Tropaeolum

[Jean-Patrick AGIER]

Hi,
Many thanks Steven for your extraordinary photos. I can add one comment. I personnally contacted Gary FISHER last year about Tr SMITHII, but couldn't obtain any seedling( all of them sold ).Then ( I don't remember how I got the information ) I've contacted Michael WICKENDEN of Cally gardens and he told me he had sold all hisTr SMITHII 2008 seed crop to CHILTERN SEEDS. So you'll expect to have the "Cally Tr SMITHII" when ordering.
By now I have a few pics not as interesting as those of Steven Mc FARLANE:

[ashley]

Wonderful pix Steven and Jean-Patrick.  I particularly like that Tropaeolum smithii Cally so must order from Chiltern Seeds & see what results.

This came as T. brachyceras from the SRGC 2007 seedex but is clearly different from both your forms.  If anything it looks closer to the T. beuthii you showed Steven, except that the spur is angled upward.  Any thoughts?

I look forward to more pictures and comments on taxonomy.

[ashley]

The one above resembles T. 'lepidum' / hookerianum var. austropurpureum in general flower size, structure, arrangement (slightly bunched along the stem) and spur so might be T. hookerianum var. hookerianum rather than brachyceras.

Here's another, T. sessilifolium FW11255, sown last October but which has shown poor germination so far (2/5).  Unfortunately the other seedling lacked chlorophyll so eventually died.

[Paul T]

Nice Trops, Ashley.  T. brachyceras has just shot here, so will check out it's flowers and see which it looks most like.  I rather like that sessifolia as well.

[Mike Ireland]

Tropaeolum azureum flowering last week, hoping seed will set this year.

[Maggi Young]

That's looking good, Mike. Are you giving a helping hand with a paintbrush to aid pollination?

[Mike Ireland]

Maggie I thought this year I would try a stiff yard brush, keeping fingers crossed.

Mike

[Maggi Young]

Maggie I thought this year I would try a stiff yard brush, keeping fingers crossed.

Mike

Ah, trying to frighten the poor thing into setting seed, eh? 

[Lesley Cox]

A fabulous plant Mike and wonderful picture. I'll have to jolly mine along a bit.

[Paul T]

Mike,

Stunning!!  I saw it in person when visiting Otto back in September, and realised that all these wonderful photos do it justice.  Gorgeous!!

[fermi de Sousa]

Tropaeolum azureum flowering last week, hoping seed will set this year.

Wow! Mike, that is a very floriferous plant!
Best in show!
cheers
fermi

[Rogan]

"Tropaeolum azureum flowering last week, hoping seed will set this year."

After many years of trying I have one little seedling - at last! The little tyke is growing like the blazes and is nearly 40cm long after only a few weeks since germination. It is growing in a deep tray accompanied by several Sandersonia seedlings which have refused to go dormant this year - it's a pity they grow in opposite seasons as the two flowering together would be spiffing.

[Paul T]

Rogan,

I grow the Sandersonia, but can only imagine what a T. azureum would look like twining through it.  That would be a pretty spectacular combination I'd imagine.

[Maggi Young]

Keep the seedling growing for as long as you possibly can, Rogan. the bigger its little tuber gets before its first dormancy, the better.
Don't let it get TOO dessicated when it does go dormant.
In future years, try pinching out the growing tip at about four inches long to encourage bushy growth.... it makes for a wonderful display of flowers.

[Roma]

Tropaeolum hybrid from SRGC seed.  Only one seed germinated but is growing well not like the Tropaeolum azureum which may be the one which germinated last year or another from the same batch of seed.