If only this wasn't just a fluke......sigh.........
Robert.
Double Calla.
But ya' never know.......
Beautiful none-the-less!
Wow, that's pretty wild. None of mine have bloomed so many at one time, I guess I have something to look forward to.
Good one! Siamese twins, I have seen some that are deformed, with cross breeding they do get some odd shapes. Yours happens to be a good one. Ya' never do know, it might just do it again......
Nice calla though, is it Crystal Blush?
This distortion is a result of hormone treatments that growers apply to the bulb to ensure that it blooms for the consumer. These flower morphs almost always disappear entirely after the first season of growth. They can last longer than normal flowers, having a bit of leaf tissue mixed in. What it is: Aroids have a hormone that tells a leaf when to become a spathe (and develop a spadix). Too much of that hormone is an obvious thing...
A famous example-turned-treasonous con-artistry was when Park's seed Catalogue printed a picture of Zant. 'Naomi' (Sold as "Naomi Campbell") as a bunch of flowers with a bunch of leaves that had a flush of flower color in them, very caladium-like. Gobs of folks, including myself, ordered this relatively expensive beast to find that it was a tall but weak grower with a neat color and size, but of green stems and normal leaves.
K. James
K., do you mean they were DISHONEST?
No garden-related company would be dishonest, would they? Never!
(J: By the way; Wink-wink on the Cal. TB if you know what I mean...)
My Gem Lavender is open, 3 spathes but no doubles.
The hormone treatment could upset the bulb for future flowering? I have found they take another couple of years to flower again. They also don't flower well if too old, mine seem to make new bulbs which need to mature. The old one sometimes dies off over winter, I wonder how much is due to the hormone treatment, if it was due to cold you wouldn't think the young ones would survive.
kenton, eye eye!
Nice lookin' callas ya'll!
I've had my standard white callas in the ground for over three years and they occasionally throw a double. It's happened at least three times, very pretty. These are the Zantedeschia aethiopica.
I also bought a Zantedeschia elliottiana calla, the gorgeous "Flame", and it had a double bloom on it. Hopefully it will throw another one someday, although I'd settle for it just reblooming. I've had trouble getting them to rebloom in the ground. I'm not usually successful with pot plants but for me the Z. elliottiana only seems to come back well in containers.
Here's a photo of it that I've posted to Plantfiles and hopefully it will be accepted tomorrow.
jkmom I love your mutant, Flame is becoming more and more desirable every time I see it! Lovely large spotty leaves too.
I spent ages looking for this site in my much overloaded favourites, at least they are honest! Just a shame I can't order from them...
http://www.lakesidecallas.com/Mutant%20Calla%20Lilies.htm
Interesting virus
http://www.apsnet.org/pd/abstracts/2005/dmy05ab.htm
An article on soft-rot, highlighting the importance of not using a soilless compost with phosphates added to the compost
http://www.ars.usda.gov/research/publications/publications.htm?SEQ_NO_115=143666
Mutations article
http://www.shieldsgardens.com/DLPlace/genes.html
Duckweed is related
http://www.mobot.org/jwcross/duckweed/duckweed-evolution.htm
Interesting and educational reading!
I learned a lot of what I know from Susan at Lakeside callas.
The late effect that the hormone has is simply from starving from overflowering. A good feeding schedule will bring most into bloom after their first year.
I think that many of the hybrids demand a pretty high fertilization to keep up to par and bloom. Flame is one that tends to need a good sized eye to make a flower, and thus a heavy feeder.
I second the readin gon soft rot. I lost most of a collection once. I think Phosphates are a little overrated, and the in-grounders were much less likely to soft-rot. Withholding watering only makes it worse; if anything, water more!
Thanks for all of the enlightenment, Wallaby.
K
Z. California Gold. You can see how it has all degrees, even a leaf with a yellow tip.
Oooohhh I like it....the spathes are supposed to be a sort of hormoned leaf aren't they? So the spathe and leaf sometimes are not sure which they are. I don't think I've seen that one before.
Hey, great info on doubling!
My Gem Lavender looks like a pink rehmanni that has matured (darkened) and I don't think it has the dark throat of yours, wallaby1......so I wonder is it's not the real deal.....(It's from Langveld and I've noticed that they'll call Iris by a known name when it isn't....not on purpose of course, coff-coff). I'll have to look tomorrow to be sure, but I don't remember the dark throat.) Another difference is that the flowers on mine are more rounded near the tip. Wider-seeming proportionally than the others.
One thing it has done (on three out of four blooms) is to have one of those lovely leaf-spaths mentioned. My "Solar Flare" has a couple too that are *so* pretty with the bright yellow and green. No flowers yet.
