Primulina - The Red Leaves Mystery

Primulina 'Loki' By Paul -- Red leaves

 

            The mystery of Red leaves in the center of Primulina continues.  There has been speculation about this for 10 years.

             The working theory is that it is the light spectrum.

            Or a combination of various environmental factors, like cold.

            If I find out and can duplicate it, I will not tell you.  It will be a proprietary trade secret.

            It remains to be seen if the market will care.  Will you buy a red center Primulina ahead of a green center Primulina? 

Do you want different or better?

Primulina 'Loki'

Primulina 'Curly Loki'

 

Do you want different or better?

 

            Marketing experts will tell you that ‘better’ is a hard sell.  ‘Different’ works every time.

 

            When introducing a new plant, it should be different from what’s out there.  You would hope that it’s better.

 

            When hybridizing Gesneriads --- A great hobby, getting a ‘different’ flower is easy.  Only though testing will you know if it’s ‘better’ in some way.

 

            A mutation has the same problem.  It is ‘different’, that’s why we selected it.  ‘Better’ --- Who knows?

 

            Primulina ‘Loki’ is one of the best.  I found a mutation with crinkled leaves and call it ‘Curly Loki’. 

 

            Primulina ‘Curly Loki’ is different and collectors like it.

 

            You can decide if it’s better?

What's the trend in houseplants?

Primulina 'Loki' living on the windowsill

            I was invited to give a talk to the Indoor Plant Society in Philadelphia, Saturday.  I had agreed to do this, thinking that I will learn more from them, then they from me.

            My talks are a ‘Show ‘n Tell’ about my plants.  So, ‘Mini’ plants for miniature gardens and your windowsill.

            The group of knowledgeable houseplant lovers had brought well-grown plants for their own ‘Show ‘n Tell’.

            To survey the crowd, I asked:  ‘How many grow plants at the windowsill? ----all hands up.  ‘How many have a miniature garden?  --- 2-3 hands.

            This confirms my impression that even though we sell ‘Mini’ plants for miniature gardens, almost nobody does that.  Our small plants are moving into houses to live on a windowsill.

This is too important not to repeat,,,

Another Historic Day for Primulina

EIGC Booth - Primulina will be a common houseplant !

            History by definition is everything that has happened previously.   The significance of events is what people remember.  Ancient history is mostly guesswork and only comes to life if some enterprising author weaves a story from fuzzy facts.

            Computers with infinite storage have changed that.  Now, every event will be recorded forever.  The only thing left is:  ‘Does it matter?’ and ‘Does anybody care?’

            On July 26, 2016, Ellen Wells reported on Asian Violets (Primulina) as a possible new houseplant.  The original story inTropical Topics is copied here:

Gary’s “Next Big Thing”

I keep asking about what folks think will be the “next big thing,” the next tillandsia or succulent trend. “Asian violets,” says Gary Hunter of Gary’s Specialty Plants in Drumore, Pennsylvania. Gary is in the miniature plant business and is a regional grower of small houseplants. His biggest business with small plants is through Longwood Gardens’ plant shop, where they sell hundreds of mini plants each week, all year long.

Gary’s latest project is working with these Asian violets, the common name for Primulina, a genus in the Gesneriad family. “Primulina are like African violets, but better,” writes Gary. “Primulina species and hybrids have been in the hobby world for years but have never been grown commercially.” The reason, he continues, is that these plants take up to a year to flower, eliminating them as a commercially viable flowering plant. “What I was missing was that they could be sold as a small, variegated foliage plant in 6.5-cm pots and fit with our assortment.”

That's Primulina Loki pictured above. Precious! Gary likes these Asian violets so much that he believes they’ll become as popular as African violets, if not more so. Not convinced? Check them out yourself at next week’s Eastern IGC Show at the Valley Forge Casino Resort outside of Philadelphia, where Gary will have a booth. Or check out Gary’s BLOG, which is full of great information.

