hybrid coneflowers

Does anyone know whether the seeds from the new varieties of coneflower (e.g. sunset) will reproduce the same plant, or revert to parents? I saved seed just in case, but I suspect I'll end up with ordinary coneflower babies.

You won't get ordinary coneflowers necessarily, you'll get a mixture of all of the genetic material. Depending on the varieties used to create the hybrids, there could be literally dozens of forms from just one seed head. Some will even look like your hybrid flowers....but most will be different. Not all of the differences will be in the flowers either...some will be taller, some shorter...leaf differences and amount of blooms are all possibilities. Think of it as siblings...they have the same parents, but all look different from each other...AND their parents.

I wouldn't trade them as the named variety...but you could offer them as a mixture. This would be truthful, and folks will happily swap with you.

I saved just a few seeds from my new "Twilight". I realize it probably won't look like it's mom, but I thought it would be fun to see what I get. I can always use another coneflower. I'm planning to wintersow them.

Karen

Melody, if I planted the seeds and got a mix of new coneflower plants next summer, would the seeds from this second generation produce plants that are the same as what ever parent I took it from. I mean if one of the plants that grew next year I happen to like, would the seeds from that second generation grow the same as their parents or would they yield a new mix of different types of plants?

It will still produce a mix of forms and possibly flower colors....every time the genetic material is 'put back into the hopper' so to speak, it re-combines. Chances are, that you'll get some that resemble the parents...but if there were two different parents..(as in an hybrid) then it is impossible to reproduce 1 of the parents exactly, as each parent contributes 1/2 of the genes to the offspring. (just like a human baby) The differences may not be noticeable to the eye, as things like hardiness, bloom time, length of blooming, foliage shape,length of stems...all are genetic traits that get passed on. And now, this season's seeds are children of the F1 hybrid that you just harvested. They should be labeled F2. (2nd generation) and now there are potentially 4 different flowers that have contributed genetic material to your seeds...the parents and 'grandparents'.

Depending on the genetic stability of the grandparents, you will get just a few variations, or lots of forms. Sometimes, an OP (open pollinated) cultivar is listed as an hybrid to discourage seed saving by the retail companies...and your plants will grow true! (the little Santa grape tomato is listed as an hybrid, and will grow true to form about 95% of the time)

If you plant next year and find a flower that you like, it seems harsh, but pull all of the other flowers that do not show the traits that you desire. The chances of the 'right' ones getting pollinated are much better.

Next year, do the same...you will find that with each season, the desirable forms increase. In 4 or 5 seasons, you should have stabilized the variety to where it grows true from saved seed and you have created your own open pollinated version of your coneflower.

Hmm. This could be an interesting experiment. Maybe I'll give it a shot.

Yeah, and you can even have the pleasure of naming it whatever you want.

I say go for it....teaches you lots about genetics, and makes things lots easier to understand too. Until you've had a hands on experience with a project like this, it's hard to visualize.

Besides....it's sorta like Forrest Gump said..."Life is like a box of chocolates...you never know what you may get"