Neos in flower again

[KyushuCalanthe]

Neo season has hit southern Japan. So here's what's interesting at the moment. Maybe a few others coming later on.

Benisuzume - lots of flower stalks, but relatively few flowers.

Large plant of an unknown type - I sometimes forget to label things, thinking I will remember. That works for a few years then it all gets lost in my head.

The large curved leaf Oonamiseikai. This is a pretty form that can form really huge clumps in time. Not so many flowers this year.

A standard classic fukurin type (marginal leaf variegation), Gojyofukurin. This was the first fuukiran I ever bought - a single growth back in 2004.

And now a few with just leaves. First up Rainnohikari, showing the wide range of variegation each growth can have. If you separate out those pure yellow growths they will peter-out within a growing season or two.

The very changeable Nishidemiyako. Note the Manazuru growth on the right, and a tiny new one to the left. Interesting form.

Last is one of my favorites, Kinkujaku, a semi-dwarf bean leaf with golden, bronze leaves. Another big clump former like its relative, Tamakongou.

 

[Marco]

Ahh I've been waiting for this post!

How many growths are there on the Gojyo fukurin now?

Your nishi and rainnohikari are fantastic. I have kujaku nishiki which has an almost all yellow growth similar to your rainnohikari. The all yellow growth grows significantly slower than the other growths. I hope it doesn't seperate from the pack anytime soon.

Please do post photos of your other neos as time permits

Thanks

 

[MattWoelfsen]

When I first became aware of Furan, "BotanyBoy" was the most quoted blog on many forums, particularly Orchid Board and to an extent this Slipper Talk. It is great to see updates of the plants and to see plants maturing into these forms.

Still inspiring and awesome!

 

[SlipperFan]

I agree. Gorgeous plants!

 

[abax]

I love seeing a well-grown Neo. These examples are all
so lovely...the form of the plants and the presentation is
magnificent. Fragrant flowers are a bonus.

 

[Erythrone]

Wow!!!! Fantastic plants! And very informative!!

A few questions:

Do you know if Oonamiseikai can be a reliable bloomer? It is not here...

Are the blooms of Kinkujaku regular shape and white?

Do you grow outdoor?

 

[naoki]

Very nice, Tom! Kinkujaku looks like a fun variety to grow. I'm guessing that the brightness (amount of variegation) depends on the culture, so it is probably fun to play with the condition to have a good proportion. I have another variety (it's a common one, but I forgot the name) with Nochi-zame (top leaves are green, and they become variegated as the leaf ages), and it is fun (but at this moment, it is too white). Yours looks very nice!

 

[KyushuCalanthe]

Ahh I've been waiting for this post!

How many growths are there on the Gojyo fukurin now?

Your nishi and rainnohikari are fantastic. I have kujaku nishiki which has an almost all yellow growth similar to your rainnohikari. The all yellow growth grows significantly slower than the other growths. I hope it doesn't seperate from the pack anytime soon.

Please do post photos of your other neos as time permits

Thanks

Thanks Marco. The Gojyo has around 20 growths now. You have a lot of interesting varieties - I had to look up Kinjakunishiki. Yes, the pure yellow growths grow very slow. I'm not sure what else will be looking good this year, though I am going to a fuukiran show on Sunday, so I'll have photos from that at least.

When I first became aware of Furan, "BotanyBoy" was the most quoted blog on many forums, particularly Orchid Board and to an extent this Slipper Talk. It is great to see updates of the plants and to see plants maturing into these forms.

Still inspiring and awesome!

Pretty easy to make a splash in the English speaking world of fuukiran. I am not as knowledgeable as some (Jason Fischer for example), but I've had the luck to see and grow a few of them. Some of my plants are getting almost too big!

Wow!!!! Fantastic plants! And very informative!!

A few questions:

Do you know if Oonamiseikai can be a reliable bloomer? It is not here...

Are the blooms of Kinkujaku regular shape and white?

Do you grow outdoor?

Oonamiseikai is reliable for me, though this form is quite variable. Yes, the flowers of Kinkujaku are regular flowers. And yes, I do grow exclusively outdoors - a good and bad thing since my plants are subject to a lot of weather extremes, bugs, etc. They would be happier if I had them in a greenhouse. This winter they endured two days straight below freezing - I lost a few growths and leaves here and there, but all survived. I suppose a few lost flower stalks as well.

Very nice, Tom! Kinkujaku looks like a fun variety to grow. I'm guessing that the brightness (amount of variegation) depends on the culture, so it is probably fun to play with the condition to have a good proportion. I have another variety (it's a common one, but I forgot the name) with Nochi-zame (top leaves are green, and they become variegated as the leaf ages), and it is fun (but at this moment, it is too white). Yours looks very nice!

You know, Kinkujaku has be really good about holding its bronze color for me while other tiger forms have gone almost green under the same conditions. I don't know Nochi-zame, but I do have a form (name escapes me at the moment) that does just the opposite - flushes with variegated leaves that eventually turn green!

 

[Happypaphy7]

Tom, do you find differences in how long the flowers last among different varieties??