            The significance is that this is the first known reference to Primulina in a commercial horticultural trade magazine.

         The commercial barrier has been broken and has been recorded here as a historic event.  The facts are preserved.

UPDATE...

Still, nobody cares.  But Asian Violets are too important to ignore.

            We have enough good species and hybrids to start.  If we can move Primulina from a minor, minor-crop to a major, minor-crop, they will be a success.

            In rereading this quote by Ellen Wells, it jumps out at me as suspect.

            “Gary likes these Asian Violets so much that he believes they’ll become as popular as African violets, if not more so.”

            Almost every African violet grower, amateur or pro, just laughs at that.

            I’m confident that I’m right.  The future will decide.

Name a daylily...

Primulina 'Loki' grown by Paul Susi

If I ask causal gardeners to give me a name of a daylily, they likely will say:  “Stella de Oro”.  They won’t know that the genus is called Hemerocallis, but somehow, they’ve heard of ‘Stella de Oro’.

How did this happen?

Relentless promotion by somebody.

The breakthrough in daylilies was new hybrids that flowered more than a “day”.  This was followed by flooding the market with plants, so the story perpetuates itself. 

What would it take to make the answer: ‘Loki’, for the question:  “What Asian Violet are you familiar with?”

It’s been 42 years since the hybridizer, Walter Jablonski, released ‘Stella de Oro’.  When will everybody know ‘Loki’ as the breakthrough that started Asian Violets as a common houseplant?

Can or will this happen?  Of course, it can.  There has been enough practical testing of Primulina ‘Loki’ to prove that it is a durable houseplant with interesting variegated foliage.  It is attractive with or without blue flowers.  Peter Shalit, the hybridizer, released it as a good plant.  I believe that it is the best one to lead.

Will it?  Today, there is virtually no commercial supply.  Today, there are few commercial growers who know about this plant.  Only dedicated hobbyists have Primulina or could name a few varieties.

‘Stella de Oro’ perpetuated its popularity because it was a breakthrough---a continuously flowering hybrid.  It sells because it’s advertised as the best.  Growers produce it because it sells.

The Asian Violet, ‘Loki’, could change the future.  Like an African Violet, but better.

Constant Exposure Makes Hits!

Primulina 'Loki' -  Hybridized and Grown by Peter Shalit

Constant exposure makes hits. 

I’m reading the book, Hit Makers by Derek Thompson which main theme is to make a song popular, you must play it over and over until everybody likes it.  This trick has been known for years, which is why record companies paid radio stations to play songs----Payola.

            The author argues that we humans seek the ‘New’ but we buy the ‘Familiar’.  The best strategy is to relate the new to the old.  My tag line is perfect:  ‘Asian violets are like African Violets, but better!’

            How many times must you see Asian Violets to feel like you know about them?

            First, buy one, grow it.  Tell your friends--- Over and over until everybody likes it.

Asian Violets --- Like an African Violet, but better!

Primulina 'Loki' - The easy houseplant

            This Primulina ‘Loki’ has been growing at the West kitchen window for three years.  It’s in a 2 ½” pot, has never had fertilizer and has wilted many times.  Yes, the foliage is perfect.

            This flowering randomly occurs two or three times a year.  Most casual houseplant growers would consider this one of their easiest flowering houseplants.

           

            Why doesn’t everyone have one?

            A Golden Oldie repeat.  This story from last year could not be more true today.  This Asian Violet is budded again.

            Its care is occasional water.

            Primulina ‘Loki’ is the best Asian Violet.

           Asian Violets, like an African Violet, but better, are much easier to produce and survive as houseplants.

            Why doesn’t everyone have one?

Another Asian Violet Success!

Primulina 'Loki' grown by Scott in Office

            If Scott, a very casual houseplant grower can do this , what is the World waiting for?

Is this all we need?

Primulina 'Loki' at the windowsill.

              This Primulina ‘Loki’ has been growing at the West kitchen window for three years.  It’s in a 2 ½” pot, has never had fertilizer and has wilted many times.  Yes, the foliage is perfect.

