I do not think they go for so much anymore. Only brand new ones. It is a propagation issue - they only come true from suckers - and not always - you need to give them time to bloom - otherwise - you can sell/buy a dud. There is a way to propagate them from a bloomstalk - but it takes a year to get a blooming plant.

I.

Ohhh. So its the fact that propogation is difficult.

not difficult - but slow and not everything comes true. The seller needs to invest more time and space plus electrcity -soil - pots - fertilizer - care. The same square foot of a light shelf will produce 20 non-chimera plants in a time you get 4 chimeras blooming true - and it is optimistic.

Oh lord, I have been selling a small amount in ebay and thought I would venture into those. Maybe not. I may get some and pray for suckers I guess.

Top one plant. Reroot the crown and leave 3-4 leaves on a stump. Stump will give you suckers. Not too complicated. Some Chimeras are quite stable - do it to Yukako -and it will give you a good percent of chimeras. Plus it is a fast grower. Some chimeras do not give true blooming suckers that often.

The problem is - if it is a good one - it is popular - and gets high bids - but next year -everybody and his dog has it. Same with Ann. Mine was sold 15 minutes ago for $20. In bloom. It took me a year and 3 months to get it to bloom. So - I think the hype is over.

Speaking of chimera reproduction, I set a few bloom stalks off a couple of varieties last spring. I can report two success stories: Psychedelic Show on the left, King David on the right. Others didn't make it & I expect the survival rate was less than 50%. But what the heck! It was fun & I did get something out of the experiment.

My friend Allison - we drove together to Albuquerque last year - procured a bloomstalk of Psychedelic Show at the Convention - and we put it to root. It gave us 1 plant - and it is in bloom now. Well worth the wait. Stunning. You probably got yours at the same place.

Ok you guys... now I officially need a chimera.

Not so. I actually did a most rare thing for me. I bought it off Ebay! Its good that I have a couple of young plants as the parent croaked.

Everybody needs a chimera! Yukako will be my first choice for the unkillable.

Didnt you say that one blooms true from suckers?

So just to summarize... Chimeras never bloom true from leaf... and always will from a bloom stalk?

I am still to see one single chimera that came true from a leaf - but it happened to a friend of mine. Some people even win a billion bucks in a lottery - but it never happen to me..

Not all suckers come true, not all plants started from a bloomstalk come true as well. The % depends on the variety - but none of them give you 100%. Sometimes the sucker also comes as a chimera - but a different one - usually less interesting. I got a purple on purple chimera from Yukako and you barely can see the darker stripe because there is not enough contrast. Duh...

Unstable changelings... we love them...

I.

I have one of the 2017 (I think?) chimeras blooming right now. It's called Podunk -- ehhhh, I'm not really clicking my heels up over this one, honestly.

I do like the colors of that one! It reminds me of the colors in Persian Lace is it? (Not apples to apples but colors)

It is a very delicate beauty,

Sometimes we want it screaming bright - and sometimes - a quiet enjoyment.

I bought Psychedelic Show from eBay. It turned out to be a dud. I coughed up more $$ bought another one from Violet Barn. This time it better be true. Otherwise I will be very upset.

Don't ever buy chimera from eBay.

Julie - that is plain not true. Do not buy chimera NOT in bloom. Nobody intentionally will sell you a dud. But until it blooms - there is no guarantee it will be a chimera. Blooming chimeras are always more expensive - but there is no risk involved when you see what you buy. When the seller is saying - you are getting the plant from the photo - that's what you expect.

You present it like eBay is a bunch of crooks. Like anywhere else - you find reputable sellers and stick to them. Look at feedbacks, see what other people say.

When you need to do repair on your house - you do not invite people who knock at your door and say - we just happen to be in your neighborhood... and we can repave your driveway, clean your air ducts or inspect your furnace.