eeyore94...

If "Pink Arabian" is a named, grafted plant....then I think you have a label switched, and/or an unidentified plant. The coloration of the blossom is reversed, as noted in your comments.

Disappointing. Flowers look like (????) ...."Noble Concubine", or equivalent. After waiting 4 years for the first bloom....it's not the kind of surprise that I'd want if I bought a specific plant for having a specific flower.

Good luck with the plant.

Frank

NYC/7b

My label didnt get switched. In fact I only have 2 mail order ones. All others are grown from seed or from Thailand. And those are clearly marked. Had I grown it from seed, then the possiblity is definitely there for labels to get switched.

I have several that have flower buds. I just hope they make it before the end of August.

This particular plant started budding in Jan. The buds grew ever so slow and they didnt drop. They continued to grow. Once the warm outside temps stayed more constant they grew fast

Such a nice surprise! Flowers are huge! Your patience and a hard work are paid off, I love everything about this plant:)

Dain...

Thanks for the comments....and eeyore94, sorry if I led you to think I was criticizing your plant and flowers. That was not my intention. Your plant is lovely, in spite of the differences. I was confused by the labeling and the flowering results that were posted.

Thanks for the explanations about hybrid plants and labeling. I assumed the label hanging from the plant meant the plant was grafted to produce "Pink Arabian" flowers, and also thought the purpose of grafting and putting an identifying label on a grafted, "named" plant was to identify - to the grower - what they can expect the plant to produce when blossoms open. If I were to buy a named/grafted white double, then I would expect a white double when the plant eventually blooms. If I went through the trouble of purchasing or importing a plant that I specifically selected for the flowers, and the plant bloomed with a different flower, after nurturing it for 4 years, I, personally would be disappointed, regardless how beautifully it ultimately flowered if those flowers were not identical to what was shown on the label. I might still like the plant, but it would not have the flowers that I expected.

So I meant no harm, no foul, and now I know labels can mean little.

Frank

NYC/7b

That plant was purchased thinking it was going to bloom as pictured and it is a grafted plant(I think), so they say. It is my understanding that grafted plants should bloom as pictured. But honestly I like this one better. I'm not much for pinks.

Hi Alma that's a very good looking plant but I think it's a seedling I can't see anywhere it's been grafted but I could be wrong. I like it better than the tag. I seen them on Qvc they keep saying they were grafted but the plants they were showing were not grafted plants

roger

Hi Roger, you maybe right, I never paid any attention to it. Here's some close up pictures. Tell me what you think

Alma, I think Roger is right...I don’t see any grafting on this plant.

Your flower is beautiful and I love all the natural curves in your plant. The flowers look like they’re dancing in the wind. Happy growing :)

Very interesting. This one has always been one I didnt care so much for because it wasn't the fancy ones and it wouldn't bloom. It spent most of its summers bald or yellowing. Only thing that I've done differently, starting last summer was fertilize and now foliage is so healthy and well you can see the rest! and I have grown fond of it.

Alma it's a seedling I see no grafts I think it's a keeper

roger

Yes I'd have to agree to both, Roger. Plus it's my biggest, biggest spread(branching).

it's sitting in a chair, ears out, waiting for you to come sit next to it [pix 2] and have you talk with it.

can't you hear it whispering in the wind?

^_^

Dave