o)
LOL !! I'm glad you 'fessed up! They are both beautiful, though... I went to Lowes today and their av's were about the saddest things I've seen. BUT, I did manage to find a varigated hoya about to croak on the closeout cart for $5. I brought it home, untangled it all and got it out of the pot. I took all the dead and dying stuff off and repotted. It's just lovely and can't wait to see it grow.
Hooray for new plants!!!
Oh I went to Lowe's today, too! Most of their AVs are gone (died, I can only assume) and the ones they had left I was afraid to walk close to. I found a hoya that had a tiny clump of buds (peduncle, is that the right term for that?). First one I've ever seen that showed any signs of blooming. I would have bought it, except for one of the most perfect specimens of mealy bug I've ever seen that was about half an inch above the buds. :o( Darn critters!! I left Lowe's without buying anything at all. Aren't you proud of me? LOL
Congratulations on your hoya! I've got several and I love them all. I can't wait til one blooms for me.
This is my very first, though I've been wanting one for a while. I gave it a good going over and no bugs so far...it was terribly overcrowded, rootbound, and twisted all around on itself. Easy enough to fix that!
And yes it is amazing that you got in and out of Lowes without any plants!! ~lol~ It's hard to do :))
Don't quote me on it, but I'm pretty sure I've been told hoyas won't bloom unless potbound. I posted on the hoya board once. I'll go see if I can find that thread and post a link here.
Here's the link to that thread. http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/555211/ Might give you a bit of extra helpful info. I dare not tell you much. I killed my crinkly hoyas, but my others are growing well, just no blooms.
Amy~
Thanks for the heads up! I ended up with several rooted pieces but I think their pot is way to big now. I will just find a better pot and redo. Thanks, though...I would have just left it and cried when I never got flowers~lol~
My hoyas are really pretty put like so many other peoples they have not bloomed.
Just trying to help a fellow plant addict along! LOL You know, now that I've gone back and read that thread again, I think mine are still overpotted. I may put them in an even smaller pot today, or just cram more of them into that one pot. I hate to put all my eggs in one basket, though, so to speak. LOL I'll figure something out... Post a pic of your hoya if you get a chance. I'd love to see it!
It's a good thing they're pretty without flowers, isn't it makshi? ;o)
Oh I love your Begonia Amy. I like the Begonias with colors in their foliage. Oh how I wish I could go to the stores. I have not been for years :((
Thanks, Allison. I love them too, and I've decided to try them again. I've killed several Rex Begonias. I just have to figure out how to grow them. I honestly think I kill them because I'm so afraid of killing them. Does that make sense? It's like I'm afraid to do anything for them because they might die, so I don't do much (besides water, of course) and they die. So this one, I'm just going to treat the same way I do many of my other plants. If it lives, great! If not, then I'll try to figure out why. I'm tired of tiptoeing around plants I love, in fear of killing them. They'll adapt to what I give them, or they'll die, at which point I'll try again, changing only one aspect of their care, til I figure out what to do. Kind of a "tough love" plan in action! LOL
I wish you could go to the stores, too. I know you'd find so many wonderful things! If you'll tell me what part to send, I'll send you some of this Begonia. Can I just snip off part of the rhizome with leaves and roots attached, pot that up, and ship it to you?
I like your "tough love" plan for begonias, LOL.
That AV bloom is lovely! Those upper petals are almost heart-shaped.... too cute!
That AV is very pretty!
Amy I could give you money next time you go you could get me a colerful one ! Please !
I was thinking your plant was looking like it was trying to be;Optimara Little Crystal (7350) 04/11/1990 (Holtkamp) Single-semidouble white wasp. Medium green, heart-shaped, hairy, glossy. Miniature
( One I was a dumb dumb paying too much for on Ebay )
I know it is showing color in the flower/ Oh by the way Little Crystal flowers never looked like wasp to me.
OK here goes the Sport info.
Optimara Little Apatite (6941) 11/19/1988 (Holtkamp) Single lilac long petals/lighter lilac back. Medium green, heart-shaped, hairy, glossy, serrated. Miniature
SPORTED to >>>
Optimara Little Crystal (7350) 04/11/1990 (Holtkamp) Single-semidouble white wasp. Medium green, heart-shaped, hairy, glossy. Miniature
> This is where your plant would be getting the color..
Optimara Little Apatite (6941) 11/19/1988 (Holtkamp) Single lilac long petals/lighter lilac back. Medium green, heart-shaped, hairy, glossy, serrated. Miniature
ALSO SPORTED TO >>>>
Cool Jewel (8594) 03/03/1997 (C. Salland) Single chimera medium lavender cupped/wide white to pale lavender stripe. Medium green, plain, pointed, pebbled, glossy. Miniature
I think Sports are so cool !
Allison, I'd be happy to pick up some Begonias for you! I don't find the Rexes very often, and sometimes they look so bad I'd never even consider buying them. This is the only Rex I've got now, but I've got several cane begonias that I could share with you, if you'd like.
I separated that Rex above. It was several plants all together in one pot. I'll send you one of those. I'll take pictures and post them in a few minutes.
I couldn't find a picture of Cool Jewel, but I looked at Little Crystal and Little Apatite. Mine sort of looks like a cross between the two, doesn't it? They don't have that shape at the top, though. I think it's adorable. I'll put plenty of leaves down so I can share. Hopefully the blooms of the babies will have the same shape!
Here's a photo of my Little Crystal. It's been blooming nonstop since I brought it home from VG! I think the flowers look like wasp blooms, with the upper two petals especially being more narrow. The blooms are very crisp and dainty looking!
WOW Jill pretty. I bought one and grew several from it . Nice plant. Your pot looks like it is full of suckers !
Amy I do think your plant looks like a cross of them.
I even think it was trying to look like the Chimeria . Wish I could find a picture sounds pretty. It will be interesting to see how your plant blooms next time !
Pretty neat though heh Jill your Opt. Little Crystal is a sport of Optimara Little Apatite
Amy see FC picture you can see the flower good of little crystal then go up and look at your picture posted
Jul 3, 2006
8:59 PM
nope -- no suckers, the leaves were just growing twisty when I bought the plant. She has them all tightly packed together in their growing trays, so it takes a while for them to straighten out and relax. I did put down 3 or 4 leaves and have ears up on them! :-)
