Hidden Valley Hibiscus Forum

Just for fun, here are some new blue-ish seedlings that have bloomed this summer. The cross info is in the photo file name that can be seen below.

Charlie

Any keepers you think?

Thanks for posting these Charlie..

They all look Great.. My personal favourite is NightfirexIcestorm.

What is never obvious from bloom close-up photos is, well, everything else that is important. Whether any of these is a keeper depends on how much they bloom, and what kind of bush they bloom on. A couple of them are very promising in that regard - lots of blooms on a good seedling bush. Next step is propagation but these are all so young that the wood is still too soft to work with. Should be hardened up enough soon and then I will see how they propagate and then observe how the bush grows as a clone rather than as a seedling. There can be a big difference, although usually the clone tends to be better than the seedling. Not always, but more often than the other way and I have yet to see an excellent seedling bush turn into a bad clone bush.

Charlie

My favorite is Nightfire x Icestorm too, Jon. In fact, we like it so much we just named it - 'Winter Lights.' Actually, we thought about the name 'Ice Puppy' because it looks like the icy blue eyes of a husky we used to have and lost last year, but then thought 'Winter Lights' might be a better name.  So it's still kind of up in the air, I guess... 

Any votes on which name to use??????? LOL

Cindy

My vote is for "Winter Lights"

I really like winter lights too, it really reminds me of the northern lights.  It looks like it is a mini? 

  I have some blue seedlings coming up myself.  Two years in a row Charles Atiu has sent me seeds from his blue x blue crosses.  Last years should bloom anytime now.  The plants are two to three feet tall and all are growing well.  This year he send me some seeds from the very best of the very best blues he has, some he has not released to anyone else. Those seedlings are only one to four inches tall.  I pamper them like crazy and have not lost a single seedling to "damping-off" this year. I am pretty darn excited to see the results!!

ART

Art, that is very exciting!  I have a few of my own crosses which are growing nicely, finally showing adult leaves!  I can't wait to see what colors I get.  Don't be disappointed if you get flowers that aren't blue, im sure you know hibiscus genetics are quite varied.  Dont forget to post pictures of what you get :)

Good luck on the blues, Art!

Charlie