Moon's Graden

by **R. Se** » Mon, 13 Apr 1998 04:00:00

My header pretty much says it all- how rare is it to get a single plant
with two different, solid colours of flowers on one branch? The plant,
heavily pruned over the 7 years I've had it, is now a nice, bonsai-ish
shape, and has ALWAYS been reddish pink flowered. Just last week, I
noticed a couple of pure white (though not albino, since I have white
azaleas too, and they look like this one also) flowers in between two pink
ones on the same branch. This plant has never been grafted either- at
least not since I've purchased it. Why would this odd phenotype show up in
the plant after all this time? If the plant was originally a graft (before
I purchased it) why would it have stayed single coloured for 7 years? How
rare is this/the odds? Can I propagate this plant in some way? Any one
else have an azalea like this? (I've taken several photos of it, just in
case it's rare or prized.)

Thanks,

Roberta
--

by **Stephen M. Henni** » Mon, 13 Apr 1998 04:00:00

Quote:

> My header pretty much says it all- how rare is it to get a single plant
> with two different, solid colours of flowers on one branch?

This is called sporting and is very common on some varieties like the
Japanese Satsuki Azaleas. The Japanese prize this sporting ability. On
some Satsuki Azaleas all flowers are different.

Visit my rhododendron and azalea web pages at:
http://www.users.fast.net/~shenning/rhody.html

--
Cheers, Steve Henning, Reading, Pennsylvania, USA

Visit my home page at http://www.users.fast.net/~shenning

by **Michael O'Brie** » Mon, 13 Apr 1998 04:00:00

This effect is not that unusal and some varities are more prone to it than
others. I have several which sometimes will act this way. I am not sure if
this is correct, but I believe the reason this happens is because most of
these plants are hibrids. Sometimes a throwback from one of the parent
plants may appear in a flower. It clearly is not from grafting or else you
would not see two colors on the same branch. Mike

by **E/M** » Tue, 14 Apr 1998 04:00:00

Quote:

> My header pretty much says it all- how rare is it to get a single plant
> with two different, solid colours of flowers on one branch? The plant,
> heavily pruned over the 7 years I've had it, is now a nice, bonsai-ish
> shape, and has ALWAYS been reddish pink flowered. Just last week, I
> noticed a couple of pure white (though not albino, since I have white
> azaleas too, and they look like this one also) flowers in between two
pink
> ones on the same branch. This plant has never been grafted either- at
> least not since I've purchased it. Why would this odd phenotype show up
in
> the plant after all this time? If the plant was originally a graft
(before
> I purchased it) why would it have stayed single coloured for 7 years? How
> rare is this/the odds? Can I propagate this plant in some way? Any one
> else have an azalea like this? (I've taken several photos of it, just in
> case it's rare or prized.)

> Thanks,

> Roberta
> --

I don't know how rare it is, but I have 2 azalea bushes like that. They
were here when we moved in 4 years ago and have always had deep pink, light
pink and pure white flowers on the same bush. I'm going to take cuttings
and try to propagate it this year. I wonder which of the three colors
will show up on the new plant. I hope I'll get another 3 color one. Good
luck with yours.

Mary

by **el..** » Wed, 15 Apr 1998 04:00:00

Quote:

>This effect is not that unusal and some varities are more prone to it than
>others. I have several which sometimes will act this way. I am not sure if
>this is correct, but I believe the reason this happens is because most of
>these plants are hibrids. Sometimes a throwback from one of the parent
>plants may appear in a flower. It clearly is not from grafting or else you
>would not see two colors on the same branch. Mike

I have a miniature rose, I think the name is Classic Sunblaze, that is
a hot pink sport of Orange Sunblaze, a bright orange. One branch has
reverted and is consistently bright orange -- a very colorful little bush!

by **Pat Willia** » Sun, 19 Apr 1998 04:00:00

Quote:

>> My header pretty much says it all- how rare is it to get a single plant
>> with two different, solid colours of flowers on one branch? The plant,
>> heavily pruned over the 7 years I've had it, is now a nice, bonsai-ish
>> shape, and has ALWAYS been reddish pink flowered. Just last week, I
>> noticed a couple of pure white (though not albino, since I have white
>> azaleas too, and they look like this one also) flowers in between two pink
>> ones on the same branch. This plant has never been grafted either- at
>> least not since I've purchased it. Why would this odd phenotype show up in
>> the plant after all this time? If the plant was originally a graft (before
>> I purchased it) why would it have stayed single coloured for 7 years? How
>> rare is this/the odds? Can I propagate this plant in some way? Any one
>> else have an azalea like this? (I've taken several photos of it, just in
>> case it's rare or prized.)

>I have a small hedge of 'George Tabor' -- very pale pink (almost white)
>flowers with purplish-pink (sort of magenta or fuschia) spots and
>streaks -- in front of my camellias. As with most nursery azaleas,
>these were grown from cuttings.

>One plant has a branch where the colors are reversed: mangenta flowers
>with white markings. Such sports do occur. It takes only a small
>mutation in a vegetative bud that grows into a branch with flowers to
>express colors that were hidden in the plant's genetic anscestry.

Could possibly be a Satsuki Azalia. One particular variety (Yama No
Hikari) has flowers that range from white with pink/red splotches to
just the opposite.

Pat Williams
St. George, UT

Moon's Graden

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