So, you're saying Kenton, that the leaf-spathe is just a result of hormones and will fade away? Boo! I think they have been treated as they started blooming so quickly after starting to put foliage. I remember seeing those in the Park's cat. and loving the leaf-spathes too.........
One that started blooming right off the bat it is the "White " calla (that's what the box said). And you're prolly right, Wallaby, that it's "Crystal Blush". It opens white (creamy white) and pinks up as it matures. One bloomed seemed to open pinkish and skipped the white phase. I like it, but I have pink and wanted a white that stayed that way. Guess I'll have to keep looking.
That "Flame" is soo lovely, jkom51! (Putting down that one on my must-have list.)
Kenton~ You wished me luck with my "Sangria". Was there a particular reason? Here's why I ask: I mentioned to you in Dmail that I had it and others and my white calla was lagging behing the others. Well, turns out I got the tags switched and it's Sangria that is dragging its feet. Is it "persnickety". (Technical horticultural term.)
This is the first time I have grown any callas with spotted leaves and they are fascinating! Really like hole with a thin membrane across it that is almost transparent when view from behind and silvery from the face. Love that!
I wouldn't mind treating my callas with whatever it is they put on them to get those leaf-spathes. (Do those have a real name?)
Gonaa sign off now and look at all wallaby's links.
Later.
Robert.
Robert mine was also from Langeveld, in a packet. I checked it out and that is the only one they have that it could be, their pic shows a darker throat as far as I can see, but it does look a little darker, they often do though in their advertising pics. Take Anneke for a colour blow up!
The leaves and height check out, you can even see a little white in some of the flowers.
http://www.langeveld.nl/index.cfm?fuseaction=plants.plantDetail&plant_ID=165
Look at the Photo menu at the side, the California Callas (at the top) there is Improved Gem Rose, I wonder if yours is an Improved GR or just a Gem Rose, it doesn't look to have the dark throat. There is Improved Gem Lavender, the description of it say it's an improvement of the older Gem Rose/Lavender, with more vigour and more uniflorm colour.
http://www.zantedeschia.com/frame1.htm
If you want a white one Z albomaculata is a vigorous, easy and quite hardy one. The spathes are not very large, but the leaves are large and lots of spots, It makes seed too, I have a few nearly 3 years old now, if you leave the seed head whole and bury it in the pot at the side of the plant they grow best that way, frost and all, starting next summer. I got seed from Z. Pink Mist, the first mature head I put 20 seed in a propogator as it is suppposed to be fresh and sown straight away. I only got 4, from December sowing. The second head of seed I wasn't sure if it was mature, so left it on top of the pot all winter and they are just starting to grow, I have shoved a bit of compost over them but really should now put them in pots. I have read that some seed needs to be left in its seed head and buried as a whole, this looks to be one of them, they had lots of cold and frost to -7C. I had a lot of seed from 2004 of Z albomaculata, they were still green when cold set in so I separated them and put them all in pots, the outer coverings were green but the seed seemed mature. I had around 200! I only got about 5 growing, they have small bulbs now and are looking OK. When you leave the seed heads to rot, dry and overwinter it must mature them, the seed hardens totally and when it warms up they just need that bit of moisture under them to sprout.
Z. Mr. Martin is another that is reliable and has wider spathes, an improvement on Z. aethiopica. I got mine last year and it flowered, set seed and they started to grow in the autumn on the pot, so I transplanted them then and I have most of them regrowing now.
Z albomaculata, not so many flowers last year as it was cold but it does well.
Z. Mr Martin, it flowered early and the flowers should get much bigger than Z aethiopica when it matures, they say the size of a man's face.
This was on 3rd June, but this spring has been even colder for longer (last year's was cold too) so they are not there yet.
Robert, nice description of the mottling; it is the best to date. If the leaf tissue outwieghs the colorful tissue, a morph can last as long as a normal leaf sometimes. I think Zant. get mislabeled so regularly thesedays...
'Sangria,' I think, is bred (new) by teh same folks who did 'Naomi.' These all seem to be a bit persnickety, some more than others. I think that breeding has focused on flower form at the expense fo a vigorous plant...
All of the cultivars, mixups and the fact that they are all too similar has turned me off of rhemanii clones.
I want to try Anneke one of these days...
The one Zant I have in bloom now is albomaculata. It is just a perfectly dependable plant.
Kenton
Here's a pic of my (supposed-to-be) Gem Lavender.
As you can see, mine has spotted leaves. Whoa!
There wasn't another pink-purple calla at the shop where I got mine, so I don't know what this really is.....
