August 2010 Archives
August 30, 2010
Another Shooting Star illuminates the summer sky
Here's another Angel Trumpet cross involving Brugmansia Shooting Star that is currently in bloom. This is just one of more than a dozen seedlings I have growing from a cross I made between Brugmansia Shooting Star x Masquerade.
The blooms are thicker in texture and as you can see, are holding up quite well in our hot and muggy summer weather.
The blooms are medium in size, in keeping with the size of its parent's blooms. The plant is very healthy and pest free. I recall it having a light scent in the early evening hours.
At least with this seedling you can figure out where the pink came from. Masquerade has Rubirosa as a pod parent. I'm hoping Shooting Star's genes will rule in one of the other seedlings from this cross. A yellow/orange Masquerade style bloom would be awesome.
The blooms are thicker in texture and as you can see, are holding up quite well in our hot and muggy summer weather.The blooms are medium in size, in keeping with the size of its parent's blooms. The plant is very healthy and pest free. I recall it having a light scent in the early evening hours. At least with this seedling you can figure out where the pink came from. Masquerade has Rubirosa as a pod parent. I'm hoping Shooting Star's genes will rule in one of the other seedlings from this cross. A yellow/orange Masquerade style bloom would be awesome.A pleasant find on a warm summer night...
My evening strolls through my field of Angel Trumpets is starting to get more exciting as more and more Brugmansia seedlings are setting buds and blooming for the first time. During tonight's stroll I captured this picture of a nice double pink bloom I had been watching develop all week. It is from a cross between Brugmansia Shooting Star and America.
When I was making this cross I was hoping that Shooting Star's golden color would be carried over to America's beautiful form, but pink prevailed. The pink must be from America's father, Taylor Dawn. Shooting Star came from a Kleine Aap cross with an unknown pollen donor. I'll have to do some more research on other crosses I have with Brugmansia Shooting Star because I believe pink is the prevelant color in many of those seedlings.
This Brugmansia seedling will be placed into my watch zone and once fall arrives, you can be assured that a few of the blooms will be dusted with Shooting Star pollen. I'm hoping a second generation cross will bring out the yellow/orange genes from Shooting Star.
When I was making this cross I was hoping that Shooting Star's golden color would be carried over to America's beautiful form, but pink prevailed. The pink must be from America's father, Taylor Dawn. Shooting Star came from a Kleine Aap cross with an unknown pollen donor. I'll have to do some more research on other crosses I have with Brugmansia Shooting Star because I believe pink is the prevelant color in many of those seedlings.This Brugmansia seedling will be placed into my watch zone and once fall arrives, you can be assured that a few of the blooms will be dusted with Shooting Star pollen. I'm hoping a second generation cross will bring out the yellow/orange genes from Shooting Star. August 29, 2010
Slurping away on an Angel Trumpet...
After chasing this rather plump sphinx moth around for a half hour tonight, I was finally able to snap a photo of it slurping away on a bloom from one of my Brugmansia seedlings.
This was not a small bloom so can imagine the size of this gal. Sphinx moths are also called hummingbird moths because they mimic a hummingbird and are often mistaken for the same.
I have several varieties of sphinx moths that frequent my Angel Trumpets. This particular moth is called a Rustic Sphinx and it is a warm weather sphinx that is typically only found in the southern temperate states.
This was not a small bloom so can imagine the size of this gal. Sphinx moths are also called hummingbird moths because they mimic a hummingbird and are often mistaken for the same.I have several varieties of sphinx moths that frequent my Angel Trumpets. This particular moth is called a Rustic Sphinx and it is a warm weather sphinx that is typically only found in the southern temperate states.I was chasing three different sphinx moths around tonight and each one had a different eye color. Their eyes act like reflectors when you shine a headlamp on them . It is sort or eerie to see the brightly colored eyes bouncing around in the darkness.
August 28, 2010
What a difference a day makes...
The peachy cool exotic hibiscus I posted a photo of in my previous post just bloomed again. Wow, what a difference!
