Which one of these is not like the others? BME

[Chris_W]

Here is a picture of one group of our Blue Mouse Ears in the field. Can you tell which one is not like the others? What makes it different? I've grown about 500 Blue Mouse Ears so far, and one in this picture is different from all of them.

Click on the picture to make it larger - you will have to look pretty closely on this one - it is subtle, but distinct enough to know it ain't quite right

[renaldo75]

I'd say that big one in the center about 1/3 down from the top of the pic. Looks to be much bigger leaves - kind of reminded me of little garden trowel shovels - they look that thick/stiff.

[gamekeeper]

ThaT tall one also appears to have more pointed tips where I think of mouse ears as rounded.Their is another in the upper right that looks verigated but it might be the light?

[Chris_W]

The ones to the right are actually Frosted Mouse Ears (that were so itsy bitsy last fall that it could be a couple more years before they are ready...)

There is something else going on here, too, not just leaf shape/size. I'll post another picture of it after you get some more chances

[jgh]

Are you talking about the wave on that taller plant... like the big leaf on the left in the picture is wavy? Is the the previously-mentioned ruffled BME?

[Chris_W]

Here is a better picture, and now I think you will be able to see what else makes that one stand out.

[Spider]

Seed pods?

[Chris_W]

Yes, Spider! Congratulations! It does have seed pods. We were posting about the same time before, and here is the closeup picture

[Spider]

Thanks Chris . And that fallen leaf under it looks like a Cheeto.

[audre]

the leaves are more 'fluted' on the edges - distinct large, loose waves going on?

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ok, I confess, I may have cheated LOL, I saw the mutant mouse ears in person a few weeks ago when I stopped by Hallson's and picked up my Grand Slam and Raspberry Sorbet plants. As I recall, he was quite a bit different looking in person than the other ones, even though in the photo it's not that obvious.

[Chris_W]

Hi Audre,

Actually, I think the one you saw was yet another mutant - one of the "ruffled" ones - this one in the picture was still in the ground with the rest of the group. These things sport so much that it really could be possible for people to have a lot of variation in the Blue Mouse Ears they are growing...

[audre]

OI -- Guess I need to read the WHOLE thread first LOL... this is what happens when you think you multitask better than you actually do

[R. Rock]

So what are your thoughts behind the seed pods?
Wish I had a true mouse that was fertile!

[Chris_W]

My thoughts as to why this one is also fertile? I have no idea, really. Wish I could explain it!

[viktoria]

Is BME supposed to be infertile? I have had pods on them in the past but this year, for some reason, they did not bloom.

Viktoria

[R. Rock]

Hi,
I sure hope it is fertile for you . It will be interesting to see if it stays a small plant.
A fertile one should have quit a value.
I have over a hundred here w/ no pods.
CONGRATS

[Chris_W]

I've never seen a single pod on any blue mouse ears before. I moved this sport to a spot on its own, and there is an eye coming out with two leaves which appear to have some streaking. THAT would be a valuable one - a streaked blue mouse ears type that is fertile

[Spider]

Just make sure you collect those seeds and grow some little pinkie mice from that plant. Extra vole protection too. We'll be watching.

[eastwood2007]

Excellent!!!!!

I hope you keep us updated on this BME and those pods!

[Pieter]

These is a BME seedling I grew this year from seeds of a single OP pod I collected on one of my BMEs last year. I actually have two of them, this one's by far the more vigorous one and I cannot wait to see what it'll show like next year. You can sure see the family heritage, can't you.... The pod had perhaps no more than 6 or 7 seeds in it and only 2 sprouted. It's a little hard to tell what the substance of the leaves is like, I don't have a micrometer to be able to measure, but they don't feel wimpy, they appear to have very good substance. While it was OP, odds are it was selfed, knowing what else what in bloom around the time this BME flowered in 2008: nothing else had flowers.