            This flowering randomly occurs two or three times a year.  Most casual houseplant growers would consider this one of their easiest flowering houseplants.

           

            Why doesn’t everyone have one?

An unlikely pair, Part II

Primulina 'Loki' with Snake Plant grown by Nadine

Here is Primulina ‘Loki’ keeping company with the indestructible snake plant.  Now in flower after spending the Winter inside, Nadine has moved it outside with some shade.  It’s eight months later from the Part I  picture.

Primulina will become a common houseplant.

Nadine's planter outside with some shade.

An unlikely pair

Snake plant with Primulina 'Loki' grown by Nadine

            Wouldn’t it be amazing if these two plants proved to be equally tough?

            The snake plant or Mother-in-Law’s tongue (Sansevieria zeylanica) was the original indestructible plant.  My Grandmother had them everywhere.  They wouldn’t die.

            Nadine planted Primulina ‘Loki’ with hers and I predict that it will be just as durable.

How to get picked by Google search?

Primulina RED 'Loki' grown by Joan Santino

How to get picked by Google Search?

            There is a science to SEO – Search Engine Optimization.

            But the easiest way is to write on Google’s FREE blog --- Blogger.  Write about something so obscure that no one else has done it and you win the search report.

            If you search for “Primulina RED ‘Loki’”, the first nine stories are mine.

The Mystery of the RED 'Loki' Continues...

Primulina 'Loki' - Red grown by Joan Santino

            This well grown Primulina ‘Loki’ by Joan Santino, shown at the Springfield AVS Show, renews the continuing question:  What causes some ‘Loki’ to show attractive Red hairs while others,  like mine, to be all green.

            There has been much speculation by Gesneriad growers who have helped me try to deduce the environmental answer.

            We think that it is not high light, low temperature or low Phosphorous.

           

            My bet was that there are two clones.  But I would have lost all of my money.  When I propagated a leaf from Joe’s Red plants, all of the babies came out green.  So no mutation or distinctive clones.  It has to be some other trick.

            When I asked Joan about her Red plant she told me it is grown warm, under lights.  The new clue is that she had used high Phosphorous fertilizer, 5-50-17 for about 8 weeks leading up to the show.

            All of my ‘Loki’s are green.  I use 15-5-15 Ca Mg --- low Phosphorous.

            Is this it?  High Phosphorous = RED

            Why does it matter?  After seeing Joan’s stunning Red ‘Loki’, it’s worth seeking out the Red manipulator.

More Success with Asian Violets...

Primulina 'Loki' grown by Scott - repeat flowering

Can Asian Violets become common houseplants?

Asian Violets will not gain momentum as houseplants without success by everybody who tries them.  This picture shows the second round of flowering under office conditions by Scott.  And the foliage is perfect. It has nearby window light but mostly office fluorescent light.  The only change has been the addition of a felt wick to aid the watering ---- less frequent, because the ceramic pot has a water reservoir.  

            The previous flowering in December is shown below.

            To reflower under the less than ideal office conditions should move Primulina to the top of the list of easy houseplants.

Primulina 'Loki' flowering five months ago.

Designing The Perfect Houseplant

Primulina 'Loki' grown by Scott in his office.

If we wanted to design the perfect houseplant from scratch, we would want it to be carefree with culture requirements similar to what we humans like.

That would mean the plant would be adaptive to a wide range of light, temperature, humidity and occasional lack of water.  It would be decorative and have enough interesting qualities to make it worth giving it some time and space.  If it would flower occasionally, that would be a bonus.

I gave my son a Primulina ‘Loki’ to see if he would have success.  The picture shows a good looking plant with flowers.  Even though he grew up around my greenhouse business, even he would describe himself as a ‘non-plant’ person.

I interviewed him about his success:

Is this your office or apartment?

This is on my desk at the office.

Is it window light or only fluorescent?

