Thursday, July 10, 2014

Stomatium alboroseum first flower

I'm still editing the photos from the succulent market and will try to post a report this weekend. But for now I need to share my joy over the Stomatium alboroseum seedling with you. This little guy is 11 months old and has only 6 leaves but it already could develop and open its very first flower! I'm very proud of it.
Funny thing, even though the flower opens at night and seemingly doesn't rely on sunlight for that, it opened just a little bit over the last few days when it was raining the whole time. Today it was sunny and hot and as soon as it was dark the flower opened fully. As if it got charged by the sun during the day to have enough energy to open at night :)

My Stomatium trifarium kids are several months older and really huge but not even a sign of a flower there.

5 comments:

  1. Beautiful plant portrait as always, Rika!

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  2. That's really a lovely flower on a very lovely plant. I'd be proud if it were mine. :) And, 11 months is really fast for first flower. Have you noticed any fragrance/smell when the flower is open? There seems to be a wide variation in the strength and scent of the smell. Also, it will be interesting to see if there is any color change in the flower as it ages. I read that the specific epithet "alboroseum" means a change from white to pink as the flower ages. I've also read that "alboroseum" means the flower can be either white or pink.

    Thanks for sharing you adventures, and flower, of Stomatium alboroseum with us. May there be many more adventures AND flowers.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Bob :)
      I was surprised it developed a flower, too! I've been waiting for the much larger and stronger S. trifarium seedlings to bloom - and nothing. This little guy could find the strength though. I'm very proud indeed. It did have a smell but very faint and not really pleasent ;)
      It's been raining over the last two days and the flower doesn't open again to see if the petals have changed color. I hope it will soon...
      Actually, the exact name I had for the seeds was Stomatium alboroseum 'Rubrum' and I think rubrum means that the older leaves tend to turn red or something... I think it's nothing but a fancy name and can be omitted ^^a

      PS: Cross-pollinated with Neohenricia sibbetii so now we wait XD

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    2. Update.

      After that first time the flower never opened again. At night only sepals were opening, but not the flower itself. Not sure why. Maybe because the pollination worked and it didn't feel the need? We'll see...

      I have my second Stomatium seedling (also in the photo) growing a flower now, too!!

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