DIPLOID REBLOOMERS second page
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2a
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3a
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There were 33 seedlings in
the cross and most have small flowers in the 3 in. size range.
EVERY seedling reblooms at least twice (3 sets of scapes) and a few of
them rebloom as well as the parents. Most
have fairly short scapes, being in the 16 in. height range, with 1 lateral and 15
to 18 buds. But a few (notably
shown in photo #2 and #2a and the background scape in 3a) are much taller at
30 in. with 3-4 lateral branches and 30+ buds.
The foliage traits for the entire cross are generally excellent with many
seedlings having deep blue green, dormant, gently arching mounds of rather thin
leaves. A few almost look like lily
turf. The foliage stays green during
drought here too.
Two of the most pleasing
(and surprising) attributes of several of the seedlings are the very pure
colors, especially the pinks (#3, #6, #13, #16) and the branching and budcount
(rear of 3a.)
I think #2, #3 and #13 are
special plants and they, along with a few others will be evaluated carefully for
the next year or so as possible introductions.
I have also crossed this line of seedlings into the other everblooming
line and will see seedlings bloom this summer.
MORE
REBLOOM…
Finally, there has been
another nice development in my diploid program.
Several years ago, I purchased a few seedlings from Bill Potter with a
complex heritage including STELLA D’ORO, ALEC ALLEN, QUEEN’S MEMORIES,
PASTEL CLASSIC and other northern hardy parents.
These siblings only produce 1 set of rebloom scapes so they don’t begin
to qualify as everbloomers, but the scapes of this line are thicker and stronger
than those in my everblooming lines with at least 2 well placed lateral branches
and the blooms are larger at 4 in. to 4.5 in. with more substance than the lines
that I have developed. Needless to
say, all three lines will be crossed back and forth with each other in the
coming years.
