Dahlias - 2012, mostly the last few weeks

[digitS']

Thanks, Rusty!

I used to be perplexed by sports. I don't mean "upset" because sometimes they changed in ways that I appreciated. It was just that I couldn't figure out how clones could turn out the way they did . . !

What I've come to realize is that they are just like sports in the orchard. Somehow . . . a branch will change genetically. We can propagate new plants off the branch just as we can propagate new dahlias off of the tubers that change. Often, they are quite different - like some strange hybrid.

Steve

 

[RustyDHart]

Thanks, Rusty!

I used to be perplexed by sports. I don't mean "upset" because sometimes they changed in ways that I appreciated. It was just that I couldn't figure out how clones could turn out the way they did . . !

What I've come to realize is that they are just like sports in the orchard. Somehow . . . a branch will change genetically. We can propagate new plants off the branch just as we can propagate new dahlias off of the tubers that change. Often, they are quite different - like some strange hybrid.

Steve

I love the sports....esp. if the mother variety has a unique shape and produces a mutation with an even more exciting color/pattern than itself.