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An old cultivar raised by Georg Arends in 1929 from a cross between S. arachnoideum and S. tectorum. You can tell a hybridist is serious
when they call a cultivar 'Alpha' ! In 1981 the Bressingham Gardens catalogue said: "Large green, turning to bronze rosettes, rose crimson flowers. 10cm." Craigiehall Nursery says: "A cultivar that takes us back to the earliest days of hybridising Semps. Georg Arends (a famous Germany grower who bred and raised many garden plants) made the first recorded cross of two species to create the most appropriately named 'Alpha' (the first). That was in 1927, so getting on for 100 years ago. We have come a long way since those early days, each generation of breeders building on the work of the previous generation, trying new combinations, adding different genetics. 'Alpha' is still being growing today which says much about its general garden worthiness. Gradually turns to pink in summer with silvery overtones from the tiny hairs." |
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| 8th July 2005 | ||