The foliage is shaped like an elliottiana rather than a rehmennii.
Anywho, Thanks for the suggestions for white callas, wallaby. The albomaculata looks like a wonderful choice, and I love raising plants from seeds produced at home.
And I wanted to avoid getting an ethiopica if possible. I love them, but would want to grow them by their natural schedule and that means winter growth in the N. hemisphere and I'm really strapped for window space. Especially with this years heavy collection of Hippiastrum.
How was the color on your "Pink Mist", wallaby? It looks good in the pix. Just a soft pink blush. I have enough true pinks and don't really need another if it's heavy on the pink (unless we're talking last stages. That'd be ok.)
I keep finding little pink rehmanniis in the mulch so I'm thinking those are from the seeds I shoved in there last summer. I'm going to pot the seed I get this year so I'll be able to look after them better.
I've noticed a lot of "divers" (my pet name for those insects that dive down into a calla, tee-hee) in my blooms. I hope they do some crossing for me.
I think that most (if not all) calla seed is selfed. Anyone know if this is the usual case? Anyone do any crossings?
I'm wonder if one has to cut the flower open to pollinate them or can it be done with a paintbrush (for instance)?
My "Crystal Blush" has 11 blooms going on it now. Wow.
Kenton~ I only saw the picture of the bloom of "Sangria" so I wasn't expecting any leaf-spathes. Hope I get some though. I just liked the bi-colored bloom.
I agree about the high prices of a lot of callas. I guess once they've been around for awhile, prices will becomne more "reasonable" (affordable!).
Robert.
Well well well. This feels like my element now...
I did not figure Gen Lavender would be spotted, but some of the best pinks are.
Your second picture is a cultivar that I have that was sld to me (wrongly, I guess?)as 'Flame.' A verery robust plant with a nifty bicolor. Its leaves are most unique in leathery texture and shape. I ahve had it overwinter for me quite well.
"Divers:" If they are earwigs, kill them. They can spead disease. They usually eat pollen, but have become my arch enemy this year in their midnight chewing of so many plants. If anyone tells you that they are purely detritus eaters, never beleive a word they say again!
I have hybridized a few, but have brilliantly managed to recently kill the seedlings with a good drought... I have a new dark-color focused breeding program this year between a strongly elliotiana/(p-species name I forget) hybrid and a strongly rhemanni (yet spotted) hybrid.
Fertilization (or rather, Pollenization.):
The two parts of the flower usually ripen at different times so as to avoid self-fertilization.. Some overlap can allow for self-pollenization, as the male is right above the female, conveniently falling right on. (Usually happening to only a row or two of female parts- the plant is just doing its last resort) I think there must be little flying things that pollenate, because I notice a marked difference in flower longevity (resulting from un-pollenation) when the flower is alone or in a pollenator-less environment, like indoors. Actually no, (about the little flying pollenator theory) the main pollenator is probably thrips, who are very prevalent in such fleshy flowers. A person can do it easily oneself with a paintbrush; it is all very expositionist.
Do you need some Z. albomaculata seed, Robert? I just harvesteda near-ripe berry from a plant that I reversed the dormancy/growth stage on. I just put the bulb in storage. On that note, my experience shows a minimum rest of three months in order to flower the next season. On the note of fresh seed, I have found that dried and cleaned seed stores extremely well, with excellent germination after three years.
I am happy to see these spactacular plants become more widely grown and hybridized.
Kenton
Oh yeah, those darn earwigs! I have been giving them a wiff of the "bad stuff" just cause they're all over the place. Thanks for the heads-up on their destructiveness. Thrips are allover too, on my Hemerocallis and "Dr. W. Van Fleet" roses, mostly. There are more this year than I have ever seen of both pests.
There are several other insects that seem to like callas: bumblebees (a little large to get very far down in there, though) and whatever those slim yellow-tannish-with a spot on each wing-tip things are called. (Actually they're a favorite since childhood--we called them "Banana Bugs". I should post a pic to find out the real name......) Other bugs that I don't think are plant-eaters, but I don't know for sure.....
I wasn't sure if there was a lag between the readiness of the "parts concerned" as is true of a lot of the Arums, and now I know there is.
So do you think I can just "sprinkle" the pollen in or should I use a paintbrush?
None of the rehmanniis I've seem have the occaisonally spotted leaves I keep reading about, but I haven't grown a lot of differents callas (before I joined Dave's!!!!) I just see it on those that have it consistently and lots of it.