This was a dinner plate size bloon, about double in size from the previous photo I posted. I can't wait to see what the next bloom looks like.
This was a dinner plate size bloon, about double in size from the previous photo I posted. I can't wait to see what the next bloom looks like.August 27, 2010
An Exotic Hibiscus seedling that is peachy cool..
Here's the first bloom on an exotic Hibiscus cross involving ((Mystic x Cajun SW) x Nightfire) x Sun Shower, It really has an unusual peachy coloration to it.
I'm not sure what is going on with the tuft, but I may find out soon as this seedling has 3-4 more buds that should open over the next few days. I expect the next blooms to look even better.
I'm not sure what is going on with the tuft, but I may find out soon as this seedling has 3-4 more buds that should open over the next few days. I expect the next blooms to look even better.August 21, 2010
Still watching my neopolitan Brugmansia seedling
Almost two years ago I posted photos of an Angel Trumpet seedling I was growing that had rather unique pink and green coloration. The cross was Brugmansia Painted Lady x Sam and I believe the hybridizer was Gary Morales. Here's a photograph taken back in fall of 2008 that shows the unusual coloration.
As the bloom matured it still kept the green in its coloration. I thought the blooms were quite striking at that time. After seeing the green continue even after a couple of bloom cycles, I decided to keep it and watch it for another year. Below is a daytime view, again taken in fall of 2008.
That winter the plant was nearly killed by freezing weather. During the course of last summer I was able to nurse this seedling back to life. By late fall it was just getting ready to bloom again and as luck would have it, it was once again knocked down by freezing weather.
This year it rebounded quickly and has been blooming on and off since earl July. The green coloration is not as pronounced as it was earlier, but it still has the mixed coloration pattern as you can see in the recent photograph I took below.
As the bloom matured it still kept the green in its coloration. I thought the blooms were quite striking at that time. After seeing the green continue even after a couple of bloom cycles, I decided to keep it and watch it for another year. Below is a daytime view, again taken in fall of 2008. That winter the plant was nearly killed by freezing weather. During the course of last summer I was able to nurse this seedling back to life. By late fall it was just getting ready to bloom again and as luck would have it, it was once again knocked down by freezing weather.This year it rebounded quickly and has been blooming on and off since earl July. The green coloration is not as pronounced as it was earlier, but it still has the mixed coloration pattern as you can see in the recent photograph I took below.
When the blooms fully mature, the pink color deepens and becomes more uniform, however the blooms still maintain splotches of light green.
I'm anxious to see what the color does this fall when the cool weather finally arrives. At one time I had another Brugmansia seedling from a different cross that was showing lots of green in its blooms. I had planned to cross the two seedlings together, but now I'm not sure if the other one survived last winter. I will certainly be on the lookout this fall for possible mates for this unique seedling.
I'm anxious to see what the color does this fall when the cool weather finally arrives. At one time I had another Brugmansia seedling from a different cross that was showing lots of green in its blooms. I had planned to cross the two seedlings together, but now I'm not sure if the other one survived last winter. I will certainly be on the lookout this fall for possible mates for this unique seedling.
August 19, 2010
Cheap labor in the garden...
When you are trying to germinate Angel Trumpets from seed, it is important to have a full-time sentry around to make sure insects, snails and slugs are kept at bay. I was fortunate to be able to solicit the help of this small tree frog to watch over my recent batch of community pots.
In return for his diligent surveillance, he is offered the protection of being under the protective screen I have in place to keep the birds from plucking the seedlings out of the pots.
This synergistic relationship is a win-win for both parties!
In return for his diligent surveillance, he is offered the protection of being under the protective screen I have in place to keep the birds from plucking the seedlings out of the pots. This synergistic relationship is a win-win for both parties!
August 17, 2010
Hang in there....
It's that time of year when I have an abundance of our friendly lizards making themselves at home amongst my Angel Trumpets. I think our severe winter reduced the population greatly. At the beginning of summer i saw very few adults, but noticed lots of babies.
