# Phrag. Fliquet



## mrhappyrotter (Oct 18, 2013)

I've got lots of (maybe boring) backstory on this plant.

It was purchased around 2001 or 2002 from Breckinridge, which is now closed. At the time, it was a blooming sized, single growth plant. This clone is apparently extremely susceptible to rot, to the point that I have to inspect it almost daily to make sure it's in good shape. The rot always starts at the base of the oldest leaves, but progresses rapidly if I don't proactively remove them. So over the years, it's been a battle to keep it alive.

For most of the time I've had it, this guy/gal has only produced a single new growth at a time. I've tried growing it with wet feet -- it resents that very much. So, over the years I've learned to water it like a paph.

For most of its life, the plant survived with 2 growths, an old growth and the newest growth. By the time a new growth would start, the oldest growth would either start to rot or die off naturally. Several years ago, it had a growth spurt and by end of season, I had a 4 growth plant. I made a tough decision and divided it at that point, so I'd have two plants and possibly be able to experiment with growing conditions to see if I could appease it.

Starting last summer, the divisions began to produce spikes, but each and every time, they would blast. When the pictured plant started to spike, it got a major case of rot. So, I removed the affected leaves and placed it outside to isolate it from my other paphs and phrags. I fully expected it to blast the spike, but here we are ....















I like it. It's nowhere near the best Fliquet I've seen, but the flowers are large and I like the fact that the lip has an orangish hue that contrasts nicely with the petals. I know, the photos aren't so good. I'm not a photographer. It's still in the process of opening, but I think it'll get slightly better. And no, I did not sacrifice any goats or virgins in an attempt to please the orchid gods to let this thing finally bloom after over a decade of constant attention and effort.


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## tomkalina (Oct 18, 2013)

Good job keeping it alive! It's certainly not the worst Fliquet I've ever seen...


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## SlipperFan (Oct 18, 2013)

It think it is quite nice, and I hope the plant appreciates all you do for it!


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## Ruth (Oct 18, 2013)

I like it! 
I have a Fliquet that hasn't bloomed yet, although I was hoping it would spike this time. I too have to watch for rot, especially on the new growth. I have been growing it with wet feet, so I guess I'd better stop that. How do you treat it for the rot?


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## mrhappyrotter (Oct 19, 2013)

Ruth said:


> I like it!
> I have a Fliquet that hasn't bloomed yet, although I was hoping it would spike this time. I too have to watch for rot, especially on the new growth. I have been growing it with wet feet, so I guess I'd better stop that. How do you treat it for the rot?



Since I grow indoors and have pets, I keep the potentially harmful chems to the absolute minimum.

The biggest and most important thing I do squash the rot is to remove the leaves immediately if they start to develop the tan, translucent blobs. It always starts on the lowest, oldest leaves and if I see it in time and remove them, that usually does the trick. Sometimes I dose the area with peroxide and/or cinnamon. I also try to be very vigilant about not letting water get onto the leaves.

I also try to do a preventative peroxide spray now and then, on no particular schedule and I'll mix up some of the cinnamon extract and spray that preventatively. Though I'll be honest, I've not noticed any significant drop in the frequency of rot issues. Over the years I've tried Messenger and aspirin treatments as well. I still use aspirin as a "just in case", but the cost of Messenger and lack of results from it means I took that out of rotation.

Now that I've got two divisions of the plant, I've been experimenting a bit more with different cultural conditions to see if some combination of light, temperature, feeding and watering might be the magic bullet. So far, I haven't found it.

It is strange, though. Considering the parentage, I would assume this plant would be fine sitting in water like most of my other phrags. I guess those caudatum genes are influential when it comes to watering. With this plant, though, I definitely feel like it's better to let it get a little too dry than to stay a little too wet. The roots are vigorous and very healthy ... it's the foliage that seems to give me all the trouble.


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## Ruth (Oct 19, 2013)

Thanks, I haven't used hydrogen peroxide, but I have use cinnamon. Sometime it seems to help. I definitely will grow it on the dry side. I have a Belle Houge Point that does the same thing. The other phrags I have don't seem to give me much problem with the rot.


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## NYEric (Oct 21, 2013)

mrhappyrotter said:


> .. And no, I did not sacrifice any goats or virgins in an attempt to please the orchid gods ..


Sacriledge!! :viking:



tomkalina said:


> Good job keeping it alive! It's certainly not the worst Fliquet I've ever seen...



No it's not at all bad. BTW, the story isn't boring, rather inspirational. :wink: 
Yay besseae hybrids, thanks for sharing


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## eaborne (Oct 21, 2013)

Great job!


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## Migrant13 (Oct 21, 2013)

Success at last...congrat's. I'll have to try the drier conditions for mine too since it doesn't seem to want to bloom.


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## mrhappyrotter (Oct 22, 2013)

Thanks guys. The rot strikes again, btw, but it was my fault. The spike developed a soft spot between the first and second bud...possibly due to mechanical damage from the clip I used to secure the first bud.

But still, one large, colorful flower is better than no large colorful flowers. Natural spread is approximately 7 1/4 inches (18 cm). It's one of the larger phrag blooms in my collection, kovachii hybrids aside.


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## Phrag-Plus (Oct 26, 2013)

Congratulation! At last it deserve... It is very nice!


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## Leo Schordje (Oct 27, 2013)

you might consider adding another fan to your set up, keep the air moving, should help lower the frequency of rot events. 

Really beautiful flower, nice plant, worth the struggle to keep it alive.


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