SPEC: CULT: Setosa seedlings
Chuck Chapman wrote:
> Some of the crosses have had wild variation in height with plants going
> from 6" to 40" in height. A number of color variations. I'm selecting
> for bud count and bloom duration and getting an
> increasing number of flowers on the shorter varieties. I'm focusing on
> the
> shorter varieties as them would seem to fill a gardening niche whereas th
> tall
> varieties would have to compete with siberian. The height of 36-40" of
> some of
> the seedlings had surprized me as one paarent was 15" and the other was
> about
> 20"
These size variations surprise me too. Are these seedlings from a crossing
of differing varieties and from differing areas, or are they fairly
homogenous genetically? I don't get such wide size swings with basic stock.
I would consider my stock somewhat homogenous size-wise.
The 6" seedlings you mention: are they crosses with I. hookeri, or perhaps
the ubiquitous dwarf setosa sold in gardening centers (wondering how you
get the short size)?
I've had a question about branching for quite a while which is quite basic,
but I just can't answer it myself, because I have nothing else to compare
with. Perhaps you can help (please excuse the total lack of knowledge on
this one): You mentioned branching earlier, and I've heard this term often
in relation to Beardeds. I have no idea what constitutes good branching in
a plant - I'm sure it's different for differing species. I consider any
setosa I have to be floriferous if it produces 7 blooms on one stalk. That
usually means it has one terminal bud, a secondary bud, and then perhaps a
third in the crotch, and then further down the stem two smaller branches
with two blooms each (one at the end of the branch, and one in the crotch).
The larger the clump the more likely it is to produce a "floriferous"
stalk, and more stalks also. I count a plant floriferous as much if it is
able to produce many stalks as if it is very branched. What constitutes
good branching for a setosa in your opinion - is it more than three
branches per stalk? It would be a good idea if I got this clear in my
mind......
Focusing on shorter varieties so as not to compete directly against
Siberians is a good idea.
Kathy Haggstrom
Alaska/USA/zone 3
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