July 2011 Archives
July 31, 2011
Hibiscus, the final batch.
Here's another group of recent bloom photos from my collection of Exotic Hibiscus:
The first and second pictures are of unnamed seedlings, and the rest are of named cultivars.
I still have lots more to show you, but I'll save those for next month.
The bloom below looks like it is on fire!
I just started a bunch more hibiscus seeds and by this time next year I hope to be able to show you the results of those crosses.
I hope one day Brugmansia will be as widespread and popular as hibiscus. Thank goodness I have self-imposed moratorium on acquiring new plants until I get my current jungle under control. If not, I would be browsing the online nursery catalogs looking for more hibiscus. :)
The first and second pictures are of unnamed seedlings, and the rest are of named cultivars. I still have lots more to show you, but I'll save those for next month.The bloom below looks like it is on fire!I just started a bunch more hibiscus seeds and by this time next year I hope to be able to show you the results of those crosses.I hope one day Brugmansia will be as widespread and popular as hibiscus. Thank goodness I have self-imposed moratorium on acquiring new plants until I get my current jungle under control. If not, I would be browsing the online nursery catalogs looking for more hibiscus. :)July 29, 2011
Exotic Hibiscus, batch three.
Here's round three of some of my recent Exotic Hibiscus blooms. This first picture is of one I grew from seed and it is one of my favorites.
The color starts out lighter with a mixture of pastels, and then the color deepens to what you see above.
The color combinations available with hibiscus are totally amazing.
The radiant red hibiscus pictured below is another one I grew from seed. Right now I'm just growing hibiscus for fun so I have no immediate plans to name and register any of the seedlings. I have my hands full with all my brugmansia and I have a backlog of those on a waiting list for me to register and release.
Here's another seedling that I have fallen in love with. I think it is the combination of the unique color and pillowy bloom form that makes it stand out.
I'll post a final batch of Exotic Hibiscus photos this weekend.
The color starts out lighter with a mixture of pastels, and then the color deepens to what you see above.The color combinations available with hibiscus are totally amazing.The radiant red hibiscus pictured below is another one I grew from seed. Right now I'm just growing hibiscus for fun so I have no immediate plans to name and register any of the seedlings. I have my hands full with all my brugmansia and I have a backlog of those on a waiting list for me to register and release.Here's another seedling that I have fallen in love with. I think it is the combination of the unique color and pillowy bloom form that makes it stand out.I'll post a final batch of Exotic Hibiscus photos this weekend.July 28, 2011
More recent Exotic Hibiscus blooms....
Here's some more recent Exotic Hibiscus blooms from my collection:
I like the soft pastel coloring of the bloom above. The one below is certainly different, but I think only worthy of planting in my yard and let it fend for itself this winter.
I like the shape and coloration of the bloom below. White spotting in hibiscus blooms can be a seasonal thing so I'm looking forward to see what the coloring does this fall.
I believe this lavender colored bloom is a named cultivar. I plan to use it for my hybridizing program this fall. Like Brugmansia, Exotic Hibiscus do not set seeds well in extreme heat so I'll have to wait until October to start hybridizing again.
Many growers do not like the mustard colored blooms, but I think they are cool. The seedling pictured below has been a very good bloomer so far and I plan to work this one back into my hybridizing program in the fall.
Stay tuned for another batch of Hibiscus bloom photos on Friday.
I like the soft pastel coloring of the bloom above. The one below is certainly different, but I think only worthy of planting in my yard and let it fend for itself this winter.I like the shape and coloration of the bloom below. White spotting in hibiscus blooms can be a seasonal thing so I'm looking forward to see what the coloring does this fall. I believe this lavender colored bloom is a named cultivar. I plan to use it for my hybridizing program this fall. Like Brugmansia, Exotic Hibiscus do not set seeds well in extreme heat so I'll have to wait until October to start hybridizing again.Many growers do not like the mustard colored blooms, but I think they are cool. The seedling pictured below has been a very good bloomer so far and I plan to work this one back into my hybridizing program in the fall.Stay tuned for another batch of Hibiscus bloom photos on Friday.
