Re: An open area for zonal breeding
- Subject: Re: [IGSROBIN] An open area for zonal breeding
- From: m* g*
- Date: Tue, 21 May 2002 17:32:07 -0600
Funny you say that, because it's exactly what I have in mind for breeding
from the species. Certain of them have truly unusual "Japanese" colors
(indescribable shades), and bizarre petal formation as well, vis. P.
schizopetalum. I don't even have a chromosome # for that one though its
Section (Polyactium) is generally x=11, but that doesn't say whether it's
diploid or triploid.
And so it goes. The more you learn the more you don't know. Can I cross a
geophyte with a dwarf zonal?
Meanwhile my favorite dwarf Purple Heart came down with botrytis from
overwatering - one of the greatest sins of a geranium grower. I took 3
cuttings that looked healthy and have them in perlite under lights but
accepted wisdom is to discard everything. We'll see.
maria
>It seems to me that an almost completely unexploited area in zonal
>pelargonium breeding is muted or "broken" flower colors (what orchid
>breeders sometimes call "art shades"). This would include beiges, sandy
>pinks, and mauve shades. Obviously, pure bright colors have been a
>traditional strength of garden geraniums, but this could introduce a whole
>range of subtle shades. One route, I believe, would be to breed for green
>tones in the petals, which would then visually blend with the red, orange,
>and purplish pigments that produce the familiar array of colors. Green has
>customarily been considered a flaw -- something to be got rid of when, for
>instance, you want a pure white or a clean pale pink. But might it not be a
>feature to help produce some interesting new effects?
>
>Barry Roth
