We should definitely talk soon, you've got the best Neo collection in the Bay Area, to my knowledge. It'd be great to hear your stories about them.
Sorry about having to leave so soon. Someone hit my car right before turning into the parking lot at the Winchester Mystery house so I had to rush back home to deal with that problem... :(

---------- Post added at 11:10 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:08 AM ----------


Thank you! I took all my neos out for water and I still can't stop staring at the 'Manazuru'. It's an attention grabber for sure!

Thanks! That's very kind of you to say. I'm sorry to hear about your car...no wonder you took off! Hopefully you were able to come back today. Hope your car is ok too!

Bought this 'Manjushage' from Seed-Engei at the POE back in February. Naomi told me it will bloom true. But I'm not a 100% believer until I see it myself. Well, this photo proves it! What she told me was true :)
Can't wait to see it fully bloom. Been patiently waiting for it for over two months! If all goes well, I should get three beautiful flowers from it. Super excited.
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5463/8...77ddb752_z.jpg

Wow keep us posted on the progress of that bud. So cool...congrats.

Shutennou buds!
http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2852/8...a2747a5b_z.jpg

Manjushage buds update!
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3676/8...1393456e_z.jpg

Puts a smile on my face. :)

This is gonna be good!!!

Shutennou flowers opening up today, when I came home :)
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8255/9...1ef2a35b_z.jpg

I will update Manjushage when the flowers open. The spurs are getting longer and longer each day and buds are growing larger and larger. So excited!

Lovely flower. Domo arrigato for posting your Shutennou. Mine is a long way from blooming. Now I have something to look forward to when this plant gets old enough. How long had you this plant before it bloomed?

Thanks! To answer your question, I received the plant back in December. When I first got it, it only had two leaves and one very tiny leaf just beginning to sprout. It was dormant all winter and it wasn't until spring did it come out of dormancy and began to grow more leaves that you see on it now. I'm not sure if the bud was there when I first got it, but I first noticed it during early spring when the dormancy period was over and there was active leaf growth. However, the bud didn't really grow until a few weeks ago. Now it's flowering beautifully :) I keep the flower petals keep its pink colors. I believe regular Shutennou has a white flower with pink spur.

Nice collection! I'd like to get a neo or two, what's there care like, especially temperature? They a little cool growing? And could you explain to me about the variety names like Manjushage? They're different than clonal names right? You can either reply here or pm. Thanks!

Wow that's a lot to answer and they're all really good questions its just a lot. You'll find most of your answers on this alliance board but in general neos are a hardy bunch, capable of surviving all sorts of abuse. They can handle all types of humidity and hot and cold though not freezing of course. The names are variations of the species. They are often reflective of the qualities or characteristics they bear. For instance seikai means waves. Oonami or ounami seikai means big waves and if you look at the plants they have defined wave like foliage, one being bigger than the other.

Hope that helps.

Thanks! That helps a lot. So why on earth do neos get all these fancy names? And they aren't just fancy clonal names.....

I imagine it has to do with their history in that they were collected by the elite of Japan's class system. Why do we name cars the way we do? Or give objects names like iPhone or android? I suppose its all a psychological way of giving something more importance than it inherently has on its own. Many of the names given to neos are unique or significant to the prefecture in which they were originally cultivated.

I guess you can call them fancy clonal names. However, when it comes to Neofinetias, we need to see their variants in the way the Japanese culture sees them. Not as a clonal name but rather as a whole new plant carrying the Neofinetia name. Doing so will help you appreciate the beauty in each type and not see them as just another duplicate but with a slight variance. Although, I have to admit, some Neofinetias look like duplicates to me, except with different names.
IE: Benikanzashi/Hanakanzashi, pretty much the same but I think two different people named the mutation different names. Both are triple spurred red flowered Neofinetias.
Furthermore, not all names given to Neofinetias have any resemblance to the actual plant. Many names are given to these simply because it sounds cool (In Japanese, not in English). However, some names as Pilot mentioned, are given because A. it's cool and B. it does resemble the plant somehow, like Seikai. Then you name names like Seiryujishi, which when translated to English, is Blue Dragon Backbone Lion. I mean, really?

TLDR:
1. You can argue that these are mere clonal names. However, many of them are mutated variants so it's better to call them Neofinetia falcata var. (insert name here) rather than Neofinetia falcata '(insert awarded clonal name here).
2. Refer to Neos with their Japanese names, always. They weren't named to be translated into English and still sound nice.

