Is it Philadelphia?

[Crazy for Crotons]

 

[Jeff Searle]

Where's Bob Alonzo when you need him? I'm still waiting on a promise he made to get over to my yard before early October. I need him to clear up some very interesting crotons before I put them out for sale come Oct. 2nd, 3rd and 4th.

 

[Crazy for Crotons]

Yes, we need Bob here.

 

[junglegal]

Was this one ever ID'd?

 

[Moose]

Bren - I had one and then killed it. Frankly I do not recall if it looked like this Photo. This photo actually resembles a Jean Frances Fascell to me.

 

[palmisland]

It doesn't look like the Philadelphia I have. I'll post a pic later.

 

[Jeff Searle]

It doesn't look like the Philadelphia I have. I'll post a pic later.

I agree, ( Randy, did you get your's from me?), it's a much smaller leaf, other than the colors don't look right. My plant was identified later from Bob Alonzo.
Jeff

 

[palmisland]

This Philadelphia is from Jeff last year. It needs to go in the ground & it's looked better. The second photo it is shown next to a Eugenia for scale. (not THAT kind of scale)

 

[Crazy for Crotons]

Lyratum and Philly are very similar. The colors are the same but one has larger lobes.

 

[fawnridge]

Does Philly come with chives and are we talking about the fat-free or the high test?

 

[Crazy for Crotons]

Bob mentioned to me that Philadelphia is a very consistent oak leaf and has little if any variability. The one in Jeff's picture has quite a bit of variation between leaves i.e. varying leaf length, shape, lobe size. That said, I've never seen Philadelphia in person so perhaps Jeff's plant is the real deal.

 

[palmisland]

Bob mentioned to me that Philadelphia is a very consistent oak leaf and has little if any variability. The one in Jeff's picture has quite a bit of variation between leaves i.e. varying leaf length, shape, lobe size. That said, I've never seen Philadelphia in person so perhaps Jeff's plant is the real deal.

Don't use mine as a perfect leaf shape. It was in the shade for a few months & then back in sun for a few. The original leaves were consistent in size & color. More shrub like.

 

[Crazy for Crotons]

Randy,

Philadelphia has some pink to the leaf underside. Check yours and that will help with an ID. Maybe you can throw an air layer on yours for me?

Ray

 

[palmisland]

Randy,

Philadelphia has some pink to the leaf underside. Check yours and that will help with an ID. Maybe you can throw an air layer on yours for me?

Ray

Ray, This is a different plant than the previous one. It has pinkish leaf undersides. Is this Philly?

 

[Crazy for Crotons]

No Philadelphia is more veined and has no real splotching. Again, these are notes I've taken from Bob. I've never actually seen the plant "in person".

 

[Moose]

What was the outcome? Were these Philadelphia ? If not does anyone have one that would like to post a photo. If I recall properly, the semi-oak shaped leaves were not very large on the one I killed ?

 

[Jeff Searle]

What was the outcome? Were these Philadelphia ? If not does anyone have one that would like to post a photo. If I recall properly, the semi-oak shaped leaves were not very large on the one I killed ?

For those of you that come to the November Croton Tour, I have a couple of decent size plants that Bob had named for me to see.

 

[palmisland]

This is the description from the WIKI. The photo is mine from this evening. The difference in the lobes is obvious.

Type Q, 2-1/2" x 7", - Generally one side lobe is pointed and the other rounded. Ground color is bright green. Generally the midrib is irregularly margined yellow and leaf dotted and splashed yellow. A very effective oak leaf. Never shows and red traits.

REF: Paper prepared by Wm. A. Geiger in collaboration with Mr. Christian of the Christian Nursery, Mr. Van der Lean and Mr. George L. Peacock. p.13.

Rather small, brilliant yellow leaves of oak leaf type.

REF: Reasoner's Tropical Nurseries inc, croton listing. Group 1, Common Varieties, p.2.

 

[Crazy for Crotons]

The last photo looks like an old variety named Craigii (see Albert Byrd Graf's book Exotica). Do not confuse that with Craigii Supreme. It's another old cultivar named Craigii. As Phil says, "Onward through the fog."