Here's a shot today of the entire plant. Gives you an idea of how large and dark the flowers are compared to the leaves. It is still a young plant with it's original leaves still more or less intact since it grew up from a seedling.

Next step is to cut back a leaf and pot it up to see how easy or hard it is to make babies. I am also using the pollen on a fantasy strep and and will cross it to a bicolor. I still have a goal of a nearly black flower with a netted bicolor lower petals - and still retain a huge flower if I can.

Aim for the stars!!! How are you going to name this one?

Suggestion: Something related to black blood. Maybe Spanish 'Sangre Negra'

I'm not sure I am going to name it. If it propagates well by leaf and does well on various issues like flower retention, bloom count, etc then maybe. If there is enough interest in it. I'm very picky though and have no interest in registering it unless it's different enough from other plants currently available here in the USA. Otherwise I may only keep it for more crosses until I nail down something more striking and unique.

I'll give it a while to further evaluate it and think about it. I am aiming for something else though so we'll see. If it proves to be hard to propagate by leaf, like DS Africa is itself, then I'm not much interested in messing with it except to go onto the next cross. If however it proves able to make babies from leaves without too much trouble, I'll consider it.

Makes good sense... though leaves look so juicy and vibrant - they probably will be propagating like weeds.... so no excuse...

Hyn,,,,,that is beautiful! Wish you success in achieving your goals!!!!! Rosie

PS, but I love them all!!!! lol

good luck!

Haha, Irina! I wish big, fat juicy leaves was a guarantee. DS African has leaves just like this and you can't get babies off those leaves to save your butt. In the years I have had mine I have managed to get two babies and that's it. I keep trying! It's pretty slow growing too so it's not like you get extra leaves to spare easily either.

Have you grown DS Africa? Almost nobody has it. I'm fairly certain it's a polyploid.

Thank you Whisst and Rosie! I had another DS Africa seedling I was also evaluating that is also very dark, big flowers but with frilly edges and white splotches in the lower petals with really nice yellow throat markings. I thought I lost it (and I did) by accidentally including it in a mass of plants that were sold off by my Atlanta AVSA club for me before my relocation. Turns out Kathy Spissman kept it or put a leaf down, bless her! Else I would have lost that promising seedling. I'm trying to get it back now.

How wonderful you recovered it! Bless Kathy's heart she had the thought to put down a leaf! Can't wait to see all of your named successes!!!!! Good luck! Rosie