I got this Optimara AV the other day with the rest of the others and I lost the tag that had the name on it. Does anyone know what it may be? And one other question, what kind of bloom is it? I just love the way the flowers look. Anyone know what kind of bloom it is?
Thanks,
Jesse
wish I could help....sorry....
Unless those blooms are just not fully opened, they almost look bell shaped to me... I'm wondering if you've got an 'Optimara Annabelle' there... I know the foliage is rather distinctive, so maybe somebody who is growing that one will be able to ID it.
here is my new Annabelle sent to me by Lin and sent to her by Allison....she is growing, but no blooms yet...look at her foliage and you all decide????? I know nothing except that she is a labeled Annabelle....
Thanks for telling me what it was. I went to the Optimara website and mine is identical, right down to the pointed, serrated leaves. Wow, me with an Annabelle. If I find more of them I will buy them. Thanks so much for the ID. Here is what Optimara had to say about it.
Series: Southern Belle Series
Pot Size: 4-inch standard
Bloom Type: Bell Shaped
Bloom Color: Light Blue
Leaf Type: Medium Serrated
Leaf Color: Medium green
Year Introduced: 2006
And the photo is identical. http://www.optimara.com/optimarafieldguide/varietiesa-l/annabelle.html
Jesse
It's definitely Optimara 'Annabelle' of the Southern Belle Series! Don't you just love those little Bell Shaped Blooms! I bought 5 of them a few months ago at Wal-Mart and Allison is the one who Id'd them for me! I sent one to Allison, one to Bettygail, One to Cedarnest/Nancy in a trade and I have one with Glamourpuss/Susan's name on it, for trade to send as soon as the weather warms up! One of my favorites! And, Cedarnest/Nancy gave me 'Isabelle' in the trade, so now I have both! Love them!
Lin
That is way cool Lin. I will have to be on the lookout for the other one. I think they are absolutely beautiful.
Jesse
Gail: Your 'Annabelle' is looking a lot better than mine! I have not been a good plant mommy at all with this one! She's growing tall and skinny and has suckers all over! I never re-potted it and it was under grow lights but never turned, so it's growing out sideways. I'm ashamed to show it but here's a pic: I have to take care of this one tomorrow! Looks like I'm gonna have to do a lot of butchering. Please don't anyone scold me for not taking better care ....
And ... just in case you see this thread Glamourpuss/Susan: Here's a photo of the one with your name on it: I just checked it closely and it has a couple of little suckers too, but it looks a lot better than mine!
Lin, I didn't know you bought these......I was wrong....I am so excited about the bloom....what is amazing me is that one time an Av blooms one color and then changes...Look, Lin, at yours and my favorite...look at the new blooms?????????
I have leaves already growing to give Annabelle back to you since yours is not growing to your liking...that is strange when the other you have is laying flat???
Great Find Jesse! that is really full of beautiful blooms : )
Lin,The one you sent me still has 4 blooms and is getting new buds so I will make sure and post a pic as soon as its in full bloom.I love it .Thank You : ))
OK Gail,Now thats "Another" Beauty : ))
I was so drawn to it because of the bell-shaped blooms. And the color of this one is awesome. I really love it and now I want the other one.
Jesse
someone who knows something please tell me why the above post is blooming like that now when this is the first flowering????? I just grow these, Jesse.....know nothing....this is the same plant as I posted above....help???????????
I don't know Gail but that sure is pretty.I think some do that sometimes but I sure don't know why? Maybe somebody else will know the answer.
Jesse,I have some leaves down of Isabelle so as soon as I get babies I will gladly send you one : )
Nancy
Thanks Cedarnest. I have others that I can trade with you.
Now I'm confused. Are you saying that the photo that you just listed is Annabelle. I do not think so. It does not look like the Annabelle that I have or like the one on Optimara's website. http://www.optimara.com/optimarafieldguide/varietiesa-l/annabelle.html In my opinion, that does not look like an Annabelle. Annabelle is light blue, much lighter blue that my photo. Blues and Purples sometimes are a lot different seen through the lens of a camera. And most of the time you can not get the purples ones to look purple. I think that maybe someone got the tags mixed up. But the plant that you listed above is absolutely gorgeous. You should be proud of it even if the name got mixed up.
Jesse
No,NO, No.....the very first photo is the Annabelle.....I was just asking a stupid question as to why blooms change on the same plant...the last photo is the original plant....it radiated color from the center....we didn't know what it was but that we liked it. The second photo I posted is because now the same plant is blooming differently....a different color.
