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Scaevola aemula - Fairy Fan Flower
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Posted by zensojourner (My Page) on Sat, Sep 1, 07 at 16:58
| I understand this is a plant native to Australia - we've not been able to locate seed here in the US, but I'm told it can be grown from cuttings.
Any advice about how to take cuttings, collect seeds or find a seed supplier, or on how to move it indoors when the cold weather hits would be very much appreciated. We love this plant.
Sojourner |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Scaevola aemula - Fairy Fan Flower
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| Zen, Cuttings will strike very easly from firm, spring/summer growth. Propagation by seed is notoriously difficult in the horticultural industry in Australia. To solve the cold climate question, they make an excellent hanging basket specimen. I've used them on many occasions such as this. I'm not too sure about where to source them in USA. Cheers, Jim |
RE: Scaevola aemula - Fairy Fan Flower
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| Well we're starting into fall here. The only instructions I could find about cuttings said to take cuttings only if there were no flowers, and this thing (which is in a hanging basket) flowers like a maniac - that's why we (my neighbor and I, it's actually his plant but I water and care for all our plants) like it so much. Could you give me any more information about trying to move it indoors or trying to take cuttings? Thanks. Sojourner |
RE: Scaevola aemula - Fairy Fan Flower
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| I have grown other scavolas from cuttings, they strike fairly easily. Here is a site that might be useful. Good luck,
Marshall |
Here is a link that might be useful: Might be useful
RE: Scaevola aemula - Fairy Fan Flower
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| They'll strike from cuttings with or without flowers on the bush. The flowers being on the bush will hinder your strike rate to a small extent, but not drastically. You could propagate them in Autumn, they'll just take a bit longer to put roots out is all. The process you want to follow for cuttings is pretty simple. Take your cutting material from healthy parts of the plant in the morning before the sun comes up. From your cutting material, select stems about 100mm long from the tips of the plant. Cut just below a bud - this is where the roots will grow from. Tip prune your cutting, this will make a bushier start to the new growth when it gets underway. In a 150mm pot you'll easily fit 10-15 cuttings. Trim the lower leaves of the cutting (about half the cutting), I don't tend to strip them off the stem as you can take the meristematic tissue with it inadvertantly and spoil your chances outright. Use rooting hormone of one type or another, then push the cutting into propagation mix (both available at any nursery). Water in well, don't let it dry out (important!), keep them warm (and humid if possible), and in 4 to 6 weeks you'll have new plants. May be longer in the winter. Then divide and pot-on! I've never grown or seen them being grown indoors, but I don't see why it wouldn't work as long as they get adequate sunlight, warmth and water over the colder months. Good luck! Jim |
RE: Scaevola aemula - Fairy Fan Flower
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| We have a number of different forms of Sacevola that I am aware of and in our warm Western Australian climate they grow really easily from cuttings. I have made my cuttings near nodes and covered them over with soil and kept them moist and they have easily grown. That being said, there is a pink form with a different shaped leaf and a rounded flower from South Australia and it hasn't been easy to grow successfully here in my garden. It does really well in the spring and early summer but must be kept really moist in summer or it will easily die. There are some other scaevolas that grow taller and some that are a white form and they seem to grow fairly easily as well. |
RE: Scaevola aemula - Fairy Fan Flower
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| We have a number of different forms of Scaevola that I am aware of and in our warm Western Australian climate they grow really easily from cuttings. I have made my cuttings near nodes and covered them over with soil and kept them moist and they have easily grown. That being said, there is a pink form with a different, rounded shaped leaf and a beautiful deep, pink flower from South Australia and it hasn't been easy to grow successfully here in my garden. It does really well in the spring and early summer but must be kept really moist in summer or it will easily die. There are some other scaevolas that grow taller and some that are a white form and they seem to grow fairly easily as well. |
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