African Violets 'Yukako', 'Frozen in Time', Harmony's 'Lil Stinker' and Streptocarpus 'Tutti Frutti'

 These are the "treasures" I brought back from the WI Chapter's African Violet growers show in Madison, WI last weekend at the Olbrich Conservatory.

The blooms are a bit travel weary but still, they are awesome flowers and I can't wait to see them growing at my house.

This is the very interesting African violet 'Yukako' with the green chimera stripe!

Another on the green theme... African violet 'Frozen in Time' which I think is just awesomely cool.

 A new Streptocarpus introduction by Nancy Braun called 'Tutti Frutti'. This might be my single favorite color combination on a Strep. ever. Again, the blossom is a bit abused by being stuffed into a closed box for a 400 mile drive, but 'ya know', it is still very lovely!

 This is Harmony's 'Little Stinker'. The variegation on the leaves is said to be chimera variegation. This is very interesting and only a few cultivars seem to have this type of leaf patterning. I was told by the grower of this plant that it needs to be kept cool. I will give that my best shot but I'm a little worried that all the variegation will go away.

Did you know that temperature affects the amount of variegation that shows up on the leaves???

Questions??
Comments????

What's Bloomin'

 Lots of things are blooming today. Here's the miniature Sinningia speciosa  from the other day with most of its blooms open. A real cool plant.

 Here's a chimera African violet called 'Emerald City' The lavender pinwheel pattern is accented by the green tipped petals.

 'Jim's Daphne's Choice' Episcia is a really nice clear yellow color. There aren't too many really good yellows in Episcias yet, but this one is very pretty.

 Chirita tamiana is a great little plant that is about the size of a semi-miniature violet. It's easy to grow and get to bloom and the blooms last a nice amount of time. It might be my favorite Chirita.

New to me is this Primulina tabacum. Cool little flowers on this plant. I just got it but I hear that they get larger : )

 This is Dale Martens Streptocarpus 'Tanzanite'. Nice flowers on a smallish plant. Fun to grow.

Now this is an interesting one. xCodonanthus Aurora. It blooms on a small starter plant with a really nice looking peachy flower with a lighter cream color lip. 

 Can't forget the Sinningia 'Gabriel's Horn' tricolor sport. This one is a favorite too with it's calyx double flower.

 Not quite blooming, but Sinningia leopoldii has kept compact to about 6" tall and already it's making flowers! YAY! Not a three foot high monster this time.

Here's a Petrocosmea 'Shortin' Bread'. Nice shape with no fuss and cute little blue flowers.






The last one for today..... an unnamed Streptocarpus that looks for all the world like 'Purple Panda'. Whatever the name, it's really stunning with the pure white top petals and the hint of netting on them.

What do YOU have blooming? Send pix....

Isn't This Awesome?

How about some seeds? These are African violet seeds from a variety named 'Emerald City'. 'Emerald City' is a chimera (a green and white pinwheel patterned flower) and it should be interesting to see what possible characteristics the offspring from the seeds will show.

 The seed pod from off of the parent plant. (Clicking on the photos will enlarge some of them for a better look.)

 What it looks like when you break the pod open. Note how small the seeds look.

 This is a pencil point of an ordinary pencil. The magnification is so great that you can see the wood-fiber of the pencil and still the seed looks small.

 This is the pod opened and it shows you how the seed is laying inside the pod. Think pea pod and how the peas are arranged when you open a pea pod.

The last photo is the largest I can get it magnified, but you can see that the individual seeds have a bumpy surface. I wonder if all violet seeds are bumpy?

As you know, a chimera violet won't produce a "chimera" from a vegetative leaf cutting, but will produce the "chimera" pattern from a blossom stem cutting or a sucker taken from the parent plant. I'm not sure if seed from a chimera will produce a chimera baby. I also don't know if this seed is viable. It was left on the plant till the pods were dry and ripe. Let's see what happens. I would love comments from the club or others.... click on the link and make a comment please.

A 'violet' Violet!

This is a good looking violet with a really big bloom. It's one of the Russian varieties that are now being grown in the United States. It's name is 'Blue Eyed Russian' (EK-Goluboglazaia Rossiia) which is a semidouble to double, bright blue, large star, with a purple edge. Medium green foliage, pointed. Standard. It's AVSA Reg.# 9567.  E. Korshunova the hybridizer.

The photo doesn't do it full justice. The bloom is very large and the foliage, as you can see, makes a good rosette. SJ grows a really lovely plant.

And here is a closer shot of the flower. It's nice to get some different genetics for hybridizing from other parts of the world. In conversation I've understood it to be the case that these hybrids might like growing in cooler temperatures. It's interesting that varieties developed in warmer regions tend to do better for southern growers, and those varieties that come from "up north" do well in the cooler areas of the country. Let's see what the "Russians" will prefer. Any comments on that???

Thanks to SJ for allowing the plant to be captured on "digital film".