Crazy Summer

This summer has been crazy so far. It started off with a long heatwave which, in my case, resulted in losing 18 of my plants – some of which didn't even have doubles.
This happened to some bacterial infection received with the ready-made soil purchased in a shop. High humidity and high temperature awoke this "ancient evil" so to say. Bacterial wilting, as the scientific name goes, shows itself on the 5th day with a leaf or two wilting. At first you think it is nothing, just too much sunlight, but the next thing you know is that it is too late.
In my case, Bella Yellow wilted within hours; other plants wilted more gradually, so that I eventually managed to save three of them.
Anyway, losing so many plants left room for contemplation and research. Here are some conclusions: acidic soils are more prone to the development of bacterial diseases, so I switched to the neutral one. A great addition that I now use to improve the soil is clay. Clay has a number of benefits, which you can read about in Wikipedia. All I can say is that my abutilons love clay!

This summer, as planned, I wanted to experiment with cross-pollination even further, although losing hybrids and starting from scratch again (that is from green cuttings) set me a bit back. But! I already have started pollinating with Alcea, Sidalcea and Hibiscus pollen.
Alcea x abutilon pollinations were quite successful last year, but hibiscus x abutilon weren't. Here is my guess: fancy, large flower hibiscus hybrids will not cross-pollinate with abutilons. However, some wild varieties might.  

Abutilon x hybridum 'Zephyr' (Alina Chitova, 2014)

My Own Experiments

Time to tell about my abutilon cross-pollination results. Like I said before, last year, overwhelmed with seedlings, I delegated the hoard to two volunteers (about 35 to Tatiana Sergeeva and about 80 to Victoria Sokolik). This spring I only assess the photos they show me and decide which plants we could keep and breed further.
Above is one of my most successful hybrids from Tatiana's share. We called it marshmallow (it's a mallow after all! :))) or zephyr. I think the hue is very tender. Besides, the hybrid is fertile (that is why I don't know when I could get a graft).

But there are more interesting things to describe. Last summer I experimented with alcea rosea and abutilon Bella cross-pollinations. Not all abutilon hybrids were willing to cross-breed with alcea (only two, actually). So, abutilons were the parent plants, whereas the alceae were the donor plants. Now, the results are very curious. First of all, alcea added various new hues to the flower palette (the parent plant was very delicate pink), but also it added the unwanted tall and straight stem without side shoots. Even when pruned back, these abutilon-alcea plants are rather reluctant to spread shoots.

Abutilon x alcea (Alina Chitova, 2014)

However, some hybrids retained the parent plant (Bella series) growth and development pattern and remain quite compact.

Abutilon x alcea (Alina Chitova, 2014)

The greatest disappointment for me was a much expected/desired chocolate-brown abutilon (crossed with a dark-brown alcea). Initially, the first flower demonstrated some brownish hue; however, later it mutated and changed its color completely to a more common for abutilons pink color.

Initially a promising brownish abutilon x alcea (Alina Chitova, 2014)

Yes, that's the VERY plant! Abutilon x alcea (Alina Chitova, 2014)

Anyway, my experimenting with alcea and abutilons (which belong to the same Malvacea family) turned out to be successful and calls for its continuation. This summer, I would love to cross-pollinate abutilons with other plants from the same family -- any ones I could find. Cross-breeds between abutilon and hibiscus haven't been successful yet, although as a parent plant hibiscus forms seed pods, but as a donor plant -- it doesn't work (at least not yet). The problem is that hibiscus germination and growing period before blooming is excruciatingly long... But then, we are in no hurry here, aren't we?.. :)))

Abutilon Palette: Spring 2014

Dear blog readers,
I haven't written for a while but that does not mean we have no news in the world of Russian abutilon hybrids-2014!
In this post I would like to overview some hybrids of Elena Glushkova (Izhevsk). Originally, Elena experimented with the Kirsche-orange cultivar which is known as a heavy bloomer. The downside of this cultivar, to my mind, is the smallish and not-at-all-showy shape of the flower petals. As a result, Elena's new abutilon hybrids have numerous cute little button-like flowers. So, let's have a quick look...

Abutilon x hybridum 'Sweet Dreams' (Elena Glushkova, 2014)

 This first hybrid was called 'Sweet Dreams' (actually, the name was proposed by me). I haven't seen the plant myself, but according to the photos it has a candy-like hue with chiseled veins. It does look sweet!

