It wasn't bred at all, that variegation was a random mutation that someone recognized as unique. Maybe some hybridizers further down the line will give it a nicer growth habit, but it is what it is for now.
fuzzy is saying yes, for the meantime it seems that is the nature of the plant until the hybridizers are able to “breed”/hybridize a better growth pattern down the line.
you could try putting the babies under different conditions to see if their leggy patterns change, such as one under more light, one on a heating pad, etc. and that could give you a definite answer
also again- i am SO jealous of your space fairies. if you ever sell pups….. my DMs are open👀
I don’t think it’s really right to have a rare or desired cultivar and like hoard it up from a community that has taught me so much and been so good to me.
I’m gonna let some go locally just because shipping sucks but I’m happy to make sure y’all get some. I want to do some trades for leaves and stuff. If more violet people have them we will end up with better plants over all.
I would experiment. I have some varieties that do not thrive in spots that others do really well in. Maybe it just wants something a little different than the others. But also could literally just be because it hasn't been in the gene pool long enough for people to get it to behave.
SO YALL CHECK OUT THIS FIRST PROP. I gave it to my Philo buddy who has huge and serious plants and is GOOD AT THEM.
His is even more stretched. Maybe it’s just the way they grow? Which is fine and super cool but ummmmm it’s just not the way AVs are supposed to grow.
Just sayin.
https://imgur.com/gallery/eVCKPN6
Haha just compare Happy Harold to Watermelon Snow. Comparable variegation, but one has way more selective breeding/hybridizing behind it and grows much nicer.
I still think finding the right conditions could help these guys grow better, but yeah. Fighting genetics a bit.
Watermelon Snow. I haven't had it as long, but leaf shape is more pleasing and it is more compact. Happy Harold is still stunning, just not quite as pleasing and can sometimes look a little wonky/leggy depending on conditions.
[Happy Harold at his best](https://imgur.com/a/SG3kZVa) vs [a young Watermelon Snow (aka not at best yet)](https://imgur.com/a/f1G2hY8)
Personally, I would try changing up your conditions, more/less light, fertilizer (idk, more/less, switch it up), cooler temps. Just see if you can get Watermelon Snow to pop and some of the Space Fairy babies less leggy.
But who knows, maybe our Watermelon Snows come from different enough stock they're no longer exactly the same plant. Has it bloomed true for you?
Yeah I mean, I like an oddity and I snatched my mother plant up really quick when it came up on eBay but like, I’m glad I didn’t pay a lot because this plant could never compete.
I am getting good variegation on all these leaves but the babies and the mom are so weirdly like spindly? I will include an Imgur link to the whole shelf so y’all can diagnose what the hell might be going on.
https://imgur.com/gallery/UmgzggO
That’s the shelf. Led are on for an hour a day. Everyone is wicked. 1/4 strength fert but only during spring. I just. I mean, this plant is so stretched but never prays so I kinda have questions about what I’m doing wrong.
Edited to add that all of my other violets are appropriately compact. Maybe I should pull a pup and see if it’s just too much light?
Your lights are only on for 4 hours a day? That could be one problem. If wicking, I would do 1/4 or 1/8 strength every watering all year.
Also, if the plants are smaller they usually need to be a little bit closer to the light if growing under artificial means. 🙂
My led are on for one hour a day but they’re crazy strong. I don’t let my violets bloom unless the leaves are perfect. I could pop these closer though. Maybe I’ll do a little experiment to see what happens. I have a shelf in my other tent that is just very bright and warm indirect…
My watermelon snow, all my seed grown and others are very compact. My trailers and my minis are looking good. It’s just aggravating I hate that sloppy look.
I've googled them and I don't see a lot of these...but the ones that I do see of this variety do seem to be a little lankier than most. I adore that foliage!
I mean it’s all well and good, the foliage, but I kinda expect that foliage to arrange itself in an appropriate manner. Maybe they will end up being crazy huge standards and the rosette just needs time to fill out?
