....Took pics of this Hib today maintly cuz I was surprised at the color of the flower. Just a few weeks ago this same plant was putting out some red blooms. I know sometimes there is a slight variation in the color of blooms in a plant; maybe a shade lighter or darker or even varigation but this is completely a diff color (except for the middle). I can accept going senile and forgetful but this is too crazy and Im not that yet.
2nd pic
Anyway it is a real beauty ~Sylvia
This is very odd, isn't it?
My thoughts are that if this is a grafted plant, perhaps a sucker from Pride of Hankins or other rootstock has grown big enough to bloom in competition with this peachy variety. All but one of the common rootstocks have red flowers. If so look for a sucker near the ground with dark mahogany stems and different foliage, and probably you should remove it completely because ultimately the sucker will proliferate and kill the hybrid top.
Otherwise . . perhaps a big dose of fertilizer washed out color temporarily? Epsom salt spray is good for hibs occasionally but can surely change color for awhile, though this example would be extreme.
Other than those possibles, this is pretty much a mystery to me, and we breed these plants and grow thousands in pots at any one time . .
luck to you,
Barry
I was going to guess as well that it was a sprout coming up from below the graft, otherwise it does seem like quite a large color variation. The other possibility I can think of is I've seen with some other plants where they will sometimes graft a couple different flower colors onto one rootstock so that you have a multicolored bush. I've never seen a hibiscus done this way, but it certainly could be done.
One other thought . .
Sometimes a person finds a "sport" or mutant, a variant from color or form or whatever. Could be that a stray cosmic ray produced the peachy colored flower which was then propagated and named appropriately. But fairly often that new sport will revert to the original form, in this case the red version,most likely. I have seen this happen often with Hibiscus rosa-sinensis El Capitolio (red) and El Capitolio Sport (apricot) and El Capitolio Sport of Sports (fawn colored).
Next time a red one comes along, if it does, photograph it and post it here with the peachy form and let us see them side by side.
luck,
BArry
I have a Painted Lady in the ground that recently produced a 1 1/2" white flower with light pink splotches. Wish I had taken a photo of it. It was a pretty little (literally and figuratively) blossom.
This message was edited Nov 5, 2007 11:00 AM
Barry, I'd like to maintain the peachy color so in order to do this I should cut it from the base and root it seperately? With my limited knowledge of how colors come about I first thought maybe like I've been told with Brugs if you polinate from another color you can come up with a totally different color. I do have a bright yellow Hib in the same area of the yard. Polination from it with the red one couldnt be the answer could it? (*wink* pretending to know what Im talking about)....... If you suggest I should separate it I will cuz like I said I definitely do want to keep it peach.
Anaid, have you clearly identified branches that bloom red and that bloom with the peach color? If so, and if they can be separated, that is a good idea . . but I'd be happier to have you tag them now and do the separating in very early spring but you are in San Antonio . . where they are both likely to freeze outdoors unless you protect them, right?
As for plants magically crossing when planted near another color, it does not happen except occasionally when annuals that die and return from seed each year COULD produce different colors from year to year. Not with hibiscus, not with roses, or other permanent plants, in my opinion.
Barry
I usually do protect them so no worries there but Im glad u suggested tagging them. Seems like the branches towards the back of the pot are the peach and the front are red. This is exciting to me cuz as it is I learn so much just growing plants w/o any unusual things happening. This makes it so much more fun. Thanks again Barry.
Diana
Anaid,
isīnt your peach one looks a little bit like my one 'Bretagne'
http://www.hobbyodlaren.com/hibbret.html#
but my one is a European Hibiscus, this cultivar is a Sport of Lagos, from Netherlands. Iīve got it from France.
Youre right! It does look like that. Even the leaves are the same looking. WOW! Now Im really puzzled....... does yours ever put out red blooms?
No but I only have had the one since last year.
