Could this be C. zoysii?

[maggiepie]

I have never seen C. zoysii face to face but the shape of the buds on this little plant are starting to look like pics I have seen of C. zoysii.

I only had 3 germinations from the seed and killed 2 with neglect or too much kindness.

If not zoysii, any clues to what it could be?

[mark smyth]

whatever it is there's going to be brilliant display soon

[tonyg]

Looks like it to me - not that I have ever had one to feed to the local slug/snail population!  Well done.

[Kristl Walek]

Helen,
You have a good, deep colour form, compared to the plant I knew (and loved) growing in fairly extreme conditions in a trough back in Ontario.

[Lori S.]

Wow, well done Helen!  That's one I have never succeeded with, either with germination or with purchased plants.  Yours looks superb!

[David Nicholson]

Slug and snail fodder for me too, I've tried it a number of times.

[maggiepie]

Thanks, everyone.
Plant still looks the same today, have had torrential rain on and off for the past 24 hours, I am now paranoid that slugs will devour the entire plant before the flowers open.

Kristl, thanks for the pic, I was hoping mine would be that beautiful blue.

Lori, maybe they need some neglect to kick in their survival instinct 

[mark smyth]

Helen, as far as I know this would normally be a trough or pot plant. Is yours in the ground in the garden

[maggiepie]

Yes, Mark, it's in the garden.
Garden is a raised bed though, it was very small when I planted it out.
The plant is still tiny, it's only a few inches across.

[Lori S.]

Lori, maybe they need some neglect to kick in their survival instinct 

Well, it's all survival of the fittest around here, so that can't be it. 

[Lesley Cox]

Both the Canadian plants look Sooooo much better than mine which has spread a little but not flowered. It is in a trough and though spreading somewhat seems to be dying back from it's former place. I'm sure the leaves on mine are quite a lot smaller too, so maybe there are good formas and not so good forms. Maybe mine needs more sun too as at this time of year it's mostly shaded and looks pretty horrid, to be honest.

[Maggi Young]

Thought you might all care to be reminded of the super plant of Ian Kidman's that won the Forrest/Farrer Medals at Alpines 2011 in Edinburgh.......
 photo by Sandy Leven....

[maggiepie]

Lesley, mine is pretty much growing in full sun.

Have to say it is very slow growth rate.

The seeds went into the baggie on 19th December, 2009. This one germinated on 27th January, 2010.
It is taking forever for the buds to open.

[maggiepie]

Oh Maggi, that's a wonderful plant.
Will my little baby look like that when it grows up??
 

[Maggi Young]

I have every  expectation that it will,  Helen... it is a very beautiful baby you have there!