Streptocarpus 'Noreen' Update

 Another update about our club project plant 'Noreen'!!!!

The ruler on the first photo is 12" long. The plant I took home is now somewhat larger than a foot and has approximately 9-10 leaves. I'm somewhat hopeful that it will be in bloom for the spring show in three weeks.

These are the blooms and in all fairness I tried to select the darkest ones. I'm trying to prove a point that culture changes some of the aspects of how the plant looks as well as how it performs as far as quickness of growth and color etc.

The next post will show Patty's flower that has much darker striping in the lines and webbing of the flower.

I tossed out a whimsical theory about this particular plant's genetics that I would like some comments on. I hybridized this plant some years ago. Most of the seedlings weren't quite this pretty and every other plant from that cross is now extinct as far as I know. I really liked the color of this one personally and enjoyed growing the plant. When I switched plant-rooms and added four foot T-8 lights I had a bit of a disaster. A hot summer combined with a very hot room ruined most of the plants I was growing and indeed killed off the parent to this plant. Fortunately, Dennis had taken just one little leaf and propagated it. I purchased some of the babies back from him and then I got enough of the future babies to pass out as a club project. I don't usually have extraordinary luck with Streps in general... sure they grow, but I forget to water them blah, blah, blah.... but this one - at my house - always looks pretty fresh, grows fast and tolerates some abuse.

I've heard that people find that plants hybridized in their general geographical location do better for them than plants hybridized in very different locations. For instance, Texas hybrids don't really like MN winters.... MN hybrids don't do well in Southern state's really hot weather etc. So, what I'm saying is: Does 'Noreen' do well for me because it was the one to survive my particular set of conditions and my sort of plant-abuse?

The one baby that went to the CBS greenhouse is reportedly exactly the same size as when it was passed out. Others have said that their plants aren't really growing all that well. I am thrilled that my plant is jumping out of the pot and is over a foot across. I do know that I'm trying pretty hard not to humiliate myself and kill off the project plant that I thought was such a good experiment, but I'm not really babying it either.

Comments!!!!