Thai Caladium Project

From: "Timothy S. Chapman" lists at gingerwoodnursery.com> on 2004.01.09 at 04:09:20(10993) I know a few people on the list are interested in the Thai Caladiums. I've been trying for a long time to get a collection going and get some information on them. It hasn't been an easy process, and I had pretty much given up. Amazingly enough though I've been asked to help out a thai friend who is going to author both a thai and english book on the thai caladiums. I don't know when the book will become available, it is still being written, and the photographs being taken etc. I've been given several photos already and will be getting many more to put up an on-line gallery and to post some info on the caladiums since there is so little info out there. I've been importing a few varities for the last couple of years, but was pretty limited in what was available. There seems to be an effort there to make the more desirable varities commercially available, which will be nice. I'm redoing all of my ginger stuff into a new format for the web which will work well for this caladium project too. Until that is ready, I've put up a VERY quick page with 10 varieties. Only a few are named, the rest are new hybrids. I'll make another post when something more substantial is up. I was both surprised and happy to hear about this project as there is nothing in english on the thai caladiums, and the two Amarin Press books are already out of print (and won't be re-printed). The history of these caladium is pretty interesting, and should make for a great read. I've been asked to ask what people would like to see in the english version, so if anybody has any suggestions please forward them to me. I'd like to help make this as good as possible for the people that would buy it, so any input would make the job easier. The very no-frills page is at : http://www.gingerwoodnursery.com/caladiums/caladiums.html enjoy, Tim Chapman +More -- Timothy Chapman - tim@gingerwoodnursery.com Gingerwood Nursery- http://www.gingerwoodnursery.com On-line Ginger Forums - http://www.gingerwoodnursery.com/forums/ Gingerwood Nursery Mailing List - http://www.gingerwoodnursery.com/mailman/listinfo/gingerwoodnursery_gingerwoodnursery.com

From: BBKOI at aol.com on 2004.01.10 at 06:25:08(11000) Dear Tim: Very interested in the book and learning about the Thai Caladium's. Your pictures are very pretty. I have a small collection of Caladium's just can't seem to get enough of them there are so many pretty variations. Thank you for posting them. Barb Early

From: "BambooChik" bamboochik at earthlink.net> on 2004.01.10 at 12:16:37(11001) I agree! Tim, do these Thai Caladiums require different cultural care than the more common types we are all used to? b.f.n...deb/AL Subject: Re: [aroid-l] Thai Caladium Project > > Dear Tim: > Very interested in the book and learning about the Thai Caladium's. > Your pictures are very pretty. I have a small collection of Caladium's just +More > can't seem to get enough of them there are so many pretty variations. > Thank you for posting them. > Barb Early

From: "Julius Boos" ju-bo at msn.com> on 2004.01.11 at 14:59:21(11002) Dear Tim, Lovely photos. My suggestions would be that the book contain information on the background/parentage on these exquisite plants, not just a "pretty pretty" book of photos. I see that most seem to have been derived from a variety I saw grown in quantity at Lake Placid, Cen. Florida YEARS ago, it was I believe called 'Pink Fantasy' of some such, what seems to be the same plant turned up and is still for sale in Florida as 'Thai Beauty". Some of these Thai vars. illustrated on your page seem to have little if any green areas on their leaves, I have been told that this makes for little or no tuber formation, and the demise of the beautiful plant after one year of growth when the cool season hits in the USA, so some GOOD cultural notes on how they keep their stock going from year to year would be of great help. ( I suspect that they are kept from going dormant at all in their all-year-round warm growing conditions.) For those who REALLY like Caladiums please visit Paul Resslar`s Caladium page which is linked to the MOBOT IAS pages. Many wild species are pictured, some as beautiful as the hybrids, and I would LOVE to see a book done on them with color photos. Julius Boos +More WPB, FLORIDA >>I know a few people on the list are interested in the Thai Caladiums. I've been trying for a long time to get a collection going and get some information on them. It hasn't been an easy process, and I had pretty much given up. Amazingly enough though I've been asked to help out a thai friend who is going to author both a thai and english book on the thai caladiums. I don't know when the book will become available, it is still being written, and the photographs being taken etc. I've been given several photos already and will be getting many more to put up an on-line gallery and to post some info on the caladiums since there is so little info out there. I've been importing a few varities for the last couple of years, but was pretty limited in what was available. There seems to be an effort there to make the more desirable varities commercially available, which will be nice. I'm redoing all of my ginger stuff into a new format for the web which will work well for this caladium project too. Until that is ready, I've put up a VERY quick page with 10 varieties. Only a few are named, the rest are new hybrids. I'll make another post when something more substantial is up. I was both surprised and happy to hear about this project as there is nothing in english on the thai caladiums, and the two Amarin Press books are already out of print (and won't be re-printed). The history of these caladium is pretty interesting, and should make for a great read. I've been asked to ask what people would like to see in the english version, so if anybody has any suggestions please forward them to me. I'd like to help make this as good as possible for the people that would buy it, so any input would make the job easier. The very no-frills page is at : http://www.gingerwoodnursery.com/caladiums/caladiums.html enjoy, Tim Chapman -- Timothy Chapman - tim@gingerwoodnursery.com Gingerwood Nursery- http://www.gingerwoodnursery.com On-line Ginger Forums - http://www.gingerwoodnursery.com/forums/ Gingerwood Nursery Mailing List - http://www.gingerwoodnursery.com/mailman/listinfo/gingerwoodnursery_gingerwoodnursery.com

