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Originally Posted by u bada
I do find it peculiar however how variegation is so highly valued given how unnatural it is/looks considering the more natural qualities they otherwise value. Working professionally with plants, I’ve noticed strong opinions on variegation in plants.
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Of course there are individual tastes, but variegation is historically an extremely sought after trait in Japanese horticulture. Variegated plants have been selected and cultivated in Japan with records leading back over 300 years.
While Japanese horticultural traditions definitely value the beauty of nature, they don't really shun human intervention and human artifice. Simply look at the idealism created by Japanese gardens and the whole concept of bonsai training.
There many different schools of thought in traditional Japanese horticulture, and not all of them have reached western audiences to the same level of awareness. While the horticulture of traditional gardens does strive for a sort of naturalistic idealism, many of the ideas and practices of Koten-engei (
古典園芸) bothers less with naturalistic beauty per se, rather than the obsessive collection of endless numbers "strange" mutations, including dwarfed, contorted and variegated plants and pairing them with beautiful pots. When it comes to Neos, asian cymbidiums, dendrobium moniliforme, as well as non-orchids such as clivias, rohdeas, rhapis excelsa, and haworthias, it is this school of thought that really drives the demand and prices.
Quote:
Originally Posted by u bada
Oemaru-Shima is also quite beautiful with the red striping. I almost ordered a hakuseiryu for that same quality, but felt it’s something I needed to see in person and hope to find a good variegated one in near future.
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The Oemaru-shima, as mentioned above will lose it's red pigmentation as the seasons progress through summer. In my growing conditions, it is not likely to regain this much red pigmentation ever again. Many, many varieties of Neos will strongly blush red given certain winter conditions which include low temperatures and high light. This is not always considered a good thing for most neo varieties however, and Oemaru-shima, is usually a variety that is not encouraged by most Japanese growers to develop such strong pigmentation.
I personally don't mind it, but I will let it grow in my conditions and do what it does without trying to force it to turn red or not. Many Japanese growers in fact try to reduce the production of red pigmentation in the winter by drastically reducing the amount of light during these cold months. In the end it's all a matter of personal taste.
Quote:
Originally Posted by u bada
How do you feel out the lighting to maintain these types of variegation?
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From experience and research, I have a general idea of what needs to be adjusted to get a particular class of traits to change. I then experiment with those adjustments to see if they work or not and go from there. If I'm completely stumped, I'll ask the Korean and Japanese growers that I know to see if they have any advice.
Quote:
Originally Posted by u bada
In another note, you mentioned haworthias in another post and never quite made the connection that it’s a thing in japan, so now I may just have to seek out Japanese varietals like crazy. Lol.
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As mentioned before, Haworthias and succulents are a HUGE thing in Japan. They're more popular than Neos there.
A few new Neos.
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