Name: Steve San Diego Commercial cut flower grower
Em, I was hoping for "backwards". I don't hybridize Cactus types so maybe it is common to see a Single type Cactus bloom but I have never seen one. Crazy thinking, but with the two-color scheme of most Orchids applied to this, it would have to be displayed backwards with the calyx forming the center. That would be very unusual. Does this seedling always have 9 petals or does it vary?
LoveOverGoldd Aug 23, 2021 7:30 PM PDT
Name: Em Southeast King County, Washing
SteveM wrote:Em, I was hoping for "backwards". I don't hybridize Cactus types so maybe it is common to see a Single type Cactus bloom but I have never seen one. Crazy thinking, but with the two-color scheme of most Orchids applied to this, it would have to be displayed backwards with the calyx forming the center. That would be very unusual. Does this seedling always have 9 petals or does it vary?
There are currently two flowers open, one with 9 petals, one with 8 petals. Another flower is opening up but it's not open enough for me to see how many petals there are. The petals do always reflex back to the stem.
SteveM Aug 24, 2021 2:01 PM PDT
Name: Steve San Diego Commercial cut flower grower
That is very unusual. If the petal count stays at 8 or 9 I would keep it just because it is something I have never seen before. It seems to be a Single Cactus or a 'backwards' Orchid type. Extra points for the dark stem. If I kept it I don't know what I would cross it with - I would probably start with one of the many Orchid varieties with a light face and red reverse.
LoveOverGoldd Aug 24, 2021 4:26 PM PDT
Name: Em Southeast King County, Washing
SteveM wrote:That is very unusual. If the petal count stays at 8 or 9 I would keep it just because it is something I have never seen before. It seems to be a Single Cactus or a 'backwards' Orchid type. Extra points for the dark stem. If I kept it I don't know what I would cross it with - I would probably start with one of the many Orchid varieties with a light face and red reverse.
Interesting. Here's a photo of the bloom that is opening up. The petals start off short, then grow to their final length, then reflex back. This flower is in the middle stage, where the petals have grown to almost full length, but haven't reflexed yet. And yes, I've never seen more than 9 petals, and it's usually 8 petals.
SteveM Aug 25, 2021 8:37 AM PDT
Name: Steve San Diego Commercial cut flower grower
Strange...I would keep her and isolate with an Orchid to get a controlled cross. I have no idea what will come of it.
LoveOverGoldd Aug 25, 2021 9:12 PM PDT
Name: Em Southeast King County, Washing
SteveM wrote:Strange...I would keep her and isolate with an Orchid to get a controlled cross. I have no idea what will come of it.
I will go look for a suitable candidate for a cross, in that case! Thanks for the interesting perspective.
teddahlia Aug 26, 2021 1:00 PM PDT
Name: Ted Oregon We enjoy breeding new dahlias!
Margaret marked this open center flower to keep.
Paige Aug 26, 2021 2:17 PM PDT
Name: Paige Snohomish
Alright Ted, I'll bite. Why did Margaret mark this particular open-center as a keeper? Interesting foliage? Color? Potential cut? I'm always curious to know what y'all look for 🤓
teddahlia Aug 26, 2021 2:32 PM PDT
Name: Ted Oregon We enjoy breeding new dahlias!
She said it was a dahlia that looked like a sunflower. When you are evaluating flowers there is a long list of traits that need to be evaluated. This flower was tall and healthy looking, the flowers were of a nice size at 6-7 inches in diameter and had excellent stems. She liked the color too. Now as they say the "elephant in the room" is the open disc center. It is not just an open center but is a huge open center that does not pretend to be anything else. It does not look like a fully double flower that has gone open center. It looks like what they call a peony flower but they do not allow large flowers to be a peony.
It does look better before the pollen pops in the center.
Cosey Aug 26, 2021 2:51 PM PDT
Name: LeeAnn Zone 6b, Pennsylvania
Alright. Now this is something I would do. 😜
If you say this is a Cafe seedling I think the world might be ending.
In all seriousness, there are many people who will love this and this will be the flower that gets them hooked.
blown_dry Aug 26, 2021 3:10 PM PDT
Name: Amanda CA Redwood Coast - Zone 9b DahliaAddict.com
I do this. I ask myself, if this was a sunflower would I adore it. (The answer is always yes.)
Calif_Sue Aug 26, 2021 5:47 PM PDT
Cubits.org Site Admin
Name: Suzanne/Sue Sebastopol, CA. Zone 9a
Being inexperienced in what designates a good show dahlia, that is a beauty to my eye, I would definitely keep it, for all the reasons Margaret listed. And then I enlarged the photo and I adore those curly cues surrounding the center! Not sure if it does that every time or that's normal and not completely open but what an entertaining bloom!
SteveM Aug 26, 2021 8:40 PM PDT
Name: Steve San Diego Commercial cut flower grower
Ted, I remember the first dahlia show I entered in 1984. One of the old-time exhibitors took me under his wing and offered to show me one of his "secret" pointers for staging show dahlias with "blown" (open) centers. When he made sure no one else was watching, he pulled out a can of hair spray and lightly sprayed the front of the open-centered bloom. Then he quickly pinched the center petals together while the hair spray was still sticky. Voila!, no more open center! It's a little tip you might find useful when you are staging your new line of open-centered dahlias.
CCvacation Aug 31, 2021 10:52 PM PDT
Name: CC PA
teddahlia wrote:
The Wyoming varieties were bred by Loney Kennedy who died last year.
Sorry to hear it.
I got to know Loney at my first National Dahlia show... misread his tag and called him 'Loony' for half the day before I realized my mistake. He was a gent and ignored the unintended insult. We stayed in touch for a few years, chatting about family mostly, but dropped out of communication eventually.
teddahlia Sep 1, 2021 8:20 AM PDT
Name: Ted Oregon We enjoy breeding new dahlias!
Loney really loved his creation called Wyoming Wedding. It was intended to be a show flower and won a best seedling award in the beginning but later on, the show awards were not happening and that frustrated Loney. It really is a wonderful wedding flower. Since we shared the same last name we enjoyed calling each other "Cuz" despite the fact that if we were related it was so long ago that our joint ancestors were probably Neanderthals.
A few more are blooming. It's already the 1st of September and anxiously awaiting many more. We just had the 6th hottest August on record, so I'm sure that played a factor. We're expecting low 80's for the next 10 days or so. Hopefully that'll help.
Wyn's Pinking of You
AC Barney
Hollyhill Regal
Hollyhill Showtime
My Hero
Caribbean Fantasy
Frizzy Lizzie
Cabana Banana
Hollyhill Orange Ice
AC Rooster
teddahlia Sep 1, 2021 8:14 PM PDT
Name: Ted Oregon We enjoy breeding new dahlias!
Looks like your My Hero sported to bicolor.
teddahlia Sep 2, 2021 11:43 AM PDT
Name: Ted Oregon We enjoy breeding new dahlias!
Dirty lens on camera ruined a dozen photos and one short video. I washed it and and all is well now.
AndreaB Sep 2, 2021 12:07 PM PDT
Name: Andrea SE Michigan
Lots of hanging baskets! So many flowers on that geranium. Wow.
