Old Hibiscus Cultivar Photos

[Louis]

Hello Everyone,

I am not sure where to put this post, maybe Charlie will place it where appropriate.

Here is a link to part of one of my web sites. These are photos of old hibiscus cultivars that I grew over 10 years ago. I think most are extinct now, if not there might be only a few left.

These photos were taken with my very first digital camera and the quality of some is not the best. Its nice to see some of the old types, especially Orvil Davis, Eyelyn Howard, Amethyst Heart and Lady Emma.

take a look and let me know what you think.

louis

http://www.lousviews.com/hibiscus/index.htm

[Doll]

Here's one I used to grow over 10 years ago. Pink Parasol

[helixturnhelix]

Very nice Louis, it makes me miss my burnished gold   Hopefully she will live on in some of the seeds I send Charlie last year

[davidwood]

Very nice to see Louis. You know when I sat down to make my list for the plants I wanted to order for this year, The Path Rosalind and Fifth Dimension where at 2 3 and 4 on that list. You say 10 years, they where good then and are still good now and I bet in 10 years time they will still be beauties, you have been lucky to have them.

[Louis]

good morning all.

back 10 years or so, i had a collection of about 100 plants in a large greenhouse. I was a corporate helicopter pilot back then and found that i could not take care of them, i was away from home too much, especially in the winter. i gave most all plants to the local old folks homes for their sunrooms and sold a few to local nurseries.

maybe charlie can tell us which varieties are still around. quite possibly the plants we have today are offspring of the old plants.

louis

[Charlie]

Hey Lou,

That's interesting. These hibiscus do seem to thrive on attention from their buddies, meaning us.

I recognize almost all of these as ones we offered at one time or another. All these were grafted varieties. Some, like The Path, have been very good parents and their genes live on in today's varieties. Others, for example Fantasy Charm, have unmatched flowers although the bush is inferior by current standards. Trademark is another with an excellent flower atop a horrible bush. Dragons Breath continues to be offered both on its own roots and grafted. Some like Amethyst Heart may well be extinct now. Chris grew Burnished Gold and got some seeds with it last year so we may have preserved some genes from that excellent bloomer. Its nice to see the old ones again.

Doll I never grew Pink Parasol but it looks a lot like Cindy's Heart in your photo.

Do you miss flying, Lou? Maybe you still get to do a little. Flying single engine Cessnas and gliders was a passion of mine 20 years ago. Cindy just doesn't get it and discourages me from getting current again now. But, so does the cost of avgas so it's a stalemate for the time being.

Charlie

[Louis]

Do you miss flying, Lou? Maybe you still get to do a little. Flying single engine Cessnas and gliders was a passion of mine 20 years ago. Cindy just doesn't get it and discourages me from getting current again now. But, so does the cost of avgas so it's a stalemate for the time being.

Charlie

Hi Charlie,
I do miss the hectic days of flying corporate helicopters, especially in and out of manhattan. 9/11 put a stop to many helicopter operators. we lost at least 30 in the new york area, never to come back.

I still keep current, right now teaching a gentleman who bought his own Bell JetRanger. He is a slow learner, so this is job security for now.

last check avgas was selling for 5.50 a gallon and jet fuel was 4.50. and it will get worse.
I also still keep current in the Cessna Citation jet, its a real passion for me, helping out a local operator once in a while.



louis

[blupit007]

Louis, really cool!  I come from a helicopter family too!  Always wanted to fly.  Might someday.

[blupit007]

Fantasy Charm although a terrible bush, is one I still desperately want.  That is one that does need to be grafted, right Charlie?

[Charlie]

Kristen, I grew Fantasy Charm on its own roots several times but it seemed to be even slower to grow than when grafted. I think any future ones will be grafted to give it the best chance to perform. Many large flowered varieties develop large buds that then open into large flowers, but not Fantasy Charm. She makes smallish buds that magically open into some of the biggest hibiscus flowers even seen.

Lou, maybe that Citation will get you to the west coast some day!

Doing things one loves makes for a very good life. I think that is one thing we all share here, a passion for beauty and growing plants that provide a bounty of beautiful blooms.

Charlie

[blupit007]

Charlie,

  My Cindy's Heart is somewhat similar in that the buds are medium and the flower opens medium, but by day 2, the flower seemed to have stretched out as if just getting out of bed and grows another inch.  The great thing about it is that it is never reflexed, so the change is bizarre...

[Charlie]

Kristen, I've noticed a few other varieties that can do that stretching thing, too. Seems like the flowers keep growing after opening. Someone should try to document that with a tape measure and photos.

Charlie

[Doll]

Crystal Pink seems to keep growing for me. It always looks bigger on day 2.

[Charlie]

John, I'm glad you said that about Crystal Pink. Several times I have done a double take on seeing blooms of this new variety that were larger than I remembered them to be when they first opened. Wasn't sure if I was imagining it or not!

Charlie