"Picasso" and "Purple Haze" are just poking through the soil now. I planted them in large pots, so they've had to do some climbing to see the sun. I started the other in 6" pots to avoid water-logging in the cooler months and pot them on, but now that the heat is here, I can skip that process a bit, though I'm careful avoid over-potting certain plants.
Have you tried saving pollen? I think I'll do that so I can do some crosses. I'm thinking it'll keep in the frig for a good long time......
A mix-up with "Flame"......could be.....wink-wink.........
Would really appreciate a start of the albomaculata. Thanks.
Robert.
Wallaby1~
Looking through Langveld's offerings for a spotted pink calla, I'm thinking what I have is their "Strawberry Parfait".
http://www.langeveld.nl/index.cfm?fuseaction=plants.plantDetail&plant_id=172
Robert.
I've never been serious enough tot fridge pollen. Until this year. I would use a brush, so as to get the pollen on the stigma and "Close the door" (or use up micro-trails of calcium withing the style...) for more, unwanted pollen.
'Picasso' and 'Purple Haze'- both are good selections. 'Picasso' has great, fine-spotted leaves. My personal beleif is that 'PH' is the best calla of all time. The shape is unsurpassable, and combo/richness/saturation of color just makes me ga-ga.
True rhemanii has no spots. Ever. That is picked up with other species. There is an
"aethiopica" that has spots, but I do not know if that comes from albomaculata blood...
K
Chiltern's were offering the speckled form of Z aethiopica, next year perhaps I will try more, I am drowned in seed that needs sowing!
The 'p' species Chilterns have Z pentlandii, golden arum. I got Z jucunda this year, just sown the seed. They also have Z rehmanii dark pink, maroon and dark red forms. rehmanii is not supposed to be so hardy, but who knows, if you grow them yourself they are healthier. The commercial growers obviously grow in artificial mediums, that will produce a bulb not not a long lived one. i think that is why many of them die after their first year, and if you are lucky it will make offsets.
I liked the looks of Picasso, but not availabe here, we have very few. The leaves on my Gem Lavender do look right, yours Robert does look like Strawberry Parfait. Crystal Blush is doing well! I got one from the supermarket this year (no flowers yet), they are fairly cheap from there, new varieties were £2.29 and older ones £1.35. I also got Black Forest which is slower but growing.
Z Pink Mist is pink flushed at throat, mine is a division and true to the pic. The leaves behind were that colour when young of Canna Black Knight, they started growing late Feb in a short 'mild' spell (3 days?), and the return of winter has done the eyes in but I may have a couple that may shoot eventually. I have it in PF, and comments on its growth. Mine is rushing away now, huge lush leaves. When I get more seed, or the seeds have grown (I covered them where they sit in the pot, tiny roots making) I am happy to part with some, they make lots.
Observe: Bottom left. Rhemanii hybrids that overwintered from last year. Judging from the thickness of base, it is indicating bloom this year.
Wallaby1~
WOW! What a beautiful picture! I love the combination of the gorgeous soft Pink Mist backed by the dark lushness of Black Knight. What a wonderful shot! You should be proud of that one!
Thanks for "documentation" on the color of PM. That is a "for sure" entry on my next bulb purchase. And maybe Black Knight too. I took a 2-eyed root of "Tropicanna" that I had nearly lost and transplanted it to a better spot and have been watering almost daily. Now I have a nice clump of several stems. I took one shoot and potted it up and placed it in a watertough with several other plants to see what they'll do as "bog" plants. Have my Z. "Green Goddess", "Illustris" EE, common Colocasia esculenta EE, and will put back in the Papyrus Giant-something a friend just gave me which she grew from seed, all in 2-4 inches (5-10cm) of water. Have a bit of water lettuce in there for "garnish".
Seeing my canna do so well makes me want to get a collection going. OMG, another addiction coming.............
I have over-wintered pink rehmanni with no problems here. In 2-3" of decayed bark mulch over black plastic. We had lots of 20F nights and they took that, due, I think, to the mulch not holding any water so they were very dry and a little bit insulated. I think it's winter wet that gets callas more than the cold.
Still, I'm not putting any of the others I have in the ground till I have plenty of "back-up" corms for insurance. All of them aren't remanni stock and not all rehmannis are equal, I guess, so I'm playing it safe.
Good luck with your seeds!
Robert.
Yes I am proud of that shot! Just sad I've lost Black Knight, others I've seen don't match up to that one, keeping fingers X'd I get some growing again, they can come late if struggling. I got it a few years ago from de Jager's, they seem to have disappeared, perhaps the internet with competition took over.
These addictions do get a hold don't they? I had intended to 'stop'. but now my juices are running again, the wonders of DG!
