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| I saw one of the optimara space violets at pikes. The promise of constant, heavy bloom and easy to grow was so tempting ...but I ended up not getting one because I did not like the bloom color. A pale, dusty purple surrounded by ruffled white edges...I don't know...they looked like they were past their time even when they weren't. I remember the plant did not cost more than 10 dollars.
Well...then I saw other space AVs online, including Ever Glory. This one looks so much nicer and brighter, but then again - this is on the computer. I am so tempted to order one, but the ones optimara sells online through Selective Gardener are so pricey! 24 $ for a plant!. Besides, I don't even know whether the bright pink I see on the computer wold not be a pale, washed out color In reality, just like the one I saw in person at pikes. Also, I don't understand why pikes could sell them for so much less than what you have to pay online for them. Does anyone have extra info about the Everfloris line ? |
Follow-Up Postings:
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| Lots of people like the Everfloris Line. I've never grown them. Sometimes you find them on e-bay. |
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| They are not worth $24. They are good violets, but they do bloom about the same as the rest of them. Means- in perfect conditions - 10 months out of the year, poor conditions - once in 2 years. They are large, curly leaved and grow symmetrically if given space. |
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| I have grown a number of the space violets; I like them because of the ruffled foliage & mostly handsome blooms. I agree with Irina they are not worth more money than any other violet. As mentioned, they sometimes appear on Ebay. Around my area of central Indiana, Lowes (big box hardware/home center) carries Optimara violets often including the everfloris for reasonable prices. There are no name tags but you can usually pick out a space violet by its leaves alone. Watch out for thrips. . . they seem to accompany any violet found in these big box stores. Terri |
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| They are definitely large and very frilly violets. I have 2 and both bloom for about 10 months per year as mentioned above. They are very easy growing violets with little propensity to develop suckers in my experience. As far as aesthetics, that's 100% up to you, but I don't find any of the EverFloris line to be extremely vibrantly colored. They seem to all be somewhat dusty looking. I have found them at Lowe's from time to time for no more than any of their other large violets. They were in 6" pots so were more expensive than the usual 4" ones, but were the same price as all of the other non-EverFloris 6" violets. Mark |
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- Posted by Perle_de_Or Zone 7 (My Page) on Thu, Nov 1, 12 at 12:00
| My EverPraise is quite brilliant. My photo of it on the gallery does not do it justice. And it also doesn't show the pale green crinkled edging that is particularly prominent on the top two smaller petals. |
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| They are definitely not worth $24. Do not be in a hurry - sooner or later you will get hold of one and grow it to try. Lowes gets them every so often. They are a bit different - but not to throw away the rest. I grew several, even got the best AV on our local show with the pink one - EverYoung I think. Evergrace - the one with pale bleachy colored bloom - is actually incredibly floriferous - and holds the flowers forever because it has a green edge. Was not my preferred color. Selective Gardener actually sells "plugs" for $8, so if you just dying to have one - indulge - and get it out of your system. Just do not buy them all. They are pretty similar in appearance. |
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| I was just looking at these as well, and was about to ask about them. On selectivegardener.com they sell leaves you can root yourself. You get two leaves for $8, which is of course about double the price of regular AV leaves, but not a terrible investment if you just want to try them out, I think. So I want to try one at some point. But I have a question, which may seem really stupid, but I have to ask: Are the space violets just as non-toxic as regular AVs? I know they probably are, and like I said, the question is probably stupid, but I have three elderly cats who occasionally like to nibble houseplants, and I am very obsessive about making sure I have nothing remotely poisonous around. |
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| Brighid - do not call your questions stupid. EVER. The only way to make your AV or any other plant from the gesneriad family poisonous - is to apply pesticide to it. Good Luck Irina |
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| Thanks Irina, for your advice. I think I will eat them all! Just kidding! I heard they taste terrible. I was about to order a couple of the space violets from selectivegardner because they have plugs on sale, but then decided to just wait until spring since the summer shipping rate will make my order much cheaper, even without the plug sale. Anyway, Begonia, good luck to you with the space violets. Let us know what you think of them if you get one. I think they look beautiful in pictures that I've seen. Plus it would be kind of fun to say you have a mutant space violet, even if it isn't actually all that different. |
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| I think you who want them should just ask other members to send you leaves for postage. That's your cheapest route. I had one once, an $8 plug. It turned pale from too much light and never recovered. If you get some go easy on the lighting until you see how much they can handle. Some varieties can take more light than others. Mine was not one of those. |
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| I just picked up three 6-inch Optimara AVs at Lowes at $2 each...plants were tired and need TLC but were full leafed and not bad looking. Probably sold at this price because they were out of bloom and a new shipment came in to take their place... |
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