Manjushage update. Besides the fact that this variant produces three spurs instead of one, I think another special trait it carries is that the spurs have an exaggerated curl, unlike other Neofinetia flowers.
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5545/9...25c77e0e_z.jpg

Shutennou in full bloom. Only two flowers, but any flower is better than none. Especially when it's his first :blushing:
http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2885/9...8dcfc473_z.jpg

Well done! Love the blooms and it looks like those buds will be pretty. I have an Asahiden that has buds that have exaggerated curls, too, but they are singles, not like this one. Sadly, this plant aborted three of the six blooms its grown-- not sure why. Maybe I let them get too dry??? No idea.

A little late, but I'll also add to this statement. When we were learning from Satomi at the Fukiran judging during the SEPOS show this year, she told us that if there is a new form of variegation/leaf-shape/flower-type/color or a new combination of them displayed by someone at one of the Japan Fukiran Society meetings, they give it a unique name for the new form. You could call it a clonal name, I guess, but I would prefer to call it a form, just as you have Phal bellina fma. alba; Fukiran are relatively "unstable" meaning that they can sometimes mutate forms from time to time over a period of years.


I cannot wait to see your Manjushage in bloom!!

My 'Nishidemiyako' is blooming!
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7332/9...dc00f442_z.jpg

Manjushage pics will come soon. I'm expecting the flowers to open sometime this week :)

What a gorgeous plant. So healthy looking with 2 spikes. Congrats!!

Looks awesome! It seems to be a plant of good substance.

Check out who decided to open up her flowers :-)

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2846/9...b69e539a_z.jpg

Awesome!! Manjushage is such a must-have in a Neo collection in my opinion. Do you ever think you'll get Hanakanzashi or the other pink 3 spurred one?

Already have! Hahahaha.
I have Benikanzashi (I believe it's a synonymous name to Hanakanzashi).

What a show she puts on; I love it and now it is on my gotta have list. Great growing!

More Manjushage:
https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphot...55031863_n.jpg

More Nishidemiyako:
https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphot...19648439_n.jpg

I noticed that the petals on my Nishidemiyako is a lot broader than my Gojo-fukurin and Shutennou. I wonder why this is...

Way cool! Thanks for sharing. What a neat display when this thing get even bigger.

So nice I love these little orchids.

Love them both!!

Too funny...actually Beni and Hana are two different types. I couldn't even begin to tell you what the difference was though! I guess 2 more excuses to be broke...:rofl:

I talked to Glenn about these two, before ordering, and he said they were both the same. So to my knowledge, they're the same with different names. But you're right, if they truly are different then... looks like I'm getting myself an expensive bday present :-) :rofl:

So? Did you get it? Making us wait like this....not cool. :biggrin:

Full bloom Manjushage. I've been procrastinating on taking a picture and today, I was finally able to sneak in 5 minutes to snap a pic. Which is a good thing, because knowing me, I'd have procrastinated to the point where the flowers are close, if not already, wilting.
Enjoy!
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7431/9...6eb8dbd8_z.jpg

---------- Post added at 05:14 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:11 PM ----------

I did not get hanakanzashi yet. I need to verify that information first. :rofl:

I'm on the fence right now between getting a new Neofinetia (or neo related) item or a new bird to add to my flock.
:rofl:

Gorgeous Manjushage!! Top of my wish list!!!

Bird? What kind of bird? I love birds. Don't have any unless you count those girls out in my coop birds (chickens). They act like they're less bird and more human.

I have chickens too! But the birds I wanted are some gouldian finches. Blueback males to be exact. Black head, purple breast, blue backs.
I originally had one but it's a female. I bought three babies (unsexed) of the same color pattern, hoping to get a male. I am concluding this week that they're all females. So now I have four females and no males. I can either treat myself to a new male or two OR get some more neofinetias. No new neos have caught my eye though. So I'm leaning towards the birds right now.

I must've missed this post too! Lovely display of flowers on your Red Spider Lily, Jeremiah.

I have chickens too, I love 'em! They are like orchids, I just want one of each kind!

Yeah chickens can be addictive. I have buff orpingtons and I love them. They have such personalities. Good thing for them I'm a vegetarian. They lay better eggs all relaxed knowing they won't be eaten. Lol

Gorgeous flowers!