'Super Satisfactory' & 'Black Ruby' a comparison

[David Clulow]

Only a few years ago 'Black Ruby' was the ultimate in dark red Adeniums.  How things have changed!  I notice on Mr. Ko's auction that seeds of unusually dark red Adeniums with wide black edges bring in the highest bids on any seeds, frequently $2 or more per seed.

 

My favourite dark red Adenium is undoubtedly 'Super Satisfactory'.  Early yesterday I photographed a newly open 'Super Satisfactory' and one of 'Black Ruby' so you can see the tremendous difference in  size.  I have also photographed them on a one inch grid so you can measure the actual size.  By the way, these dark black picotees are ephemeral and usually vanish within two days, turning into a nice deep red.

 

If you want a huge dark red Adenium, you could not do better than obtain a graft of 'Super Satisfactory'.  On Mr. Ko's e-bay it says he has 45 available, but Mr. Ko tells me they are all sold.  I have also had good results from his seeds of this cultivar, he still has these available at $10 for 10 seeds or $50 for 100 seeds.

 

'Super Satisfactory' is an excellent parent, fertile both as a pollen and a pod parent.

[Chris Durham]

David,

Judging by bloom quality alone is hasty and risky if you plan to put a variety into production.  You’re definitely right about ‘Super Satisfactory’ having a superior bloom, but from our experience that’s where it ends.

‘Black Ruby’ is much more floriferous and attains a far superior shape.  I think that if you’ll grow both of them side by side for 2 years you’ll likely put the ‘Super Satisfactory’ in the mulch heap.  We grafted it onto everything but the hood of my car and still got ‘Less than Satisfactory’ results.

You say that it’s an excellent parent plant.  Have you grown out any of the seedlings long enough to determine if they have the same growth habit?

Chris

 

 

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