A beauty, but maybe 'Bantel's Sensation'?

Thanks Woodnative,

I might ordinarily agree w/ you, but Stush says they came IDed as Siam Silver, I've forgotten where he said he got them.

I DO remember thinking the same thing, as did the Pres. of my Indoor Gardening Group (but he's not really a Sans. collector like we are).

Karen, Looking back at my records, I did send you a Bantel's Sensation and a Siam Silver didn't I? Sorry to say but the above plant is a Bantel's Sensation. If I messed up, I can send you a Siam Silver come late spring when I remove my Sans out of the basement. As long as they are in good shape and all. It is well grown and looks great.

No problem. Starters; Bantel's Sensation is a trifasciata cultivar while Siam Silver is a hyacinthoide cultivar. Being so, BS usually 'stacks' or have many leaves per node while SS has 3 (rarely 4) per node. Next is color which is best shown easier than told.

First Bantel's Sensation; Much more darker green in leaves. However some in same pot does have leaves that look a lot like Siam Silver so I do see some confusion.

Then Siam Silver;

Now more fun to add to the confusion. Silver Laurentii has a nice similar look;

and Silver Laurentii variegated which I don't own had even more Siam Silver look to it. Some here purchased it from Juan Chahinian on Ebay.

Stush

A leaf of my 'Siam Silver' (left) next to 'Bantel's Sensation' (right)).

Woodnative, that's lovely, but seems a pretty subtle distinction. If you weren't telling me so, I would have guessed just individual leaf variability rather than 2 different types. I'll have them both pls ;>)

I just love green & white variegation & as a former textile designer, the stripes are right up my alley as it were.

Thx for the good explanation Stush. I had to read it a couple of times, but OK, think I got it now.

Variations on a theme. However I will also say that the 'Bantel's leaves' have a tendency to be thinner (but thicker) and not as tall as the 'Siam Silver'. Most of the 'Bantel's leaves have the dark green more towards the center of the leaf and at the edge, with the area of mostly cream in between. The stripes of light and ark are finer and distributed more evenly across the leaf. SS actually appears a bit whiter(and "bluer") to my eye than 'Bantel's Sensation'. Both nice. I think SS is actually a better grower for me. I actually got rid of my huge one a year or so ago that was stuffed in a 5-gallon bucket. Beautiful plant ugly "pot" lol. I am starting over again with some young divisions.

Oh swoon . . . .

Does anyone else find Bantel's tricky to grow?

Fred, For some reason, I had the most trouble with this one also. Lost several of my first ones I purchased. Then bought on clearance 4 pots full from Lowes and they grew and multiplied for me like crazy. Can't explain why but seems they are a hardier stock or some thing?

Stush, that is interesting about hardier stock. Mine tend to grow very slowly. One of mine is very susceptible to root rot even more than the other clump I have despite nearly Identical conditions.

I find Bantel''s a little more tricky too. I can grow all these Sans in the summer fine but I lack good growing space inside in winter. Some of the plain or mostly green Sans I can get away with less than ideal conditions.....a bit cooler or darker than they like, but the heavier variegates like 'Bantel's Sensation' are more temperamental. Interestingly 'Siam Silver' seems pretty forgiving.

I would agree, Siam Silver/Tenzan is much easier than Bantels. I am about to lose that nice plant Stush sent me. It was growing well outside in the summer, but is gradually declining. I think maybe the supplemental lighting may be the way to go with these tricky ones.

Well so much for the hardier stock idea. If Barb is having trouble with my stock. I can send you another come spring if mine survive this winter which so far they look good. I have them in my basement under T-8 shop lights and not much of anything else. I did loose my Gold Hahnii window box full last year but the ones in pots in my upstairs fishtank did well. The window box of hahnii grew well in the past couple of years but lost them this last winter.

I hate to promise then can't deliver. I hope all goes well this winter season.

Hi Stush, thanks for your offer, but I think I am just going to be happy with the plants that are easier for me to grow. The plant windows are pretty crowded this winter. I have had a little trouble with mealies lately, but hopefully have stopped them. Sorry you lost those hahniis, I always have problems with them too.

barbmock, what did you do about the mealies?

Sorry Karen, did not mean to hijack your post. This post is about your lovely plant!

Sans 2014'

i found those dreaded mealies on several plants recently. I used a granular systemic, green Light, I think. It has worked for me before, so I hope it will do the job. I also took some rubbing alchohol/ water and a Qtip and tried to mop them up as well as I could. I will keep checking for any new bugs!

Well thanks Barb, but no, you've helped ensure this post is NOW apparently about mealies.

How to kill a lovely thread -- thanks folks.

How about this --

START A THREAD OF YOUR OWN ON CALLED 'SANS TAKEN OVER BY MEALIES'

(And to think I recall Norma saying that Sans NEVER got bugs, guess that's not true Norma. )

Well, Karen, looks like you are feeling cranky today. This is a friendly group that often goes off topic.

Sorry Barb, it's not me or cranky -- it's that my lovely, thankful, PLEASANT pretty thread is now about mealies.

Off topic is one thing -- pleasant to downright GROSS is pretty much something else.

Sans2014 came on & apologized for doing so, but then you both went right ahead & did it some more, lovely.

You could have made a separate thread -- OR you could have emailed him privately.