The greenhouse has been full of Clivia flowers (and pollen!) for almost two weeks now. The plants that have drawn my attention are the peaches, including the 'Victorian Peach' ® mother plants and the Solomone "pinks." In addition , my plant of 'Cameron Peach' is blooming for the first time here.
Cameron Peach is from South Africa. Hobbyists tend to muddy the nomenclaturial waters by randomly applying the parental clone's name (e.g., 'Cameron Peach') to seed-grown offspring, expecially if they more-or-less resemble the named clonal parent. This particular plant should be a vegetative propagation (offset or division) of the original clone named 'Cameron Peach' and it came from Sean Chubb in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
Clivia 'Cameron Peach'
Copyright 2009 by Shields Gardens Ltd.
All rights reserved.
We have some Solomone pinks that we bought from Solomone in the spring of 2005. What the folks there call "pink" is more of a very light peach color, since it is warmer than baby-ribbon pink. I've never seen a Clivia that looked truly pink to me. Never the less, these are very attractive flowers, to my way of thinking. There are the 'Solomone Pink' types, the 'Solomone Watercolor Washed Pink' types, and the 'Charm Pink' miniatures. The difference between the Solomone Pink and the Solomone Pastel plants seems to be intensity of color. The pastels are more intense in color than the pinks are.
This is my best 'Solomone Pink' in bloom this year. It has more florets in the umbel than the others of this group. The picture was taken before most of the buds had opened. I've saved almost all of its pollen for future breeding. I'll eventually cross it with 'Cameron Pink' and the various 'Victorian Peach' ® plants as well as with Conway's 'Tessa'.
Clivia 'Solomone Pink' No. 2010
Copyright 2009 by Shields Gardens Ltd.
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Solomone's 'Watercolor Washed' series may or may not have the watercolor effect every time they bloom. A few of our examples do show the watercolor washed effect.
This one is almost pink, but regardless of what you call the color, it is a gorgeous flower when in bloom!I intend to use its pollen extensively in future breeding. Click on the image at left and see how it looks under different lighting.
Solomone Watercolor Washed Pink
No. 2005 at full bloom
Copyright 2009 by Shields Gardens Ltd.
All rights reserved.
This one is what Solomone calls "pastel." The color is usually more intense than the "pink" but is otherwise the same. This one is producing several offsets.
Solomone Watercolor Washed Pastel
No. 2015
Copyright 2009 by Shields Gardens Ltd.
All rights reserved.
These all look to me like "peach" in color. Although cool pink is widely sought after, becvause it is hard to produce in flowers, the peach colors are every bit as pleasing as the pink would be.
Since the late winter lack of bloom in the greenhouses left me with nothing to talk about for over a month, I'd best get this posted today.
Good gardening,
Jim
