It's Optimara Rhapsodie Cora, popularized in retail outlets, and a very pretty flower indeed.

I haven't had it for a a while now, but it was one of my firsts.

It is hard to pass up ...

This post was edited by aegis500 on Fri, Sep 13, 13 at 23:36

Thank you so much!!! I'll go make a tag for it right now :) I sure do hope I can grow mine to look as beautiful as yours!! :)

It is an easy to grow plant. The way how it grows - is boom and bust - puts a good head of blossoms at once - then nothing for some time - and another boom of blossoms. Kinda what you expect from industrial varieties - get "finished" at the same time for sale. With good conditions will give you probably 3 massive blooms a year.

irina

Irina, I am glad you said that. I don't have Cora, but I have some other Optimaras that I was thinking do the same thing. Huge head of blooms that lasts for a couple of months, then don't bloom for a long time. Now I know that is normal.

Irina
That was a great explanation of the performance of
the "industrial" violets!
I had that same plant, also. It was beautiful when it
burst into bloom.

When I moved recently, I had to thin out my collection.
I gifted all of my Optimara's to a young working mom
who loves them for the office. She
wanted some "low maintenance" violets to share
with co-workers. So, I sent the Optimara's off to
work. They do make a great show. They
are great "project managers," delivering
the goods on time.

Because I had not raised them myself, I felt
less personally invested in their future.

Perle,

It is normal for violets to rest for a while in-between bloomings. Producing blooms takes a lot of energy and they 'rest-up' between bloom cycles.

Linda

I have at least four Optimara plants (three are the same variety, two babies off the mother plant), but all are contantly in bloom, staggering buds to rise and pop open much like fireworks. Each set of buds last for about a week or so, but I don't think I've ever seen them stop to rest... So, do they need to take a break? I'm guessing that mine are Optimara Susi and either Georgia II or New Jersey. I thought that (most) AV's were known for blooming nearly constantly.

Should I snap blooms off to force it to rest?

Lun,

No, do not remove the blooms to force it to rest. (This can sometimes promote more blooming.) If your violets need a rest, they will take one on their own.
Optimaras are bred to be easy bloomers. Other varieties vary from heavy bloomers to shy bloomers and everything in-between.

Linda

LunR
My "guess" is it is probably "New Jersey" as
New Jersey folks never quit! (
indulge me in a little corny violet humor.)

Joanne

Jo:
Jersey ... shore ... we will indulge you, but corn only comes from the buckle of the corn belt ... the Midwest ... where the fields have ears.

so it will cost you, uh, two leaves and a chimera.

I couldn't pass that one up.

ÃÂ. ÃÂ --~

dave

Here is mine Cora - love it!
{{gwi:375474}}

{{gwi:375475}}

Shore thing, Dave,
But alas, my chimera is R.I.P.
Same color as the above cited Cora, only a chimera.
Stipes instead of splotches.
The salvaged leaves refuse to chime.
One produced a dainty lavender-pink.
The other, a strapping, solid citizen purple.
They hum in two-part harmony, "I'm as corny
as Kansas in August ..."
Joanne

so do the industrials tend to root and grow babies faster, or are they spending so much time recuperating from their boom bloom that they are tuckered out?

thots?

dave

This post was edited by bragu on Fri, Sep 27, 13 at 3:26

Ahhh..ok question: So "industrial" varieties are those that are mass produced for grocery stores and home improvement stores and the like, whereas "non industrial" varieties would be those that are harder to find, more specialized varities that are are not usually available at grocery stores and can only usually be found at AV greenhouses, is that safe to say?

Becky,

Yes.

Linda

Becky -

some of industrial varieties are super, some - on a humble side - but the main thing they are selected to come to bloom at the same time, have flexible non-brittle leaves, lots of "substance" in flowers so they stay fresh for long - generally anything to survive shipping and arrive in a finished shape so people will be happy to buy them.
More fancy hybrids do not need these limitations that much - because we are not going to pack them into boxes and ship them for a week in semi trucks. What we want from them - have a good growth habit and have beautiful blossoms. We can take care of them and enjoy the breathtaking luxury we never see on their humble sisters in HomeDepot.
It is like comparing home grown heirloom tomatoes with the tough and tasteless veggies you can get in Walmart 24/7.

