An interesting volunteer.

Emerald Sea x N. patula

I have had a pot labelled N. patula for a very long time. N. patula is a small 8W-Y. In 2004 I put the tazetta’s pollen onto ‘Emerald Sea’ and got a few seeds that were planted and then forgotten about because the flowers while having varying green cups were not remarkable.

This year a volunteer appeared in the pot with the original N. patula. This is a very much fuller and larger flower but each floret has a long neck. The buds are pendant but once the flower has set it lifts itself up. It opens with a pale green perianth that bleaches and a darker green corona that retains its color. Everyone seems to like it, but how the seed got in that pot is a mystery and its parentage is unknown. It probably has ‘Emerald Sea’ genes somewhere in its background. This is obviously a keeper. Pity the name ‘Foundling’ is already taken.

volunteer