Could Hemizygia 'Candy Kisses' be a Major Minor Crop?

Hemizygia 'Candy Kisses'

            A flowering houseplant that should get attention is Hemizygia ‘Candy Kisses’.

            My leading buyer wants plants that are variegated or flowering.  Why?  Because they sell.

            We get both with H. ‘Candy Kisses’ --- a variegated flowering plant.  It’s a guaranteed short day to flower plant, so it flowers in the winter time when we want some color in the house.  Self-branching and easy to propagate, it is easily programmable.  It could be flowered year around by artificially giving it short days.  It fits in small pots, so can be an affordable low-cost bit of color.

            We have two clones --- ‘Candy Kisses’, with white and green variegation and ‘Lemon Lime’, with light and dark green variegation.  They are interesting plants with a minty aroma when not in flower.  Both can be used in spring combination planters for summer patio growing where variegated filler plants are needed.

            ‘Candy Kisses’ and ‘Lemon Lime’ are worth producing in large quantities to gauge the sales potential.  Somebody should do that !

Hemizygia 'Candy Kisses' - Budded from short days

Hemizygia 'Candy Kisses' - The New Flowering Plant for Winter

Hemizygia 'Candy Kisses', Budded, 15 October 2014

Story # 137,

            The Great Stagnation is revised.  There have been books written and arguments made that there is nothing new and nobody is working on anything.

            The crop of Hemizygia ‘Candy Kisses’ is budded and will be in flower by Christmas.  Although ‘Candy Kisses’ is sold in the Spring as a contrasting variegated plant for mixed planters, it has never been seen as a Winter flowering houseplant.

            Will gardeners find it interesting with bright variegated leaves and pink flowers or just complain that there is nothing new?

            I’ve decided --- the theory of stagnation in ideas and new products is just stupid.  So I won’t be writing a book about it.

            It has taken 2 years to get to this new crop grown as a flowering plant.  First seen at the Philadelphia Flower show in March 2013, it was not in flower.  Since short days initiate the flowers, that specimen plant in the show must have been growing under lights with extended day length for more growth. 

            Once I found some stock from a propagator in Israel, I’ve been selling small branched tip cuttings in the ‘Mini’ plant mix.

            Since no one is producing 4” pots of ‘Candy Kisses’, I’ve had to make it up as I go along.  Following a similar schedule as Mums and Poinsettias (other short day crops), seems to be working.

            Watch for the finished flowering version at Longwood Gardens and other progressive Garden Centers.

Hemizygia 'Candy Kisses' in 4" pot, branched

Is it better with flowers?

Hemizygia 'Candy Kisses'

Story # 118,

            Is it better with flowers?

            We had forgotten to watch for flowers on the Hemizygia ‘Candy Kisses’.  After finding a source for the variegated plant that has every appearance of being a Plectranthus,  I’ve grown tip cuttings as a ‘Mini’ plant.

            The short days of Fall have triggered the budding on the terminals.  It has an interesting pink flower, different from other Plectranthus I’ve seen, which are white or purple.

            It could be grown in a shallow tray to create a look similar to Bonsai.  It could be shaped and branched by trimming.  Winter flowering would be a bonus.

Find this plant!

Hemizygia 'Candy Kisses' at the Philadelphia Flower Show 2013

Story # 92.

Find this plant!

      One of our declared missions each year at the Philadelphia Flower show is to find a new plant ------ At least, a new plant in my area of interest.

      This year I came upon a striking variegated specimen with somewhat shiny leaves that could have been a Plectranthus but was shown as Hemizygia ‘Candy Kisses’.  It was exhibited by Mrs. Samuel Hamilton who shows many exceptional specimen plants.

 

      I’ve never seen the Genus name, Hemizygia.  So is this a name change for one of the many varieties of Plectranthus that I know or a new exciting plant worth growing.

      It is described as a tender perennial that can be used in summer planters.  And it must be a short day flowering plant that could be a pot plant in the Fall and Winter 

      This is worth finding and growing to see its potential for tip cuttings in small pots for Miniature Gardens.