My Shoujou (sp??), the one that looks much like Shoutennou, lasted in bloom a lot shorter than my white one, the Amami strain, which last for good ten days looking pristine before browning.

 

[Marco]

Tom - Thanks your Gojyo fukurin looks fantastic. I hope my many of my neos get to that size at some point!

My getsuden is similar to what you mention on where new leaves come out variegated then they turn green as they mature. The leaves on my getsuden also changed to a nice scarlet color this past winter. The scarlet gradually went away and turned green as spring / summer approached. I didn't like it at first then it grew on me.

 

[KyushuCalanthe]

Tom, do you find differences in how long the flowers last among different varieties??

My Shoujou (sp??), the one that looks much like Shoutennou, lasted in bloom a lot shorter than my white one, the Amami strain, which last for good ten days looking pristine before browning.

HP, not sure. I'd guess it is more a function of environmental conditions and plant health. Mine stay in flower for about a week or so, but I grow them outdoors where they have to endure lots of environmental fluctuations. They will stay best in a moderately warm greenhouse protected from rain with lots of air movement. I have a lot of trouble with yellowing/browning of buds as they open probably due to insufficient air movement. Also, getting water on the flowers and buds shortens the health of the flower and its quality. I imagine dry air is bad too.

Shoujou does have elongated "vowel" sounds, so it can be romanized that way. This is said to be a true fuukiran from Kochi Prefecture in Shikoku.

 

[Happypaphy7]

Thank you.

So in Japanese, the pronunciation is close to as is written?
Like, Sho-u-jo-u? I don't know if that makes much sense to Americans. lol

 

[KyushuCalanthe]

Thank you.

So in Japanese, the pronunciation is close to as is written?
Like, Sho-u-jo-u? I don't know if that makes much sense to Americans. lol

Phonetically it would be Showww-Joe in American Ingurishu! :rollhappy:

A couple more from today. First is Yubae, which has colored up pretty good over the last couple days, still pretty pale this go around though.

An an unnamed plant growing in a crape myrtle with lots of Spanish moss. I love this time of the year!

I'm off tomorrow to a fuukiran show and spending the night at a traditional Japanese hotel with a hotspring. I'll be taking photos and video, so I probably will make a video about the adventure. I'll be going alone by bicycle, and there's a big waterfall nearby too, so it should be an interesting vid.

 

[Lanmark]

An an unnamed plant growing in a crape myrtle with lots of Spanish moss. I love this time of the year!

...spending the night at a traditional Japanese hotel with a hotspring.

That unnamed plant in the crape myrtle tree is rather nice!

I've always wanted to spend a night at a traditional Japanese hotel with a hot spring. Maybe someday I will. Aren't there several unique cultural rules of etiquette one should follow at these places?

 

[Happypaphy7]

haha

Enjoy the show~ sounds like a great little vacation for you.
The hotel, waterfalls, neo show,

Looking forward to an awesome video from you!!

Phonetically it would be Showww-Joe in American Ingurishu! :rollhappy:

A couple more from today. First is Yubae, which has colored up pretty good over the last couple days, still pretty pale this go around though.

An an unnamed plant growing in a crape myrtle with lots of Spanish moss. I love this time of the year!

I'm off tomorrow to a fuukiran show and spending the night at a traditional Japanese hotel with a hotspring. I'll be taking photos and video, so I probably will make a video about the adventure. I'll be going alone by bicycle, and there's a big waterfall nearby too, so it should be an interesting vid.

 

[Marco]

Tom - I love the outdoor shots of the neos by the spanish moss. Also your yubae is fantastic. We're there instances where you're yubae bloomed in a deeper color?

Please do take photos/video of your trip/ the neo show. The time at the traditional hotel with hot spring sounds exciting. My fiancé and I will be staying at a traditional hot spring in Hakone for a night. We can't wait.

 

[KyushuCalanthe]

I've always wanted to spend a night at a traditional Japanese hotel with a hot spring. Maybe someday I will. Aren't there several unique cultural rules of etiquette one should follow at these places?

Nothing special, especially nowadays, and besides you are a foreigner, so there is no expectation. If you know basic Japanese etiquette, that is enough. One thing, many hot spring/public bath facilities will not allow you in if you have tatoos, though that policy is variable. Here tattos are associated with the Japanese mafia.

Also, no soap or clothing of any kind is allowed into the water at all. As you go into the bath area there are places to wash yourself (which they want you to do first to keep the water clean). Here there is soap and shampoo and you can even shave if you want.

Tom - I love the outdoor shots of the neos by the spanish moss. Also your yubae is fantastic. We're there instances where you're yubae bloomed in a deeper color?

Please do take photos/video of your trip/ the neo show. The time at the traditional hotel with hot spring sounds exciting. My fiancé and I will be staying at a traditional hot spring in Hakone for a night. We can't wait.

Ah, maybe it has flowered a little darker in the past. I've seen ones that are deep orange - being a hybrid there is quite a lot of variation.

Enjoy your trip! Japanese hotels are fun, but tend to be terribly expensive. I'm going to a very modest one and it still costs a pretty penny - then again you get a full dinner and breakfast included.

 

[Ozpaph]

well grown