Tropaeolum 2013- 2014

[Jean-Patrick AGIER]

Hi,
A strange Tropaeolum : Tropaeolum Hookerianum ssp Pilosum?

[Darren]

Perhaps you can help with this Jean-Patrick?

This seedling hybrid has appeared this year. I'm fairly sure the seed parent was austropurpureum but can only guess who was 'daddy'...

The possible suspects are: azureum, tricolor and brachyceras. My guess would be azureum based on colour but the flowers are then smaller than either parent...  (see the tricolor behind it for approx size).


Any guesses? Or is it just a poor form of austropurpureum?

[Jean-Patrick AGIER]

Hi Darren,
The calyx of your flowers have the veinings which are found on Tr HOOKERIANUM & AUSTROPURPUREUM. But the spurs ( which we can't see very well ) are thin and pointed. I don't think Tr AZUREUM could give this kind of spur ( it has short ones ). Tr BRACHYCERAS also has short spurs. Tr TRICOLOR would be possible but we might expect some of the hues of this species on the calyx ( ?? ). Tr X BRACHYCERAS is a good option as these  hybrids usually have smaller flowers and long thin spur. The last possibilities would be Tr BEUTHII which also has long thin spurs and often gives hybrids.
So I would go for Tr X BRACHYCERAS or an AUSTROPURPUREUM variant.
This is in fact quite impossible to guess without DNA analysis...
Do you grow Tr BEUTHII?
JP

[Darren]

Thanks Jean-Patrick,

Yes - the spurs are long and thin like those of tricolor but, as you say, I would have expected some of the corona colour from tricolor. I don't grow beuthii. The only other Trop I have is sessilifolium which seems extremely unlikely.

So - I agree either x brachyceras or an austropurpureum variant.

[Jean-Patrick AGIER]

A young Tropaeolum MINUS
This underrated - and forgotten- species produces lots of wonderful flowers.
It would deserve to get back in fashion.
JP

[Jean-Patrick AGIER]

Hi,
Something a bit different this time. I've sown last year seeds of Tr PENTAPHYLLUM ssp MEGAPETALUM. The 2 seedlings grew but didn't flower. they've been dormant since last autumn. So I've checked the pot in order to see whether there was anything in it. I've found 2 carrot-like tubers of a surprising size...
JP

[Jean-Patrick AGIER]

Hello,
This very mild spring in France gives a chance of having Tr SPECIOSUM in flower. Young seedlings have emerged in a shaded container and are climbing to reach the light.
JP

[Jean-Patrick AGIER]

Hi,
This is a young Tropaeolum INCISUM seedling
Very nice incised blue-grey leaves
( many thanks to Kirsten )
JP

[Jean-Patrick AGIER]

Here's Tropaeolum SESSILIFOLIUM
Just as showy as last year...
JP

[Jean-Patrick AGIER]

Here's Tr TRICOLOR in full bloom
JP

[Jean-Patrick AGIER]

Hi,
 Here's a young Tropaeolum Tuberosum ssp Sylvestre grown from seed.
JP

[Clayton]

Hi everyone! I am new to Tropaeolum, but very interested in growing & hybridizing. I have plants growing of the more common T. majus and T. peregrinum, and received seeds (very late...) of T. azureum, T. tricolor, T. speciosum, and a few others (although it has been recommended that I wait until fall to plant these). This is a GREAT forum, and I've learned a lot from the posts here. However, there is one specific thing I'm interested to know more about. One of the posts in an older Tropaeolum thread mentioned treating seeds with GA-3 (gibberellic acid) for germination. Given the fickle and somewhat unpredictable nature of the seeds, this was something I had considered trying anyway. I would assume this would eliminate the need for stratification, yield higher germination rates, and hopefully give quicker results, rather than the weeks... months... YEARS that it can apparently take these to germinate. Has anyone else used GA for germination? If so, at what concentration and how long were they soaked? I'm very interested to find out more about this. Any thoughts?

Clayton

[Maggi Young]

Hi Clayton, welcome to the Forum 
I've never used GA-3 but there are plenty forumists who have experience with this method so I'm sure you'll get some good advice.

We actually get the best germination from the likes of Trop. azureum from seeds self-sown into the sand plunge of our glasshouse! - not much input from us there!

[Jean-Patrick AGIER]

Hi,
I'd like to know whether someone on this forum can tell the differences between the Tropaeolum TUBEROSUM cultivars. Of course there are Tr TUBEROSUM and Tr TUBEROSUM ssp KEN ASLET. Do they have similar tubers? I've purchased this year ( labelled as Tr TUBEROSUM ) tubers which were white. And I've found on a nursery's web site comments on Tr TUBEROSUM ssp PILIFERA ( UM ) quoting this one has white tubers. There are- apparently - 4 cultivars listed on the RHS plant finder.
Can anybody help?
JP

[Ezeiza]

Great results, Jean Patrick. Concerning T. pentaphyllum the species is winter growing/summer dormant but the ssp. coming from the subtropical regions is summer growing/WINTER dormant.