November 2011 Archives
November 30, 2011
Iochroma 'Royalty'
Once I got hooked on growing Angel Trumpets it did not take long for me to also start collecting and growing their miniature cousins, Iochroma. Here's a new cultivar I acquired this summer, Iochroma Royalty.
There really has not been much hybridizing work done with Iochroma, so I was pleasantly surprised to find several new hybrid cultivars this summer. I was so impressed with them, this fall I decided to play around with hybridizing Iochroma. I now have a bunch of seed pods growing out and it won't be long before they ripen and I can sow the seeds. It will be exciting to to see the results.
I'll post photos of other Iochromas in my collection over the next couple of weeks.
There really has not been much hybridizing work done with Iochroma, so I was pleasantly surprised to find several new hybrid cultivars this summer. I was so impressed with them, this fall I decided to play around with hybridizing Iochroma. I now have a bunch of seed pods growing out and it won't be long before they ripen and I can sow the seeds. It will be exciting to to see the results.I'll post photos of other Iochromas in my collection over the next couple of weeks.
November 29, 2011
An Alfred Hitchcock moment...
I had an Alfred Hitchcock moment last night when I encountered a flock of Bluejays, one of which scared the bejusus out of me.
You see typically I take a nightly stroll through my Brugmansia forest looking for newly opened blooms. Last night I was gazing at a group of Brugmansia seedlings zoning in on a fresh new bloom when a creature buzzed by my head and scared the bejesus out of me. I'm used to hummingbird moths and the like buzzing me as they are attracted to my headlamp, but being buzzed by a startled bird in the darkness is something else.
Once my heartbeat dropped back down to an acceptable level, I peered back into the forest and spotted a
flock of Bluejays resting amongst my Angel Trumpet plants. The rest of the flock was a tad more docile than the one that buzzed me. They calmly tolerated my photo session with interest.
I'm just glad I wasn't buzzed by the giant owl that serenades me every night. Had that been the case I'm not certain my heart would have recovered. :)
You see typically I take a nightly stroll through my Brugmansia forest looking for newly opened blooms. Last night I was gazing at a group of Brugmansia seedlings zoning in on a fresh new bloom when a creature buzzed by my head and scared the bejesus out of me. I'm used to hummingbird moths and the like buzzing me as they are attracted to my headlamp, but being buzzed by a startled bird in the darkness is something else. Once my heartbeat dropped back down to an acceptable level, I peered back into the forest and spotted a
flock of Bluejays resting amongst my Angel Trumpet plants. The rest of the flock was a tad more docile than the one that buzzed me. They calmly tolerated my photo session with interest.I'm just glad I wasn't buzzed by the giant owl that serenades me every night. Had that been the case I'm not certain my heart would have recovered. :)November 27, 2011
Angel Trumpet Brugmansia Sommerzauber x Cassies Curls #3
I'm growing out a bunch of Angel Trumpet seedlings with Brugmansia Sommerzauber as the pod parent. Several have bloomed and all have had single yellow blooms. Recently I finally had one bloom with multiple skirts. Here it is and the cross is Brugmansia Sommerzauber x Cassies Curls
So far I like what I see. The medium size blooms were a rich yellow with separated skirts. These were the first set of blooms on this seedling so the final look may change over the next couple of bloom cycles.
This one will certainly be in my watch zone for 2012.
November 26, 2011
Working Towards A Golden Lizzy Angel Trumpet
When I first spotted this Angel Trumpet bloom I thought it was coming from an Angel's Gold Face plant. I was totally surprised when I checked the plant tag and saw that it was actually a seedling from a cross I made between Brugmansia Lizzy x Orange Zest.
Both parents have The Chief in their parentage and it looks like its golden multi-skirt genes prevailed. Let's hope The Chief's bad traits were not passed on. The Chief was a short lived cultivar that went into a quick decline. At the time very few bright yellow multi-skirt brugs were available in the U.S. so it garnered lots of attention.
This was its very first bloom and it did not have its act together. I'll be watching this seedling with interest anxiously awaiting the next set of blooms.
