I just really like lady-slipper orchids, I guess. Or at least this year I do. If only I could, you know, grow them.
Hanne Popow is a cross of Phrag. besseae and Phrag. schlimii, and is apparently a really popular phrag, because Google finds people talking about it all over the place.
As frustrating as my experiences with Paphiopedilum have been, it sounds like Phragmipediums are even worse; the people on this orchid-growing forum are unanimously agreed that phrags like to drop perfectly good flowers for no particular reason. (Not, technically, no reason -- the explanation given at the link is that plants have an upper limit on how many blooms they're willing/able to maintain at once, so once that number is reached, the plant starts to drop the oldest flowers, even if they're still otherwise functional.) I can only imagine how frustrating that must be.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Pretty picture: Phragmipedium Hanne Popow
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5 comments:
That does sound frustrating. Are you going to attempt it?
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No. Not unless they get a whole lot cheaper and I start feeling a whole lot more confident about being able to grow orchids.
Phrags are basically impossible to over water, which actually makes them a good candidate for beginners (as long as you have adequate light and humidity). Look into semi-hydro, cause I think that's the best way to grow this genus and it's very simple to do.
There is a nusery/garden center here in Madison, WI that specializes in breeding and growing phrags. The bencehs with those plants are really something. They have some amazing species plants cordoned off and you can't touch them. I am supposed to be the horticluturist in our family but I gifted my very busy brother a phrag that I bought there and it has really thrived for him on his windowsill and bloomed two more times for him already.
hey,
thats interesting to know that they have upper limit on total mumber of blossoms,
someone shall keep count of blossoms of each tree daily :D
that can be interesting experiment :)
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