Abutilon x hybridum 'Sweet Dreams' (Elena Glushkova, 2014)

 Elena's next hybrid (that has been previously mentioned) resembles a wild buttercup flower with delicate stems. Quite unusual for abutilons is the bunch of buds at the end of a branch. The hybrid has tiny pointed leaves.

Abutilon x hybridum 'Lutik (Buttercup)' (Elena Glushkova, 2014)

Finally, there's my favorite one - the 'Belosnezhka' (Snow-white) abutilon hybrid with perhaps the whitest flowers ever.

Abutilon x hybridum 'Belosnezhka' (Elena Glushkova, 2014)

Abutilon x hybridum 'Belosnezhka' (Elena Glushkova, 2014)

Oops, how could I forget one more showy hybrid of Elena Glushkova? I showed it in my previous post and would like to show it again. This is 'Christmas', bright and festive, from a different parent plant, with large wide-open flowers.

Abutilon x hybridum 'Christmas' (Elena Glushkova, 2014)

Abutilon x hybridum 'Christmas' (Elena Glushkova, 2014)

 Abutilon hybrids Spring 2014

Abutilon x hybridum 'Cold Heart' (Xenia Dyuryagina, 2013)

Spring 2014 has brought new colors and inspiration into our little abutilon hybrids' world. A new hybrid from a budding abutilon breeder Xenia (Ksenia) Dyuryagina, Izhevsk, Russia surprised us with its abundant blooming and fluorescent color. Its unofficial name - 'Kholodnoe serdtse' (or 'Cold Heart') refers to the flower's whitish throat.

Abutilon x hybridum 'Cold Heart' (Xenia Dyuryagina, 2013)

This hybrid has stirred much interest even in other potted plants growers and is likely to become a fad.

Abutilon x hybridum 'Lutik' (Elena Glushkova, 2013)

Meanwhile, Elena Glushkova from Izhevsk has spotted some very promising qualities in her initially seemingly uninteresting hybrid 'Lutik' ('Buttercup'). It turns out, the hybrid is capable of blooming non-stop and so abundantly! This cutie has smallish light-yellow flowers -- but so many!

Abutilon x hybridum 'Lutik' (Elena Glushkova, 2013)

This abutilon hybrid has been immediately recognized and loved.

Finally, Elena has revealed her latest abutilon hybrid, which she named 'Christmas' due to the time of its blooming. Indeed, it looks very festive with its bright two-colored and well-veined flowers. An abundant bloomer, too!

Abutilon x hybridum 'Christmas' (Elena Glushkova, 2013)

What a nice present for Christmas it must have been!

Abutilon x hybridum 'Christmas' (Elena Glushkova, 2013)

Abutilon 'Macramé' (2013)

 Last autumn, when I was literally drowning in abutilon hybrids, I started giving them away left, right, and center, but mostly to the other professional abutilon breeders who I knew would take good care of my 'babies'.

Luckily, they did.

So here is one of my last year nearly-lost gems: 'Macramé'. The donor plant was abutilon pictum 'Tuger Eye'; the parent plant -- Bella Pink of some sort. The result is lovely, I hope you agree.

The only downside is that it is in Moscow with Tatiana at the moment, and I am eagerly awaiting a piece of it some time soon, just like everyone else...

Abutilon 'Macramé' (2013)

Abutilon 'Feya' (Tatiana Tsepkova, 2013)

More New Abutilon Hybrids from Russia!

Let me share more good news with you, dear abutilon-breeders, -growers, and -lovers! This is a new compact hybrid from Tatiana Tsepkova (Moscow). It is white with distinctive hints of lilac. Since the petals look like little wings, the hybrid was aptly dubbed 'Feya" (Fairy).

Don't know about you, but I am definitely looking forward to more of Tatiana's hybrids (... and I know that some great ones are coming very sooooon!..)

Abutilon 'Feya' (Tatiana Tsepkova, 2013)

Abutilon 'Feya' (Tatiana Tsepkova, 2013)

A New Arrival

Today I would like to praise a new abutilon cross-breeder from my hometown Tatiana Sergeeva. Last year she was inspired to try abutilon cross-pollination and breeding, and now she is getting the results -- one by one her seedlings begin to bloom.
Have a look at this tiny beauty: sumptuous color of the petals + cream eye.

We wish Tatiana success and await her further creations with great anticipation!