Finally!! A 'true blue' flower!!

14 years ago

Okay, I can't take all the credit for finding this (most of it, but not all of it lol). The more I research plants, the more I realize how much diversity there really is in the world of plants, and with diversity comes much beauty. People have been asking for a "true blue" flowering plant, and while I was doing a google search for plectranthus "silver shield" last night, I also stumbled upon this...

Plectranthus thyrsoideus

Below is a link to the picture of the plant. For most people, this will actually be a tender perennial, so you'll have to keep it in a pot or take cuttings and overwinter it if you want to enjoy it year after year (I know that's what I'll have to do). Now tell me when you see this picture that you don't want to grow this plant! I bet you can't!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gerris2/3356491234/in/set-72157611894705651/

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Comments (15)

DYH
14 years ago
Oh, that is blue! I looked up other photos and all seem true to color.

The mass of blooms is pretty amazing in the photos, too. Yes, I covet. :-)

Cameron
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ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
14 years ago
new trick for you

under the box you type in... it says .... Optional Link URL:

copy/paste your link there ... then below type in something pithy like LINK ... lol ...

and you will have a clickable link in your post ..

link below ... note how most often pix are taken in shade ...

but it is blue

ken

Here is a link that might be useful: link
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My condolences. It's funny how it seems that out of the blue, I get the same inclination to pick up the phone and give my mom a ring, although she been gone for over four years. She was a big Country Western music fan, every year she would watch the Country Music Assn's Awards show. Often times, especially since she rarely watched tv, I would call her to remind her that it was on, and I would stay on the phone with her, or go over to her house and watch with her. Mind you, I am not a country fan, but I know it gave her such a thrill. I am reminded of her now, when my wife and I sit down to watch American Idol. Now there is a show that I know she would just love... I can see her calling Simon a "big A#ole!" and giving him the finger. There were few shows my mom followed, but something tells me she would have dug this one. My mother had emphysema, and was in the hospital on life support, about eight months before she passed. She rcovered, went back home, was bound and determined to live a normal life, but I'm sure she knew her time was coming as well. She had about three real close friends, outside of family. About two weeks before she passed, she stopped and visited all three. She let them all know that her time here was short. A couple of the girls were young enough to be her daughter, and had the reputations of getting themselves in predicaments, and coming to mom to bail them out. She pretty much told them that they'd better pull their heads out of their bottoms, get their stuff together, because next time she wouldn't be their to pick them up. Mom always said that she would rather die than turn into "some convollessing old lady," (her words). I know that it was here time and she would not have wanted it any other way. you have my sympathies, --John
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I finally found a true variegated Adenium!
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Kadie, I hope you do get to add one or more of these to your collection. With the seed you are cultivating, perhaps several will turn out variegated! There were 2 variegated older seedlings at Wild Bill's in Florida but Ellen, the daughter of Bill did not want to part with them, so I have been on somewhat of a mission to find one since then. Ellen told me that sometimes you will find the variegation on plants that produce red flowers. Rick, thank you for lending your expertise in identifying the Black Arabicum. Too bad your seeds didn't take, these are quite special. I knew there was something unique about this plant that I could not put my finger on. It must be the darker caudex, it is captivating. And I love the furry feeling of the leaves. I am on quite a roll here lately with the new acquisitions. I need to slow down and remember that I have hundreds of seedlings that will need more space and tending to, especially as they are growing larger. The Dorset Horn, of course does not take up much space! ;) I was pretty impressed with the hype and excitement around Adeniums at the show today. The show was predominently cacti, palms, and pachypodium, with a few Adenium sprinkled in. I could have stayed all day gazing at the staged Bonsai, but my 17 year old son doesn't have the patience for it. Tracy
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rusty_blackhaw
14 years ago
"Now tell me when you see this picture that you don't want to grow this plant! I bet you can't!"