July 27, 2011
It would not be summer without my Exotic Hibiscus
Another gardening passion of mine is growing and hybridizing Exotic Hibiscus. I have so many plants in bloom now i decided to take a break from showing off my Brugmansia and post some photos of Exotic Hibiscus blooms.
The pictures I'm posting are from both named cultivars and unnamed seedlings that I'm growing out. I apologize for not posting the name or cross with each photo, but these are random shots I took without capturing the name.
The photo of the red bloom above does not capture the radiance the bloom has in real life.
Too bad Brugmansia do not have the color range of Hibiscus.
My Exotic Hibiscus collection is much smaller than my collection of Brugmansia, but I know I have over 100 named cultivars growing along with lots of seedlings.
The pictures I'm posting are from both named cultivars and unnamed seedlings that I'm growing out. I apologize for not posting the name or cross with each photo, but these are random shots I took without capturing the name.The photo of the red bloom above does not capture the radiance the bloom has in real life.Too bad Brugmansia do not have the color range of Hibiscus. My Exotic Hibiscus collection is much smaller than my collection of Brugmansia, but I know I have over 100 named cultivars growing along with lots of seedlings. More blooms to come on Thursday.
July 25, 2011
A flouncy Angel Trumpet surprise
This rather striking bloom caught me by surprise early this morning. It is from a cross I made involving Brugmansia (Joli x Unknown) x New Orleans Lady.
This jumbo sized bloom was unique in shape and quite impressive. The mother, Brugmansia Joli x Unknown is a single white seedling I have been watching for three years now. It closely resembles a white version of Brugmansia Joli and I am still undecided if I want to register and release it. New Orleans Lady, the pollen parent, is a nice double orange Angel Trumpet that I'm sure contributed the genes for the flouncy skirts on this bloom. Some growers think New Orleans Lady is one of the all-time best Brugmansia. I think it is a nice one, but I doubt it would make my personal top ten list.
With this being the first bloom on this particular seedling, you never know what to expect in subsequent blooms as the seedling gets its act together. I'm hoping the flower form continues as this seedling matures. If it does, you can be assured it will end up in my breeding program in hopes that I can breed more color into the blooms.
This jumbo sized bloom was unique in shape and quite impressive. The mother, Brugmansia Joli x Unknown is a single white seedling I have been watching for three years now. It closely resembles a white version of Brugmansia Joli and I am still undecided if I want to register and release it. New Orleans Lady, the pollen parent, is a nice double orange Angel Trumpet that I'm sure contributed the genes for the flouncy skirts on this bloom. Some growers think New Orleans Lady is one of the all-time best Brugmansia. I think it is a nice one, but I doubt it would make my personal top ten list.With this being the first bloom on this particular seedling, you never know what to expect in subsequent blooms as the seedling gets its act together. I'm hoping the flower form continues as this seedling matures. If it does, you can be assured it will end up in my breeding program in hopes that I can breed more color into the blooms.
July 22, 2011
An unknown Angel Trumpet that stands out from the others.
Here is a nice unknown Angel Trumpet that I feel is worthy of watching, even though I do not know the parentage.
I have a bunch of seedlings growing that have lost their tags, or have tags that have completely faded. This unknown seedling was one that was too good to overlook. The soft pink porcelain looking blooms are displayed prominently in a mostly horizontal position. In a recent flush the plant had so many blooms on it you could hardly see the foliage.
Even though this seedling is an unknown, I plan to keep it in my watch zone to see how it performs the rest of the summer.
I have a bunch of seedlings growing that have lost their tags, or have tags that have completely faded. This unknown seedling was one that was too good to overlook. The soft pink porcelain looking blooms are displayed prominently in a mostly horizontal position. In a recent flush the plant had so many blooms on it you could hardly see the foliage.Even though this seedling is an unknown, I plan to keep it in my watch zone to see how it performs the rest of the summer.July 21, 2011
A busy bee attempts some summer hybridizing
Now that our summer heat has settled in I have completely given up on attempting to make any new Brugmansia crosses until fall. Meanwhile this busy bee has arrived for a quick drink and perhaps an inadvertent attempt to pollinate this bloom.
