Thornwood Star
Parentage / Parenté : Graptopetalum filiferum x Echeveria cuspidata var. zaragozae (?)
Created by / Créée par Max Holmes, Australia.
Description by Max Holmes :
Readers may recall my article about xGraptoveria ‘Margarete Reppin’ in the September 1997 issue of the journal. That hybrid was produced by using Graptopetalum filiferum as one parent, and I have wanted for some time to use that species for other crosses, as it is a beautifully shaped plant. Its value in hybridising is demonstrated in the well-known xGraptoveria ‘Silver Star’ which was produced by Myron Kimnach and came into cultivation about 15 years ago. One of my subsequent crosses was between Graptopetalum filiferum (seed parent) and a blue-leafed Echeveria I received some years ago simply labelled “Echeveria sp. Zaragoza” [Echeveria cuspidata var. zaragozae]. I have not been able to find any other name for it since then, and unfortunately this plant has died since I did the cross.
The result of the cross was a very attractive, robust plant which I am naming xGraptoveria ‘Thornwood Star’, my nursery business name being Thornwood Gardens. This plant forms nice clusters of many leaves, each rosette being up to 12cm across, a little surprising given that both parents form only small rosettes.
The leaves are fairly slender. curving upwards, and are cool green with a small, neat, red point. The leaf edges are a little lighter. Flowers are produced in spring, and are somewhat tubular, pink outside and pale yellowish pink inside. The plant clusters steadily, and can grow up to nearly 20 cm across. I suggest that it be given a little protection from the worst of the summer sun, but still be kept in enough light to keep compact.
Both parents have a definite period of dormancy in summer after flowering, and anyone who has grown G. filiferum will know how touchy it can be. I am pleased to report that 'Thornwood Star' has no such touchiness, and can be grown into an attractive clump in 3 years or so a good example of hybrid vigour.
I have not tried to propagate it from leaves, as offsets are fairly readily produced, but I suspect that leaves will not propagate readily.
Published in Cact. Succ. J. (Woollahra) 21 (5) : 86-87, ill. 1998.
