Silver Memories and Fifth Dimension

[Darkhorse]

Hi Charlie,

    Do you guys ever resurrect (sp?) any of the older varieties to sell?  I'm particularly interested in Silver Memories and Fifth Dimension.  Also, what can you tell me about them?

Thanks!
Jordan

[Charlie]

Hi Jordan,

Good question. We do like to keep worthy varieties from the past in circulation. Silver Memories and Fifth Dimension are 2 of the best, multiple award winners and both have played important rolls in the development of new varieties. Silver Memories has many good traits - an attractive, full bush and a full size (8 inch) flower with unique colors. 5th Dimension is best known for its flower - officially described as "gun metal gray" surrounded by a bright orange edge that changes to yellow during the course of the day. The bush is ok, at least it is upright although it tends to be a bit on the sparse side. It is an excellent bloomer with a mature bush opening multiple flowers on many days. It has been used extensively in hybridizing - see my Space Oddity, Heavy Metal, Key Largo, and New Dimension for examples.

I recently grafted a dozen or so Silver Memories so it is in the pipeline again and will be available late this year or next spring. We quickly sold out the small supply of 5th Dimensions on hand for this year but I plan to work this one back into the lineup for the future. Best way to be informed about availability of one of these is to fill out the Waiting List form at http://www.hiddenvalleyhibiscus.com/pages/waitinglist.htm

Anyone have any other suggestions for oldies but goodies we should get back again?

Charlie

[kris]

I personally like Topaz glory, Tylene, Nightfire and Tigerama.

Just my 2cents

-Kris

[Darkhorse]

I really like Haute Couture also.  The flower is gorgeous!

[Charlie]

Thanks for the suggestions.

Topaz Glory is another old one that has been and continues to be important for creating new varieties.I have one big old plant of it and think it is long overdue to be grafted. That would make it available again next spring.

Tigerama is in the same category, although it also is worthy of being collected whether it is useful in hybridizing or not. I think it remains one of the most attractive flowers in the brown group and have grafted some this year that will be ready later this year or early next year. I am also using it for hybridizing more nowadays (see Zulu Warrior for one result) and it is popular with hybridizers everywhere.

Nightfire is still being watched by me. I prefer using Midnight Blue in hybridizing but Nightfire has a better bush and the flowers are quite stunning. I have enough stock of Nightfire to start propagating it so it won't be much of a surprise when it shows up on the website one of these days.

I've sort of ignored Tylene over the years, although the one big old plant I have is an excellent bloomer. I like more size in the flower unless the colors are amazing (such as Born To Be Wild) and am so far behind with grafting old favorites that I seem to never get to Tylene.

Haute Couture is coming. I finally got a handle on propagating it and feel it deserves a lot more attention than it has gotten with such limited supply in the past. The bush is strong and upright, and the flowers are well formed and always interesting.

Charlie

[kris]

Hey charlie what about burnished gold? or junes joy   I agree about tylene, the neighbor has one and the flowers are not as large as some of the newer varieties.  Tigerama is quite spectacular so I hope to see that cv in the store soon,  or maybe at an open house!

[Charlie]

Hey Kris. Funny enough I was just thinking about Burnished Gold this morning. It was one of the best bloomers I had in years past, but mine died during our move a couple of years ago and I don't have it any longer. It lives on in Burnished Plum but that cv is problematic due to the genes from Frosted Plum. I think I will try crossing Burnished Plum with Cinnamon Girl and Chariots of Fire since those 2 are the current champs for making the most blooms on any given day and maybe the genes of Burnished Gold will find an expression in those crosses.

Charlie

[kris]

charlie,
 thats too bad about burnished gold.  it looks like you going to have to hybridize something better   Ive been looking for burnished gold for a while, but it is pretty rare and I havent been able to find it anywhere.  Anyone know where to find this cv?

-kris

[Darkhorse]

Another of your hybrids that I really like from several years back is Amethyst Heart.  I saw it in the registry and swooned!  Do you still grow it?

[Charlie]

Amethyst Heart disappeared after our move to the new location. I would dearly love to get it back and am on the lookout for someone that has one. Please let me know if you hear of anyone who does. Thanks.

Charlie

[Darkhorse]

fancyhibiscus.com had Burnished Gold and Amethyst Heart listed on their website at some point.  I don't know if either of these cv's are still available from them though, as it says email for availability.  Worth a look, though.  Will keep my eyes and ears open.

[kris]

Ive had bad experiences with fancyhibiscus.com mainly that the plants that they sent were very weak and really took off.  In fact none of the plants I ordered have grown at all and two are dead and the plants that were sent were very poor quality when compared to HVH.   Has anyone else had this experience with this online source?  In my experience charlies plants are still the best quality of plants that I have received from any online source.  The only other place I am even considering ordering from, besides HVH, is hibiscusplace.com only because reviews on davesgarden.com were excellent. 

[Darkhorse]

I actually just got my order in from hibiscusplace last night (along with another order from HVH... SCORE!!  I'm so addicted...).  All the plants, HVH and hibiscusplace, were in great shape and huge for 6" pots.  I can't speak for others but I'm very pleased. 

[kris]

Haha I hear yah, Im trying not to buy anything else since I am moving in three months.  If some of the CVs I've been looking for come into stock again we will see how much restraint I have.

[Darkhorse]

I keep thinking of more to add to the list.  I'm not sure how old it is, but Dark Continent is another cv that I really like the bloom.  I know nothing about its bush though, and it seems like it's pretty hard to find.  Good to hear about Tigerama, as I've been wanting to get that one too but I'd rather get it from HVH.