What always puts me out of sorts - is when people order violets from a grower - and complain about some damage to the leaves. We are paying for the variety - not for the leaves. We really do not need large immaculate plants - we need small healthy starters to produce our own magic in our own home.
Irina, TGIF

Dave,

In my experience, the industrials root readily, and send up babies that are perfect rosettes. They are tough little boogers.

Linda

Linda, Dave, Becky, Irina,
Helpful discussion here. Optimaras go to work in offices with lots of cubicles and fluorescent lights but not a lot of spare time to fuss over them. Indeed, that is how many
a violet addiction starts ... knowing the potential in
that dormant plant ... bringing in a fresh plant in
full bloom from the vendor at the door to the office ...
or in the subway on the way to the office ...
until that bloomer, too, goes dormant.

When I take plants home, once the Optimaras stop flowering, I repot them with
fresh soil with nutrients, put a stick in the pot with a
picture attached of what the bloom looks like,
and send them on their merry way to new homes.
The recipients are thrilled
when the plants bloom in a few months.

The Optimaras sold locally are not as exciting as some
on the website. This input from Irina has inspired me
to order a couple from the website.

Joanne 47

Okay, I know I will get called a nit-picker but--I am a horticulturist and, as such, I am sensitive to correct terminology. Joanne, your violet is not dormant, it is just not blooming. And, where do you find all these people to give violets away to? No-one I know grows anything indoors. I would love to find happy homes for some of my violets!

Linda

yes, it is quite ... frustrating. I am a MG in our county, and we now have over 100. Each of us has a dif area of ... experience or expertise ... so to speak. When I asked for a list of folks who might have more knowledge of inside plants there were none zero, zip ... nada.

So, I am trying to get some folks at the church, who work w/ the kids, interested. I wish AV leaves would have babies quicker so we could plant leaves as a class project. Usually, though, youth get a packet of flower seeds in the spring, and we never know if they planted them, the dog ate them, or they got stuffed in a drawer somewhere.

AVs aren't instant gratification things ... but are wonderful.

ÃÂ.ÃÂ

dave

I know of only one other person who "grows" violets. She has one multi-necked, been-in-the-same-over-sized-pot-for-years pathetic, sad little plant. It never blooms, (surprise!), so she sticks artificial wild violet blooms in it. Sigh......

Linda

Linda-

I know some people like this too. They should better stick to something more cast iron. I draw the line on plastic plants. Hate them even in the offices. Cemetery is probably one place where they make sense.

Office cubicle...nothing can grow there - reason - no light. You can bring a plant - and take it home when it finishes blooming. Or you can buy a grow light for one plant - and
it will be happy - unless the cubicle is so tight - that you do not have space for it. I worked in an office without a window - but I put a hanging shoplight above the file cabinets and had some violets blooming non-stop. Asked the boss first if he doesn't mind.

Dave,

One of the first things I learned about gardening: it teaches us patience if nothing else. I also grow orchids. Some take seven years to reach blooming size. No instant gratification in this field!

Linda

Irina,

I always thought having plastic plants was akin to having a plastic husband. Although, sometimes...

Linda

hey ... hey ... let's be nice ...

or I'll call for a violet shutdown ...

and some of the greenhouse's will be closed to the public ...

ÃÂ .ÃÂ --~

dave

Wow, You folks are giving me much-needed laughs!
Linda, I found two more ladies who want violets today!
(Hint: try the local library, or teachers,
you will find all sorts of
indoor types and window-sill gardeners there!)
I did not know that orchids took seven years to
bloom. The wait is worth it, the blooms last and last.
Dave, you are cryptic ... MG ....?
Irina, in my case, it was "dah boss" who introduced
us all to the delights of violets on our computers.
I was the "nerd" who stayed after-hours, grooming
them all. Well, time to go talk with my Ken doll and
stick silk flowers in the pots of the violets that
are post-bloom...
Luv, Joanne-Barbie

Joanne,

Think about it-I bet your Ken doesn't give you grief about bringing the car home on empty... And you don't agonize over wick vs. top vs. bottom watering with your plastic beauties, do you? Am I right???

Not all orchids take that long to bloom-just the ones I like. And the blooms last for about two weeks. If they decide to bloom.

MG-Master Gardener.

Linda

Aha - that's why I do not grow Cattleyas - wow factor is superb - but they only last for two weeks - after long time of waiting. A couple of Paphs and a couple of Phals keep me in orchid bloom practically through the year - and they are happy under the lights.

