# Paph Delrosi 'Florafest' HCC/QOS



## emydura (Jan 16, 2013)

Second time I have flowered this. I got two flowers last time so am happy with three. It had 4 flowers when it was awarded so room for improvement.

You can just see another spike following behind in the first photo. A lot of people always ask how can they get there Delrosi to flower as they find it all but impossible. The original owner of this clone said on this forum that he found 'Florafest' to be a shy flowerer that would only spike every three years or so. This will be my third flowering in 7 months. So I'm doing something right but I'm not sure what. It is a lot cooler where I live so that may help. I'm finding 'Florafest' to be a great grower that flowers as soon as the growth matures.

Paph Delrosi 'Florafest' HCC/QOS (rothschildianum x delenatii)


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## Dido (Jan 16, 2013)

Its really a beauty. 
Congrats for this plant


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## nathalie (Jan 16, 2013)

Congrats too !!


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## Ozpaph (Jan 16, 2013)

What a beauty!
More or less light than your multis?


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## ehanes7612 (Jan 16, 2013)

have never liked delrosi, but this one is nice


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## monocotman (Jan 16, 2013)

Great growing,
David


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## emydura (Jan 16, 2013)

Ozpaph said:


> What a beauty!
> More or less light than your multis?



Much the same light as the multi's. They sit on the same bench. This one generally sits at the front of the glasshouse where it may get a little more light.


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## Justin (Jan 16, 2013)

awesome. i agree they are difficult to bloom. i have two big multi-growth plants that haven't flowered yet.


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## Secundino (Jan 16, 2013)

Just great!


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## wjs2nd (Jan 16, 2013)

Beautiful blooms!


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## eggshells (Jan 16, 2013)

This is beautiful! Leaves are gorgeous. Must look away.


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## NYEric (Jan 16, 2013)

Yay!!! This is one of the best I've seen!! This is also one of the plants that got me into orchids. Well done.


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## Erythrone (Jan 16, 2013)

Stunning plant!!!!!!


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## raymond (Jan 16, 2013)

very nice


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## atlantis (Jan 16, 2013)

I´m in love with your plants...as you know, and this one is not an exception.
Probably the most beautiful P. Delrosi I´ve ever seen David.:drool:

Congrats!!!


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## reivilos (Jan 16, 2013)

I'm always amazed by your pictures. Good job.


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## Carper (Jan 16, 2013)

Great healthy looking plant with striking coloured blooms!

Gary
UK


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## Dido (Jan 16, 2013)

what would comes out if you slef a delrosi like yours. 
Or would it be a benefit if you bread it back to micranthum.


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## Paphiolive (Jan 16, 2013)

Very beautiful.
Thanks for the perfect photo.
I wait for my bloom. I will hope for the same.

Olivier


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## Marc (Jan 16, 2013)

A wonderfull Paph hybrid and a very nice specimen as well. 

Well grown!


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## SlipperKing (Jan 16, 2013)

Fantastic buy David! Does the second spike have 3 as well? Hands down, you are doing a much better job then the previous owner!
I have a HCC clone as well so clearly mine has bloomed before. Now its my turn to discover the secret to blooming one. I think the previous owner of my plant bloomed it once got the award and then pass it onto me because he didn't know to grow Paphs.. my great fortune.
What is the leaf span on your blooming growths? They look a lot wider then my plant too.


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## Ozpaph (Jan 16, 2013)

emydura said:


> Much the same light as the multi's. They sit on the same bench. This one generally sits at the front of the glasshouse where it may get a little more light.



Thanks, I'll up the light on mine.


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## Leo_5313 (Jan 16, 2013)

Great looking flowers


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## Roy (Jan 16, 2013)

Very nice David. Good to see you have a Florafest plant with the right name.


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## SlipperFan (Jan 16, 2013)

Beautiful flower, but what impresses me most is that you've had 3 bloomings in 7 months? It must be growing like a weed!


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## JeanLux (Jan 17, 2013)

Most impressive !!!! :clap: !!!! You really must do something VERY right !!!! Jean


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## abax (Jan 17, 2013)

Just scrumptious blooms and so often and so many. It look yummy!


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## emydura (Jan 17, 2013)

Dido said:


> what would comes out if you slef a delrosi like yours.
> Or would it be a benefit if you bread it back to micranthum.



As that would be a secondary hybrid you would see a lot more variation than the primary hybrid. A few would be really dominated by the roth while a few others the delenatii. I have another Delrosi which I think is better than this one. It has bigger flowers and a bit better shape. It is only a small plant so it is still establishing. Maybe a cross between the two one day. I don't have a micranthum to cross with.