Both parents have The Chief in their parentage and it looks like its golden multi-skirt genes prevailed. Let's hope The Chief's bad traits were not passed on. The Chief was a short lived cultivar that went into a quick decline. At the time very few bright yellow multi-skirt brugs were available in the U.S. so it garnered lots of attention. This was its very first bloom and it did not have its act together. I'll be watching this seedling with interest anxiously awaiting the next set of blooms.
November 25, 2011
A new Angel Trumpet with pigtails
One of the exciting aspects of growing out so many Angel Trumpet seedlings is discovering all the non-traditional bloom forms that emerge. Here is one from an unknown cross with Brugmansia Pink Perfektion as the pod parent.
The curly pigtail style corolla teeth and rather squatty blooms add to the appeal of these blooms. The blooms are also thick in texture which is a great trait if you live in a warm weather zone like I do.
Another great trait of this seedling is that is loves to bloom and the blooms are long lasting. The only potential negative associated with the blooms is that as they matured they picked up a slight apricot color. I believe this is only a cool weather change because I had not noticed this during its summer flushes and just spotted the color for the first time during a recent influx of cool weather. The cool weather color change is common with many white Brugmansia.
I'm thinking this one may be worthy of registering and introducing to the public. What do you think?
The curly pigtail style corolla teeth and rather squatty blooms add to the appeal of these blooms. The blooms are also thick in texture which is a great trait if you live in a warm weather zone like I do.Another great trait of this seedling is that is loves to bloom and the blooms are long lasting. The only potential negative associated with the blooms is that as they matured they picked up a slight apricot color. I believe this is only a cool weather change because I had not noticed this during its summer flushes and just spotted the color for the first time during a recent influx of cool weather. The cool weather color change is common with many white Brugmansia.I'm thinking this one may be worthy of registering and introducing to the public. What do you think?November 23, 2011
A Golden Angel Trumpet casts it glow into the night
This recent bloomer from my Angel Trumpet seedlings has a rich golden orange color. It is from a cross i made between Brugmansia Ludgers Windsong x (Color Point x Double Dark Rosetta) #8.
While this seedling is certainly not special enough to register, I plan to use it in a few crosses this winter. I have had some great results with crosses made with my Color Point x Double Bark Rosetta seedlings. The Brugmansia (Color Point x Double Dark Rosetta) #8 seedling used for the pollen parent in this cross is a beautiful double pink that I may register this winter.
The two major traits I would like to carry forward from this seedling are the color and the thick texture of the blooms. Now I just have to figure out which crosses to make.
While this seedling is certainly not special enough to register, I plan to use it in a few crosses this winter. I have had some great results with crosses made with my Color Point x Double Bark Rosetta seedlings. The Brugmansia (Color Point x Double Dark Rosetta) #8 seedling used for the pollen parent in this cross is a beautiful double pink that I may register this winter. The two major traits I would like to carry forward from this seedling are the color and the thick texture of the blooms. Now I just have to figure out which crosses to make.November 22, 2011
An Angel Trumpet with super sized twangers!
Check-out the corolla teeth on this new Angel Trumpet seedling. The cross is Brugmansia Shooting Star x New Orleans Lady.
These blooms have to have some of the longest tendrils of any seedling I have grown to date. The blooms are large in size and very fragrant. The color is OK, but it is really the long corolla teeth that make these blooms stand out.
I plan to carry this one over to 2012 and will most likely make a few crosses with it as well this winter.
These blooms have to have some of the longest tendrils of any seedling I have grown to date. The blooms are large in size and very fragrant. The color is OK, but it is really the long corolla teeth that make these blooms stand out.I plan to carry this one over to 2012 and will most likely make a few crosses with it as well this winter.November 21, 2011
A whimsical new Brugmansia seedling
I'm a big fan of crazy corolla teeth so naturally this new Angel Trumpet seedling caught my attention right away.
