Final Moment

After the glory blooming season, the plants of Smithiantha are going to the end of life to finish a cycle. We know the Smithiantha will go to dormancy by being rhizome for a short period. Turning to autumn chaos is the seasonal fatality of Smithiantha.

Look ... Smithiantha 'Designer's Bridal Saree' in full bloom :-)

So large plant and so many flowers ... and scented. :-) Happy Happy !!!

photo courtesy of HTLIAO

photo courtesy of HTLIAO

Power of Spring

Plants know when to start their growth as long as they detect the signal of the season's information. And that's also the signal for the growers because we can do something to support our plants. In order to create the Belle Époque of your plants in the year, do not miss the correct timing that our plants inform us.

2 Designer's Smithiantha

They are Smithiantha "Designer's Jingle Bells" in front and "Designer's Best Wishes" as background. I define "Designer's Jingle Bells" is a small grower among my own hybrids while "Designer's Best Wishes" is a medium sized grower. Both have strong stem to stand uprightly without support. Both spikes are not long as other varieties but in terms of the height of full plant, this is not a significant flaw that can be improved in next generation.

new look of Smithiantha

The photo will tell you what does the title mean.
They are Smithiantha 'Designer's Jingle Bells' (about 8 inches height) in front and two 'Designer's Bridal Saree' (about 27 inches height) at the back side. Both are fully developed plants and their characters show a new look of Smithiantha hybrids.

xAchimenantha Northwood's Sunburst

I still have it in bloom since it started giving flower a month ago. The flower are long lasting. This inter-genus hybrid perfectly combines both characters of Achimenes and Smithiantha. The tillers easily sprouts from the base of the stem and many tillers will give more flowers and such character explains why this plant can often be a heavy bloomer under proper growing conditions.

Smithiantha "Designer's Blushing Moon"

垂筒苣苔 "設計師的羞月"

total plant height around 18"
植物全株高約18英吋
medium to tall Smithiantha hybrid
中至高的垂筒苣苔交配種
dark green velvet foliage
暗綠色絨質葉片
pink to white tubby flower with open petal
粉至白色筒狀花,花瓣平開
two-colored petal and yellow center
上下雙色花瓣,黃心
light pink upper petal, lower petal is light lime mixed with light pink or white
上花瓣淺粉,下花瓣是萊姆色混淺粉或白色
plant and spike proportion is around 1:1
株身與花序的比例約 1:1

photo courtesy of Jessica Lee

Smithiantha "Designer's Celebration"

垂筒苣苔 "設計師的慶典"

total plant height around 21"
植物全株高約21英吋
medium to tall Smithiantha hybrid
中至高的垂筒苣苔交配種
medium green velvet foliage
中綠色絨質葉片
long-lasting tubby flower with open petal
壽命長的筒狀花,花瓣平開
fuchsia outer tube with two-colored petal and yellow center
紫紅色外筒,上下雙色花瓣,黃心
fuchsia upper petal and white lower petal with fuchsia pattern
上花瓣紫紅色,下花瓣白色有紫紅斑塊
plant and spike proportion is around 1:1
株身與花序的比例約 1:1

Smithiantha "Designer's Peach Puff"

垂筒苣苔 "設計師的桃子泡芙"

total plant height around 20"
植物全株高約20英吋
medium to tall Smithiantha hybrid
中至高的垂筒苣苔交配種
medium green velvet foliage
中綠色絨質葉片
large flowers are tubby with open petal
大朵的筒狀花瓣開展
peachy outer tube
桃子色的外花筒
creamy white face with yellow center
花心黃色的奶油白色花臉
plant and spike proportion is around 1:1
株身與花序的比例約 1:1

Smithiantha "Designer's Clown Festival"

垂筒苣苔 "設計師的小丑節"

total plant height around 22"
植物全株高約22英吋
medium to tall Smithiantha hybrid
中至高的垂筒苣苔交配種
dark green with red vein and velvet foliage
深綠色葉片帶紅脈絨質葉
tubby flower with semi-open petal
筒狀花型,花瓣半開展
rosy outer tube with creamy petal
玫瑰色外筒跟奶油色花臉
yellow center and irregular red pattern on petal
花心黃色,花臉有不規則紅斑塊散佈
plant and spike proportion is around 4:6
株身與花序的比例約 4:6

Smithiantha "Designer's Andean Jewel"

垂筒苣苔 "設計師的安地斯山珠寶"

total plant height around 13"
植物全株高約13英吋
medium size Smithiantha hybrid
中型的垂筒苣苔交配種
green foliage with red vein and velvet sheen
綠色紅脈葉片帶絨質感
long-lasting tubby flower with semi open petal
壽命長的筒狀花,花瓣半開
crimson outer tube with two-colored petal
緋紅色外筒跟上下雙色花臉
red upper petal and yellow lower petal with red pattern
上花瓣紅色,下花瓣黃色有紅斑紋
plant and spike proportion is around 6:4
株身與花序的比例約 6:4

Smithiantha "Designer's Bridal Saree" 2016

This is a "LARGE" Smithiantha in my definition, but it may deserve to be described as "XL" size in Smithiantha family. The dense inflorescence is another new experience. :)