Hidden Valley Hibiscus Forum

Charlie how would you rate this older cultivar compared to the many newer reds/red & whites that have recently become available in the store this year?  You've introduced a bunch of incredible reds this year.  Also how does it compare with White Magic, Cherry Appaloosa, and Rebel Rouser?  Is any one of them clearly superior to the others?

dave

Good question, Dave, and one I'm still sorting out. Partly it depends on how much white one likes in the flower. To my taste Cherry Appaloosa has the perfect  balance of white and red. White Magic is also very well balanced although it is a much smaller flower than Cherry App. White Magic has a very nice bush which is why we kept it around. Rebel Rouse has a decent bush, much better than Cherry App, and the flower is large like Cherry App. But, for me, the lesser amount of white in the flower makes it less desirable than Cherry App. Strawberry Fields Forever has excellent color and plenty of white along the flower edge but lacks the white eye that the others have and the bush is not great either. Hoosiers is another beautiful red and white flowered variety but the bush has to be grafted and is not very good.

Peppermint Drop is mire similar to Rebel Rouser in that it has a dark eye. However, there is a lot of nice white (more than RR has) in the outer parts of the petals and the bush is pretty decent. RR is the larger flower of the two.

So far no perfect red and white flowered varieties but we will keep working on it.

Charlie

Thanks Charlie.  I have White Magic and Rebel Rouser (no blooms yet), lost Cherry Appaloosa a few months ago and have Peppermint Drop on order but keep going back and forth on whether I should cancel the order or not.  Also should I wait and see if a few Cherry Appaloosa become available again.  The lack of space problem is driving me crazy.  So many I've recently passed on because of it and I've still managed to order a few telling myself I'll find space somewhere.  Time will tell if I have.  lol

dave

Dave,

I ordered Corazon which is another that fits in the red/white category.  Another you might want to look at is Happy Heart, it has the white eye and spots going on and both are offspring of CA. 

I was on a Red and White kick this year as Charlie Introduced lots of spectacular CVs in that color group this year. 
Damages for reported:
Princess K
Corazon
Cherry Glow

If I remember correctly Happy Heart was one I wasn't quick enough on and it sold out before I could order it.  I don't recall the others except Princess K.

Peppermint Drop does bloom allot, but what I like most is that each bloom can be quite different even on the same day.

End of the day in my garden, few nice Adeniums and a cracking Dragons Heart.

Sorry wrong place.

Looking good, David! Dragon's Heart is amazing there.

Charlie