Unfortunately I cannot give you the name of the cross at this time because the tag was faded. I'm sure I'll be able to eventually figure it out with the use of an infrared light and a magnifying glass. When this happens to a promising Brugmansia seedling I give the plant a new tag with a code number on it. The old tag is also coded with the new code number and placed in a box to wait for me to get in a forensic mood. When I'm ready to get into CSI mode, I use various techniques to try to decipher the words on the old tag.
I really liked the whimsical look this bloom has in addition to the soft pink coloring. I'm carrying this seedling forward in my watch zone with great anticipation that it may ultimately become a keeper.
Unfortunately I cannot give you the name of the cross at this time because the tag was faded. I'm sure I'll be able to eventually figure it out with the use of an infrared light and a magnifying glass. When this happens to a promising Brugmansia seedling I give the plant a new tag with a code number on it. The old tag is also coded with the new code number and placed in a box to wait for me to get in a forensic mood. When I'm ready to get into CSI mode, I use various techniques to try to decipher the words on the old tag.I really liked the whimsical look this bloom has in addition to the soft pink coloring. I'm carrying this seedling forward in my watch zone with great anticipation that it may ultimately become a keeper. November 15, 2011
An Angel Trumpet that totally wowed me last night
Every so often a new Angel Trumpet seedling comes in to bloom for the first time and totally wows me. I was wowed big time last night when I spotted this bloom on a Brugmansia Rosalie x (Pink Smitty x Miss Ellie) #1 seedling.
I was making my final rounds last night looking for blooms to pollinate
almost missed seeing this one. It was at the top of an 8 foot tall
plant partially hidden by its giant leaves. Fortunately my bright
headlamp illuminated the bloom face in passing and it quickly caught my
attention.
I was especially surprised when I checked the plant tag and saw the cross. Never in my wildest dreams would I expect to see a bloom like this from that particular cross. It must have been the combination of the Rosalie and Miss Ellie genes that introduced the bright orange coloring.
The pollen parent (father) of this seedling is an Angel Trumpet I grew out from a Brenda Delph cross involving Brugmansia Pink Smitty x Miss Ellie. I had planned to name and register that seedling in 2009, but I nearly lost the plant in that winter's freeze. I currently have it in production now and will be naming and registering it next month. Here's a link to a previous blog post with photo's of Brugmansia Pink Smitty x Miss Ellie #1.
This initial bloom was large in size and I like the way it is displayed in a semi-nodding position rather than pendant like many large multi-skirt oranges are. The foliage was a deep, dark green and huge compared to other seedlings near by. The plant itself was also large having a single stalk that towered at least 8 feet tall.
Seeing how this was the very first bloom on this seedling, I will be waiting with great anticipation to see what subsequent blooms look like. I have found that it usually takes several bloom cycles for new seedlings with multi-skirt blooms to stabilize. I'm not sure how this bloom could evolve into something better, I like it just the way it is.
I know I have other seedlings from this cross yet to bloom, but I doubt any will surpass this one in beauty and form...but you never know!
I was making my final rounds last night looking for blooms to pollinate
almost missed seeing this one. It was at the top of an 8 foot tall
plant partially hidden by its giant leaves. Fortunately my bright
headlamp illuminated the bloom face in passing and it quickly caught my
attention. I was especially surprised when I checked the plant tag and saw the cross. Never in my wildest dreams would I expect to see a bloom like this from that particular cross. It must have been the combination of the Rosalie and Miss Ellie genes that introduced the bright orange coloring.
