Hibiscus International #17 Part#1-1

From The President's Desk

Year 2003 is now fast approaching to a close and so it is too with our last issue of Hibiscus International for the year. The Christmas 2003 Hibiscus International issue promises to be even more colorful than all previous releases, this keeping with the festive mood of the season. Even so, the last ten months has been a period of time which has ushered in changes and new developments for our Society.

INDEX

The passing of the baton by Mr. Jim Purdie (Left photo) involving the post of President was completed in September of this year. The Board wishes to recognize and commend Jim highly for his leadership, initiative and many valuable contributions he undertook at the helm of IHS. The IHS membership roll now stands at about and boasts of a demographic profile which includes members from India, Greater Asia, Europe and the Mediterranean, Australia, the Pacific Island group, North and South America including the Caribbean.

These significant statistics are bolstered through the medium of cyberspace that allows almost instantaneous communications and sharing of information between members from all parts of our world. The IHS is unique in this particular sense because it brings together a global family of hibiscus lovers and enthusiasts. It allows people from all walks of life to communicate their experiences, thoughts and ideas with counterparts living thousands of miles away.

The IHS also has a robust and vibrant character as gleaned from the thousands of communications exchanged between members through its eGroup List. Lively exchanges range from structured to spontaneous topics and spilling over, at times, to IHS website chat rooms. Its official website continually remakes itself by introducing significant innovations, the latest of which is the Global Hibiscus Library section developed by IHS Webmaster - Mr. Joseph Dimino (Left photo).

Another significant initiative nearing completion is the IHS Seedling of the Year (SOTY) Program which is viewed currently as a precursor for the IHS Hibiscus of the Year (HOTY) Program which is discussed more below.

The HOTY committee consisting of: Dick Johnson as Chairman; Carlos C. Quirino, Jr.; Jim Purdie; Richard Mansbridge; Jean François Giraud; and, Curt Sinclair. This committee has proposed a two-step HOTY program that has been approved by the IHS Board of Directors. Basically, it consists of utilizing the Seedling categories of the TPC as the pre-selection mechanism for an IHS HOTY. The 3 winners in both the Seedling and Mini Seedling category of the each of the 3 TPC's, reduced to the top 50% by the final vote of the general membership, will be evaluated by a panel of HOTY Judges based on the photos alone to select what will be known as the IHS SOTY (Seedling Of The Year) Winner. The SOTY winner and four runners-up will go into a three year program of growing trials to determine which of these most beautiful seedlings is also the best regarding the parameters considered under trialing. The HOTY panel of judges initially consists of: Ed Reynolds (AmHS Sr. Judge); Richard Mansbridge (AuHS judge); Jean Françoise Giraud (past commercial grower and hybridizer); and, Dick Johnson (hybridizer). They will base their evaluations and decisions upon a point system designed to quantify the best of seedlings (SOTY) and the eventual (HOTY). Judges may not vote on entries of their own seedlings.

This program is unique in that it permits members themselves to pre-select the best of new hybrid tropical hibiscus seedlings, which qualified judges and experienced growers then evaluate to determine those considered of HOTY quality. Significantly, this permits new seedlings from anywhere in the world to be considered. In other words, any one (hybridizer or grower of seed) who is an IHS member or affiliate can enter their seedlings, without having to present them at geographical locations on a specific date. This should remove any restrictions so that all potential HOTY quality seedlings can receive worthy consideration.

Hibiscus International No.17 will also be the last one issue of this year, covering the last two months of November and December. For Year 2004 onwards, the official publication of IHS will return to a normal calendar quarter release date schedule. But because it also involves a major effort to gather material to produce an issue of high quality and depth, I call upon all IHS members to actively contribute articles and other related material.

The function of the Editor only involves assembling information, material and topics of interest which benefits all members of our Society and cannot satisfy that objective without active participation from its own members. So please do your share with contribution.

To one and all, I wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. May the peace of rearing and caring for hibiscus reign in your daily lives !

Since my last report the BOD have had to consider a number of issues, some simple and some of a more contentious nature. These should have remained in the board room, but unfortunately overflowed on to the List, and beyond.

