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Old February 14, 2007   #1
Tomstrees
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Default One for Carolyn ~

We have a number of African Violets - pink ruffled flowers & reg. flowers
(Mrs. loves em - and they do really well in our North bay window) -

Here's one I've never seen sold before -
It came from the Mrs.' late great Aunt Francis -
Doesn't grow like a normal AV - Its "viney" and has these protruding red flowers - I think its a "flame" violet , but I thinks its rare because of "how she got it" ...

~ Tom

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Old February 16, 2007   #2
blatanna
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Default African Violet

Tomstrees,
Just wondering, could your plant be a member of the Begonia family. I am growing one that is remarkably like yours. Just a guess of course.
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Old February 16, 2007   #3
bcday
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Tom's plant is a relative of African violets called Episcia, or Flame Violet as Tom said.

They look nice in hanging baskets and are grown more for their colorful foliage than their blossoms.

Nice plant, Tom!
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Old February 16, 2007   #4
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Thanks Bcday !

Yeah , it seldom flowers , but when it does it is exciting ~ The leaves are way more "fuzzier" than a reg. African Violet - The original plant (from where this one was borne) was in a hanging basket and grew to be more than 4 feet long dangling ~ when that thing bloomed I tell ya , really lites up the room !

I do have an odd ball Begonia that sends up 1 or 2 branches sometimes that has white flowers on it but they look orchid like ~ I've been really wondering what that one is , as it came from a "lobby plant" in a hotel I stayed at in Maine - just a little piece (one leaf) grew into a really cool plant ~

Tom

ps.
will try to snap photos soon, as its about to send up another one of those flower stems !
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Old February 21, 2007   #5
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Aha, A Plant Pirate. In fact I have a book on that subject. Ami
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Old February 21, 2007   #6
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I'm finally catching up Tom and took a look and agree with bcday on the ID.

Since I'm switching back to growing perennials and roses I've decided I also have to get back to growing African Violets and Columneas and Sinningias under lights.

The problem is, I do the crosses and wait for the seed pods and then sow the seeds of one pod and there are hundreds of seedlings that come up.

And being a compassionate plant person I just couldn't kill them, so I'd transplant almost every darn one.

Then I'd haul them into work and give them away to students and faculty alike.

Being older now, I'll be more selective in what I do grow in the Gesneriad group, which is wonderfully adaptable to artificial light growing.

Right now I'm waiting for all the catalogs to come in that I've requested online.

Having spent several hundreds of dollars already for my starter sized perennial plants, without even ordering my roses yet, or my hostas or shrubs, methinks I'm in deep deep trouble here, re what's called money.

But what the heck, I'll be 68 in June, you all can send roses, , and my mobility is shot and so growing primarily fragrant flowers is what I want to have done, b'c for sure I can't get out there and do it, but folks can cut them and bring them in for me.

My fave fragrant ones are heirloom dianthuses, peonies, roses, certain daylilies, mums, yes, I love the smell, and quite a few others.
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Old February 22, 2007   #7
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Here are a couple other AV that have just finished / started blooming:






~ Tom
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Old February 22, 2007   #8
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I remember having grown (long long time ago) a micro variety of African Violets. Very cute. Has anyone try those?

dcarch
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Old February 22, 2007   #9
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I haven't grown one Dcarch - but sounds really cool - I don't think I've even seen one ~

Tom
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