The pollen parent (father) of this seedling is an Angel Trumpet I grew out from a Brenda Delph cross involving Brugmansia Pink Smitty x Miss Ellie. I had planned to name and register that seedling in 2009, but I nearly lost the plant in that winter's freeze. I currently have it in production now and will be naming and registering it next month. Here's a link to a previous blog post with photo's of Brugmansia Pink Smitty x Miss Ellie #1. This initial bloom was large in size and I like the way it is displayed in a semi-nodding position rather than pendant like many large multi-skirt oranges are. The foliage was a deep, dark green and huge compared to other seedlings near by. The plant itself was also large having a single stalk that towered at least 8 feet tall. Seeing how this was the very first bloom on this seedling, I will be waiting with great anticipation to see what subsequent blooms look like. I have found that it usually takes several bloom cycles for new seedlings with multi-skirt blooms to stabilize. I'm not sure how this bloom could evolve into something better, I like it just the way it is.I know I have other seedlings from this cross yet to bloom, but I doubt any will surpass this one in beauty and form...but you never know!November 14, 2011
A jumbo-sized Angel Trumpet with unknown parentage
I have a bunch of new double pink seedlings in bloom right now and this one has the largest blooms of all of them.
Unfortunately it is missing a tag so the parentage is unknown. I hate when that happens to a promising seedling. Even though the parentage may be unknown, if I think the seedling has promise, I will still carry it forward and decide later if it is worthy of naming and registering, or using it in my breeding program.
I believe the blooms on this seedling are larger than those of any existing double pink cultivar I have in my collection, and I have lots. The long corolla tube is what really makes these blooms stand out from the other double pinks I'm growing.
So far the blooms have stayed a medium pink and have all been perfect in form. I plan to carry this one forward in my watch zone and then decide what to do with it next year.
Unfortunately it is missing a tag so the parentage is unknown. I hate when that happens to a promising seedling. Even though the parentage may be unknown, if I think the seedling has promise, I will still carry it forward and decide later if it is worthy of naming and registering, or using it in my breeding program.I believe the blooms on this seedling are larger than those of any existing double pink cultivar I have in my collection, and I have lots. The long corolla tube is what really makes these blooms stand out from the other double pinks I'm growing.So far the blooms have stayed a medium pink and have all been perfect in form. I plan to carry this one forward in my watch zone and then decide what to do with it next year.November 12, 2011
Brugmansia Sweetheart x Yellow Aurea Wildform
Another recent bloomer from my field of brugs is this seedling from a cross I made between Brugmansia Sweetheart x Yellow Aurea Wildform.
This photo does not really show the actual beauty of the blooms on this seedling. What I really like about them is that the corolla skirts stay compact rather than separate as is often the case with its mother, Brugmansia Sweetheart.
I have several other seedlings from this cross in bud now and am hoping some of their father's color will surface.
This photo does not really show the actual beauty of the blooms on this seedling. What I really like about them is that the corolla skirts stay compact rather than separate as is often the case with its mother, Brugmansia Sweetheart.I have several other seedlings from this cross in bud now and am hoping some of their father's color will surface.
November 11, 2011
Brugmansia Bert joins forces with Naughty Nick
In my early days of hybridizing Angel Trumpets I made numerous crosses with Brugmansia Bert. Here is the result of one of those crosses with Brugmansia Naughty Nick as the pollen parent.
This batch of seedlings took longer than normal to bloom for the first time after being damaged in our 2009 and 2010 freezes. I have three separate seedlings from this cross in bloom right now and the blooms on all three are very similar in appearance, but the bloom size varies. On one seedling the blooms are almost identical to the ones pictured, but are half the size.
I'm hoping Naughty Nick's bright orange will appear in future flushes. If not, I still like the looks of this seedling and plan to carry it and a couple of its siblings over to next year.
This batch of seedlings took longer than normal to bloom for the first time after being damaged in our 2009 and 2010 freezes. I have three separate seedlings from this cross in bloom right now and the blooms on all three are very similar in appearance, but the bloom size varies. On one seedling the blooms are almost identical to the ones pictured, but are half the size.I'm hoping Naughty Nick's bright orange will appear in future flushes. If not, I still like the looks of this seedling and plan to carry it and a couple of its siblings over to next year.November 8, 2011
Cooler weather means cooler colors for my Angel Trumpets
Now that our nights are cooling off I'm starting to see lots of color in my field of Angel Trumpets. Here is a new seedling that caught my eye this weekend when I first spotted its blooms. It is the result of a cross I made between Brugmansia Cassie's Curls and (Ludger's Summer Dream x Creamsicle).