Mostly fluorescent.  The windows are open all day, but my desk is probably 20 feet away, so it would be indirect most of the time, except for briefly at sunset when the sunlight comes straight in horizontally.

Did it have buds on it when I gave it?

Not sure. I don't think so.  Maybe they were hidden under the leaves. I think the whole stalk/stem with the flowers on it grew from "nothing" to 6 inches or so, surprisingly quickly.

Does it have a wick in it?

No.

How often did you water it?

Because the pot is suspended inside the silver container, I found that when I water it, it all runs straight through the pot and the dirt would dry out again while the water pooled in the bottom.  So, I've been trying to water smaller amounts every other day or so.  Sometimes I take the pot out and recycle the collected water through the pot again.

Have the other buds opened up?

There is another stalk with 3 more flowers on it.  The first ones from the picture have mostly died by now in the last two weeks.  I'll send a new picture.

              His story shows that Asian Violets are perfect houseplants and causal plant- tenders can have success with Primulina.

Maybe this is all it will take...

Primulina 'Loki' with unexpected flowering at West window

Maybe this is all it will take…

            If you buy into my projection that Asian Violets will be a common houseplant someday, then you have to believe that what we have is good enough.

            A few indoor gardeners are trying Primulina when they learn that they are easy houseplants. The small, young plants with decorative foliage survive easily with routine care of light and water.

            When told that Primulina will flower when old enough, there is something to hope for, but not expected any time soon.

            But when buds form and the first flower opens there will be satisfaction that you accomplished something and it was worth waiting for.  Flowering on your Asian Violet is something you will tell your friends about.  Marketing, at its best!

            Word-of-mouth of flowering success may be all it will take to spread the Primulina wave --- like an African Violet, but better!

Will curly Primulina 'Loki' be a good one?

Primulina 'Loki' with curly leaves

Curly leaf ‘Loki’ appears.

            Plant mutations almost never happen, except when they do.  Many forms of new plants have evolved from random spontaneous mutations, often during propagation.

            This curly leaf form of Primulina ‘Loki’ was recently discovered by Vicky at Gary’s Specialty Plants.

            It’s not clear yet if this will be a worthwhile clone.  It will be of interest to plant collectors to enter in flower shows but probably not be better for mass production.

            And yes, I’m propagating the leaves to confirm that it will reproduce vegetatively.

Curly leaves on Primulina 'Loki'

The answer to why some Primulina 'Loki's have red stems.

Primulina 'Loki' grown by Joe Palagonia (left front) with red leaf stems

The answer to why some Primulina ‘Loki’s have red stems.

The mystery continues.  I’ve been to several Gesneriad events recently and have collected all the anecdotal evidence I can from expert hobbyists who are thinking about this question.

Theory I:

It’s the temperature ---- cold (below 60 F) brings out the red stems on the leaves.

Counter point:

Red has been seen on plants grown in constant warm (70 F)

Theory II:

It’s from using high lime in the mix for Primulinas.

Counter point:

Then why don’t all the other Primulinas in the collection show red and not just ‘Loki’?

Theory III:

Abnormal red coloring in leaves is a symptom of Phosphorus deficiency.  This could be caused by very low Phosphorus in the fertilizer or from a high Ph that makes Phosphorus unavailable.

Counter:

At least three separate growers have red stem ‘Loki’, so this is unlikely.

Theory IV:

There has been a mutation and there are two clones --- one gets red, the other doesn’t.

Facts as we know them.

The original stock plants came from the same source, Peter Shalit’s‘Loki’ (red) at the 2012 Mid Atlantic Gesneriad Show. A leaf was given to Paul, who has red stems and me who has green stems.  Joe’s plant (red) was derived from Paul’s (red).  All of my 1,000 ‘Loki’s (green) were propagated from that single leaf.

Jim points out that propagations are from a single cell and that mutations can occur there.  Troy points out that mutations are very rare, which makes this unlikely.