My Black Forest has been struggling to get going, although made a couple of thin leaves, still small, there is a spathe today but also small, and a creamy yellow! That's far off the mark! It was Langveld's, I can't in my dreams see it turn black..
Kenton you do well to overwinter callas in the ground too, did you cover yours as Robert did? I may be able to do it, but the length of cold we can have here could be the death of them, they do get through in pots in the cold greenhouse and this has been one of the longest cold winters I have known, there has been colder but not as long. I put them deep in a free draining mix and of course don't water but they remain moist.
I found Tropicana or Durban as I got it very slow to increase, last year I didn't get it repotted and didn't do well, it has gone. I did get a small rhizome from ebay, which is still tiny but growing and looks the right colour, from someone who does grow them in the ground, when and if I make the right space I will try it.
Wallaby~
I think the tropical nature of cannas in your mild climate is why you have so much trouble. They like it hot. Mine were slow to start indoors in even coolish house temps 68-72F, but once outdoors in lots of sun-radiation and 80F+, they just zoomed.
You wrote:
"did you cover yours as Robert did?"
Actually I didn't "cover" them. They were planted in the mulch. The ground was covered with plastic and the bark chip applied YEARS ago. It had all become nice compost but was only about 2" deep. I put the bulbs in that, in the mulch, over the plastic.
Robert.
We get some ground freeze here, so I planted mine five inches or more deep and mulched with fine and coarse leaves (maple and bur oak) It is also a well-drained spot, which, as I agree with robert, the moisture is more problem than cold.
"Black Forest," the pronouncable trade name for 'Schwarzwalder,' is somewhat invigorous. There are two (or perhaps one) new clones out that are from ol' Schwartz, being "Edge of Night." (Mine got the Erwinia and bit the dust, dangit.) and 'Black Star,' which, in my experience is medium to vigorous and awesome awesome awesome. Darke veins, stems, edges, flower.... I wish I could find that picture from last year!
"Edge of Night"
http://www.terranovanurseries.com/wholesale/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=324
And "Black Star."
http://www.plantdelights.com/gallery/HollandBelgium2004/24311_G
I would love to know if they are different or the same- and one fo the two introducors is being a dog. But, seeing as how I do not have 'EoN' any more that I know of, it will be hard to know...
Oh look what I just found:
http://www.plantdelights.com/Catalog/Fall/page70.html
So, finally, a rhemanii hybrid (Maybe 'Gem Rose, or 'Dark Eyes') in my border with Delosperma nubigenum
Kenton
Oh, and the luscious leaves of my favorite 'Purple Haze.'
Clap clap! What beauties, and in the ground flowering now, wow!
Robert I am amazed you can grow a calla in that depth AND with plastic under, it must have kept dry, I suppose you have drainage holes in the plastic?
Here is my Z Black Forest, I took a piece off that was loose at the side and potted it separately. I wonder which it really is! It has a near black throat, probably Black Eyed Beauty.
Wallaby~
If there are any holes in the plastic, they are from wear. I'll get a couple pix tomorrow of the little sprouts in the mulch with the black plastic also showing where it no longer covers the plastic. Today I noticed one coming up under a Chinese Holly. I'll have to move it, it's 95% covered, and I'll be potting up the small sprouts after I get a pic.
[It's my Mom's house and she doesn't spend alot on mulches and such and as long as there aren't too many weeds, she's OK with the plastic showing! Weird........]
As far as pink callas surviving as they have here, I am amazed too, I guess, but maybe the hardiness of pink Rehmanii is underrated. As I said elsewhere, I grew up with them overwintering in the yard, so I always thought of them as perfectly hardy here and they've never let me down.
OOOH, Kenton! Lovely waxy pink calla and the lush spotted foliage of "PH" is gorgeous!
I found another double on "Crystal Blush".
Here's one of the pot of CB taken today.
Warning folks: this picture if from the dark ages when I did not have a camera, but a pen-cam.
My breif and unexciting experience with 'Schwarzwalder' aka 'Black Forest.'
Wallaby, I wonder what you have. The leaf on the yellow is unspotted? That is not common, unless it is just a small leaf on a bulb that will, in future have striped leaves.
Excellent specimen on the 'CB,' Robert!
I think this was 'Mango' and 'Midnight Eclipse' or something like it. From the picture, it doesn't seem such a bad plant. I won't know, as I think it was killed by Erwinia. An older bulb could have had dramatic flowers.
The only picture I could find of the rhemanii I was most impressed with- 'Cherry Chiffon' had the richest, bold pink edges on a very white white. Top is probably 'Purple Haze' and the lower right is 'Schwartz.'
