Here is our very own DGer Jim King's hybridization of Royal Hope. This is her first bloom for me.
She is outstanding and the yellow in her throat gets deeper than the outside yellow of the bloom.
January II Blooms
Jim? This one doesn't have a name......check out the center and how much more purple she has in her than Moon Moth. Can you help or anyone else for that matter?
**edited to say that she is Chorus Line......yeah!!!
This message was edited Jan 5, 2009 11:31 PM
Beautiful as always, Gail! You can really grow these Gessie's!
JIm, I love Royal Hope! Thanks for posting, Gail.
This is a young streptocarpus 'Something Special' (Ford)...an elegant variety in first bloom and over 2 ft. across already. This one will grow very large.
Flowers closer up..
Strep 'Bristol's Petticoats'...
I have some seed I will sow from this one.
Kohleria 'Manchu'..
Episcia 'Rita's Pearl Passion'..
A mini phal orchid I was happy to buy for 5.00 because it wasn't in bloom or bud..
The leaf span is less than the size of my hand and the flowers are about 2" across.
Wow! Wow! Wow! ... GoldLeaf, those are Amazing blooms! That Strep 'Something Special' sure is huge - beautiful plant!
I love Kohleria Manchu. I got that one in a trade from Cedarnest last year but it's not doing much. Of course it would help if I took more time caring for my plants. I just don't think I have the patience anymore for Gessie's.
That Episcia 'Rita's Pearl Passion' has stunning color ... :( all of my Episcia's are gone, bit the dust along with a number of other plants.
Aaah, what can I say about that Mini Phal? Sooo pretty and what a buy! $5.00??? Wow! Wish I could find deals like that on them down this way. Most of mine have to come from the clearance tables at Wal-Mart, or sometimes Lowe's (but usually theirs are too far gone by the time they put them on the clearance rack.)
I think I should stick to plants such as Orchids and Hoya's ... easy care plants that I can just hang in the trees or on the deck and let them do their own thing. I'm finding Gessie's a bit too fussy for me. I still have all of my Chirita's ... they seem to thrive on neglect. But, AV's, Episcia's and Strep's, I just don't have much patience for anymore it seems. I will probably always buy one or two here and there when I see a "pretty" that I just can't pass up but as for shelves full .... don't think so.
Well, I'm off to run some errands and then back to work cleaning out on the deck and watering the plants out there! I have a mess with leaves and dirt from things that got blown over in wind last week. A little early Spring cleaning to get done!
Please save a leaf for me of Ford's Something Special. It is so much prettier than the Shenandoah's Something Special I have..........she is outstanding!
I will never have big streps as I trim on the leaves all the time to make more room..........(lol)
I am mixed up as usual. My S. Something Special is great looking but S. Sweet Talk isn't so hot. I still want a Ford, please.........thanks
Hi, I am new to this forum and thought I'd jump in here. I seem to do well with AV's & Phal. however I have never grown anything beyond generic AV's. Here are a few pics of my blooms today. If anyone can identify them that would be appreciated.
Here is another, a close up.
Beautiful picture..and glad to have you. Since there are more than 17,000 named African violets on First Class registered, I doubt that anyone can give you a name.
Come back, see us and please post!
I just love having some streps bloom weird. Posting two pictures of a new Cherry Roulette.
Here's another of the same plant, not so dark.
another view of Cherry Roulette baby.
Thanks, Lin. I love hoyas and orchids and if you can grow them outdoors, why not? Any kohlerias that aren't doing well for you indoors and you are thinking of pitching them, put them outside in the shade and see what happens. I know folks in Florida that grow them outside.
Jonathan Ford's 'Something Special' is a classic beauty in streps and yes, I will save you a leaf, Gail.
David Thompson's 'Rainbow's End'..
Sonoita...welcome, and thanks for posting your lovely violets!
Interesting and beautiful on the strep Roulette Cherry, Gail.
Another special David Thompson's strep 'Remembering John' in first bloom..
Sonoita, welcome! Pretty blooms from you.
Lovely Gail, your blooms are so pretty.
Goldleaf, your plants are so lovely. Love that epescia.