The test:

I am propagating a leaf from Joe’s plant (red).  If the plantlets come out red under my conditions then maybe we can say that there are two clones.

Why does any of this matter?

The red stemmed ‘Loki’s are very interesting and potentially a better clone for the Christmas red /green market.

The answer is:

I don’t know.

            Until someone uses the scientific method of changing one variable at a time, we won’t know for sure.  All we can do is to try to piece together antidotes.

Conservation of Primulina by the Distribution of Seed

Primulina 'Loki' grown by Karyn Cichocki

The case for the conservation of Primulina by the distribution of seed.

            Since I’ve recently become very interested in Primulina and its development as a commercial crop, there is a need to collect and study all of the Primulina species possible.  There are 145 known species and more will be found.

            At present the only commercial possibility is to promote Primulina as a small foliage houseplant.  Flowering time is one to two years and flower color is limited to blue, yellow, pink and white.  For Primulina to become a common flowering plant equivalent to African Violets will require years of dedicated hybridization work.  The fastest technique would be to possess all known species and make all the F1 hybrid combinations.  Ten different species yield 45 unique F1 hybrids, which may or may not have any value.  This is being done at the Gesneriad Conservation Center of China.

            The mission of the center is a noble goal of collection and protection of all species that can be found.

            But how to best conserve them?  Protecting the native land sites is doomed to loss from development progress.  The most liberal idealistic plan is to commission dedicated PhD scientists to collect, identify and maintain stock of all of these new plants.

            The most conservative plan is to distribute the seed throughout the World to all interested parties, hobbyists, botanical gardens and commercial growers.  Species cannot be patented, so there can be no potential gain.

            Hoarding plant genetic material seems like the thing to do but distribution is the more likely method of preservation.  If a species plant is lost, someone else could be keeping it alive.  It may be counter-intuitive but the more rare the plant, the more important it is that it is widely distributed for its preservation.

            If Primulina is to follow the path of African Violets, then at some point in the future there will be profit to earn and protect with plant patents.

            If a commercial plant business takes on this project, it would cost $100,000 per year to support a full time plant breeder.  With Primulinas two year flowering time, a minimum of 10 years would be needed to have any chance of selecting some good flowering plants.  This is a million dollar bet, so royalties would be needed to recover the investment.

            For sure, no one will bet a million dollars at this point in the development of Primulina.  All the work will have to come from dedicated hobbyists on a random occurrence.

            The Gesneriad Society should use its influence to obtain all of the Primulina species from the Gesneriad Conservation Center of China.  It is the most sensible method of conserving the plants and the only method of creating new hybrids and improving their flowering potential.

No Primulinas in Sight!

Primulina 'Loki' grown by Gary's Specialty Plants

Story # 151,

            I’m back from a once in a life time trip to the Tropical Plant Industry Exhibition (TPIE), the trade event showcasing the latest trends in foliage, flora and tropical in Ft Lauderdale, Florida.

            There were amazing displays of colorful foliage in all sizes. But NO Primulinas.

            I searched out all the ‘Mini’ plants that I could find.  Small plants are a serious trend.  There were vendors showing everything from unrooted cuttings, to cell pac liners, to 2” pot.  Three categories are trying to fill the current demand --- Succulents, Ferns and Foliage.

            No one showed Primulinas in their foliage mix.  Since every grower trying to catch up with this demand is adding varieties as fast as they can, it would seem that Primulinas would fit, if there were supply.

            The most logical power grower to investigate Primulinas would be Holtkamp Greenhouses, the leading African Violet grower in the World.  Mr. Reinhold Holtkamp told me they are not working with Primulina at this time.

            Steve Blank, the genus thinker who has reframed the theory of a start-up business would tell you that promoting Primulinas is in a ‘New Market’.  It is a product where you could be the first to create a monopoly.  You would have no competition but the catch is there may be no customers.

            The search at TPIE proved that there are no Asian Violets in sight.  The commercial barrier has not been broken yet.