Fantasy can also be somewhat variable depending on growing conditions. The next cycle of blooms those plants put out may show more fantasy than what they currently have. My plants often show less fantasy during hot weather (the same is true for variegation.) I have never personally had a plant with fantasy spontaneously revert to solid or otherwise fantasy-lacking blooms, but propagation by simple leaf cutting can be problematic. I have had 1 hybrid, Orzonye Volki, that gave me solid purple flowers in all of the plantlets. However, I have propagated many other hybrids with fantasy by leaf cutting and the resulting plants have all been true to form. Certainly propagation using the blossom stems would work, but is much more difficult. This is why chimeras cost so much more; it's simply harder to get plants using this method. Overall, if you plan on selling plants with fantasy I think the best approach is similar to what should be done with chimeras: allow the plants to bloom first before sale to make sure they are blooming true. I would try using leaf cuttings for propagation first, and if a plant seems to always give you plantlets without fantasy, then I'd move to using blossom stems. Hope this helps.

Hear, Hear! Great advice!

First - Ma's Midland Fantasy has a very subtle fantasy to start with. Neon Fantasy - is a puff fantasy - that is easily lost in propagation. You start babies from a puff fantasy plant - and there will be some with good, some with sparce, and some with no fantasy.

Second - you get the plants from hybridizers - you at least can try to get a replacement. Probably you will get a replacement from LLG, good luck with Violet Barn - they will resist.

So - now what's left - propagate from a leaf cutting, grow several starters to bloom and select the best. Give away the rest - there are plenty of people who will love to get a blooming plant even if it is not up to description. In my experience - they will all come slightly different - some with better fantasy, some with less. Always keep the best for your mother plant. Cannot get the results that satisfy you - order another one from hybridizer.

i.

I'd like to see a photo of a fantasy .

Yes it does help! I didn't know that it could change based on environment, but I did know that about leaf variegation. That does make sense. I had heard that fantasy can be different depending on the age of the plant though. I heard someone say that the first bloom cycle isn't a good indication of how the plant will bloom on a regular basis.

Leon- I would be happy to post pictures of mine, but if you're looking for fantasy, these aren't the best. There are plenty to see if you google it.

I just checked out the past threads/comments about fantasy AV's. In 2006 there was a thread which defined/described these. At the end of the thread, a question was asked whether fantasies can be propagated by leaf cutting. This question was never answered.

That's excellent information....thank you.

So Optimara's Little Hopi isn't really a fantasy, even though it has the markings? I have seen pictures of fantasy violets that changed into something like chimera's. There are pictures of Little Hopi that look like chimera. I must say, it's all a little bit confusing. But still interesting...

Little Hopy is a fantasy. I think Optimara had fantasy plants before, but they are not in production now. There are plenty of fantasy AVs around - and we just had a photo of B-man Etna posted a week ago - this is an excellent stable fantasy. Streak fantasy is more stable than puff. Croteau puff fantasy hybrids are quite stable.

Any multicolor AVs can mutate into chimeras. We like pinwheel chimeras, section chimeras - when section of the petal or a leaf is different from the rest of them - are not reproducible. Litle Hopi throws these sections quite often.

Yes, I've noticed there is a lot of variation in Little Hopi. I have one that's doing some interesting things. I'm just along for the ride! :)