Charles Lawn Hybrid

This is a new hybrid Sinningia by Charles Lawn and grown by Dale Martens. She says that it only takes approximately four months to go from seed to flower! Part of the secret to this incredibly fast growth and flowering is to "disturb" or "wiggle" the young seedling in it's pot every week or two. The stress to the small plant seems to stimulate faster and more viperous growth!

Thanks to Dale for allowing me to post these new and exciting flowers. I'm a fan of the new and different and she certainly has some excellent plants that she's willing to share, again.. thanks!

Dale's New Strep!

From Dale Martens in Illinois:

"Getting new, scented hybrids is very difficult because the scented **hybrid** (not applicable to species) streps either don't have pollen or they have pollen, but resist being parents. Strep hybridizer, Chris Rose, in England has mentioned this challenge, too.

The new seedlings that have opened recently for me have scent and the grand-parentage includes the scented species Strep vandeleurii on the mother's side as well as S. candidus in the pollen parent's genes. The scent on my new hybrids isn't as piercing (read "objectionable") as S. vandeleurii.

Parents are:
Strep 'It Makes Scents' x (S. Iced Texas Twilight x variegated S. candidus)

The variegated S. candidus is the mutation that Toshijiro Okuto got and generously distributed. Crossing 'Iced Texas Twilight' x variegated S. candidus gave me no variegated seedlings, but I did find that S. candidus can pass on scent through pollen. About 1/3 of the seedlings from that cross had scent. For whatever reason, I couldn't get them to self, but I know someone who was successful with a hybrid I gave her. Must need good timing.

You can see S. candidus flowers on Ron Myhr's web site: here
You can see 'It Makes Scents' on Gary Mikita's site: and here

I figured the Iced Texas Twilight's medium blue with darker blue throat area would dominate the color, but I didn't expect yellow to come through so strongly. My plan is to grow them to full maturity hoping that they have a good blossom count."

This bottom photo is the "sister" of the new cross, both lovely flowers!!! I would like to thank Dale for generously sharing the coolest and newest in the world of streps! Thank you!!!

Perry's HOT!

Perry is now OPEN! What a fabulous flower! And Perry's internal temperature is hot, hot, hot!

The Gustavaus web site says: We thank the St. Peter, Minnesota Fire Department for the loan of an infrared imaging camera for tracking Perry’s surging thermal fervor. The images that are linked show the device in use, Perry’s infrared glow (with Paul and Brian Saulnier as thermal reference objects), and the ring of fire in the region of Perry’s spadix just above the upper limit of her/his female flowers.