Sherry, at this time, Bob has two types of fulva seedlings--F1 generation and F2. All of the seedlings involve tetraploids. I know we have all been taught that you can't cross a tetraploid with a diploid, but that is not strictly true. Some fulva varieties, not Europa, but Switzerland, Yunnan, Hankow, for example, apparently produce unreduced gametes which can successfully cross with tets. The most notable thing about those seeds is that there are large numbers of bad seeds--sometimes they look fine but are just shells. When you store them, you lose a greater percentage of them and when you plant them we often get lower germination rates.

Bob has taken the seedlings that result from the cross of fulva with a tet and has crossed them to tets. Those seedling act just like regular tets. We will be seeing more of those flower this season.

As far as vigor goes, most have pretty good vigor, maybe even superior vigor, but one cross, a fulva with the southern bred Better by Design, resulted in seedlings so tender they all died their first winter. The program is still new enough that we haven't seen exactly what will come of it.

Here are a couple of pictures of the F1 generation.

This is Fulva 'Yunnan' X Empire of Dawn and Dusk. We were happy about the clear color and the ruffled edge.

This is Fulva 'Korean' X Empire of Dawn and Dusk--color going toward pink.

This is F. Korean X Ted's Tribute to Linda--note the gold edge.

Many of the seedlings look like more intensely colored fulvas, but we are seeing some modern looks as well.