I'm sure the nectar from this bloom is quite refreshing on this hot summer day.
It's cool the way its little legs are laden with pollen. I have lots of great blooms open now so if the bee does manage to create a successful cross, the outcome could be special.
This bee looks mighty comfy perched on a group of anthers. I missed the shot of the bee visiting the stigma prior to entering the corolla tube.
I'm sure the nectar from this bloom is quite refreshing on this hot summer day. It's cool the way its little legs are laden with pollen. I have lots of great blooms open now so if the bee does manage to create a successful cross, the outcome could be special.This bee looks mighty comfy perched on a group of anthers. I missed the shot of the bee visiting the stigma prior to entering the corolla tube.With all the bees I had buzzing around the blooms this spring, I'm surprised at how few rogue seed pods I have harvested so far this season.
Peaches 'N Cream in the summer, yum!
Another variegated Angel Trumpet I have in bloom right now is Brugmansia Peaches 'N Cream.
Brugmansia Peaches 'N Cream has been a good performer for me here in Florida, I have my plants growing in full sun and our sauna like heat does not phase them. It is also a fast grower and frequent bloomer, If you like variegated Brugmansia then this cultivar should be in your garden for sure.
Brugmansia Peaches 'N Cream has been a good performer for me here in Florida, I have my plants growing in full sun and our sauna like heat does not phase them. It is also a fast grower and frequent bloomer, If you like variegated Brugmansia then this cultivar should be in your garden for sure. July 19, 2011
The queen of variegated Angel Trumpets
This past week almost all my blooming size variegated Brugmansia cultivars have bloomed, or are in bud preparing to bloom. One of the more floriferous of the variegated Angel Trumpets is Brugmansia Variegated Apricot Queen.
While my main plant is still rather small, about 3 feet above the pot, it must have close to 40 pendulous blooms cascading down from its canopy.
As you can see the leaf variegation is lighter than many of the variegated Brugmansia. The leaves of Variegated Apricot Queen are a light green with cream colored variegation. The leaves are also smaller and more oblong than most variegated cultivars.
Like the non-variegated version of Brugmansia Apricot Queen, the blooms start out a nice cream color and then slowly age to apricot.
For those of you who like variegated plants this would be a great one to add to your collection. It is a fast grower, heavy bloomer, remains relatively pest free, and it thrives in the heat.
While my main plant is still rather small, about 3 feet above the pot, it must have close to 40 pendulous blooms cascading down from its canopy. As you can see the leaf variegation is lighter than many of the variegated Brugmansia. The leaves of Variegated Apricot Queen are a light green with cream colored variegation. The leaves are also smaller and more oblong than most variegated cultivars.Like the non-variegated version of Brugmansia Apricot Queen, the blooms start out a nice cream color and then slowly age to apricot. For those of you who like variegated plants this would be a great one to add to your collection. It is a fast grower, heavy bloomer, remains relatively pest free, and it thrives in the heat.
July 18, 2011
Wupperstolz blooms!
I was finally able to see a bloom on my Brugmansia Wupperstolz plant. While the bloom was showing signs from taking a beating from our summer heat and thunderstorms, it still shows the potential beauty of this variegated Angel Trumpet.
When Wupperstolz bloomed for the first time a few weeks ago, I was out of town for work so I never was able to see the fully open bloom. Besides the bloom that is open now I hope to see a few more later this week if the buds hold.
Blooming to the right of Brugmansia Wupperstolz is a Variegated Apricot Queen, one of the most floriferous variegated Angel Trumpets in my collection. I plan to feature it in a blog post tomorrow.
