Beautiful. Are those your photos? What's that in the background of the first 2?

Yes, all photos were taken by me. First two were captured outdoors without using the flash. I have pine straw mulch. However, the violets were all grown indoors. :-)

Does your S. diploticha have a number? I have diplotricha Punter #7 & I know there are other numbers. Mine has never grown beyond mini size.

Terri

I agree with the others ... the diploticha is particularly nice. :-)

I am not sure which one it is. The vendor from which I obtained it labeled it only "diplotricha" without denoting a variant. I have diplotricha punter #0 from another source and it does appear different, but it hasn't bloomed yet. It grows as a mini in my conditions also. Thanks everyone for the compliments! Additionally, If I could determine a good way to grow S. goetzeana, I would. Unfortunately, the only refrigerators with lights I am aware of turn them off when you close the door!

diplotricha Parker

diplotricha Punter No. 0

diplotricha Punter No. 6

diplotricha Punter No. 7

diplotricha Uppsala 3084

diplotricha Uppsala 3085

Aargh...

I was not able to discover the descriptions and photos that would help us to fugure out which is which....

P. diplotricha Parker

Aaaargh...

If you grow any AV from seed it cannot be considered a true clone of the parents, since it will be genetically unique. They may appear almost the same, but be a little bit different. In that case it would be diplotricha x self or something. Just as if you propagated one of the hybrids from seed it would be, for example: ( Blue Boy x self ) or whatever the parent plants were. I have hybridized before and it can be fun. Growing out the seedlings can take quite a lot of space. The cross I did many years ago was Optimara Massachusetts x a single pink dropper. Most of the progeny had single purple flowers that dropped, but one seemed to be a Semidouble chimera. It had smaller white flowers with Violet center stripes. As a seedling, the leaves had a different appearance than the others. Unfortunately, I only had it a few years before it bit the dust. If you feel you want to try making a violet cross, go for it! Look for seedlings that have the desired traits but give most of the others away.

You are correct - it will be a selfing of S.diplotricha 3083 and there will be some difference between the seedlings of this selfing. Even within the same locality - lets say 20 plants growing in a wild on the northern side of the unnamed hill - there will be a difference between the individuals - which keeps the progeny healthy.

The difference is though significantly less than if we would cross different species or hybrids. They will all bloom purple blue, they will all be droppers,, but some will have slightly paler flowers or a bit darker leaves or the leaves will be more serrated etc.

So far the hybridizing bug didn't bite me. I try to collect gesneriad species seeds for the seed fund.

My only attempt in growing hybrids from seeds was to sow seeds of a selfing of Streptocarpus Moonlit Velvet. I grew the whole heck of them to bloom - and got 2 types - a smaller copy of MV - and a vinca blue one. Not worth keeping. It happened 15 years ago... and I still remember having A LOT of them..

Looks like people who hybridize are blessed with an enormous amount of patience.... You wait so long for the seeds, you wait so long for the seedlings, you wait for them to bloom - and you never know if you get anything special... or something with BIG leaves and very small flowers.

Admiral (AVS48) (Armacost & Royston) Single violet. Dark green, quilted. Standard

Hello! Gorgeous! (Above Admiral) It would be perfect for a greeting card photo.

I neglected growing Admiral properly for years. This is the first time it has bloomed that I can recall. Almost lost it and took a tiny leaf cutting to restart it when I still lived in the Bluegrass state. Grew it under a small, aging gro-lux tube for a long time then with LED this year, which may have triggered the blooming cycle. Hope your leaf cuttings grow like gangbusters!

Thanks. The color of Admiral is perfect. It glows. How do you like AL vs. KY?

The Yellowhammer State is much warmer and for longer than the Bluegrass state. Difference of zone 7 here and zone 6 back in KY. Essentially mid March through October it is above freezing mostly. Spring flowers emerge earlier here. Still not accustomed to seeing those delicate and beautiful camellias blooming in February! Miss the actual bluegrass (fescue) as most of the lawns here are weedy Bermuda grass which is brown Nov-March! Purposefully letting Dutch clover take over in backyard as at least it is green most of the year.

Thanks. I like to hear about various areas. I can relate to changes in climate and vegetation. Each state has its charms. KY is green and beautiful.

I was surprised to find wild clover with teeny purple violet like blooms in my backyard in what is basically ground cover.

Oh, Joanne - that's sweet.