From: "Timothy S. Chapman" lists at gingerwoodnursery.com> on 2004.01.11 at 19:02:09(11004) I'm not sure about the "Pink Fantasy" as I haven't seen that, I do know that "Thai Beauty" was a name given by Stokes Tropicals to thai hybrid "Honglong." Honglong is said to be old style, which I assume means its one of the earlier hybrids. It or its parents are definitely involved in several hybrids, and absent in many others. The variations in the thai caladiums is amazing. Once the gallery is done it will include some examples of all of the different types. The history of these is interesting and I've suggested as much of the history of both the introduction and breeding of the plants and the people involved. As far as their care and culture, ...well that seems to vary as much as the leaf types. Some seem as easy as the florida types, others are a pain. Since there does seem to be a true interest in making these commercially available from thailand I've suggested that they focus on a few at a time, using the best selections (ie. plants that will do well here). The tuber size is an issue, don't know how much of it is due to the actual variety and how much of it just that that is the size they had to sell. The "honglong" were actually the largest, really good size tubers. I'm pretty sure the author is willing to include anything information wise that would be wanted, so I'll pass on these suggestions with my already long list of suggestions. If she does them all it should be a very useful book. I shall go look at paul's site now. It might be worth mentioning that some wild species shots would be a good addition to the book, and if someone wanted their photos to be used I'll see if that is a possibility. I don't think they would be able to pay for photos, but free copies of the book might work???? Tim C. +More -- Timothy Chapman - tim@gingerwoodnursery.com Gingerwood Nursery- http://www.gingerwoodnursery.com On-line Ginger Forums - http://www.gingerwoodnursery.com/forums/ Gingerwood Nursery Mailing List - http://www.gingerwoodnursery.com/mailman/listinfo/gingerwoodnursery_ging erwoodnursery.com

From: "Julius Boos" ju-bo at msn.com> on 2004.01.11 at 23:51:37(11007) Dear Tim, The 'Pink Fantasy' used to be/is grown by the Bates family in Lake Placid, Cen. Florida, I got some tubers YEARS ago, I had it here for a long time, and IF there is any difference between it and the Thai 'Honglong'/Thai Beauty' there were way too subtle for me to detect. I felt rather cheated when I finally saw 'Thai Beauty'. I do hope the potential author takes note of your comments, I`d love to buy a really useful book on these Caladiums, but would not spend my $$ on a book w/ just photos of 'pretty-prettys'. I`d be interested in hearing what you think of Dr. Resslar`s site, the selection of wild-collected 'natural' Caladium species is exceptional, and perhaps you can ask him if he would be willing to let a few photos be used in the proposed book. Tuber size seems a big issue, as I mentioned some friends have had no success here in Florida with BEAUTIFUL Caladiums purchased in Thailand over an extended period, when they 'go down', no tuber, so the plant is dead. My belief is that this may be caused by the extreme color of some of the Thai hybrids with little or no green, 'energy/food-producing' areas to their leaves, but have no proof of this. Keep us informed on any progress and good luck, Julius +More >>I'm not sure about the "Pink Fantasy" as I haven't seen that, I do know that "Thai Beauty" was a name given by Stokes Tropicals to thai hybrid "Honglong." Honglong is said to be old style, which I assume means its one of the earlier hybrids. It or its parents are definitely involved in several hybrids, and absent in many others. The variations in the thai caladiums is amazing. Once the gallery is done it will include some examples of all of the different types. The history of these is interesting and I've suggested as much of the history of both the introduction and breeding of the plants and the people involved. As far as their care and culture, ...well that seems to vary as much as the leaf types. Some seem as easy as the florida types, others are a pain. Since there does seem to be a true interest in making these commercially available from thailand I've suggested that they focus on a few at a time, using the best selections (ie. plants that will do well here). The tuber size is an issue, don't know how much of it is due to the actual variety and how much of it just that that is the size they had to sell. The "honglong" were actually the largest, really good size tubers. I'm pretty sure the author is willing to include anything information wise that would be wanted, so I'll pass on these suggestions with my already long list of suggestions. If she does them all it should be a very useful book. I shall go look at paul's site now. It might be worth mentioning that some wild species shots would be a good addition to the book, and if someone wanted their photos to be used I'll see if that is a possibility. I don't think they would be able to pay for photos, but free copies of the book might work???? Tim C. -- Timothy Chapman - tim@gingerwoodnursery.com Gingerwood Nursery- http://www.gingerwoodnursery.com On-line Ginger Forums - http://www.gingerwoodnursery.com/forums/ Gingerwood Nursery Mailing List - http://www.gingerwoodnursery.com/mailman/listinfo/gingerwoodnursery_ging erwoodnursery.com

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