Humans have evolved naturally but having control over other living beings whether plants or animals, we have experimented on almost everything. The process of hybridization was introduced by our beloved Charles Darwin, but the plant revolution took place only in the early 1900s with peas in the limelight. With Darwin’s genetic studies of peas, Gregor Mendel initiated the process of cross-breeding. Flash forward to today, with numerous experiments and successful developments, we have a long list of hybrid plants. Keep reading to find out our 10 most stunning hybrid plants:
Blood Lime
Green on the outside but orange on the inside, the first hybrid plant on our list is Blood Lime. Though they might look kind of weird, they don’t really contain any blood! Blood Lime is a combination of Ellendale and red finger lime. It has an amazingly sweet and magnificent taste, the one that your ordinary lime won’t ever give you. While the usual lime is harvested during the summer or the spring season, Blood lime is picked during winters. It is smaller in size, measuring around 4 centimeters in length. Now here’s a fun fact- Blood limes can be eaten with their skin on!
Olympia
A successful hybrid of Spinach, Olympia is a highly recommended product and has a great demand around the world. It grows upright into dark green leaves and is available throughout the year. The plant is quite resistant to high summer temperatures and is usually sown in 40 degrees’ Fahrenheit soil. Its seeds begin to germinate as early as one to two weeks. Olympia grows really fast and is mostly ready to be harvested in just 48 days. It literally thrives in summer, fall, spring, and overwintering.
Argemone Mexicana
Argemone Mexicana is one of its kind hybrids plants. Though it was not particularly developed for consumption purposes or its glamorizing look, it has pretty well served the world for its medicinal value. It is native to Mexico, the Western US, and even to other regions across the world. Argemone Mexicana is highly tolerant of poor soil and is even capable of surviving in a drought condition. Its seeds contain around 22-36% off pale yellow, non-edible oil which is commonly known as Argemone or Katkar oil. This oil is used to cure many problems.
Stargazer Lilies
The pretty hybrid plant, Stargazer Lily is known for its beautifying characteristics. It measures up to eight inches and is profoundly colorful. Stargazer Lilies often come in various colors like pink, purple, white hues, and red. They have a tender fragrance and are a perfect match to light up your space. Wherever put, they complete the meaning of that location. Stargazer Lilies are generally grown in the summer season; after which they bloom in late summer. They grow in 4-8 USDA hardiness zones. These attractive hybrid plants require frequent watering and the utmost care!
Pomato
As the name suggests, Pomato is a hybrid of potato and tomato. After consequential attempts, scientists finally developed a variety of these two essential products in one. The plant produces potatoes under the ground as well as tomatoes on the top. This particular hybrid variety attempts to fight against food insecurity and food shortages around the world. The small tomato-like produce can be consumed both raw and cooked. This hybridized plant is a mind-blowing development and of great help to farmers as well.
Early Sunglow
An impressive hybrid of sweet corn, Early Sunglow is one of the best corn varieties around the world. When it comes to taste, it has already surpassed its non-hybrid parents. Early Sunglow is known for its sweet and tender flavor. It usually takes about sixty-three days to be harvested. After sowing, the seeds take a week to ten days to germinate. One of the things to keep in mind while growing this is, that the soil should be kept moist. Sunglow tastes pretty good when eaten fresh. This sweet corn variety is a go-to for all you sweet corn lovers out there!
Hybrid Lilies
Commonly classified as Oriental hybrids and Asiatic Hybrids, The Hybrid lilies are vibrant flowers. They do not have any fragrance and are comparatively smaller than other kinds of lilies. The flowers are usually 6 to 8 inches in length. Hybrid Lilies are available in shades of gold, pink, yellow, orange, rose, and white. They can be easily grown in pots, given just the right amount of sunlight and regular watering. The soil pH should be anywhere between 6.5 to 6.8 for these hybrid lilies. They must be given attention and proper care.
Better Boy Tomatoes
Better Boy Tomatoes are a lesser-known hybrid variety of our beloved tangy flavored tomatoes! The main reason for their development was to make them resistant and more tolerant to plant diseases. Some of the common plant problems include fusarium wilt, verticillium wilt, and nematodes. They weigh up to one pound and are loved by both farmers and gardeners. Better boy tomatoes are bigger, better, and brighter red fruit. They optimally take only 75 days to be harvested. This tomato hybrid is a more reliable product but should be given proper care.
Jostaberry
Jostaberry has been a remarkable development. It was produced after bringing together three different plant species. This plant is a hybrid of Blackcurrant, North American coastal dark gooseberry as well as European gooseberry. In size, it is smaller than gooseberry but bigger than the blackcurrant itself. Jostaberry is the end-product of the complicated cross-breeding of three plants and therefore possesses a very unique and sweet taste. It is a versatile hybrid plant and the tree can grow up to two meters. Jostaberry is resistant to disease-causing agents.
Plumcots
An impressive combination of apricot and plum, Plumcot is a hybrid of two plants belonging to the same species. The look of the fruit is enough to make us crave it. It nearly took twenty years to make this hybrid a success. Plumcot has a sweet and fruity flavor. It has tender skin making it chewable for seniors. Plumcot is made up of 75% plum and 25% apricot. It is a mind-blowing balance of sour and sweet.
