Joanne,

Meristem propagation is generally only used for plants that are difficult or impossible to propagate in any other way. It is commonly used for orchid growing. It is interesting. It is also time-consuming, requires special lab equipment and must be done in a sterile environment. It also takes a lot of practice to be successful. When I was in school we did a meristem project and all anyone got was a flask full of mold!

With African violets being so easy to propagate, there is no need to resort to this means of propagation. Break off a leaf, stick it in a pot and wait. How easy is that!

I admit it was fun to try meristeming but no one really has access to the equipment needed to do so.

Send your leaves freshly cut. It used to be the tradition to send them with a bit of moist cotton or paper toweling at the end but this has fallen out of favor as it can cause the leaf to rot if too wet for too long. However, leaves were sent this way for years, so I guess whatever works, works.

I would not send a rooting leaf unless you had no other options. The leaf is attempting to push out roots and I would think something as disrupting as boxing them up and giving them to the post office to abuse for days would not be a good idea. If I had to send a rooted leaf, I would either pot it up or wrap the end with moist cotton.

My thoughts on the 'yellow' violets. I'm a purist when it comes to plants. As a horticulturist, I know a plant can only produce the colors for which it has the pigments. Violets do not have the pigments for yellow so what we are seeing is a light green. I know I am being picky but I can't look at a yellowish violet without thinking, "This doesn't look right!" (I do this with all plants. I can't even look at the wildly dyed bouquets in Kroger! And yellow-leaved plants!!! In my head yellow leaves =dying plant!)

Linda

Fortyseven,

I've included a link to a discussion of "yellow" violets ...

I would suggest that you try "sunkissed rose".

Though it was essentially, a white/yellow/rose blend, sometimes it shows quite a bit of yellow.

Also, it seems to be a good base for propagating "more yellow" violets, per the linked discussion,

The plant is also quite vigorous and easy to propagate.

Here is a link that might be useful: Violet Voice discussion on Yellow African Violets

This post was edited by aegis500 on Tue, Mar 11, 14 at 21:52

Here is a photo of a Russian sport of "Sunkissed Rose" ...

Aegis, this sport is very yellow! Although I like it, had to agree with Linda, it looks odd. I have some issues with colors on my own; blue and and highlighter shades aren't edible for me. If there isn't real edible coming in the color, there shouldn't be even frosting in that shade! If you guessed that I don't eat blue mm candies you are right!
Meristem propagation is pain, I would stick to leaves, most of them eventually grow babies with no effort from our side ;)

Hi Aegis,
Thanks so much for the beautiful photos, the link, and especially the advice from growing it yourself. I have been researching yellows a little, and this was my first choice. So reading of your experience confirms it.
Jo47

This post was edited by fortyseven on Mon, Mar 10, 14 at 23:40

Joanne -

I think Linda covered the issue.

I was at the lecture on meristem propagation - and as a handout - I got a test tube of Kohleria starters, Grew them, separated - and shared.

There are issues - it should be done in lab conditions - otherwise they will rot, why do I need 200 starters on the same plant, and - for whatever reason the M-propagation shakes the stability of the plant - and AV usually give a very high percent of mutations. So you have 200 starters - and they are not blooming true...

OMG - that Sunkissed Rose is absolutely gorgeous! I have that plant as well, though it is small and still developing. Wow!!! Beautiful!

Yeah, the other one looks... less natural. Meh, whatever.

Linda & Irina,
I think I would have enjoyed being in the science lab with you trying meristem. Although Irina, I do agree, 200 starters would be a lot.

The photos of the yellow violets are absolutely amazing.
I plant to get a few yellows and will let you know.
Yellow is a great color in nature. The eye just needs to adjust.

Joanne

This post was edited by fortyseven on Tue, Mar 11, 14 at 23:42

Joanne,

It was very interesting-the equipment and techniques used. I also have a friend of a friend who has a company propagating orchids by tissue culture. We visited her place when we were in LA on our way to Tokyo. She showed me the whole process and showed me the end results-she was actually getting orchids and not flasks full of mold!

Linda

Linda,
Orchids still seem advanced level for me. I am not sure why, as they are low maintenance.
They are very common here for ornaments in every kind of store or hotel or beauty shop or restaurant because the natural weather is conducive. They are also very tidy looking and neat, no messy soil to spill. People use them to decorate instead of cut flowers. At parties, for table decorations, people can take them home. People who
use them in their shops for ornament just rotate them out.
Once they stop blooming, they put them into their "orchid farm," usually, their back porch where they are retired for a while.
They seem to consider it a bonus if they bloom again.
A friend of mine has a green thumb for orchids but not
violets. I had to take care of them for her. I would give her my dormant orchids, she would get them to bloom.
It is probably just a matter of learning what they need and not expecting too much from them after the first bloom cycle (orchids).
Joanne

This post was edited by fortyseven on Tue, Mar 18, 14 at 1:34

Joanne,

A lot of people in your area grow Odontoglossums and Oncidiums. Miltoniopsis also. They do well in your climate and are so pretty.

It's too hot here for them without a greenhouse but my Paphs and Phrags seem to love the crazy weather!

The trick to success is to grow what suits your climate and try not to yearn after the ones that don't. Easier said then done; Miltoniopsis are my favorite! ;)

Linda

Linda I will enjoy looking these up in an orchid book! Thanks for the tips! Joanne