Why General Paget?

Discussion in 'THE CROTON SOCIETY' started by Moose, Jul 29, 2011.

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  1. Moose

    Moose Esteemed Member

    Messages:
    7,947
    Location:
    Coral Gables, FL Zone 10b
    General Paget is very common in these parts. I have to admit it is a nice and tough cultivar. Diane is also a very nice green and yellow cultivar with even larger leaves and is a good grower. Why did General Paget become a standard grown cultivar in gardens while the (in my opinion) superior Diane get ignored? :confused:

    Just curious, any ideas?
     
    Moose, Jul 29, 2011
    #1
  2. Crazy for Crotons

    Crazy for Crotons Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    2,050
    Location:
    south Tampa, Bokeelia
    Ron,

    I'd say it's probably because Diane grows much more slowly.

    The same reason Foxtails have been accepted in the trade more than a Pseudophoenix even though IMO, the latter is much better looking.
     
    Crazy for Crotons, Jul 29, 2011
    #2
  3. Moose

    Moose Esteemed Member

    Messages:
    7,947
    Location:
    Coral Gables, FL Zone 10b
    The growth rate of a General Paget must be really fast. There is not one in my garden as there must be 30+ plants within a block of Moose Land. The Diane in my garden is a very steady growing croton and a 3 ft. air layer was made this year. Perhaps I just got lucky since the Diane was very large when I got it and the container was packed full of roots. :)

    Just a curiosity as to why certain cultivars where so prevantly planted in the 1950's and 1960's while others seemed to have been ignored. :confused:
     
    Moose, Jul 30, 2011
    #3
  4. ScotTi

    ScotTi Esteemed Member

    Messages:
    4,845
    I find Diane a faster grower as the plant has added 12" of new stem this year so far. General Paget (purchased with the name of Harvest Moon) has added only 6" of new stem.
     

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    ScotTi, Jul 30, 2011
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  5. junglegal

    junglegal Esteemed Member

    Messages:
    3,135
    Location:
    St. Pete FL
    Is Diane a big spider mite magnet like Gen P? Are they from the same era? I know for a time, crotons fell out of favor.
     
    junglegal, Jul 30, 2011
    #5
  6. Crazy for Crotons

    Crazy for Crotons Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    2,050
    Location:
    south Tampa, Bokeelia
    General Paget has been around longer. I think Diane is a relatively new introduction. There's no mention of it in the old catalogues.
     
    Crazy for Crotons, Jul 31, 2011
    #6
  7. Phil Stager

    Phil Stager Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    1,637
    Location:
    Sunny St. Pete, FL
    Moose - Fashion and availability plus demand. Gen.P seems to adapt more readily to different light conditions than Diane. Only way to accurately determine which one grows quicker is controlled trials - hardly worth the effort. I'd go with fashion - Gen P was first on the scene and was more widely dispersed. It was available so people bought it. People bought it so the growers produced more.

    Remember the old shovel shaped neck ties, then the very thin ties in the '60s, or the 'sack' dress? Yikes, I date myself here.
     
    Phil Stager, Jul 31, 2011
    #7
  8. Marie Nock

    Marie Nock Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    665
    Ray,
    Brown's book says that Diane is an Ortegas hybrid.
     
    Marie Nock, Jul 31, 2011
    #8

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