Wednesday, June 19, 2013

A Real Sport?


The clematis vine on our porch is a mass of purple blossoms . . .

Except for this single lovely aberration -- a white flower with pale lavender streaks.

 Botanists call this sort of thing a 'sport'  --  and sometimes new varieties are propagated from sports. And then, these new varieties may begin to revert to the original. So I'm wondering, was my purple clematis (Jackmani, I think) derived from a lighter shade of pale and is it trying to revert? Or is this pretty thing a real sport?
 
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10 comments:

Ms. A said...

Seeing things like this just shows me how clueless I am.

Martin said...

Whatever it is, Vicki, it's not a spoil sport!

June said...

If it is sport, it is GOOD sport.
We have a dark purple lilac with white picot edges that is about half pale pinkish-lilac. Something in the woodpile there.

Brian Miller said...

ha. i guess only time will tell...and in the mean time...you can just enjoy it for what it is...smiles.

Barbara Rogers said...

It's the chicken or the egg conundrum, isn't it?

NCmountainwoman said...

For years I have wanted a clematis. And I have no idea why I never planted one. But I'm going to do it today! I love them.

Stella Jones said...

What variety is it? Can you remember? I have a similar one, called The President, which is lovely but so far no where near as prolific as yours Vicki. I think yours is just a little surprise, a good sport as June says.

Darla said...

A lovely mystery...

Frances said...

Vicki, your garden is so full of beauty!

I'm sure you do know of Nadine Gordimer's "A Sport of Nature" or Margaret Drabble's "The Feathered Moth."

I liked the books' titles and the books themselves very much.

xo

Vicki Lane said...

Star -- I planted it 15 or 20 years ago so I can't be sure but I think it's Jackmanii -- one of the most common.

Frances -- I don't know either of these books -- more for the list!