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Echinacea 'Sunrise'

icotte
16 years ago

I know absolutely nothing about plant breeding. Last year I grew some seed from Echinacea Sunrise. All of the resulting plant's flowers reverted back to purple flowers with the exception of one plant that did grow yellow flowers. Will this yellow 'Son of Sunrise' be more likely to have yellow flowered offspring?

Comments (6)

  • maineman
    16 years ago

    Icotte,

    "Will this yellow 'Son of Sunrise' be more likely to have yellow flowered offspring?"

    Yes, it will be more likely. I see that you understand the probabilistic nature of plant breeding. So, if the seeds are selfed and not already crossed with a purple variety, you can increase your "odds" by growing a lot of seed from your Echinacea Sunrise. There is even a chance that you could get a better yellow Echinacea that way.

    By the way, did you see the blue Echinacea linked in EchinaceaManiac's message?

    MM

  • maineman
    16 years ago

    Icotte,

    It was correct when I said "you can increase your "odds" by growing a lot of seed from your Echinacea Sunrise" but I meant to say you can increase your "odds" by growing a lot of seed from the yellow seedling from your Echinacea Sunrise.

    You could also try back-crossing from any yellow seedlings to the yellow parent(s). If you get more than one yellow progeny from that yellow seedling, you could also try inter-crossing among them.

    And you can multiply your original yellow seedling and any yellow progeny from it by asexual reproduction and that can give you an even larger seed supply to help "beat the odds".

    MM

  • icotte
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Thanks so much maineman! I have been collecting seed from my 'son of sunrise' and I will grow them out and see what I get.

  • agent1xe13
    16 years ago

    >>Last year I grew some seed from Echinacea Sunrise. All of the resulting plant's flowers reverted back to purple flowers with the exception of one plant that did grow yellow flowers.In April of this year, I also started seeds I got from Sunrise. I have a couple of dozens of these seedlings that are starting to bloom now. The results I'm getting are completely different from that. The first one to open is all white, it looks like a small "White Swan", only about 18" high. I have 3 others that are very close to be fully opend and none of them show any signs that they will have pink shades in them, they will most likely be white or yellow as far as I can tell now on 24" plants.

    My Sunrise is grown very close to Art's Pride, Razzmatazz, Double Decker and White Swan. The bees did the pollination, not me, and I also started seeds fron all these plants as well except White Swan, none are close enough to bloom to tell what they are going to look like yet but the first ones should bloom within 2 weeks.

  • icotte
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Hi agent1xe13,

    I just saw your post. That's very interesting that you got different results. Are the flower petals completely opened? I have a few plants that the flowers started out looking like they were going to be yellow or white but as the petals got bigger/older they turned pinkish/purple. I also tried growing 'Mango' but all of those seedlings turned out pinkish/purple. All of my seed was obtained through trades. I would love to try some of your echinacea seeds. Want to trade? If so, see my seed trade list and email me at icotte2 at comcast dot net. Gardenweb does not seem to be forwarding my emails.

    Melba

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