Plastic hubby...nope - I like mine as is - even if he gets grouchy every so often - and really doesn't like food without salt. I banned the salt from the house - and you know - now the food in a restaurant feels like super salty.

I.

Irina,

If he is getting grumpy, he must be feeling better ;)

I do have one orchid, Psychopsis papilio, that has been in bloom for about three years. Definitely the exception.

Linda

He does. My DH is definitely on a mend.

Wow - what an interesting plant.

Hi Linda,
You keep me in chuckles!!!

Wow, one of your orchids blooms continually!!
Impressive.
I have a "phal" that must be plastic ... it is very pretty
and has 15 blooms on it that have been there for
more than a month. The two stalks line up back
to back like mirror images. I keep taking pix.
Orchids are relatively new to me. They are so tidy
and clean-looking, with their simple foliage.
It cost $12 at
Trader Joe's. Best $12 I ever spent. (It is possibly
an "industrial orchid," but I am too new to the orchid
game to know the diff.)

Maybe this thread, maybe elsewhere, you asked about
where I find people to give violets to ... as I thought
about it, there are almost too many to list!
Friends, co-workers, Dentist
office, for the receptionist and patients; people who
work in garden nurseries; senior centers; AV clubs;
teachers; librarians; neighbors; moms; people who work
in offices or graphic design shops. Gardeners,
or those who want to try for the first time to grow
a violet. One of the latest is someone who lost her
collection to a bug. There seems to be a nostalgia theme. The AVs seem to remind people of
someone from their past. I just ask around. There
is always a bare window sill somewhere in need of
some life.

I feel they are like kittens, they are best given away
in pairs to keep each other company.
Mine seem to "compete" with each other.
I put my Bob Serbin next to my perfect "plastic-looking"
Idaho space violet that has held a full head of bloom
for more than a month, and now the Bob Serbin took off like a rocket in terms of its blooms. You will forgive the
pun (or not!)

Joanne

Joanne,

Great ideas. Thanks!

Your phal sounds pretty. Phals are the 'Optimaras' of the violet world but they will get you started with orchid care and culture.

Let me know if you need any help with it!

Linda

Linda .... if Phals are the optimara's of the violet world ... which orchid is the space violet of the Optimara world?

Also ... the neverfloris of the orchid world would be ...

lol

dave

HI
I kinda figured that phals must be the optimara's of the
orchid world.

Yes, Linda, I would like to know how to take
care of them, or "it."
Perhaps I will look on some older threads for the topic
of "orchids."
perhaps there is a Garden Web Forum devoted
to orchids.

Joanne

This post was edited by fortyseven on Fri, Feb 14, 14 at 0:56

Jo:

yes there is an orchid forum.

WE HAVE a couple of cross posters from this forum there.

Great info to be had. Tho' there are as many cat orchids as there are AVs.

dave

we have number of folks here who dabble in orchids ...

Joanne,

Phals are easy because they like the conditions most of us have in our homes. I give mine the same light, fertilizer and temps. that I do my violets. Very important: do not cut off the peduncle unless it goes brown and wilty. Often new blooms will grow on old peduncle growths. And if the roots grow wild and wooly outside the pot, don't worry about that. It's natural growth.

Dave,
The neverfloris of the orchid world would be any one I have ever grown, You know what I'm talking about...

Linda

linda .... i didn't know plants played peduncle too!

my fave card game.

dave

Dave,

They try to play pedicel but the amount of cards needed is a challenge because they lack opposable thumbs.

Linda

Pinochle? You guys crack me up! Now, I've done
it .... after staring at Cora on this thread every time
I come here ... I just ordered Cora from Selective Gardener.
No sooner did I send the order, when
Monique called me to make suggestions about my
order. This is Sunday at 10 p.m. where she lives,
for goodness' sake!!
This is the first time I ordered from Monique.
She suggested
that I order the selection of three for $20 and she would
include Cora. I specified what else I wanted--some
leaves of some specialties. She also suggested I get
plugs, not leaves to try for the first time if plugs
were available. She explained
that when Optimara releases new varieties, they have
to let go some of the older ones that are more difficult
to grow or might not bloom true, such as the
specialties. I found this interesting and excellent
advice, because it reflects much of what I have read
here. I especially wanted Cora because the two I
had and gave away did very well. It is a way to
get a color combo without the fuss of a delicate
chimera.

Today, another neighbor asked for a couple of violets!
I showed her some pix on my Smart Phone.

Maybe I should get a job in a violet
nursery.
Joanne