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Old 10-26-2016, 03:04 PM   #1 (permalink)
meizzwang
 
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Default Unknown cold tolerant variety grow report in COLD Northern California

I bought what was sold to me as Ice Cream or Blue Java from Greenearth Publishing Co in 2014. After several discussions on this forum and based on all other people's experience, this plant is very likely a namwah of some sort, and since mine is blooming at around 6', it's probably a dwarf variant. Aside from other people's experience with greenearth publishing Co, other key indicators that this is likely a dwarf namwah is the exceptionally fat and thick p-stem near the base (EDIT: Surprise! It's not Dwarf Namwah! We'll continue to photo-document the flower and fruits until a proper ID is established). No other variant that I'm currently growing has such a thick p-stem at such a low height. It's also supposed to be cold hardy, although my plant did get frost burn from 30F temps last winter. The P-stem was unaffected.

I thought I'd share my experience with this plant from start to finish (with the hope that I get to the finish line!)

Here's the plant in the beginning of August 2015. This is after a complete year of growth, it was really slow growing for me, the TC'ed start took a long time to get out of that juvenile stage:



However, once it was established, it started taking off. This was taken at the end of August, 2015, after a few weeks of great warm weather:




Here it is a month and a half later, it's the second plant from the top, photos taken 10/10/15:



And here it is 11/8/15. Again, it's the second matt from the top:



And after experiencing 30F temps, here it is February of 2016. Notice how most of the leaves were chopped off; it looks like one or two leaves were kept. The unknown subject plant is the matt below the "stump" that has no leaves whatsoever. Notice how the p-stem was completely unharmed, so I didn't have to cut it down:



Here it is on 6/17/16, not the best pic, but starting from the bottom, it's the fourth clump:


Here it is July 8th, 2016, it's the plant right in the middle of the photo, to the right of the baby variegated Aeae plant:


and now here it is this morning, photos taken 10/26/16:



Some pics of the pups and p-stem:


Close up of the p-stem:


It was kinda sad to see this thing with a flag leaf so late in the season, but good news is the first ratoon will likely bloom in early spring next year so if this one doesn't make it thru the winter, there's still hope next year:




To be continued as things progress!

Last edited by meizzwang : 10-28-2016 at 03:26 PM.
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