Attn: Jon Singer

[redbird]

CSIRO is claiming to have produced a transgenic blue rose, though the fact sheet admits it's more of a "pale mauve-blue." They're hoping for bluer roses in the future, if they can reduce the acidity of the petals.

This rose is at least three years away from the commercial market in Australia, pending approval from the office that regulates transgenic organisms. [via wordweaverlynn] No photos, alas.

Comments

[bayarts.livejournal.com]

Boo! No photos!

Limbos market in Portland had some last year that were as close to blue as any I've ever seen before. However, they were a bit on the mauve-blue side, too.

[ailsaek.livejournal.com]

The Florigene page comes up about every six months on the rose fora I'm on. From everything I've heard, it's a hoax.

[zsero.livejournal.com]

The link is directly to the CSIRO web site, so it's certainly no hoax.

Re: Attn: Jon Singer

[pir-anha.livejournal.com]

i'm copying what i posted to lynn:

how silly, not to show us a picture. made me think that it's not all that blue.

i found a picture of their blue carnations, which confirms that hypothesis: moondust (http://www.stevensandson.com/cuts/cuts/images/Carnation_Moondust.jpg) and moonshadow (http://www.stevensandson.com/cuts/cuts/images/Carnation_Moonshadow.jpg). purple, baby. lavender. pretty colours, mind, but not blue. not yet.

there are other pictures that look more blue, but these are from a licensed distributor, so i trust that they're truer.

[kip-w.livejournal.com]

Now Wayne Newton can sing, "Wrap up some blue roses for a red lady." Wait; I hear him...

[negativeq.livejournal.com]

I thought transgenic blue roses were around for a while now.

[ruth-lawrence.livejournal.com]

sounds interesting, and at least will be pretty, in some eyes.

The 'blue' carnations we have are purple.

Re: Attn: Jon Singer

[ruth-lawrence.livejournal.com]

If anything, the actual carnies are less blue than in those pics.

[jonsinger.livejournal.com]

I was in correspondence with the woman who was director of that project for Florigene for a while, and I think I can safely assure you that it isn't a hoax. They certainly don't have a blue rose yet, but I 'spect they'll eventually get there.

Best --
jon

Rose blues --

[jonsinger.livejournal.com]

I've seen their photos, and it's true: as of now it's just another mauve. As pointed out by one of the other commenters, the carnations they have are also mauve. OTOH, they are certainly working on petal vacuole pH, and if they do things right it will get more blue. OTTH, there is one other factor that they have not mentioned, and I always wonder how cognizant they are of it. I don't want to get into it here, as it is excessively tweaky; has to do with another aspect of the chemistry.

I do not particularly want to perform genetic transformation of the type they used, but I'd certainly like a nice deep blue-purple or indigo or blue rose, and I'm looking into other approaches.

Thanks, btw, for thinking of me. As you know from the amount of blather I've subjected you to over the years, it's a subject of considerable interest.

Hugs —
jon

Re: Rose blues --

[redbird]

Indeed. I recall your Fan GoH presentation, many Lunacons ago.

As you know, I am interested in many things, especially if they are creative or scientific, or described by someone interested in them. You talking about blue roses is all three.

[jonsinger.livejournal.com]

Transgenic roses that are on the path to blue have been around for maybe 6 months, if I'm remembering correctly. (Some time last year, at any rate.) They are not commercially available yet, and they are definitely not my idea of blue yet, either.

Cheers —
jon

Re: Rose blues --

[jonsinger.livejournal.com]

It is to blush. If I'd had a whole lot more silver, it would be to blush blue; but there are limits.

Hugs —
jon