Nice! Marcia. You got a winner.
Felix

Thanks, Felix. I think it is really pretty. I've potted it up in a bigger container and have it sitting on a tree stump to give it plenty of room to "weep."

Will post another picture tomorrow. Still hoping someone knows which russelia it is.

Marcia

I don't know which one it is, but I sure like it!

I like it too! Did you find it at Organized Jungle or Palmers on Corrine?

Marcia! I must have it! Please take cuttings and propagate - propagate - propagate!!!
Kat

marcia, i think it's sarmentosa, and that what you have id'd as sarmentosa is actually rotundifolia.

Here is a link that might be useful: russelias at daves

Actually, Ill, you have pointed me right to the answer I was seeking, but it isn't what you were thinking, this time. Here is russelia sarmentosa (from Dave's Garden pics), which is what I already had, and what I got from you. Sarmentosa is definitely the one with the larger leaves, and the flowers have a near-black calyx. The flowers also seem to encircle the stem (like lion's mane), which isn't the case with rotundifolia.

Here is another picture of russelia sarmentosa, full plant.

And here is a picture of russelia rotundifolia, also from Dave's Garden. (The landscaper I got the new plant from told me it was very hard to find down here and that it was not the same as sarmentosa.)

This is my new plant! I'm so happy to know what it is. It has tiny, VERY round leaves, where the sarmentosa (which I have lots of pics of) has bigger, pointier leaves. Plus the black coloration around the flowers really makes sarmentosa stand out.

The rotundifolia is much daintier and more open in habit, and the flowers seem larger. They aren't placed on the stem the same way either.

I know you meant it the other way around, but I'm positive the new plant is rotundifolia from the pictures I found on Dave's Garden. Thanks for giving me a name to go by, though. I would NEVER have figured it out otherwise.

Marcia

Sorry, Ill - I just read through my post again, and I didn't mean to sound so smartypants about my discovery! I was really just trying to say that after looking at both sarmentosa and rotundifolia, I came to a different conclusion than you. Hope I didn't offend you in my excitement. I'm just so happy to have an answer that feels right to me, based on the photos I found. And I would never have found them if you hadn't pointed me in that direction. Take another look and see if you feel any differently about them. If not, that's okay, too. But I really think I'm on the right track now.

Marcia

Well I see why you had to have it - it's beautiful! I wouldn't have been able to pass it up either. Glad you got it identified!
~Betsy

marcia, i'd be an insufferable hypocrite if i didn't enjoy smartypants. i'm sure you're right here -- i've not examined my russelia's leaves closely, and always just assumed that the tag that came with the plant from bioscape was right... but even pros can get ids wrong. i think i recall tracy @ seminole springs telling me that the russelia had come originally from her gardens, and that she knew it wasn't rotundifolia.

you can make amends for your smartypantsiness by giving me cuttings of the new russelia!

I've been studying my latin plant names, with Marcia's encouragement, to improve my chronic problem with remembering the names of my plants. In this case, "rotundifolia" certainly makes sense. Those leaves are certainly round so it's very descriptive. Actually, I'm thinking this wouldn't be a bad idea with people either and I'm considering changing my name to Solstice Rotundifolia!

Kate

Hehehehe...You are so nice, Michael! I got MY big plant from Biosphere, too, and that's the one I know is sarmentosa. It wasn't tagged, and Jim didn't tell me anything about it, though, or I would have believed him, too. However, I researched the big one quite a bit after I got home, and determined it was sarmentosa. At that time, I was just trying to figure it out as opposed to equisetifolia (firecracker), and didn't even know there were others. Now I know there are LOTS and LOTS of others, so...easy for it to be mislabeled at Jim's.

I'm so happy to have the new rotundifolia, and when you see it, you will know immediately why it is called that. The landscaper told me that 1) it's hard to find and 2) it roots anywhere it touches the ground, so I should be able to make cuttings of it soon. It's still pretty small, but I think it will grow fast.

Now, in addition to collecting salvias (and for me, coleus), we will have to collect russelias, too. I saw a list of about 75 of them on one site, but no pictures, which is why I didn't know where to start in tracking down this one. I should have gone straight to Dave's Garden from the get-go. There is so much info there!

I'll be making you some cuttings before long!

Marcia (PS...as I look at rotundifolia this morning, it looks like as more flowers open, they, too, will encircle the stem like sarmentosa does. Always something new to learn!)

Haha, Kate! I like your idea! Of course, with ME, it's more than my folia that's rotund! I'm glad you are getting interested in Latin names. I TRY, but lordy, there are so many to learn!! And a lot of them are NOT as easy as rotundifolia! In your studies, did you come across what "sarmentosa" means? Might help us remember which is which.

Also, there is a great little book out called Latin For Gardeners, I think, and it is filled with Latin plant names and the definitions, so you can remember them more easily. It's a terrific book! That's where I learned that angustifolia means narrow-leafed, so just the opposite of rotundifolia. So interesting!

Kat, I will make you some cuttings, too. Poor little plant. Doesn't know we are already planning to hack it to pieces! ha!

Marcia

Marcia~ Thanks! You have a little surprise (albeit goofy) coming. Will you be seeing Nicki soon? (you know I am a bit goofy~right?)
Kat

You?? Goofy????? Oh, say it ain't so!

I hope to see Nicki in the next couple of weeks, anyway. She's been really busy, and I've been working outside every weekend, so we haven't done our normal Chick Flick Sundays, but we're DUE! Can't wait to see what you mean!!

Marcia