Mutabilis and the like
seasiderooftop
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
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Comments (28)
seasiderooftop
2 years agoRelated Discussions
why do we like what we like...and will we always?
Comments (13)Hi Elmire, I've thought about this some too, and as I've looked through various pictures I've tried to define what I do and don't like. I tend to like flowers, period. What I like best probably depends on the distance I'm looking at the plant from. Up close, a frilly picotee edge is the greatest thing... but from a distance, a simple single flower probably has the greatest impact. I like big yellow centers and no visible centers, both. I like both singles and doubles, but overall I'd rather have more semi-doubles than anything else, and I like them even better if their petals have some waviness to them. A rose with a subtle color blend to a darker or lighter color on the edge appeals to me hugely... though if the entire yard were composed of those kinds of flowers, there would be too much competition between them. So just a few Mrs. Dudley Cross roses (or roses of those types), sitting perhaps right next to Duchesse De Brabant to help point out the sublime in Mrs. Dudley Cross. I have always liked roses, but less so the hybrid tea forms than their smell. The brief amount of time I had Belinda's Dream with the same form, though, I liked it plenty. It looks especially nice with roses of other forms in a vase. I liked the effects of the tiny Rose Rosette to add variety to a vase of flowers, too. Overall, if I had to name just one favorite flower form, I'd probably go with a rhododendron, especially those with a bit of a frilly and/or picotee edging to the individual flowers within the truss. I love rhododendrons, huge trusses and small ones both. Rhododendrons don't withstand drought well, however, so I wouldn't suggest getting started with them if you can't give them plenty of water during a drought. Oh, no, maybe I should have said the one favorite was a camellia, all kinds of camellias... And daffodils! The Ice Follies variety is pretty much a perfect flower. But peonies (of all kinds) can't be bested by any other flower! Oh, I forgot to say how wonderful the tiny-leaved karume azaleas look when they are covered in a blanket of tiny flowers. They make for spectacular arrangements in a vase too. I like flowers, period. In a mood to really look and appreciate, I can get excited with just a single bloom from a native woods violet. And at that moment, it seems that nothing could best the simple woods violet. I guess the real luxury is in having a good variety of flowering forms, and especially in having them at various times of the year, which roses and camellias are both good at. Though I do have one rhododendron that blooms a bit every fall. I can't think of any flowers I actually don't like, though irises are probably fairly low on the list. I have stronger opinions on garden design than on the flowers themselves. (I'm not into geometrical/formal gardens so much as very informal ones.) Mary...See MoreWill Mutabilis need to be sprayed?
Comments (18)That's really strange, because I don't have blackspot issues with Mutabilis, and I live in the blackspot capitol of the world. I know that mine takes some hits from the neighbors irrigation system at night. I have been told by some rose nursery people that once in awhile there are other plants that can cause insect and disease issues with roses. My intention at that time was to combine some roses with butterfly attracting plants. I'll have to research it further. Maybe some of those wildflowers caused their Mutabilis to suffer some issues. It is also possible their Mutabilis suffers from rose mosaic virus, which would make it disease prone. It wouldn't have to show any symptoms. I've had several roses that tested positive (from a lab) that had no leaf symptoms, but were poor growers and always disease prone. When I was able to obtain a virus free version, it was like night and day. Sandy...See MoreConfederate Rose/Hibiscus mutabilis
Comments (15)Hibiscus syriacus (Rose of Sharon) cuttings readily root in water or in dirt if the cut area is woody. I've never heard of people taking cuttings of the herbaceous hardy types as the they're usually from seeds or root divisions. The tropical Rosa-Seninsus types are grown from woody cutting but not in water and are also tissue-cultured. The Texas Star hibiscus (H. coccineus) can be grown from woody cuttings but I don't know about in water. They can be readily seed grown. The first time I ever saw one was before it flowered and I thought it was a marijuana plant because of the unique leaf shape! Here is a link that might be useful:...See MoreWANTED: mutabilis and veilchenblau
Comments (1)Gypsygirl, I can send you cuttings of Mutabilis in exchange for your old Noisette. Send me an e-mail privately with your address, etc. I must send out some things on Tuesday when the PO opens so I can send th em to you then....See Moreseasiderooftop
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2 years agoGator232 (8b Austin, TX)
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2 years agoseasiderooftop thanked sultry_jasmine_nights (Florida-9a-ish)seasiderooftop
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