The Board suffered a casualty, our President, Mr. Jim Purdie due to stress related matters. During Jim's 15 month presidency he led the IHS forward with great skill and introduced many new items of interest, Topic of the Week, Query of the Week, how does a particular plant grow in you garden etc. and skillfully managed the TPC and our membership increased considerably. I will not go over these matters as they happened, as they are now closed and we have moved on.

The Vice President, Mr. Carlos C. Quirino Jr. has once again stepped in to fill the vacancy, this time as IHS President, to serve out the remaining 9 months term, Thank you Carlos.

The BOD has agreed to accept photo entries and voting in the Trimestral Photo Contest from IHS Affiliates. The BOD has also agreed the SOTY/ HOTY will go ahead. A panel of Judges has been appointed, they are to make a final selection of the grand champions that will go into the SOTY (Seedling of the Year). The IHS Hibiscus Odyssey CD sales have fallen off recently. I can recommend this CD to our new members. It is a really incredible and ingenious piece of work assembled by our Web Master, Mr. Joseph Dimino. Richard Johnson has started an interesting new item he calls - Garden Standouts and has been very well received. Finally, our IHS Treasury Funds are $871.40 USD. Credit. Best Wishes to all our Members ! Richard.

A face that goes along with a bloom is the subject of an interesting piece written by Gloria White (photo at right) on Ed and his lovely wife, Jane Flory. No, this sweet couple and lovers of hibiscus did not produce the cultivar, 'Ed Flory'. It was named after him by their friends and fellow hybridizers, Russell and Elaine Scobey, who dusted Elderberry with Angel's Kiss pollen to produce it.

Geoff Harvey's series on hibiscus hybridization continues in this issue with its third installment covering the subject applied genetics. It is a section of his long article which explains the basic mechanics behind breeding and selection and goes on to identify some 16 traditional top favorite seedpod setters favored by hybridizers in the recent past such as All Aglow, Crimson Ray, Surfrider and Topaz Glory to name just a few.
This issue's 'From The Archives' section is based on Ross H. Gast's article titled "Hibiscus rosa-sinensis: Its Roots" and supplements Mr. Harvey's series by delving back into the history of hibiscus rosa-sinensis hybridization. It lists several cross-compatible species like H. schizopetalus, H. liliflorus, H. boryanus, H. stockii, H. arnottianus, H. Kokio, and H. denisonii as some of the progenitors of today's modern cultivars some based on records of Charles Telfair of Mauritius that go as far back as 1810.

This issue also features a photographic collection of the AmHS Hibiscus of the Year winners from 1971 to 2002. The photo gallery exhibits the complete line up of all 32 cultivars who have won the AmHS HOTY Award thanks largely to the contributions of several individuals including Chris Noble, Richard Johnson and the AmHS. A rare photograph of Firecracker, the 1981 AmHS HOTY winner was submitted by Mr. Randy Cox to complete the whole set.

Life imitates Art ! A beautiful digitally-rendered artwork titled: 'Lady in Red' is a creation by Illeana Frometa Grillo of Caracas, Venezuela. It is dis-played in this issue not only for its exotic compositional value but also because it features what appears to be a red single hibiscus with a bright yellow eye complementing the pretty model used in Ms. Grillo's composition which is set amidst a tropical South American garden background.

Caring for hibiscus using stakes is masterfully tackled by Jim Purdie (photo at left with his better half, Ruth) in the Culture Notes section in Part 2 of this issue. Many insightful tips on the imporance and benefits of staking your hibiscus plants are provided by 'Gentleman Jim' who easily distills his decades of experience with clear staking procedures. You also will be surprised to discover that Jim recycles the most mundane materials for his staking regimen and that the extra stakes he has positioned around his plants facing his driveway in Brisbane are there not only to support his collection of hibiscus cultivars but really to help stop the paperman from breaking any plants when Jim's daily papers sail through to his doorstep every morning. Good thinking, Jim !

