New flower power!

Agricultural Research, Sept, 1994 by Hank Becker

Sinningia cardinalis, when propagated from seed, produces a mass of orange-red or pure-white tubular flowers in just 6 to 7 months. "The plant has been around for many years, but these new forms are worthy of renewed attention," he says. "For those who like gloxinias, Sinningia may be a desirable plant."

Correa Mannii is an Australian fuchsia that has adorned gardens there and in California for many years. Its tubular flowers are red on the outside and a pale orange-red inside. They keep their vibrant color for more than 2 weeks indoors and last for over a month.

Roh determined that Correa will flower when subjected to a long-day photoperiod, and it responds well to nitrogen fertilizer.

"A vigorous plant with many flowers will be produced by adding a slow-release fertilizer to the growing medium and by adding supplemental water-soluble fertilizer at an increasing concentration throughout the growing season," he says.

In the North, Correa can be grown as a summer patio plant. In the South, it will survive as a perennial.

Clematis (dwarf)--not the same as the popularly grown vine, this newcomer to the U.S. market is a well-known potted plant in Japan. Evaluated by Roh for dwarf stature, plants produce 4- to 5-inch blooms of blue, white, or pink that last at least 10 days indoors.

"ARS research has focused on improved propagation methods and root-storage tests to find out how long dormant plants can be stored. We have tried to extend the forcing period and produce a finished plant over a longer period," he says. Production could be timed for forcing potted plants for indoor growth and blooms, then planting them outdoors.

According to Lawson, "market tests last Easter at the Behnke Nurseries Co. in Beltsville proved the dwarf clematis sold very well, especially when considering the competition from standard seasonal plants like lilies and azaleas."

Eucrosia bicolor, a member of the amaryllis family, has bright-red petals and sepals and long, yellow stamens. It is grown as a cut flower, each bulb producing a single cluster of 6 to 8 flowers per stem. Flowers last about 5 to 6 days. Additional breeding is being done to develop new hybrids to extend the range of available colors.

Eucrosia flowers only once a year, around March in a greenhouse. However, flowering can be extended from December to May by storing bulbs at various temperatures.

Star of Bethlehem, Ornithogalum, is best known as a cut flower. Orange, salmon, and canary yellow flowers bloom on tall stems. Besides these new cut-flower types, seedlings suitable for potted plants were developed that combine the orange color, short stem, and tight clusters of numerous flowers. The best seedlings were propagated, and selections are being commercially evaluated.

Eustoma, lisianthus, is a dwarf with purplish-blue, bell-shaped flowers that last up to 14 days. Little Belle Blue was developed as the first true genetic dwarf selected from tissue culture. Outdoors, it makes a great bedding plant that will bloom for up to 2 months. White- and pink-flowered plants are being developed. Grown for use in either flower pots or beds, it can be sold as a seed-produced plant.