I just love this photo.... it is a photo shared with me by Jeff Foederer of P. sericea growing and blooming outdoors in Jeff's garden in the Netherlands. I've had the pleasure of corresponding with Jeff a few times and am currently growing one of his beautiful xBrigandra hybrids 'Ivory Falcon'. Jeff also produces some spectacular Petrocosmea hybrids, which I thought I'd tell you about.Jeff was the first person to register Petrocosmea hybrids with the Gesneriad Society when he registered P. 'Lexi' back in 2006, followed by P. 'Milan' in 2007. Recently I received a photo in an email from Dale Martens, asking me to take a look at Jeff's most recent hybrid P. 'Helena' (pictured below). Just take a look at the flower count on that one!!!!! Magnificent!!
Jeff's hybrid, P. 'Helena' is a cross between P. menglienensis and P. nervosa. I can see the nervosa parent in the foliage and the menglienensis parent in the flowers. What a beautiful plant. 'Helena' was registered in 2010. 
P. 'Milan' (begoniifolia x nervosa) is another beautiful plant. The flowers seem to dance like butterflies above the foliage. P. 'Milan' was named for Jeff's grandson, I believe. 
Jeff's hybrid P. 'Lexi' (barbata x flaccida) is a small grower, looking much like P. barbata in habit, but then the lovely blue flowers emerge and it is clearly not P. barbata. I'm happy to say that I've grown this one for a couple of years now and really enjoy it. It too was named for one of Jeff's grandsons. This represented the first use of P. barbata in hybridizing. 