So far the blooms have all been doubles with layered skirts and wild corolla teeth.
The pollen parent of this cross, a Brugmansia Ludger's Summer Dream x Creamsicle seedling I have been carrying over, has a similar bloom form but with more of a yellow coloring. The pod parent, Brugmansia Cassies Curls, had a greater influence on this seedling's nice orange coloring.
This seedling is worth watching for sure and I have already incorporated it into my fall breeding program.
So far the blooms have all been doubles with layered skirts and wild corolla teeth. The pollen parent of this cross, a Brugmansia Ludger's Summer Dream x Creamsicle seedling I have been carrying over, has a similar bloom form but with more of a yellow coloring. The pod parent, Brugmansia Cassies Curls, had a greater influence on this seedling's nice orange coloring.This seedling is worth watching for sure and I have already incorporated it into my fall breeding program.November 6, 2011
Brugmansia Orange Zest x Genevieve
This Brugmansia Orange Zest x Genevieve seedling has been putting on quite a show lately.
The unusual bloom form is unlike any I have seen before. The inner corolla skirt is at least twice as wide as the outer skirt and it fans out about 8-9" across. When you factor in the corolla teeth you are looking at a bloom that is nearly a foot wide!
I grew out quite a few seedlings from this cross and several have been special enough to make their way into my watch zone. So far all of them have had solid white blooms. A few have yet to bloom for the first time and I'm still holding out hope that at least one will show some color.
The unusual bloom form is unlike any I have seen before. The inner corolla skirt is at least twice as wide as the outer skirt and it fans out about 8-9" across. When you factor in the corolla teeth you are looking at a bloom that is nearly a foot wide!I grew out quite a few seedlings from this cross and several have been special enough to make their way into my watch zone. So far all of them have had solid white blooms. A few have yet to bloom for the first time and I'm still holding out hope that at least one will show some color.November 4, 2011
A nice Angel Trumpet, but not nice enough to avoid the chopping block.
The blooms on this new Angel Trumpet seedling have great form, but the color is rather drab. The cross is Brugmansia Rubiline x (Creamsickle x Candida Pink).
Although the color appears darker in this night shot, the blooms start out a cream color and turn more of a dull apricot/yellow as they mature.
The plant has been a vigorous grower with frequent flushes of blooms. I don't think this one is worthy of registering but it is too showy for me to just toss. I think I may chop this one up next month and add the cuttings to the mix I plan to give away to members of iBrugs.
Although the color appears darker in this night shot, the blooms start out a cream color and turn more of a dull apricot/yellow as they mature.The plant has been a vigorous grower with frequent flushes of blooms. I don't think this one is worthy of registering but it is too showy for me to just toss. I think I may chop this one up next month and add the cuttings to the mix I plan to give away to members of iBrugs.November 1, 2011
Brugmansia Lady Liberty x Meloncholy Baby
Here's a new Angel Trumpet seedling that has been blooming almost non-stop since summer. It is from a Brenda Delph cross between Brugmansia Lady Liberty x Meloncholy Baby.
The blooms have a rather unusual form to them and are thick in texture. I'm not very good at detecting fragrances but this seedling has a pleasant one strong enough to grab my attention.
The blooms start out a nice cream color and slowly and slowly pick up a light apricot color as they mature.
I'm not sure if this bloom form has won me over yet, but every time I walk by this plant it grabs my attention. When you take into account its vigorous growth habit, pest resistance, thick fragrant blooms, and frequent bloom flushes, it is certainly worthy of watching for another year.
The blooms have a rather unusual form to them and are thick in texture. I'm not very good at detecting fragrances but this seedling has a pleasant one strong enough to grab my attention.The blooms start out a nice cream color and slowly and slowly pick up a light apricot color as they mature.
I'm not sure if this bloom form has won me over yet, but every time I walk by this plant it grabs my attention. When you take into account its vigorous growth habit, pest resistance, thick fragrant blooms, and frequent bloom flushes, it is certainly worthy of watching for another year.