I certainly hope this plump Brown Anole ate whatever was munching on this brugmansia leaf!
I certainly hope this plump Brown Anole ate whatever was munching on this brugmansia leaf!August 16, 2010
Hibiscus Harvest Moon x Gina Marie
Even though we are having record-breaking heat right now, it's color time in my growing fields. I think all of my exotic hibiscus seedlings I started from seed last summer are starting to form buds. It is great to have some fresh color while my Angel Trumpet's are in between flushes. Here's a nice yellow seedling that bloomed for the first time yesterday. It is a cross of Hibiscus Harvest Moon x Gina Marie.
I should have a couple new doubles blooming later this week. One seedling is loaded with double sized buds and so far it looks like it is going to be a dark colored bloom!
Stay tuned....
I should have a couple new doubles blooming later this week. One seedling is loaded with double sized buds and so far it looks like it is going to be a dark colored bloom!
Stay tuned....
August 15, 2010
Tonight's creature of the night...
Every time I take my evening stroll through my Angel Trumpet forest in search of new blooms, I always manage to surprise a few "creatures of the night". Tonight it was this jumbo Katydid who had claimed this bloom as his evening residence.
I wonder it these critters actually eat blooms? I've caught them in the daylight hours munching away on leaves, but I have yet to catch them eating flowers.
I wonder it these critters actually eat blooms? I've caught them in the daylight hours munching away on leaves, but I have yet to catch them eating flowers.August 12, 2010
Hibiscus Antique Treasure x Cherries 'n Cream
Several of my hibiscus seedlings bloomed for the first time this week. I was only able to capture this one on film because our afternoon thunderstorms beat the other blooms up.
This bloom is from a cross of Exotic Hibiscus Antique Treasure x Cherries 'n Cream. The blooms were average in size, stretching six inches across. The plant itself is one of the more vigorous seedlings in the bunch and is self branching.
I spotted lots of buds on my hibiscus seedlings so I should have more new seedling pictures to post after the weekend.
This bloom is from a cross of Exotic Hibiscus Antique Treasure x Cherries 'n Cream. The blooms were average in size, stretching six inches across. The plant itself is one of the more vigorous seedlings in the bunch and is self branching.I spotted lots of buds on my hibiscus seedlings so I should have more new seedling pictures to post after the weekend.Mr. Toad, fat and content!
While out for my stroll tonight I came across this fat and happy toad.
What was funny was that as soon as i snapped a couple of pictures, the toad sprung up and did a complete 360 degree back-flip. That is the first time I have seen such acrobats in a toad. Unfortunately I was not able to capture it on film and he was not in the mood for an encore .
Toads are my friends and I go out of my way to make sure they are not harmed. One of their main staple foods is slugs and snails. Fortunately for them, and unfortunately me and my plants, I have plenty of both.
What was funny was that as soon as i snapped a couple of pictures, the toad sprung up and did a complete 360 degree back-flip. That is the first time I have seen such acrobats in a toad. Unfortunately I was not able to capture it on film and he was not in the mood for an encore .
Toads are my friends and I go out of my way to make sure they are not harmed. One of their main staple foods is slugs and snails. Fortunately for them, and unfortunately me and my plants, I have plenty of both.August 10, 2010
This tiny Angel Trumpet has earned keeper status
This tiny Angel Trumpet impressed me last fall, and now it is impressing me even more this summer. The cross is between Brugmansia Naughty Nick and Cleopatra.
The blooms are petite, averaging 2-3 inches across, and are always perfectly formed. They also hold up extremely well in the heat. The summer blooms have stayed a creamy white. In the cooler fall weather they aged with a light apricot color.
Here's a link to my blog post last fall when I first introduced this seedling - Teeny Weeny Angel Trumpet.
The plant is a vigorous grower, like it's mother Naughty Nick, and branches out freely. So far it has stayed at six feet tall. That is a good sign because Naughty Nick has a "Jack in the Beanstalk" growth approach and can easily reach 10 feet tall in one season.