When Wupperstolz bloomed for the first time a few weeks ago, I was out of town for work so I never was able to see the fully open bloom. Besides the bloom that is open now I hope to see a few more later this week if the buds hold. Blooming to the right of Brugmansia Wupperstolz is a Variegated Apricot Queen, one of the most floriferous variegated Angel Trumpets in my collection. I plan to feature it in a blog post tomorrow.I have two additional double flowered Variegated Angel Trumpets in my collection that I an anxious to see bloom for the first time as well; Variegated Angel's Flight and Roberto. Roberto may take a month or two because the plant is still small, but Variegated Angel's Flight is blooming size and has already set buds, but dropped them before they opened.
July 17, 2011
A peachy new Angel Trumpet
This new Angel Trumpet seedling is showing off coloration similar to that of Brugmansia Georgia Peach. It is from a cross I made between Brugmansia Orange Zest and Genevieve.
The blooms start out cream colored and then turn more golden with a hint of pink. While this bloom is a bit ragged looking from our summer heat and thunderstorms, I feel this seedling has potential and is worthy of watching. I have also been impressed by a couple of other seedlings from this cross.
I bet the coloration on this seedling will intensify when cooler weather settles in this fall.
The blooms start out cream colored and then turn more golden with a hint of pink. While this bloom is a bit ragged looking from our summer heat and thunderstorms, I feel this seedling has potential and is worthy of watching. I have also been impressed by a couple of other seedlings from this cross.I bet the coloration on this seedling will intensify when cooler weather settles in this fall.
July 13, 2011
Some morning sunshine from an Angel Trumpet
One morning last week I was greeted with this rather unique bloom on a new Angel Trumpet seedling. The cross is Brugmansia Angel's Swingtime x Orange Zest.
It appears as if this seedling wants to have multi-skirted blooms, but currently it is confused. That is not that uncommon because many times it takes multiple bloom cycles for a seedling to get its act together and the blooms stabilize. That is why it is important for hybridizers to grow a seedling out for multiple seasons before deciding if the seedling is worthy of registering as a new cultivar. Likewise, I have had seedlings start out with really beautiful blooms only to later mature with just average looking blooms.
What was unusual in this Brugmansia seedling is that the blooms are
displayed in a horizontal fashion. While that is not usual for single skirted blooms, it is not that common for doubles.
I'm anxious to see how this seedling evolves. The blooms started out a creamy light yellow color with the outer edges darkening as the blooms matured. I bet the color will deepen even more this fall when the temps are cooler.
It appears as if this seedling wants to have multi-skirted blooms, but currently it is confused. That is not that uncommon because many times it takes multiple bloom cycles for a seedling to get its act together and the blooms stabilize. That is why it is important for hybridizers to grow a seedling out for multiple seasons before deciding if the seedling is worthy of registering as a new cultivar. Likewise, I have had seedlings start out with really beautiful blooms only to later mature with just average looking blooms.What was unusual in this Brugmansia seedling is that the blooms are
displayed in a horizontal fashion. While that is not usual for single skirted blooms, it is not that common for doubles. I'm anxious to see how this seedling evolves. The blooms started out a creamy light yellow color with the outer edges darkening as the blooms matured. I bet the color will deepen even more this fall when the temps are cooler.
July 9, 2011
Brugmansia Angel's Exotic x Inca Sun produces another beauty
Another seedling from my Brugmansia Angel's Exotic x Inca Sun cross has earned a spot in my watch zone. This one more closely resembles its mother, Angels Exotic than the other seedlings from this cross I placed in my watch zone earlier.
The more I look at this Angel Trumpet bloom the more it resembles a white/cream colored Angels Exotic bloom. If Angels Exotic happens to be in bloom the next time this seedling blooms, I'll take a picture of the two together for comparison.
I plan to definitely cross this one back to Brugmansia Inca Sun this fall in hopes of creating a yellow version of this bloom. This seedling is a monster at 7-8 feet tall and it would be great if Inca Sun's genes for a more compact growth habit, yellow color, and ever-blooming characteristics would become more dominate.
I know I have several more seedlings from this cross yet to bloom for the first time so I'm still holding out hope that one will be yellow.