Oh.....Goldleaf........my Remembering John had buds on her......must go look today. I love her so much. She does have blooms!
Hi Sally......
First is Silvia
Remembering John minus a leaf or two (lol)
Leyla
Raspberry Splash
If you would like a stolon or rooted plant, Sally, when the weather is warm and safe for shipping across the country, I would be happy to send you one.
Gail, I love Remembering John, the name and the plant. Sylvia I've been wanting and I am happy to say I have a plant coming my way. I have leaves down with babies of it but I am impatient. So different and pretty.
Not fancy but always blooming, 'Blueberry Butterfly' (Carolyn Colin-Lane) From a GHA S. kentaniensis hybrid seed project.)
Goldleaf, what size pot/cup are you growing Something Special. I've got several streps that have large leaves and they get top heavy in their small pots and fall over. I'm tempted to cut the leaves, but am not set up to propagate yet. (Gail- domes are ordered and should arrive shortly!) What do you do to prevent them from falling over?
Thanks.
Sarah
Leyla...love, want, will get someday.
Goldleaf grows beautiful big ones! I can't as they topple over and I don't have room since I mainly like to propagate. Remembering John and about 4 more are the only ones with leaves that long. I purposely did not cut or trim them as I want to propagate in February.
Right now I have enough work in January just potting up new babies and separating babies from the mother leaves.
When the weather is a little better, Goldleaf, you need to start your wish list for leaves. I am starting my list from what I am wishing in leaves from you (lol)
***edited to say mine go from a solo cup to a clear plastic Dart 5.5 souffle cup which you can buy on line. Goldleaf in an old thread gave the address but I would have to find it. I also put perlite in the bottoms.
This message was edited Jan 5, 2009 2:06 PM
lowellsf - Something Special is planted in a 9oz. clear cup with a rolled rim. I have a layer of chunky perlite in the bottom. The pot has a wick and I normally water from the bottom. The plant is sitting in a styro bowl as a saucer. Maybe your pot is too small (narrow) on the bottom and makes it unstable with the size of the plant? What kind of a pot is it? Size, etc.?
Lovely blooms, everyone!
Welcome aboard, Sarah!
Bingo, anyone? http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/940271/
GoldLeaf, the pots are small, no more than 2" high and wide. I'm wicking all my streps, but the containers with the water are small and run dry too frequently. I'm considering putting them all on cap matting over a grid and using the cap matting to wick water through the grid. I think this may help with the plants tipping over.
Where do you all get your cups and small pots?
Thanks,
Sarah
I know the 3oz solo cups are pretty reasonable at Walmart. The small 2 1/4" and 2 1/2" pots are reasonable on ebay . . .
Can you mat water without the leaves touching the matting?
I got the 9oz. cups at Sam's or Costco...not sure which. They are larger than a 3" pot and smaller than a 4" azalea pot.
Bingo? Sure!
Clockwise from the top...strep 'Chigusa', chirita 'Rachel', saintpaulia 'Sister Sylvia' (chimera), and sinningia 'Mini Pink' from Jannich.
GoldLeaf, Good point about the leaves touching the cap matting. Some of the streps with longer leaves carry the leaves erect so they wouldn't touch the matting, but I have at least one where the leaves curl down and they may touch the matting. Guess I'll have to do something else with that one, or cut the leaves.
Thanks for the pointers.
Sure, Goldleaf, you can mail a stolon sometime. That would be great.
Just stopping by to drool over all of your blooms everyone!! VERY nice!! Keep them posting, gives me hope!!!!
GoldLeaf: That is one beautiful photo collage of Gessie's!
Gojldleaf is, by far, the best grower I have ever known!
Sarah, the reason I took my streps out of permanest trays and don't have them on mats (except when they are babies in 3 ounce solo cups) is because Goldleaf noticed my problem. When the big leaves touch a wet capillary mat or water of any kind, they start to turn black on the ends of the leaves..........
Beautiful blooms, everyone. My favorites today just happens to be Ford's Something Special and Kohleria 'Mahchu'. I think I'm partial to the pinks.
Gail, that's the only reason you don't use the capillary matting? Thanks.