I was able to make several crosses with seedling as both a mother and father, but ended up losing them all to the freeze. I'll be back trying again when the weather cools off. I would love to inspire a miniature plant to match these miniature blooms.
This weekend I plan to pot up several trays of cuttings from this seedling. If they grow well and remain true to form, watch for this one to be registered and named next year.
The blooms are petite, averaging 2-3 inches across, and are always perfectly formed. They also hold up extremely well in the heat. The summer blooms have stayed a creamy white. In the cooler fall weather they aged with a light apricot color.Here's a link to my blog post last fall when I first introduced this seedling - Teeny Weeny Angel Trumpet.
The plant is a vigorous grower, like it's mother Naughty Nick, and branches out freely. So far it has stayed at six feet tall. That is a good sign because Naughty Nick has a "Jack in the Beanstalk" growth approach and can easily reach 10 feet tall in one season.I was able to make several crosses with seedling as both a mother and father, but ended up losing them all to the freeze. I'll be back trying again when the weather cools off. I would love to inspire a miniature plant to match these miniature blooms.
This weekend I plan to pot up several trays of cuttings from this seedling. If they grow well and remain true to form, watch for this one to be registered and named next year.
Brugmansia Lady Liberty has a midnight visitor...
While out for my evening stroll through my Angel Trumpet forest, I was able to capture this beautiful moth paying a visit to Brugmansia Lady Liberty.
I was hoping to get some close-up shots but this fellow skirted off in search of other blooms.
I was hoping to get some close-up shots but this fellow skirted off in search of other blooms. August 8, 2010
My first exotic hibiscus from seed!
Last summer I decided to expand my hybridization hobby into exotic hibiscus. During the course of the summer I accumulated almost 100 select cultivars for use in my breeding program. Because most of these plants were small, I knew it was going to be a while until I would be able to make my own hibiscus crosses and harvest seeds. Being anxious to try my luck at growing exotic hibiscus from seed, I opted to buy seeds from another grower rather than wait to create my own.
This past winter I lost my entire named hibiscus collection to the freezes, however almost all my seedlings survived. This was not because they were hardier than the older plants, they just received some extra protection during the coldest nights.
Last month I had my very first bloom from my hibiscus seedlings. It was a bright red single with perfect form.
The cross was from hibiscus Remembrance x Intense Passion.
Several of the other seedlings have bloomed in recent weeks, although I was unable to capture decent photos of the blooms. Over the weekend I noticed new buds forming so I should see some new blooms soon.
Despite my setback this winter, I have slowly been adding to my hibiscus collection and hope to be able to make some new crosses this fall.
This past winter I lost my entire named hibiscus collection to the freezes, however almost all my seedlings survived. This was not because they were hardier than the older plants, they just received some extra protection during the coldest nights.
Last month I had my very first bloom from my hibiscus seedlings. It was a bright red single with perfect form.
The cross was from hibiscus Remembrance x Intense Passion.Several of the other seedlings have bloomed in recent weeks, although I was unable to capture decent photos of the blooms. Over the weekend I noticed new buds forming so I should see some new blooms soon.
Despite my setback this winter, I have slowly been adding to my hibiscus collection and hope to be able to make some new crosses this fall.
August 4, 2010
The slime returns...
One good outcome from this past winter's severe cold is that I have seen very few giant slugs sliding across my Angel Trumpets this year. It could just be because I have been more pro-active with baits to keep the snails under control this summer. Baby slugs have a small shell so they could easily be mistaken for a type of snail, and they would certainly eat the bait.
Tonight I came across several of the big mommas munching away on my yard brugs.
Unfortunately for this gal I happened to have a scissors with me while I was out strolling tonight....and thank goodness slugs do not regenerate when they are snipped in half..
Tonight I came across several of the big mommas munching away on my yard brugs.
Unfortunately for this gal I happened to have a scissors with me while I was out strolling tonight....and thank goodness slugs do not regenerate when they are snipped in half..
