Lipstick plants that flower --- A New Concept

Aeschynanthus with many flowers and buds

Lipstick plants that flower --- A New concept.

 

            The lipstick plant is the best example of a common name put to good use.  Nobody can say or spell Aeschynanthus --- the Genus name.

 

            Everyone would buy a lipstick plant if they could see it in flower.  Thousands could be sold.  The problem is we don’t know how to make that happen.

 

            The flowering response --- what triggers flowering is elusive.  Is it the day length, the temperature or age.  If you know, tell me.

 

            Major commercial crops must perform on schedule.  Waiting for the lipsticks to flower, soon eliminates them from production.

 

            This pictured plant has flowers up and down the stems, We don’t know why?

 

            I had collected many Aeschynanthus varieties but this one just decided to flower.  Why?

 

            We will propagate it to see if flowering can be duplicated on a branched plant.

  

You Need a Little Spot Of Color!

A Little Spot of Color!

Your need a Little Spot of Color

 

            Color is a major contributor to life.  Have you bought a new car lately?  With all the options built in, the only decision is:  What color do you want?  It they don’t have your color , it’s usually a deal breaker.  My color is blue, but I got red.  The pandemic had crippled the supply at the time.

 

            A national brand selling plants, The Sill, has a great saying:  ‘Plants make people happy!’

 

            Just as universal is: ‘Color makes people happy!’ 

 

            Our Miniature Achimenes need a brand name to capture our new category of houseplant.

 

            ‘A Little Spot of Color’ is being considered.

 

            It describes our small Achimenes exactly.  Flowering plants in a 2.5” pot are little spots of color.

 

            Why would you want one and what would you do with it?

 

            Your desk is crowded.  Get a pretty ceramic container that you can just pop in a little flowering plant.  Replace it as needed.  Always have a little spot of color on your desk.

 

            Place settings at a party, especially bridal parties need a little spot of color at each setting.  We get requests all the time for a small plant that is the bridal shower gift --- a little spot of color like a mini-Violet, Mini succulent or now a Miniature Achimenes.

 

            This morning the internet told me people want simple.

 

            Sometimes you just want a little spot of color.

 

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? 

Achimenes 'Petite Fadette' - The best Miniature Achimenes

Achimenes 'Petite Fadette'

                     Here is Achimenes 'Petite Fadette' on July 5, 2023 in preparation to go to the Gesneriad Convention in Richmond VA.

                      So what happens to the plants after the rough handling of the show tear-down and the travel home when it no longer matters if the plant is perfect?

                      Here it is,  four weeks later.

Achimenes 'Petite Fadette' - Four weeks later

Landisville Flower Trials --- My Groupies

Interns at Landisville Flower Trials

 

Here are my Groupies at the Landisville Flower Trials Field Day.

 

Penn State University Extension has its annual flower trials at the farm in Landisville PA.  National seed companies and propagators of vegetative annuals enter their best and newest varieties to be grown in big pots in the field for comparison.

 

This event is held for commercial growers and garden center managers to meet to evaluate new varieties for next Spring sales.

 

I was there as a vender looking for new customers for our Mini Houseplants.

 

I was giving out pots of Vietnamese Violets and these Trial Garden Interns stopped by.  They are to report back to me of their success with my new category of plants.

Where are your Vietnamese Violets?

Metapetrocosmea tamiana - Gesneriad Convention 2023

 

Where are your Vietnamese Violets?

 

Vietnamese Violets are new and a different category of houseplants.

 

Metapetrocosmea tamiana is the first and only member of the group.

 

When and where will there be more?

 

There are two possibilities.

 

First, there are descriptions of 5 species in the genius Metapetrocosmea.  M. tamiana is the only one in cultivation in the United States.  Attempts are being made to establish the other rare species.  Hybrids among these species are unknown, but the potential is there.

 

Second, a newly introduced plant, Michaelmoelleria vietnamensis qualifies as a Vietnamese Violet.  The plant grows like an African Violet and is native to South Vietnam.  The leaf markings are variable so different clones can be named.  A project has been started to select and purify distinctive clones.  There is potential for hybrids between Metapetrocosmea and Primulina.  If that is successful, many interesting plants will join as Vietnamese Violets.

 

Vietnamese Violets are coming.

The case for only one Achimenes

Achimenes 'Blue Swan' grown outside by Barb, July 2023

 

The case for promoting only one Achimenes for commercial production.

 

Achimenes is a new, different category of flowering houseplant that can go outside.

 

Can it have any chance of success if there is only one variety to pick from?

 

Most plant introductions have a series of colors to choose from.

 

If ‘Blue Swan’ is judged to be the best variety due to the most important characteristic:  Heat Tolerance, will it be enough to establish Achimenes?

 

It has a sturdy upright habit with large blue flowers.

 

Production schedules are still being worked out.  By starting plants in the Winter, flowering can begin mid-May in time for Spring/Summer growing.  If ‘Blue Swan’ can be grown well, then other colors can be added in 2-3 years.

 

Marketing is often winner-take-all, so start with the very best variety, brought to you by the leading Achimenes developer, Gary’s Gesneriad Farm LLC,

 

Selected 10 years ago, ‘Blue Swan’ has proven itself in practical testing.

 

‘Blue Swan’ --- The one to have, if you’re only having one.