I've always thought that I only had two varieties of red shrimp plant - winter blooming (ugly) with the burgundy tongue and summer blooming with the white tongue.


A recent closer look revealed that one of them was sort of a cross between the two.


Today, I noticed a fourth one with yellow flowers.


I would have to believe that these last two were created in my yard because it's been a long time since I've purchased one or brought any new ones into my yard.

Steve Backes
Valrico, FL (east of Tampa)
http://mysite.verizon.net/resu64md/yardhummers/

Lucky you, but all look great, Steve. I guess what I have then, is the summer blooming with the white tongue.I will have to look for the one with the burgundy tongue.
BTW, do you think there will be any hummingbirds in Florida at the end of this month? Or will they be visiting up north? We will be there and I had hoped to see some...

Patricia,

I'll still have a few around. It depends on where you're going to be. By May, they'll be uncommon south of Tampa but they'll be regular in the areas where they breed to the north of me. Anything is possible.

Steve Backes
Valrico, FL (east of Tampa)
http://mysite.verizon.net/resu64md/yardhummers/

Steve, I will definitely take note of your contact info, in case we are in your area. I know we plan to visit a couple of the fruit wineries in your area....

Patricia,

Keel and Curley Winery is about 10 miles away in Plant City if you're interested in blueberry wine. I've not been there so I really can't give a recommendation.
Their Webpage is at:http://www.keelandcurleywinery.com/

Steve Backes
Valrico, FL (east of Tampa)
http://mysite.verizon.net/resu64md/yardhummers/

Steve, I meant to respond to this thread earlier, but I lost track of it. I have never had the 'regular' Shrimp Plant that has the white lip with purple spots, but have grown several other types including the orange-lipped Justicia fulvicoma, and 'Fruit Cocktail' that has a cherry-red lip and lime green bracts. The 'ugly' Shrimp Plant with its maroon bracts and buff-colored flowers that have dusty pink lips grows exuberantly in several places around the yard.

Several years ago, I noticed shrimps near one particular patch with different colored bracts and flowers. Lip colors varied from ivory to mauve while the bracts were paler than usual. Several were quite lovely.

I tried isolating those 'interesting' plants, but space constraints eventually made that plan impractical. Other plants, growing even more exuberantly overgrew the new colors and those plants were lost.

Yours are indeed lovely, especially the one with the pink lip. Keep them separate and propagate them well.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Nancy L Newfield
Casa Colibrí
Metairie, Louisiana USA
USDA Zone 9

Nancy I have been waiting for you to reply to this post. Thanks.

Dianne
Southeast Alabama
Heat Zone 8
Sunset Zone 31

Steve - Just lovely and oh my so tempting...if only I lived down south (but maybe I could try just one..) OH OH!.,..Yeah I too have been waiting Dianne for Nancy to respond...

Carol
Milford, CT
Zone 6

Both of these "new" variations have shown a strong will to survive.

The pink lipped one was found growing at least 20 feet from any other shrimp plants in the yard. It's in a very shaded corner of the yard by my compost piles. It's been there for a while in a patch of unwanted overgrown ferns. It was when I finally got around to yanking up the ferns, that I discovered it was different. I could have easily pulled it out with the ferns and never noticed its unique look. That likely happened to at least half of the plant. I've now removed all of the ferns around it and I'm watering it regularly (unless the water police are reading this). Now I have to hope I don't kill it with kindness.

The yellow lipped one has a similar story. I allowed a Baccharis halimifolia to grow in the middle of my "lawn" in the backyard after my old Rufous took a liking to one in another area of the yard during hurricanes Francis and Jeanne. That one died around the time this one started growing big enough to id. I thought she might like it so I started mowing around it and let it grow. A couple of shrimp plants started growing around it but I was not too careful and eventually, I thought they were all gone. Apparently, this one survived. A closer look at it revealed that it had grown along the ground, under the grass for over a foot before turning up at the base of the baccharis. It's essentially growing in the bush and that's how it has managed to survive.

I'll have to watch all of my plants a little closer now. If I don't find seeds, I can at least start cuttings.

Steve Backes
Valrico, FL (east of Tampa)
http://mysite.verizon.net/resu64md/yardhummers/

"If I don't find seeds, I can at least start cuttings."

Steve, the only way to be sure to replicate a plant like that is to start cuttings. Seeds won't necessarily give you the same nice pink lip.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Nancy L Newfield
Casa Colibrí
Metairie, Louisiana USA
USDA Zone 9