The past violets

Several years ago, I collected many violets. Personally I think the violets are perfect house plants that combining the nice foliage and flowers. I still grow violets but much less than before as I don't have time to take care of them. :-)

Harunoyume

Sockeye

Ness' Blue Confetii SP

Marina

Nortex's Snowkist Haven

Kohlerias planted in sphagnum moss

Since last Novemeber, I discontinued using peat moss that I used as the main medium for Kohlerias over years and had all my Kohlerias newly planted in sphagnum moss as I thought it should be the alternative medium for growing my Kohlerias. The other concern is the peat moss is acidic and usually when the temperature gets higher, I need to water the Kohlerias often to keep the moisture, but the acidic and wet medium can easily damage the growth and development of Kohleria rhizomes, so that sometimes I was not able to harvest the rhizomes and easily lost certain varieties.

The only problem I meet so far is the sphagnum moss itself doesn't contain enough fertilizers. Beside the solid fertilizers, I must give the liquid fertilizers to Kohlerias more often in order to speed up the growth and let them bloom in cool to warm Spring of Taiwan which means the period from March to May.

The growing status seems ok until now, so I can look forward to the bloom season in the new environment. :)

Primulina pteropoda (翅柄報春苣苔)

Below photos and article coutesy of Mr. Campbell, thanks for his sharing.

I got this mysterious Primulina plant from local researchers in Hainan in 2009, but I soonly found the foliage and the flower are different from what the researchers have told me that it was Primulina heterotricha (syn. Chirita heterotricha 煙葉報春苣苔). Earlier than 2009, the Primulina pteropoda was only known as a cultivar and the known type specimen was a cultivated plant in GuangZhou, China, and it possibly was introduced from GuangXi .... according to the Flora of China as no confirmation of its nature habitate yet.

Such supposition was identified as incorrect information until Primulina pteropoda (翅柄報春苣苔) was collected in Hainan Island, China in 2009. Then I read some data about Primulina of 2010 mentioned that Primulina pteropoda may be endemic to Hainan Island and my plant was collected at the central mountains of Hainan, so that my plant can be Primulina pteropoda with no doubt.

So far the wild population of P. pteropoda is considerable in its nature habitate. When no bloom is available, it is often mistaken as P. heterotricha or P. floribunda because somewhat similar to the foliage. Primulina pteropoda is magnificent plant with lime-yellow flowers during autumn to winter.

Sinn. Stone's Mario

One of the newest Stone's mini Sinn. seedlings, named "Stone's Mario", presence of the dense, mixed velvet purple dots and lines ... so that Mario goes chic. :-)

Sinn. helioana on a marble table

The headline has no meaning at all, that's because I put this bloomer on the marble table for taking picture of it.  Sinn. helioana ... always blooms on time for Christmas season. Had any one called it Christmas Sinningia as nickname ? Well ... it's relatively compatible. :P

Kei Yoki

An adorable Japanese violet hybrid, woth to get one in your violet collection. I did not spend time on violets for years but no doubt they are still charming with their various features.

HCY's Smithiantha

My Smithiantha doesn't grow well in the new planting house, they usually give flowers for this season but no bloom so far.  XD

Fortunately, I saw some photos from Mr. HCY about his blooming Smithiantha. With his consent, I post 2 interesting photos here in my blog because mine is definately absent for this blooming season. :-)

First one is Smithiantha "HCY's Winter Glory", the name does tell how it can be the glory of the winter. This beautiful hybrid is a compact cultivar (or can call it dwarf) with the ability of giving branching spikes.

The second photo shows his outdoor Smithiantha that was mix-planted with Alloplectus martius under tree shade.