I plan to definitely cross this one back to Brugmansia Inca Sun this fall in hopes of creating a yellow version of this bloom. This seedling is a monster at 7-8 feet tall and it would be great if Inca Sun's genes for a more compact growth habit, yellow color, and ever-blooming characteristics would become more dominate.
I know I have several more seedlings from this cross yet to bloom for the first time so I'm still holding out hope that one will be yellow.
July 8, 2011
Now its time for Seedapalooza
Now that Podapalooza is winding down its time for Seedapalooza! My back is already aching just thinking about the future work these little seeds will create. Here's a recent batch ready to be topped off with a layer of soil.
Each one of the pots below represent a unique Brugmansia seed cross. As you can easily see, lots of crosses are in various stages of germination below. I believe I have one of the most aggressive brugmansia hybridizing programs on the planet in place. By the time I finishing harvesting seed pods next month i will have sown seeds from at least 200 unique brugmansia seed crosses this year.
This time of year fresh Angel Trumpet seeds typically germinate in 10-14 days, but may take as long as two months. I try to sow seeds as soon as possible after harvesting the pods. Once the seedlings show their second set of leaves I transplant them into cell pack trays. Approximately 6-8 weeks later they will be moved up to gallon size pots where they will remain until next spring.
A couple of weeks after they are transplanted into the cell trays I will start treating them with a growth regulator to attempt to keep the seedlings more compact. I'm still experimenting with using a growth regulator, but the last time I used it the treated plants on average were about 2 feet shorter than the non-treated ones. Without treatment many of the seedlings could be 4-5 feet tall by fall and that size plant in a gallon size pot is very hard to manage.
It is exciting to see the seeds germinate knowing that there could be some exciting new beauties in the mix. Of course these little babies will soon be 4-6 feet tall. When you start thinking about the 3,000-4,000 new seedlings I expect to pot up this summer, you can see why my back will soon be aching!
Each one of the pots below represent a unique Brugmansia seed cross. As you can easily see, lots of crosses are in various stages of germination below. I believe I have one of the most aggressive brugmansia hybridizing programs on the planet in place. By the time I finishing harvesting seed pods next month i will have sown seeds from at least 200 unique brugmansia seed crosses this year. This time of year fresh Angel Trumpet seeds typically germinate in 10-14 days, but may take as long as two months. I try to sow seeds as soon as possible after harvesting the pods. Once the seedlings show their second set of leaves I transplant them into cell pack trays. Approximately 6-8 weeks later they will be moved up to gallon size pots where they will remain until next spring. A couple of weeks after they are transplanted into the cell trays I will start treating them with a growth regulator to attempt to keep the seedlings more compact. I'm still experimenting with using a growth regulator, but the last time I used it the treated plants on average were about 2 feet shorter than the non-treated ones. Without treatment many of the seedlings could be 4-5 feet tall by fall and that size plant in a gallon size pot is very hard to manage.
It is exciting to see the seeds germinate knowing that there could be some exciting new beauties in the mix. Of course these little babies will soon be 4-6 feet tall. When you start thinking about the 3,000-4,000 new seedlings I expect to pot up this summer, you can see why my back will soon be aching!July 7, 2011
A super sized Angel Trumpet
This rather elegant, yet generic looking bloom is from a cross between Brugmansia Super Spot and Langenbuscher Garten.
What makes this Angel Trumpet stand out from the others is that the blooms are super sized. The blooms are equal in size to Brugmansia Miss Emily Meckenzie and Prince Charming, two of the largest single pink Angel Trumpets I have in my collection. With such great parentage I decided to hang on to this one for a while. Perhaps I'll cross it back to its father, Brugmansia Langenbuscher Garten in hopes of creating a super-sized single orange?
July 6, 2011
A naked seed pod
The skin on some Brugmansia seed pods can be as tough as leather, allowing a ripe pod to hang on the plant for weeks and weeks after it has dried. For others, the skin disintegrates in a matter of days. Within a couple of weeks after ripening the pod may look like the one pictured below.