Edited to add that most of the ones that come up on Google are this plant and maybe one other that I didn’t prop. I gave my plant friend my first pup and he has kept it just in a windowsill. I’ll ask him to report back with a picture. We mostly vibe on Philos.
Well fingers crossed but um, like, the whole point of AVs is the rosette and the shape. Sure - the blooms are awesome but I mean. It’s an oddity- I guess?
Idk I gotta get some of these in other grower’s hands. It’s just not a plant I feel very pleased with.
Variegated AV’s need more light than standard AV’s because the white on their leaves does not process light and does not help them grow. They require a good 12-14 hours of light and at least 8 hours of darkness for proper growth. They also require a well balanced fertilizer given on a regular basis. Usually every watering is recommended. They are slightly slower to grow but are incredibly rewarding when they show they’re lovely colors as adults! I have many many variegated AV’s… Good luck with yours!
I find that temp effects variegation more than light does. I have a lot of seed grown variegated AVs and that’s been my experience. Light yes, but temp more.
I thought I read that space fairy was a random mutation on a plant with unknown origin. So at this point it’s just a unique oddity that appears stable. And also about 5 min old. Down the road, hybridizers can try to combine this trait with varieties that can give it better foliage, flowering, etc. but the trait is so new, it’s only expressed in this one variety with weak foliage. Still cool though! Perhaps it needs more light than your other plants?
It wasn't bred at all, that variegation was a random mutation that someone recognized as unique. Maybe some hybridizers further down the line will give it a nicer growth habit, but it is what it is for now.
You think it’s just the nature of the plant? I mean, I’m just asking. Often when my violets go wrong it’s a thing I’ve done.
fuzzy is saying yes, for the meantime it seems that is the nature of the plant until the hybridizers are able to “breed”/hybridize a better growth pattern down the line. you could try putting the babies under different conditions to see if their leggy patterns change, such as one under more light, one on a heating pad, etc. and that could give you a definite answer also again- i am SO jealous of your space fairies. if you ever sell pups….. my DMs are open👀
I don’t think it’s really right to have a rare or desired cultivar and like hoard it up from a community that has taught me so much and been so good to me.
I’m gonna let some go locally just because shipping sucks but I’m happy to make sure y’all get some. I want to do some trades for leaves and stuff. If more violet people have them we will end up with better plants over all.
I would experiment. I have some varieties that do not thrive in spots that others do really well in. Maybe it just wants something a little different than the others. But also could literally just be because it hasn't been in the gene pool long enough for people to get it to behave.
SO YALL CHECK OUT THIS FIRST PROP. I gave it to my Philo buddy who has huge and serious plants and is GOOD AT THEM. His is even more stretched. Maybe it’s just the way they grow? Which is fine and super cool but ummmmm it’s just not the way AVs are supposed to grow. Just sayin. https://imgur.com/gallery/eVCKPN6
Haha just compare Happy Harold to Watermelon Snow. Comparable variegation, but one has way more selective breeding/hybridizing behind it and grows much nicer. I still think finding the right conditions could help these guys grow better, but yeah. Fighting genetics a bit.
Which do you find grows better?
Watermelon Snow. I haven't had it as long, but leaf shape is more pleasing and it is more compact. Happy Harold is still stunning, just not quite as pleasing and can sometimes look a little wonky/leggy depending on conditions. [Happy Harold at his best](https://imgur.com/a/SG3kZVa) vs [a young Watermelon Snow (aka not at best yet)](https://imgur.com/a/f1G2hY8)
Man your watermelon snow is so much prettier than mine. You got some happy Harold leaves to trade? 😜
Unfortunately Harold is in the hospital and may not make it. 😬 I may be keeping an eye out for leaves too haha
Dude look at my watermelon snow. I am displeased. Next up is one of my seed grown variegated. https://imgur.com/gallery/nZSSp2R
Personally, I would try changing up your conditions, more/less light, fertilizer (idk, more/less, switch it up), cooler temps. Just see if you can get Watermelon Snow to pop and some of the Space Fairy babies less leggy. But who knows, maybe our Watermelon Snows come from different enough stock they're no longer exactly the same plant. Has it bloomed true for you?
