Re: [Aroid-l] Xanadu 'Boos'

From: <ju-bo at msn.com> on 2009.09.30 at 14:58:53 Dear Dan=2C I saw these plants for sale at the show=2C and knew I`d have to try to address/explain the ''why'' of this sooner or later=2C so here goes=2C and I HOPE than Ron Weeks can forward this to our mutual great friend John De Mott at Redlands Nursery in S. Miami. OK--I think that the plants in question were offered for sale by John De Mott`s Nursery=2C I guess they just stuck the word ''boos'' on the end for ''kicks and giggles''=2C or because I am in fact a co-author on the description of P. xanadu as a new species (the other authors are Dr. Tom Croat and Dr. Simon Mayo). =3B  =3BJohn=2C a GREAT guy whom I met just months ago (he was at the show!)=2C had =3B been investigating exactly ''WHAT'' P. xanadu is. =3B He had gone through several thousand ''liner'' plants of P. xanadu fresh from the tissue culture labs=2C and chosen any which stood out or demonstrated by size=2C color or form gross differences from their siblings=2C his collection of around 50 (?) plants is remarkable!  =3B We wait to see what these unique selections of John`s may grow to look like!  =3BMy co-authoring the article where =3B P. xanadu was described as a NEW species of Philodendron=2C and my second article also in Aroideana where I explained CLEARLY that P. xanadu was VERY different to P. bipinnatifidium=2C is said to have had implications. =3B The original patent which protected P. xanadu from being reproduced by any other method except by tissue culture=2C and sold ONLY by the patent-holders was issued because it was CLAIMED that P. xanadu originated from seed of P. bipinnatifidum=2C and therfor was just a DIFFERENT form/clone of P. bipinnatifidium=2C which ''justified'' the patent. I understand that the description of P. xanadu as a new species somehow cancelled the patent=2C BUT--I am NOT certain on this point!! =3B As I outlined in my recent article=2C the treatment with various chemicals during the ''tissue culture'' process (one to ''dwarf'' it=2C another to encourage multiple growth/clumping=2C etc.) renders the commercially available 3 gal. pot of P. xanadu almost unrecognizable if one compares it to an OLD plant which has been left to ''grow out'' from this treatment w/ chemicals! =3B This ''growing out'' may take years=2C up to 15 or more=2C or in some cases a certain single plant for unknown reasons may suddenly ''take off'' and grow larger=2C with the leaf blades/rear lobes greatly enlarged like any self respecting Meconostigma species of Philodendron SHOULD demonstrate! =3B =3B Sometimes IF one chooses a single =2C larger plant out of a group=2C and grows it by ITSELF=2C this may hasten the process. =3B If one is vigilant=2C one might be able to find a few or one plant in a bed of OLD P. xanadus which demonstrate this feature. =3B At this stage I also suspect that the larger commercially available Philodendron clone ''Showboat"" is just the same P. xanadu=2C but these plants have received no or MUCH less of the chemicals used in the production of P. xanadu. I had a rather unpleasant encounter with a Meconostigma afficionado at the Aroid meeting=2C he stopped JUST short of calling me a liar! =3B He claimed that P. xanadu NEVER ''grows out'' to demonstrate the ''normal' shape of the leaf blade=2C thet in his experience the rear lobes always remain ''reduced''=2C etc. =3B =3B I tried explaining to him that in my recent article=2C I published actual photos of two plants (Steve Lucas is presently growing one=2C Ron Weeks' great dog ''Luke'' made short work of the other!) which CLEARLY demonstrated that in OLD plants=2C taken out from a clump and left to grow over YEARS (15 +)=2C the plants actually grow larger=2C and the rear lobes DO in fact change and enlarge to the point that it radically changes the appearance of the plant=2C making it a ''normal'' Meconstigma sp. with leaf blades as would be expected in a species of the group. =3B His most unpleasant response was that I was the author=2C and that I was able to publish any photo I chose and say anything I wanted=2C that more or less I had published photos and information that were false! =3B Let me add that I have observed these changes in some individual plants in commercially planted beds of this species=2C rare=2C but there none the less! 'Nuf said. Good Growing. Julius Boos W.P.B.=2C FLORIDA Date: Wed=2C 30 Sep 2009 09:28:23 -0400 Subject: Xanadu 'Boos' From: dan.kistner@gmail.com To: ju-bo@msn.com Hello=2C I went to the Aroid Show and sale at Fairchild Gardens a couple of weekends ago and I purchased a Philodendron Xanadu 'Boos'. I was wondering if it were named that because of you. If not=2C disregard this email and accept my apologies for bothering you. If it is named 'Boos' for you=2C I wasn't sure exactly what made it different than any other xanadu? It isn't exactly the easiest plant to GOOGLE ha ha ha. Thank you for your time and I hope you can get me an answer. Thanks=2C Dan Kistner --_86d8ded3-ac67-4cf1-82e2-c9afad927489_----===============6043606557801540577==

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