Tropaeolum

[Lesley Cox]

A different and most attractive colour for a Tropaeolum Roma.

[Paul T]

Roma,

Very nice.  Was it supposed to be a hybrid, or was it just not quite right for the given species?  I would be interested to know what the parents of it were.  Love the colour and form to it.  Thanks for the pic.

[Roma]

Paul,

The tropaeolum was grown from SRGC seed as Tropaeolum hybrids.  I don't remember how many seeds there were but only one germinated.
Steve McFarlane posted pictures of his own tropaeolum hybrids on page 5 of this topic so he may have sent in the seed .
I hope more germinate next year and reappear more reliably than T's azureum and hookerianum ssp. astropurpureum.

[Jean-Patrick AGIER]

Hi,
What an extraordinary Tr Azureum...Congratulations Mike! I wish mine had flowered like that...This year, I've been luckier with young seedlings than with tubers ( which grew but failed to bloom for some obscure reason ).
Roma's pic is really wonderful. Like the ones shown by Steven Mc Farlane. I'll post interesting one soon. I've read that these hybrids are mainly from crosses between Tr Hookerianum ( ssp Austropurpureum probably ) and Tr Beuthii. If you have a close look at the flower, the petals shape refer to the former while the spur looks like the latter. Maybe Steven Mc Farlane can help?

[Rogan]

Thanks for the cultivation advice re. T. azureum, Maggi - I don't think I've quite got the heart to "...pinch out the growing tip" just yet though and, as you suggest, do it in later years - if I can keep it alive that long, of course!?

Do you think it would be happier growing in a relatively wide tray as opposed to a narrow pot? I know that Sandersonia, e.g., seems to be much happier if grown that way and also appreciates a bit of moisture throughout the year - not that I'm suggesting they are related at all, but at a stretch of the imagination one could say they do occupy similar habitats in nature.

Here in SA I can buy large plastic trays that are approximately 30 x 40 x 10cm deep which make ideal homes for a wide variety of plants - primroses, cyclamen, miniature daffs all go dilly in them.

[Mike Ireland]

My Tropaeolum azureum is setting seed.  Daft question, but would anyone like some seed?  Email me please.

Mike

[Paul T]

Yes!  Yes!  Pick me!  Pick Me!!

(I'm getting flashbacks to childhood when waiting to be picked for class sports teams.    Hopefully I do better at this one.... usually I was the fat kid that was picked last!  )

That all translates to.... "Yes, Mike.  I would be most interested in some seed if you happen to be able to spare a few." 

Thanks in anticipation.

[Steven McFarlane]

Hi

 Just a little note. Firstly Roma I think that your Hybrid seed probably came from Rosemary Wilson as I know that she sent seed to both AGS and SRGC exchanges.  My second generation of hybrids mostly seem to have a touch of tricolor in them. Few have been very different but this one is rather attractive.



At present I have a number of tender species (sorry rock gardeners) in growth
T. moritzianum
T. smithii (Cally type)
T. peregrinum
T. fintelmanii olmosense (from seed given to me by Harry Hay)
T.peltophorum ( from seed given to me by Jean-Patrick Agier)
All are growing well and I will post pictures later in the summer.

[Maggi Young]

Nice hybrid you have there, Steven. We'll  look forward to seeing your "tender types " later .

[Paul T]

Oooh, Steven.  That little hybrid is lovely.  Looking forward to seeing pics of the others you mentioned too, when you have flowers on them.  Here in the southern hemisphere I have tricolor and brachyceras come into growth recently that should flower soon.

[maggiepie]

This is my babbie Tropaeolum tricolor, unfortunately I broke one of the flowers when I picked it up to take a pic 

Not sure what I am supposed to do with it, can it be repotted at this stage?
The seeds came from the SRGC seedex this year and all 5 germinated 
I didn't realize it would flower so soon.

[Maggi Young]

You could pot t it on carefully, helen, to give it more room and food....It'll grow for quite a bit yet and will likely go on to give you lots more flowers. Wait thill they get grown up....you'll have hundreds of flowers!

[maggiepie]

Thanks Maggi, needless to say I am totally thrilled 

[Jean-Patrick AGIER]

Hi,
The seed exchanges are full of surprises. The seeds supplied are not sometimes what you're expecting. That was the case with this batch of seeds labelled as Tr. BEUTHII. In fact it was something different which flowered. Maybe the seed donor thought it was correctly named and the plants have cross pollinated spontaneously before harvesting the seeds ( thanks to the bees & other pollinators ) But indeed I really don't mind for these hybrids are much more interesting!!!
The one with brownish flowers gave 2 seeds. The second hybrid had very light yellow flowers ( whih is not so obvious on the pic ). I still don't have checked if tubers have been produced but I really hope so!!!

[Lesley Cox]

A very well-chosen background for the browny one J-P