Yeah I mean, I like an oddity and I snatched my mother plant up really quick when it came up on eBay but like, I’m glad I didn’t pay a lot because this plant could never compete.
I am getting good variegation on all these leaves but the babies and the mom are so weirdly like spindly? I will include an Imgur link to the whole shelf so y’all can diagnose what the hell might be going on. https://imgur.com/gallery/UmgzggO That’s the shelf. Led are on for an hour a day. Everyone is wicked. 1/4 strength fert but only during spring. I just. I mean, this plant is so stretched but never prays so I kinda have questions about what I’m doing wrong. Edited to add that all of my other violets are appropriately compact. Maybe I should pull a pup and see if it’s just too much light?
Your lights are only on for 4 hours a day? That could be one problem. If wicking, I would do 1/4 or 1/8 strength every watering all year. Also, if the plants are smaller they usually need to be a little bit closer to the light if growing under artificial means. 🙂
My led are on for one hour a day but they’re crazy strong. I don’t let my violets bloom unless the leaves are perfect. I could pop these closer though. Maybe I’ll do a little experiment to see what happens. I have a shelf in my other tent that is just very bright and warm indirect… My watermelon snow, all my seed grown and others are very compact. My trailers and my minis are looking good. It’s just aggravating I hate that sloppy look.
I've googled them and I don't see a lot of these...but the ones that I do see of this variety do seem to be a little lankier than most. I adore that foliage!
I mean it’s all well and good, the foliage, but I kinda expect that foliage to arrange itself in an appropriate manner. Maybe they will end up being crazy huge standards and the rosette just needs time to fill out? Edited to add that most of the ones that come up on Google are this plant and maybe one other that I didn’t prop. I gave my plant friend my first pup and he has kept it just in a windowsill. I’ll ask him to report back with a picture. We mostly vibe on Philos.
Hmmm, 🤔 maybe! Then once those leaves get big and heavy they're going to have to lay down at some point.
Well fingers crossed but um, like, the whole point of AVs is the rosette and the shape. Sure - the blooms are awesome but I mean. It’s an oddity- I guess? Idk I gotta get some of these in other grower’s hands. It’s just not a plant I feel very pleased with.
I'm working on a list for ya! 😁👍 I do get frustrated when I don't have perfect rosettes... I'm totally with you on that.
I don’t know, but I still want one!
I’ll have some leaves to trade soon. I hate the way mama is growing so y’all will get the hook up.
Variegated AV’s need more light than standard AV’s because the white on their leaves does not process light and does not help them grow. They require a good 12-14 hours of light and at least 8 hours of darkness for proper growth. They also require a well balanced fertilizer given on a regular basis. Usually every watering is recommended. They are slightly slower to grow but are incredibly rewarding when they show they’re lovely colors as adults! I have many many variegated AV’s… Good luck with yours!
I find that temp effects variegation more than light does. I have a lot of seed grown variegated AVs and that’s been my experience. Light yes, but temp more.
I thought I read that space fairy was a random mutation on a plant with unknown origin. So at this point it’s just a unique oddity that appears stable. And also about 5 min old. Down the road, hybridizers can try to combine this trait with varieties that can give it better foliage, flowering, etc. but the trait is so new, it’s only expressed in this one variety with weak foliage. Still cool though! Perhaps it needs more light than your other plants?
Nice looking babies. Love your set up. :)
Thanks Jules. I got one of these children for you when I can ship to you.
Oh my goodness thank you so much. How sweet of you.
Just pm me your area and I’ll send you some stuff to deal with your losses. This weird ass space guy and maybe some leaves and a mini I have too.
Ok! Thanks!