I caught this pod just in time. When I held it to snip it off the plant, it completely fell apart leaving me clutching a handful of Angel Trumpet seeds. Fortunately the weather had been calm for the week prior, preventing a strong gust of wind from dispersing the seeds to the ground. Because pods ripen in just a couple of days when they reach maturity, I try to harvest the ripened pods every couple of days.
If you are new to growing Brugmansia this photo will help you understand how the seeds are arranged in a pod.
I caught this pod just in time. When I held it to snip it off the plant, it completely fell apart leaving me clutching a handful of Angel Trumpet seeds. Fortunately the weather had been calm for the week prior, preventing a strong gust of wind from dispersing the seeds to the ground. Because pods ripen in just a couple of days when they reach maturity, I try to harvest the ripened pods every couple of days.If you are new to growing Brugmansia this photo will help you understand how the seeds are arranged in a pod.
Angel Trumpet Podfest 2011
In recent weeks I have been harvesting ripe seed pods from my Spring Brugmansia crosses. After two consecutive years of freezes and very few seed pods, this bountiful seed pod harvest is well appreciated.
Our summer heat arrived early this year so many of the seed pods were smaller than usual. This means I have fewer seeds from each cross than I had anticipated, This does not mean that I have a shortage of seeds to sow, I'll just have fewer seeds to share with members of the International Brugmansia and Datura Society. I have already sown seeds from at least 150 unique brugmansia crosses I made this season. By the time I finish harvesting pods later this month the total should be close to 200 unique crosses.
Below you will see a bunch of ripe seed pods I collected one afternoon.
I'm really excited about the potential of many of the crosses I was able to make this year. Check back late next summer/fall to see if the crosses exceeded my expectations. :)
Our summer heat arrived early this year so many of the seed pods were smaller than usual. This means I have fewer seeds from each cross than I had anticipated, This does not mean that I have a shortage of seeds to sow, I'll just have fewer seeds to share with members of the International Brugmansia and Datura Society. I have already sown seeds from at least 150 unique brugmansia crosses I made this season. By the time I finish harvesting pods later this month the total should be close to 200 unique crosses. Below you will see a bunch of ripe seed pods I collected one afternoon.
I'm really excited about the potential of many of the crosses I was able to make this year. Check back late next summer/fall to see if the crosses exceeded my expectations. :)July 3, 2011
Brugmansia Miss Ellie produces a keeper
This crisp yellow Angel Trumpet bloom is from an unknown cross with Brugmansia Miss Ellie as the pod parent.
We can thank the bees for helping produce this beauty. I had placed this seedling in my watch zone last summer and now it has earned itself keeper status. It is now in my queue of Brugmansia to be named and registered later this year.
The blooms are similar in size to those of its mother, Miss Ellie, but with longer corolla teeth and more intense color. The plant is a vigorous grower and has has quickly outgrown Miss Ellie.
Now that I'm harvesting ripe seed pods, I'm switching from being in hybridizing mode to propagating mode. This seedling will be one of the first I cut on tomorrow when I start preparing cuttings for rooting.
We can thank the bees for helping produce this beauty. I had placed this seedling in my watch zone last summer and now it has earned itself keeper status. It is now in my queue of Brugmansia to be named and registered later this year. The blooms are similar in size to those of its mother, Miss Ellie, but with longer corolla teeth and more intense color. The plant is a vigorous grower and has has quickly outgrown Miss Ellie.Now that I'm harvesting ripe seed pods, I'm switching from being in hybridizing mode to propagating mode. This seedling will be one of the first I cut on tomorrow when I start preparing cuttings for rooting.July 2, 2011
Angel Trumpet Brugmansia Painted Lady x Adeline
Here's another nice double pink Angel Trumpet that has been blooming frequently this summer. The seedling is from a cross between Brugmansia Painted Lady and Adeline.
The blooms on this seedling are nicely formed and average in size.
With so many new double pink seedlings in bloom, it is really going to be a challenge for me to decide which ones are worthy of naming and registering.
The blooms on this seedling are nicely formed and average in size. With so many new double pink seedlings in bloom, it is really going to be a challenge for me to decide which ones are worthy of naming and registering.