Tropaeolum azureum Miers

Horticultural & Botanical History

‘A few years since a blue Nasturium was classed in the same class of impossibility as a Hippogrif or a Unicorn, for mens’ minds were warped their vision distorted by the theory of cyanic and xanthric series in flowers, which could not, as it is said, interfere with each other.  It is asserted that in those cases when a pure yellow is observable in a particular genus, no blue could possibly be produced, and that, on the contrary, where a blue colour exists in a genus, yellow is expelled.  This pretty species makes a beautiful object when trained on some ornamental wire work, fastened to the pot, and requires the same kind of treatment as T. tricolorum.’  [BR f.65/1842].  The variety grandiflorum, the flowers paler in the centre, was figured in the Illustration Horticole [IH p.85 vol.3/1856] and Flore des Serres [FS f.1160/1856]. ‘We have all been familiar with Tropaeola with red, orange, and yellow-coloured flowers, and, recently, tubers of a species with blue flowers have been received from Chili, and it has been the good fortune of Mr. Veitch, of the Mount Radford Nursery, Exeter, to be the first to blossom both the blue Lechenaultia and the blue Tropaeolum.  The latter, from which our present drawing was made, excited very great interest at the meeting of the London Horticultural Society on the 4th of October of the present year, 1842, and. after some high compliments had been paid to the successful cultivator, the Society’s silver medal was awarded to Mr. Veitch, for this interesting addition to our greenhouse plants.  The tubers were sent over, only two months previously to the day of exhibition, from Chili, by Mr. Veitch’s Collector, Mr. Lobb.’  [BM t.3985/1842].  OFG f.63/1854.  MB p.247/1842.  FS pl.VII 5e Liv./1846.  FC p.1/1843. 

History at Camden Park

Listed in the 1845, 1850 and 1857 catalogues [B.438/1845].  It was heavily advertised by Veitch and Son of Exeter in the mid 1840s, offering imported tubers, and this nursery is the probable source.  It may have been brought to Australia by John Bidwill on his return from England in 1844. 

Notes