I can't find any, but I bet there are some. I'll keep looking. I think mine is a selection rather than a hybrid, and it's outside and I'm tired, and I'm not even sure I have a label in it. How's that for incompetent? I spent some time on the Gesneriad Reference Web (which is a fascinating place to spend time!) and it seems most at least of the hybrids are listed without parents. The Smithsonian has a website that might very well, but I can't remember its name. There are quite a few gesneriads that will accept cold weather without damage, but for my taste not nearly enough work has been done to find them. I have some hardy sinningias and a few other gesneriads that are hardy farther north than either of us, and it's an area where much more work should be done.

I agree. I grow all kinds of Nematanthus because they are so cold hardy. I leave them up in near frost and never blink. Only if the rare upper 20's occurs do I move them, and then its just on the ground. Aes. speciosus and A. Black Pagoda and Aes. evrardii all handle the cold quite well, better than radicans. Aes. evrardii makes a great HUGE coco basket. I also grow Chiritas outside all year in the shadehouse, and they do just fine. In fact, they rarely bloom in summer, but explode in winter here. I wish they would forget about these "rare" species that hardly anyone can grow and focus on their commeciarcial potential. Who cares if a new species is found, if it is found at 5000' feet where a "warm" day is 78F? Greg

Sure wouldn't do here, Greg! Right now I have four hardy sinningias in bloom; have you tried any of them? Two are just kinda quietly pretty and have been blooming for some time, but S. conspicua is living up to its name and it's fragrant too. I had it in a pot last winter (outside) because I was concerned about drainage, and S. iarae is still in its pot for the same reason, but has three heads of bright red-orange tubular flowers which draw the hummers. I've had S. tubiflora outdoors with no protection and not much care for quite a few years--even if it weren't so pretty the perfume it puts out is amazing. Lost some columneas outside tho'. Some that got frosted are coming back but slowly. Interesting area for the experimentally-minded. I'm a half-zone 'colder' than you, at 9a.

I found two registered C. schiedeana hybrids- both by Jerry Trowbridge in 1998.

Columnea 'Lucille Ball' (C. 'Flamingo' x C. schiedeana)
C. 'Rudolph Valentino' (C. 'Turandot' x C. schiedeana)

I haven't seen either one, I don't think. But I used to have a schiedeana hybrid that wasn't named- it was a nice orange-red with dots and streaks. It seemed to inherit at least some of the cold-hardiness, and survived in an unheated greenhouse here, in zone 8 (but the long dark cold wet winter part of 8)

I also used to enjoy some different Nematanthus, xCodonatanthus 'Tambourine' and others in the same cold greenhouse. Being lightly frozen once in a while was ok, as long as they were dry.

Vincent

I looked up the Gesneriad Society International Registry - and there is the pic of the plant Vincent found.

I.

Here is a link that might be useful:

I appreciate the info - now where to find them! Greg

Greg -

I googled the RV one at Marcia Belisle's shop. And she carries "SCHIEDEANA GIANT" as well. Looks like you need both.

Good Luck

TGIF

Irina

Here is a link that might be useful: Columnea list

Thanks. I checked it out and will contact Marcia. Greg :-))
NOW send me some rain! Please.... Its thundered every day, sometimes shaking the house, and yet it just will not rain at my house! Argh..............