Catha "Khat"

[waterboy 2.0]

I can say that that dark red one is coming from a different genetic base than what has previously been seen.

I have been raising a few more reds (and greens) of these from seed from interesting sources, and noting the traits emerging.

It is a fascinating plant for the subtle diversity it shows in growth form alone.

But with that dark red one as Planthelper notes, I believe is driven by my cooler climate - BUT it still holds it out during the warmer months.

[shortly]

I thought all ethnobotanicals were ornamental, just with the added bonus of being useful as well.

[whitewind]

Well yes, to us they are quite beautiful, but try explaining that to the big nurseries. Especially when you add in toxicity and the potential for "abuse" then most of the shit we grow is a no-go for the vast majority of gardens.

Besides, who wants to grow a boring green shrub when you can grow Lomandra neatly alongside your paving slabs? The state of the horticultural industry in this country is a fucking disgrace.

[shortly]

The state of the horticultural industry in this country is a fucking disgrace.

 

But our horticultural industry is in great shape, uniformity is awesomeness after all

and i kinda enjoy sitting down with the kids & watching ppls faces as we eat the Lomandra mmmmmm just like fresh peas

[whitewind]

There's a little dwarf one called Tanika specially developed for the food industry, pea green, very uniform shoots.

[planthelper]

hi!

i add a pic of one of my red narrow leaved plants, which turned black, so it can be compared to the red broad leaved specimen, which turned black, posted by waterboy.

i guess, if a catha turns blackish, that this process is a bit comparable to, how leaves turn redish, when autom/ winter arrives (a sign of cold weather?)

[waterboy 2.0]

Does that colour hold all year Planthelper?, or just under the cold conditions. Mine holds that colour all year, and is distinctive from the other red variants I have.

Edited July 31, 2012 by waterboy

[PhoenixSon]

send a cutting to me and i could prove if it's genetics or enviroment!

would turn dark red in a month or two or not..

have a red to compare it to aswell

pretty please

actually after a narrow leaved and any PH strains that are around.

aus must have the most varied catha genetic pool as in their home countries cuttings are the go?

also nothing better making a plant that is recognized by some to be confused into not knowing what you have in your front yard.

Edited July 31, 2012 by spacemonk

[klip247]

Here are a few shots of my NL edulis, the leaves are red in many places, it was left in the shade for some time.

Edited August 1, 2012 by klip247

[planthelper]

nice one, klip!

is this specimen grown from seed?

anyway, because my hybreed seeds produced such a big variety of plants, i try to classify them as followes:

check out the mature leaves shape = broad or narrow

check out serration of the leaves = coarse or fine serration

check out stem color = green/white or pink or red/ purple

check out mature leaves color = green/white or pink or red/purple

check out veins in mature leaves = green/white or pink or red/purple

check out inmature (tip) leaves for glazed caramel colors = creamy pink or darker pink or deep red/purple

the above plant looks like a red narrow leaved, but i can't see any glazed caramel tip leaves, so maybe it falls a bit short, or the plant hasn't produced those tips yet.

for example some seedlings are, narrow leaved, have red veins and stems, but will maybe not produce as much (and as deep colors) caramel glazed tips as the original red.

Edited August 1, 2012 by planthelper

[klip247]

Cheers planthelper, she's a pretty tough plant, im wondering if I should fertilize come spring? I bought this plant from SAB a year or so ago, when I first got her, the stems were redish but the leaves were bright light green, its only recently that the leaves have started to turn red matching the stems.