Anthurium sp? 'Crystal Hope'

From: Denis denis at skg.com> on 2001.01.05 at 13:53:56(5809) Dear Lester: Anthurium Crystall Hope was an Ball Seed Company attempt to produce an Anthurium crystallinum that was suitable for pot plant production.(Good Idea) It was compact and well suckered with beautifully veined leaves. Ball Seed Company never told us whether the plant is a hybrid or a sport from some species in that Cardiolonchium Group. I tried growing it as a horticultural item several years back. The first large crop of them I got came down with a mysterious systemic infection called Fusarium semitecum (The University pathologist got very excited over this and wanted more samples.) Ball Seed blamed it on the grower who contract grew the liners for them. After growing subsequent crops of this plant, I realized it just had a genetic defect which I seen in other Anthuriums over the years. It over-suckered because it lacked Apical dominance and produced side-shoot after side-shoot expending all its stored energy on new growth without storing up any energy reserves and building a strong single plant. This left Crystall Hope very vulnerable to every Fungal Pathogen which came down the Pike. I discontinued growing it after that first year as I could not produced a consistant profitable crop when 25% of the plant died form disease and the customers complained that the plants they received died form an mystery disease shortly after arriving at their facility. This over-suckering thing I have seen in my Pachyneurium (Bird's Nest) types and in my Clarinervium seedlings on occassion. It prevents the plant from making a strong single plant that makes mature leaves leaving you with a mound of juvenile foliage and plantlets all competing with each other for light and fertilizer. A little branching is good... a lot is perhaps too much to be good. In short Lester, it's not you it's the Plant. If it were me I'd quit while I was ahead, you can continue to fight with it if you wish. As for me I am now growing clarinervium and crystallinum from seed. That has its own set of problems. Denis +More Silver Krome Gardens Homestead Florida Lester Kallus wrote: > > I'm doing well with most of my Anthurium except for one: "Crystal > Hope". I've tried it a couple times now. I've planted it in the same > medium as the other Anthurium. The others thrive. "Crystal Hope" gets the > dwindles and loses leaf after leaf. > > I keep it in my greenhouse which has moderately high humidity, day time > temperatures of 72 on cloudy days to high 80s on sunny days. Night time > temperatures can dip down to 65. It gets some bright light with occasional > bits of dappled NY winter sunlight. > > Does anyone have experience with it? I don't see any infestations or signs > of fungus. Does it need more water, less water, higher temperatures, lower > temperatures, more light, less light, different ownership, exorcism? I'd > appreciate any advice. > > Les

From: magrysbo at shu.edu on 2001.01.05 at 17:09:58(5810) Looks like a genetic defect in some control element. A mutation in the promotor or enhancer region of an enzyme producing/controlling release of the apical dominance hormone (IAA?), possibly tissue specific. Artificial application of hormone may treat the problem. Bonaventure Magrys +More Denis @mobot.org on 01/05/2001 08:54:11 AM Please respond to aroid-l@mobot.org Sent by: aroid-l@mobot.org To: Multiple recipients of list AROID-L cc: Subject: Re: Anthurium sp? 'Crystal Hope' Dear Lester: Anthurium Crystall Hope was an Ball Seed Company attempt to produce an Anthurium crystallinum that was suitable for pot plant production.(Good Idea) It was compact and well suckered with beautifully veined leaves. Ball Seed Company never told us whether the plant is a hybrid or a sport from some species in that Cardiolonchium Group. I tried growing it as a horticultural item several years back. The first large crop of them I got came down with a mysterious systemic infection called Fusarium semitecum (The University pathologist got very excited over this and wanted more samples.) Ball Seed blamed it on the grower who contract grew the liners for them. After growing subsequent crops of this plant, I realized it just had a genetic defect which I seen in other Anthuriums over the years. It over-suckered because it lacked Apical dominance and produced side-shoot after side-shoot expending all its stored energy on new growth without storing up any energy reserves and building a strong single plant. This left Crystall Hope very vulnerable to every Fungal Pathogen which came down the Pike. I discontinued growing it after that first year as I could not produced a consistant profitable crop when 25% of the plant died form disease and the customers complained that the plants they received died form an mystery disease shortly after arriving at their facility. This over-suckering thing I have seen in my Pachyneurium (Bird's Nest) types and in my Clarinervium seedlings on occassion. It prevents the plant from making a strong single plant that makes mature leaves leaving you with a mound of juvenile foliage and plantlets all competing with each other for light and fertilizer. A little branching is good... a lot is perhaps too much to be good. In short Lester, it's not you it's the Plant. If it were me I'd quit while I was ahead, you can continue to fight with it if you wish. As for me I am now growing clarinervium and crystallinum from seed. That has its own set of problems. Denis Silver Krome Gardens Homestead Florida Lester Kallus wrote: > > I'm doing well with most of my Anthurium except for one: "Crystal > Hope". I've tried it a couple times now. I've planted it in the same > medium as the other Anthurium. The others thrive. "Crystal Hope" gets the > dwindles and loses leaf after leaf. > > I keep it in my greenhouse which has moderately high humidity, day time > temperatures of 72 on cloudy days to high 80s on sunny days. Night time > temperatures can dip down to 65. It gets some bright light with occasional > bits of dappled NY winter sunlight. > > Does anyone have experience with it? I don't see any infestations or signs > of fungus. Does it need more water, less water, higher temperatures, lower > temperatures, more light, less light, different ownership, exorcism? I'd > appreciate any advice. > > Les

From: Lester Kallus lkallus at earthlink.net> on 2001.01.05 at 21:45:54(5811) Actually, it does sort of look like a fungus. The leaves brown on the edge and then brown increasingly until they become so disfigured that removal is the only option. +More Would any anti-fungal sprays be of any benefit? If so, which easily accessed commercial fungicide would help? I can easily break off the top of the side shoots to leave the central plant without competition. I'd like to give this one last try before I totally give up. I do find it reassuring, though, that I'm not a total clod in my attempts to grow the plant. Les

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