Annabelle is a separate subject...sorry for the confusion....someday, when the AV forum gets all settled and people are bored in the dead of winter...I am hoping that the experts (like you) will help us all identify what we have or teach us how. Right now I am too busy in the gardens to even worry about the name...
thanks again for your hard work
gail
Gail: You don't have to send 'Annabelle' back to me! I have another one ... found it on another plant stand! So, I originally bought 6 not 5 ... oh, and I also have some leaves rooting. I am sending a couple to a lady on another gardening site who wants to try her hand at AV's again after many years! I am putting more Annabelle leaves down as soon as I begin taking apart that one tall skinny plant!
Here's 'Isabelle' that Cedarnest/Nancy traded me:
She looks pretty good Lin.I believe she likes her new home : )
Jesse, that is absolutely beautiful. I really love the look of those blooms - and the foiliage is pretty too.
Oh wow. Nice plant Lin. I would love to have Isabelle. I think they are both so beautiful. I am hoping that one day I will go into Walmart and there she will be. LOL If not I will do some trading and get her.
Jesse
I will put your name on one Jesse : )
Thanks for the compliments. When I got her, I was thinking in the back of my mind that it was not Annabelle. But deep down there was this bit of excitement that it might be her. So when I asked and was told it was Annabelle, I did the African Violet happy dance. Then I went to Optimara to make sure. I was so happy.
Jesse
Thanks so much cedar.
Jesse
This is what the 'Annabelle' Bunch looked like when I first brought them home from Wal-Mart:
oh my goodness, I never dreamed you found these Annabelles at Wal Mart!!!! They are to die for!!! Please bloom, Annabelle!!!!
That pink one that Nancy gave to you is soooooooo sweet..almost looks like a baby pink rose....
Lin.. Going to town tomorrow to the doctors, then straight to Walmart to check if any came in up here. I notice Florida and Georgia get the plants, then they seem to creep on up the coast. I'm planning on checking on them every couple of days, even if it is 35 miles one way. Good way to get out and enjoy spring. I picked up Wyoming in a little shop a few weeks ago, it is deep purple color. I don't know too much about African Violets but I would like to learn. ..Peg
Peg, welcome to the African Violets forum. You don't have to know much about AVs to have a good time here and whatever you don't know, any of us would be happy to teach you.
Jesse
I found out the answer to my same plant blooming differently....it is called sporting and that is why Av's are not given a name until they have been grown for 4 or 5 generations to make sure they bloom the same....
Yes .... I found these in Wal-Mart back in early February! And ... they've never gotten anymore AV's in at all! I keep checking, but no luck .... I guess it was a fluke thing. I asked the garden manager at two different WM's if they would be getting more AV's in and they both said yes, we get them all the time, another truck will be coming Thursday. Well, I am in two of our three Wal-Marts at least three times a week and they've never gotten anymore AV's in.
Chesapeake: I'm laughing because I've been saying for the past couple of months that all the good plants must be going up North! Folks have been posting photo's on House Plants Forum of some really nice ones .... from Home Depot and Lowe's ... I go to both of those stores and don't find very many nice plants yet. Hopefully soon, we will be getting some good ones down here. A lot of stuff is grown by big Wholesale Nurseries here in Florida, and I keep saying they must be shipping North!
it is like the barber's child who never gets a haircut....you are right, Lin.....everything I buy practically says "grown in Florida"......
I emailed Optimara just to ask if they would be introducing any new AV's in the Southern Belle Series. I sure hope they will be coming out with more in this series real soon ... they are just so unique with those bell flowers! Here's the reply I got from Optimara:
Lin
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
More research is underway as we speak. As far as when a release can be made public, can not say at this time. Developing new varieties is a time consuming activity. Thanks for asking.
Tim Cain
Hermann Holtkamp Greenhouses, Inc.
Optimara Violets
615-228-2683 x133
tim@optimara.com
Jesse, that's a beautiful plant!!!!!! I've gotta find one of each!! Anybody wanna do some trading??
Debbie
I don't mean to be rude, Jesse, but this is the blind leading the blind in this forum. I am quite sure there are knowledgeable people on DG who could answer questions on this forum , but so far,.I have to look up and research any question I have. I love everyone on the AV forum and know them well, but so many of us are beginners with beginner's questions.
Don't get me wrong, it is fun just visiting with everyone.....but we need some experts hanging around who can answer questions.....
I am not a beginner and I do not recall you asking any questions that have gone unanswered. If so, please do ask them, for I must not have seen them, or missed them when I was reading too fast. If you think that I am not sufficient enough to answer your questions, then please ask them to all of the experts.
Jesse
Oh, gee, I owe you an apology and this thread an apology!!!! I didn't specifically ask you a question....just have asked several questions...one on this thread, too. That was not thoughtful of me and I also remembered that many people are participating in the March Bingo forum. Please know that my comment was not aimed at you......just the AV forum not having people to answer questions lurking around.
Let' start all over......
gail
Gail,
I accept your apology and hope that we can get to be good friends.
Jesse
thanks, Jesse.....I sometimes need another chance!!!
You are welcome Gail.
Jesse :)
