May Photos of the Day

[Charlie]

David, I'm very happy that you got the real deal with Saffron. That first report of a brown flower had me concerned. You got pretty strong orange color even in the deep shade. Here the deep shade turns Saffron yellow but the higher temperatures you have must produce enough of the orange pigment to give it a close to typical look.

Charlie

[Doll]

Nice blooms, Doll. I'm shocked to see First Love pick up so much color in your heat. Here it is always a soft pink. i've got some huge bushes of this one in 1 gallon size still. Yours looks really vivid. Also the High Heaven sure does resemble High Voltage - first flower I have seen of it since late summer. Bon Vivant may become a picotee - white flower with yellow edges as the heat continues. Pretty close to that now.

Charlie

Charlie, First Love was a soft pink for me during the cooler weather. I think the heat is actually making it more vivid. I wish I had taken a pic of Bon Vivant later in the day. The yellow color  was more vivid and just around the edges. Really looked like a picotee.

[Charlie]

The new stock plants (those plants we take cuttings from) at HVH have continued to grow and some have now reached the stage that they are blooming. For some its the first flower I've seen since last summer. Below are a few examples of new varieties just starting to bloom again.

Charlie

[davidwood]

David, I'm very happy that you got the real deal with Saffron. That first report of a brown flower had me concerned. You got pretty strong orange color even in the deep shade. Here the deep shade turns Saffron yellow but the higher temperatures you have must produce enough of the orange pigment to give it a close to typical look.

Charlie

Yes its the strangest thing, ever since i started growing Hibiscus I have read that they need sun to bloom, well I have 2 cv/s in total shade that are blooming and some with as little as 20 mins a day that have buds and blooming[this over a period of 3 months], Saffron being a 20 min a day cv and looks near perfect to me Temperatures are high though with no night time low, certainly over the last 10 weeks temperatures have not fallen below 90f 24/7. So maybe as long as you have high tropical temperatures you can get away with less sun for blooming, or even no sun at all, I have allready  proved for my own satisfaction that its the temperature and not the sun that stops me having 2 and 3 day blooms. I will certainly keep experimenting, the longer I can keep them out the blazing sun the better, keeps the cv's much more green and attractive.

[Mike]

Here is a different one for today A first bloom for this plant , Rodeo Drive

[helixturnhelix]

Great pic Mike!  Your plants always look great

David:  It comes down to total amount of PAR, which is outlined: http://www.hiddenvalleyhibiscus.com/care/sun.htm.  The name of the game is intensity and being at the equator your plants require less direct sunlight to bloom than do others living at more northern latitudes.  We are also finding that hibiscus also require less sun to bloom than previously thought, with many growing and blooming well under artificial light. (Deb, Bart, and Kerry have shown us this to be true)  There is also a direct relationship between temperature and photosynthesis, which is explains why more sun at hotter temperatures does not mean more photosynthesis.  These pages explain it quite nicely:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RuBisCO
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CAM_photosynthesis
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photosynthesis#Efficiency

[farmer d]

Mike,

RD is a real beauty.  Thank you for sharing.

Farmer D

[Doll]

I like that Thanksgiving bloom.

Cindy's Heart

[helixturnhelix]

Another Bright Orange Cosmic Gold, 2 day flower here.  CG has been lasting 4-6 days up here

[Louis]

Hi everyone,

its been a struggle to get here and comment on all the lovely flowers and excellent photos.

here are a couple from today. the plants are still in the greenhouse and i am afraid to put them out, cause bambi will have them for lunch. as it gets hotter, i will have no choice but to evict them. as is is now, i have to water twice a day.

here is june's joy and electric orange. orange is second day bloom. they last for at least 3-4 days.

second is a very nice black dream.

louis

[Yashodhara]

Chris - LOVE that bright orange Cosmic Gold!

Louis – Beautiful blooms (as always)… That Electric Orange is the bomb!

I have two blooms from yesterday – Schizopetalus and Psyche… Psyche has the right idea: Her stigma pads are wearing fur coats (the high temp was only 54º F) - Too cute!

Also, my spring HVH hibiscus arrived yesterday... OK, I had to drive an hour to rescue them from a fate worse than death at the hands of UPS, but I did finally get them home safe and sound for the long holiday weekend (GGGgggrrrrrr @#&*!!! UPS). 

Anyway, here’s a “baby picture” of my new HVH arrivals…  

[helixturnhelix]

AWESOME DEB!  Which little beauties did you get   I think I Cosmic Gold in there!

[Yashodhara]

Hi Chris!

Yes, that's Cosmic Gold - Blooming up a storm in her box despite her ordeal... Here's everyone who made this trip:

6” Pots
Albo Lacinatus
Confection Perfection
Cosmic Gold
Frappuccino
Midsummer Night
Saffron

4” Pots
African Princess
Bridal Path
Electric Orange
El Capitolio - Yellow
H. Fragilis
Hankins Sport Pink
High Heaven
Joy

To Be Shipped Later (after receiving more UPS Agent training: "Matrix/Detroit - I know kung fu!" edition ): Elephant Ear, H. Rosa-sinensis, Hot Babe

Charlie - Your packaging is OUTSTANDING (Short of sending these guys out in an armored tank)! I can't believe how little actual damage was done to the plants... Thank-you sooo much!!!  

[Louis]

hi deb,

thats a nice collection of bamboo sticks.

thats another bennie when you buy from hvh

louis

[helixturnhelix]

Wow Deb, lots of nice ones!  Who is the super tall one on the right?  Amazing vigor in that one!