Here's a couple of A. parryi variegates. In general, my experience has shown that parryi is a very hardy species. There are 5 recognized subspecies or varieties: Huatchucensis, Truncata, Parryi, Couesii, Neomexicana. Truncata seems to be the one having benefited from more interest judging from the various variegated versions out there.
Here is the one version of Huatchucensis variegate I'm aware of, which originated as a seedling around 1967 at Excelsior Gardens in California. Later in the 1980s, it was introduced by the late Rick Nowakowski of Nature Curiosity Shop fame, and later named by Tony Avent of Plants Delights Nursery. For as long as this has been around, it is still rarely available and a relatively uncommon plant.
A. parryi Huatchucensis Excelsior - these are 2 of my larger individuals I experimented with this year looking to quantify the effect of different lighting situation on the coloration. Very interesting as well, is that more light did not at all translate to more compact form with these plants, an unexpected result. From now on, I will only grow these in shelter from direct sun. It seems to reinforce something I already knew - that when something looks good already, don't mess with a good thing, it rarely gets better and often isn't as good as it already was (see 2nd pic).
The upper plant was placed outdoors in a location receiving direct and full sun from the earliest hours, until about noon when it got shade relief from trees as the sun passed over. It got moved in the early Spring so that the plant could adjust to more light without burning. The lower plant was moved so that it got more light than it was used to in a greenhouse situation, but less light than the upper plant in the photo.
Here is that same lower plant 1 year ago, still receiving greenhouse lighting conditions. After all said and done, I think the prettiest situation is the most sheltered conditions of the greenhouse, where the coloring is a more pleasing blue and green.
Here is a popular A. parryi Truncata Variegate, recently reintroduced under the cultivar name "Lime Streak", but having several examples of that and the longer available Yellow Variegated version, I can say with confidence that they are the same thing. The new name was apparently given to a Tissue Culture offering, which seems to be the typical disposition of a selected clone which becomes the source for tissue culture propagates.
The following is a variegated A. parryi Parryi, and something which appears to be as rare as it is appealing. This one has been grown in direct sun, with shelter only from the late afternoon sun, and seems to be doing well in that situation.
as I now pull off the albino's & throw them in the bin so the parent doesn't waste the energy on them. I will leave the next one on & see how it develops.
