Great article Lynn! I had no idea that those weird leaves were normal for Rita Jane. Is this a sign that it will bloom the same year? I just recently noticed this effect on my Rita Jane and chalked it up to the fact that the top of the rosette was badly damaged with a little rosette emerging from it. On my plant the raised area is more warty looking.

I have not had these bloom yet, the ones with the relief on the leaves. Chris has had the same thing with her 'Rita Jane'. To be honest, I had never notice it until Chris posted in a thread showing a photo of hers. Since then every spring mine I notice that the leaves have the relief print on the mature leaves. Very curious.

I've been meaning to get a picture of my Rita Jane; will try tomorrow! I assume the "relief" goes away after some time, absorbed by the leaf?

Yes, when spring ends and summer begins, they disappear. Can't wait to see your 'Rita Jane' in relief.

I also had a 'Pink Delight' that did that, but only some of the rosettes. Very odd.

Nice article Lynn.

Thank you Chris. I will watch my 'Pink Delight' to see if it does that.

OK, here is my warty Rita Jane. Photo taken this morning...



You can see the main rosette was somehow damaged on one side.

I am beginning to think that 'Rita Jane' shows here dislike of our very wet spring, by making warty/raised places on her leaves. That must be why all of that disappears once the weather dries out and warms up.
It also looks like the slugs might be lightly feeding on yours Connie. I was having a lot of marks on different ones during our wet months, Kevin helped me figure out what the problem was. I started putting Slugo bait out, the one approved around pets and children, in the fall, once in Jan, and again in Feb & March. No more spots on the semps leaves.
Here she is in May in my garden. You can see she is getting healthier/happier by May.

But... mine is in a container under the eaves. I pulled it out to get some of the recent rain. Me semps under the eaves can actually dry out in the winter if I don't check on them once in a while.

Yes, it could be slug damage, or more likely snail damage as that is what I most often see here. I'll get some sluggo out there.

You might find the little critters hiding under the pot, or stones.

Really neat article on the variations of "oddball-ness" that can be found in the garden...Thanks, Lynn.

Those sempophiles that have seen these, please bear with me , I'd like to post pics again of the only crested odd ball I've ever had in my garden. The crested semp noid passed on last year:

Initial stage of odd-ball-ness in May 2013:


Further stage in Sept 2013:


Last stage in Nov 2013 before browning and withering:

Lynn - What an interesting article!

Bev - Your photos are fascinating!

Becky!

Thank you Becky. And I agree, Bev's photos are so interesting.

Bev, it sure went out in an odd ball fling. That is truly an amazing crest.

webesemps said:Really neat article on the variations of "oddball-ness" that can be found in the garden...Thanks, Lynn.
Last stage in Nov 2013 before browning and withering: