In bloom today!

On a cold morning with snow on the ground it was a real pleasure to see this seedling from Harold Koopowitz’s extensive and entrepreneurial breeding programme in bloom in the greenhouse. The colours are so delicately subdued and the form is exquisite when viewed at close quarters.

My climate is not conducive to the growing of N. viridiflorus or its hybrids so I feel most fortunate to have kept this one flowering for 3 years.

Isn’t it amazing the thoughts and memories prompted by the sight of one little flower. In this case I first thought (with some envy) of all the amazing and ground-breaking miniature hybridising of Harold. Then of inspiring meetings with John Hunter in New Zealand, California and London the raiser of the seed parent Emerald Sea.

Not least my thoughts and memories went back to numerous letters from Manual Matos Lima and a remark by Murray Evans. Manuel phoned me when we were staying with Murray and Estella many years ago – in handing over the phone Murray said “Brian, it’s that crazy Portugee” – presumably because Manuel had been asking both of us for seedlings that might help him to raise daffodils “with a pouch” like some orchids. I don’t think that has been achieved but it was that unbounded thinking that allowed Manuel to be the pioneer that has led to the development of such wonderful ‘green’ daffodil developments – and hopefully will ultimately allow us to see a host of beautiful and hardy spring flowering green daffodils. Manuel was not so crazy! I regret that I never met him in person.

Brian

Hk. 03 094 2 emerald sea x limas green success
Hk. 03 094 2 emerald sea x limas green success

Hk03 094 2 emerald sea x limas green success
Hk03 094 2 emerald sea x limas green success

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10 comments for “In bloom today!

  1. This is beautiful, Brian. The flower and the thoughts behind the post. Do you mind if I save it for possible use in the Daffodil Journal sometime?

    Jolene Laughlin

  2. Sent: 14 January 2017 23:09

    Hi Jolene,

    Ah, your name brings thoughts of Dolly Parton – please forgive – maybe you get too much of such comment! Jolene is not a common name in the UK and I’ve only ever heard it in her song until you appeared on the ADS scene.

    Thanks for your kind comments. Yes, if you are ever really desperate to fill a little space then by all means do as you like with my FB post though I hardly think it is worthy of publication.

    I wish you all the best in your task as editor – I’ve known many of your predecessors very well and appreciate the pressures – and difficulties in getting people to submit copy.

    Brian

  3. Oops! Oops. I thought I was replying to a private e-mail – i should not be allowed near a computer!!!

    Sent: 14 January 2017 23:09

    Hi Jolene,

    Ah, your name brings thoughts of Dolly Parton – please forgive – maybe you get too much of such comment! Jolene is not a common name in the UK and I’ve only ever heard it in her song until you appeared on the ADS scene.

    Thanks for your kind comments. Yes, if you are ever really desperate to fill a little space then by all means do as you like with my FB post though I hardly think it is worthy of publication.

    I wish you all the best in your task as editor – I’ve known many of your predecessors very well and appreciate the pressures – and difficulties in getting people to submit copy.

    Brian

  4. Brian,

    A beautiful flower. But I think the cross is not Emerald Sea x Lima’s Green Success (NNVV). The influence of N. viridiflorus seems to be very great. Perhaps it is NVVV , a viridiflorus hybrid back crossed with N. viridiflorus. We have to ask Harold.

    Theo

  5. Hi Theo

    I have a few hybrids that provide a useful comparison.

    Virivest is a fairly starry Westholme x viridiflorus.

    01 01mj sm

    Open pollinated, almost certainly selfed, Virivest can give lobed starry flowers such as this flower (that is not enjoying mid-winter in the field).

    Virivest op

    The pollen fertile triandrus hybrid 04_01RM looks like this.

    04 01rmsm

    Virivest x 04_01RM looks as follows: – not lobed but very starry and showing viridiflorus’s influence. I have another seedling from this cross that does not look like this and wonder if this one might actually be Virivest x viridiflorus. It is highly sterile.

    Virivest x 04 01rm

    It is reasonable to guess that Lima’s Green Success is Actaea x viridiflorus. This would make Harold’s seedling Emerald Sea x (Actaea x viridiflorus). I find this believable, particularly if it has significant fertility.

  6. Hi Lawrence,

    Your two seedlings with a wonderful green colour, especially the first one, make me doubt whether I am right.

    Theo

  7. Hi Theo,

    Here are a few more Virivest op.

    Virivest op sm Virivest op sma Virivest op smal

    Unfortunately the flowers tend to lose the green as they mature. The warmer the weather the quicker they mature.

  8. Hi Theo & Lawrence,

    I think Harold’s seedling is fertile as a pollen parent anyway – at least I have seeds planted and await their germination with interest. As to the parentage Theo – I just copied the label that came with it and I’d think Harold had it right.

    Also, I think that Lawrence may be right about the grandparents. If fertile it throws up all sorts of possibilities.

    Brian

  9. Lovely green seedlings, Lawrence, and I especially like the triandrus hybrid.  Lovely to see these beauties which I couldn’t grow in my climate.

    Mary Lou

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