The following piece titled: 'Are You A Hybridizer Or A Selector', is from our European hibiscus expert -- Jean Francois Giraud. JFG, as he is better known to many of us, contributes much depth and a better understanding and appreciation of hibiscus cultiv-ation methods employed in Europe. What's more is that JFG clearly explains, in minute detail, the objectives and criterion employed by growers in this part of our world.

Moving forward, our good friend from Glasshouse Mountains, Australia, Allan Little -- the Australian Hybridizer of the Year Award winner for 2003, shares with us his own insights as a hybridizer from Down Under in this issue's I.M.H.O. section. To better appreciate the results of one's pollinating efforts before sprinkling any pollen dust around, Allan (photo at left with Wahine [Harvest Moon (x) Hot Mustard]) recommends first studying the genealogies of all plants used for a breeding program as a useful guide to managing expectations and better outcomes. Allan also cites a few cultivars he uses which are known to be prolific bloomers in addition to those with good growth characteristics as being part of his winning 'formula'.

Another exposure on the subject of art and hibiscus is featured in Part 2 of this issue. It is a digital reproduction of a 1915 portrait in oil of Madame Fernanda de Jesus by Fernando Amorsolo one of the great masters of Phil-ippine Art. Polishing off the second part of this issue is a photo gallery exhib-iting a collection of 48 European hibiscus rosa-sinensis cultivars largely from photos submitted by our European members Françoise Levavasseur, Jean-Francois Giraud and also, Richard Johnson of Tahiti.

A very colorful two-part Special Supplement surprise titled: "Tahiti !" also comes as another highlight for our Christmas 2003 issue of Hibiscus International. This supplement selectively features the many hibiscus hybrids arising from the busy hands of a man whom this Editor calls the 'Titan of Tahiti' - Richard 'Dick' Johnson.
Dick's delights are deliciously displayed with an 86-photo spread that also includes a view looking out from atop a promontory over another island pearl in Dick's Pacific Ocean paradise. As an added bonus, Dick also shares his own experiences and insights as a hi-biscus hybridizer.
Well, what are you waiting for? Read on and enjoy yourself!

By: Gloria White

When you attend an American Hibiscus Society show, you see many named blooms. A lot of these blooms carry the name of a person and I was always curious what the real Ruth Watson looked like. Well, in 2002, at the AHS convention, I finally saw the real Woody and Ruth Watson. Many hybridizers name their blooms after their family members or make a statement with a name like A-May-Zing, Fifth Dimension, Dragon's Breath. Did you ever wonder what Ed Flory really looked like? Well, I finally got to see the face that went along with the bloom, and met his wife, Jane and the bloom that carries her name.

Ed and Jane Flory (photo, left inset below) are native Floridians. Jane got an early start in hibiscus due to her mother's love of the flower back in the 1930's. Jane grew up with hibiscus and brought the love of the flower along to her marriage to Ed in 1949. They married in New York and then moved to Dallas where they tried to grow hibiscus unsuccessfully.

They finally moved to Winter Haven, Florida, where they attended a show being held by the now defunct Ridge Chapter of the American Hibiscus Society. They joined the Chapter soon after that show in 1982, and have been active members ever since. They are collectors with their 75 varieties.

When they showed they had 6-7 winners. Now they attend shows as senior judges, which they have been doing since 1984. The Ridge Chapter folded when many of the members passed away and the Flory's are now Members-At-Large.

The bloom named after Ed Flory and Jane Flory (photo, left inset) were hybridized by their friends Russell and Elaine Scobey. The Flory's tried their hand at hybridizing and produced the following hybrids: Little Jane (which no longer exists), Yellow Bow and Floryda.

Ed was President of the Ridge Chapter a couple of times and was Parliamentarian, Budget Committee member, Chairman of the Board (2000-02), National Director and on the By-Laws committee. Jane has held the title of Chaplain, secretary, and Editor of the Chapter's newsletter News from the Ridge (1984-89).

One thing you did not know about Jane is that she was in a part in the 1960's movie staring Ann Margaret called State Fair. She said we would have to watch the movie together for me to spot her in the pictures. I now call her Starlet ! And Ed is a sweet man. The Flory's will charm you with their honesty and humor. I am glad I had the chance to meet them in person.