Despite how appealing the photos are, it should be mentioned that this plant (once known as Coleus thyroides) is typically a winter bloomer, and most people will need a greenhouse to get maximal flowering. I grew it for a couple of years and it was a shy bloomer under lights. If anyone has gotten a big flowering show in a border during the growing season, I'd like to hear about it.
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aliska12000
14 years ago
Thanks for sharing about the beautiful plant. Longwood is near Philadelphia so must be z6, probably wouldn't do well in my zone.

I remember that long thread last year about the true blues. I've decided that to some extent, the shade of blue is a function of the ph of your soil, but not the only determinant.

Anyway, when I looked up that plant at Longwood (gorgeous), I found this most interesting article, worth the read, about a plant (Encephalartos woodii aka Wood's Cycad) that has gone extinct in nature; can only be reproduce by "pups" as there are no females to cross pollinate it with. Fascinating.

{{gwi:195826}}

And the Plectranthus thyrsoideus:

{{gwi:195827}}

Here is a link that might be useful: King of the Conservatory
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ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
14 years ago
BTW .. what is an UN-true blue ....

is sky blue not true ...

navy not true

cerulean blue not true??? .. or wait.. that is sky blue ...

is a forget me not untrue???? .. and if it is untrue.. then lets forget about it ...

ken, who is apparently bored

Here is a link that might be useful: link
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dicot
14 years ago
My Plectranthus neochilus is in bloom right now, but it definitely has a lavender tint to the blue petals.

{{gwi:195828}}

Salvia sinaloensis says "bah" to there not being other true blue perennials.
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cyn427 (z. 7, N. VA)
14 years ago
And, note that it is growing in the conservatory at Longwood, not outside! Too bad :(
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bostongardens
14 years ago
For your possible interest...

I enjoyed the following Timber Press book a few years ago: A Book of Blue Flowers, by Robert Geneve. It included many pictures. Will have to check to see if I wrote a review.

There may be a copy in your local library.

~ Hilda

www.bostongardens.com
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perennialfan273
Original Author
14 years ago
Okay, as or right now I officially HATE Longwood Gardens. I called them up to ask them about this plant and they won't sell it to anyone in their gift shop because they "don't want anyone else to have it". Furthermore, they wouldn't even tell me where I can get it!! I'm sorry, but this is just plain mean!! I finally found a beautiful blue flowering plant and now I can't get it.
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boday
14 years ago
I like the Anchusas for their very blue flowers.

Anchusa azurea 'Loddon Royalist' and others
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rusty_blackhaw
14 years ago
There are mail-order nurseries selling Coleus thyrsoideus (one that comes to mind is Logee's).
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perennialfan273
Original Author
14 years ago
Eric, would I possibly be able to trade you in spring for some of this plant?? I really don't like dealing with mail order nurseries.
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linnea56 (zone 5b Chicago)
14 years ago
It's nice, but as Ken says, there are other blues. No one can tell me my geranium Rozanne is not blue, or my Johnson's Blue. I still think my Virginia Bluebells are blue, though sky blue. I was on a blue kick a while back and have a fair bit of blue.

I can sympathize on the issue, though, of purple or violet flowers being called blue.(like some salvias like May Night.) There is nothing wrong with purple, just call it that.
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aliska12000
14 years ago
This thread is not about that Cycad, but my new T&M catalog came today, and I see that they have a couple of Cycads (not that rare one) that look like the photo other than the color of the flower. One has pretty leaves that appear almost white, but the seeds are expensive, of course.
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jordan_and_slippy
14 years ago
All the Lithodora 'Grace Ward' that came in work today looked pretty blue, but that's probably because we have a whole nursery full of bareroots and leafy winter veggies to compare too :P

As soon as you get two 'blue' plants together, the difference is dramatic. However, Delphinium grandiflorum 'Blue Butterfly' is one of those solid-blue flowers that puts all the other violets and lavenders to shame.
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Finally!! A 'true blue' flower!!

Comments (15)

DYH

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

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Finally!! A 'true blue' flower!!

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