Byron Metts

[LGrove]

I was wondering about this plant all last season, I got it at the beginning of last season, so I had it during the summer. I was figuring it was just because it was a younger plant and when it matured it would be white. When it opened this year, and the blooms were the same color I decided to ask about it. I took some pictures of my blooms. The first one is a fresh bloom, and the second is a day old bloom.
Lisa

[Charlie]

Lots of bud you have on that plant! Definitely a yellow cast to the blooms, but that would be expected with the cool nights we still have. I'm not sure what to make of your experience last summer. Maybe it never gets hot enough at night where you are to bring on the whiter white blooms. Or maybe it is something else in the potting mix, water, or fertilizer that brings out the yellow. I've had a Byron Metts indoors in a sunny window the last few months and the blooms on it have been quite white. The difference could be that the lowest temperature the plant has experienced during this time is mid-60's during the night. Cool nights do promote more carotenoid and anthocyanin production, particularly when the days are also hot due to being in a greenhouse.

I guess we watch and see what happens this summer.

Charlie

[helixturnhelix]

I had my first byron metts bloom today.  It is probably the heaviest hibiscus flower I have ever held.  Very thick and firm texture and perfect pure white blooms.  The bush is something to be desired though...  I think that it will get better with age, but mine is currently very wheepy

[Pachrian]

Wow, you can see in the pic of the bloom (love that backlighting, btw) how heavy it is. I can't blame the plant for not being able to keep up with it, it looks very young still.

[helixturnhelix]

Yeah Uli,

The bloom is really something, very different from the others I have.  This plant is almost a year old, but it had a bad setback when my puppy ate the whole top of the plant off.  It didn't do much of anything until this spring, as soon as I put it outside, it came back to life.  

Here is Charlie (the dog) with "Time for Magic"

and what he looks like today, they grow up so fast

[blupit007]

Chris, Is that an Australian Shepard, Border Collie or something of that sort??  Sooo cute.  I ask because my brother has an Aussie named Trigger.  Love him!

Is Byron Metts a good seed setter and does it provide good pollen?

[helixturnhelix]

LOL yeah he is a farm dog, he is 3/4 Aussie and 1/4 Cattle dog.  The smartest dog I have even seen and he really hates squirrels (think the movie Up!)

Thats a great pic, what an awesome dog!  Can't really go wrong with those herding breeds

[Charlie]

Kristen, at first glance I thought the dog had a Byron Metts in his mouth. Sometimes the blooms can be as big and stiff as a frisbee! Byron Metts does set seed and also makes good pollen. I don't know of any "great" varieties that have come from it yet, but the potential is surely there. The most common result is a lightening of color of whatever it is crossed with.

Charlie

[blupit007]

Hmmm...  I was thinking crossing that with something would give a nice whitening like something on Cindy's Heart.  No huh?  What are some of your best looking crosses with it. 

Oh, and I just tossed Trigger a Byron Metts just for you.  It is a nice tough bloom, makes a good frisbee!  Too bad