What's Blooming This Morning

Streptocarpus 'Party Girl" and Kohleria 'Marquis de Sade' are blooming on a -15 degree below zero January morning.

When looking through the plants this morning to see if any needed water, there was some powdery mildew on a couple of the violet's leaves. It's a good time of year to check your collection for problems or pests and take action right away to prevent any further problems.

Fertilizer is important this time of year too... some of the plants that winter indoors and summer outside are looking a little "light green" in the leaves. Remember to feed them so they are in great shape to go back outside when spring finally comes.

Gesneriad Field Trip

The Gesneriad Club went to the Como Conservatory this past weekend to see the annual poinsettia show. There were thousands of blooming poinsettias featuring the Famous Artists varieties. The tropical rain forest room is the newest feature with displays that allow you to get a close-up view of various fish, turtles, birds, insects and animals. The main conservatory dome has the palm display which has over a hundred varieties of palm plants. The most interesting room though, in my opinion, is the agriculturally useful room. This has various plants that are grown for harvest including chocolate, star fruit, black pepper, coffee, fig, papaya, sugar cane and many more. What a fabulous way to get out of the cold and get the feeling of summer right here in MN in January.

Happy New Year!!!

Happy New Year to everyone!

Note the lovely "crown" these rare birds have? They are perhaps related to the Crowned Cranes of Africa. These would be Crowned Flamingos though.

This year promises to be a very good "plant" year. I would ask members of the club, and anyone else who likes to participate in plant related chat, discussion and information gathering to really make the effort to help with the blog.

As the blog "care taker" I haven't made many entries for a while, considering if this was a good media to exchange ideas and get participation from folks. I think that it's probably better and more cost effective than paper news letters, and it's got the potential to be much more fun and interactive. What I would like to know is what form this should take to be of service to our club and other violet/gesneriad liking people. I can make entries about most plant topics, but it is the participation that is important. Ideas???? nsavctc@gmail.com Let us know.

Have a most delightful New Year. Let the plants grow!!!!

Frosty

Guttation

Guttation is a secretion of fluid from a plant's leaf that comes onto the surface of the leaf out of specialized pores called hydrathodes.

This process happens when the surrounding humidity in the air is high, the soil moisture is high and the rate of transpiration (evaporation) is low. Plants enclosed in a terrarium will sometimes exhibit this phenomenon.

When the water being secreted contains minerals in the solution, like calcium, it will leave a whitish crust on the surface of the leaf when it dries.

Something Different

Look what's blooming! Right after the first big snow of the season there is a bit of exciting and exotic color right among the usual greenery. This is an Impatiens niamniamensis, commonly known as a Congo Cockatoo. It's a very young plant but it looks like it will be easy to keep in bloom.

Remember to try out some new and different plants to keep things interesting! If there is always a surprise waiting in the plant room, more time will be spent tending and enjoying the plants. Many plant families do as well under fluorescents as the violets do.

Peloric Flowers

Here are some photos of a peloric flower and the attempt to see if the trait will carry over in its offspring from seed.

The first two photos are of a normal strep blossom. It has a "pansy" shape and the throat decorations are on the bottom three petals. This is a nice size flower.

The next photo is of the peloric flower. A radially symmetric flower with all petals even and the throat decoration on all petals. The next photo shows the flower being self pollinated.

The seed pods are formed .... and the last photo shows that this is a generously sized pod. I can't wait for the seeds to ripen.

More Fall Show Spectacular

More photos of the Fall Show at Bachman's.

Look at the blooms on this Columnea!






A natural oak burl garden.
















One of my favorite violets. Rainbow's Quiet Riot by GP.










Happy Halloween.















A lot of lovely violets on display!

Fall Show Spectacular

Here are some of the beautiful flowers that were displayed at the Fall Show at Bachman's last weekend. Enjoy!

Happy Face displayed by MKF!










Ness' Blueberry Puff displayed by MKF!









Peppermint Girl shown by PH!









Ness' Antique Rose by PH!









Bold Party Girl displayed by CS!








Ness' Satin Rose shown by CS!








Positively Pink shown by SJ!







B-Man's Corleone displayed by SJ!










Warm Sunshine shown by GP!











Strawberry Daiquiri shown by GP!


Click on the photos for a larger, close-up view.

Show Show Show!!!

The Fall Display at Bachman's on Lyndale is coming right up. Saturday the 27th and Sunday the 28th of October 2007!!!

Bring plants to display, arrangements and dish gardens, terrariums and natural gardens.... bring them all so that we have a great show for the public!!!