SlipperKing said:


> Fantastic buy David! Does the second spike have 3 as well? Hands down, you are doing a much better job then the previous owner!
> I have a HCC clone as well so clearly mine has bloomed before. Now its my turn to discover the secret to blooming one. I think the previous owner of my plant bloomed it once got the award and then pass it onto me because he didn't know to grow Paphs.. my great fortune.
> What is the leaf span on your blooming growths? They look a lot wider then my plant too.



Yes Rick, the 2nd spike has three flowers as well. Well the previous owner did get four flowers a spike and got it awarded so I haven't matched that yet. But I do seemed to have worked out how to get it to flower.

The leaf span is about 33 cm (13 inches) and almost 5 cm wide. Best of luck in flowering yours. They are certainly worth the effort.



Roy said:


> Very nice David. Good to see you have a Florafest plant with the right name.



LOL Roy. I actually bought this division off Woolf Orchids. The original owner bought it off Florafest and so used that name when it got awarded. So Florafest can't take credit for my plant directly but I guess you have to acknowledge that the original plant was correctly labelled. Have Florafest closed up?



SlipperFan said:


> Beautiful flower, but what impresses me most is that you've had 3 bloomings in 7 months? It must be growing like a weed!



It is a pretty good grower. The most recent growth to flower could only be 18 months old. The plant itself isn't that big. There aren't huge numbers of growths. But there are a few new growths coming and the way it is growing it won't be long before it is a good size specimen.


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## Ozpaph (Jan 17, 2013)

emydura said:


> LOL Roy. I actually bought this division off Woolf Orchids. The original owner bought it off Florafest and so used that name when it got awarded. So Florafest can't take credit for my plant directly but I guess you have to acknowledge that the original plant was correctly labelled. Have Florafest closed up?
> 
> .



http://www.woolforchidculture.com/


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## emydura (Jan 17, 2013)

Ozpaph said:


> http://www.woolforchidculture.com/



But what about Florafest?


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## Roy (Jan 17, 2013)

Florafest closed a long time ago, many years now. From what has been alleged, the owner had to leave in a hurry. Had quite a few customers looking for him to seek reimbursment for quantities of mislabelled plants.
John did manage to obtain correct items which was a blessing.


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## Ozpaph (Jan 17, 2013)

I heard a similar story but no direct knowledge.


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## emydura (Jan 17, 2013)

Roy said:


> Florafest closed a long time ago, many years now. From what has been alleged, the owner had to leave in a hurry. Had quite a few customers looking for him to seek reimbursment for quantities of mislabelled plants.
> John did manage to obtain correct items which was a blessing.



Thanks Roy. Doesn't look like there is much chance of me getting a refund (as promised) for the plants that don't turn out to be what they were sold as.


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## Ozpaph (Jan 17, 2013)

It is interesting to note that both Florafest and WOC are/were both located at Drayton, near Toowoomba.


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## Roy (Jan 18, 2013)

John Woolf was the manager at Florafest. Got out when he saw the writing on the wall. Things went bad when he left. I didn't get any incorrect plants while he was there.


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## annab (Jan 18, 2013)

beautiful,I am speechless.
the same plant that sent me falconer.
david just for curiosity what mean these HCC/QOS ?
thanks in advance.
still congrats.
anna


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## Erythrone (Jan 18, 2013)

HCC/QOS is an award of the Queensland Orchid Society (Australia)


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## emydura (Jan 18, 2013)

annab said:


> beautiful,I am speechless.
> the same plant that sent me falconer.
> david just for curiosity what mean these HCC/QOS ?
> thanks in advance.
> ...



Anna - are you asking specifically what does HCC/QOS mean or are you asking more generally what do those letters mean at the end of an orchid name?


HCC/QOS is an award of the Queensland Orchid Society is correct. It was awarded in 1984. That is a state award. Today in Australia when you get a state award you automatically get a AOC award (Australian Orchid Council) as well. The original owner (Murray) said that back in 1984 when you got a state award you then had to put it up for an AOC award by sending them lots of slides and they judged it from the photos. The slides were taken on Fuji film which wasn't allowed by the AOC so in the end it never received a national award.


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## Ozpaph (Jan 18, 2013)

Roy said:


> John Woolf was the manager at Florafest. Got out when he saw the writing on the wall. Things went bad when he left. I didn't get any incorrect plants while he was there.



I assume he started up WOC after that?


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## Roy (Jan 18, 2013)

I think, there may have been a small nursery running at the time but developed into full time when he left. Too long ago to remember correctly. I've known John for a very long time.


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## Murray F (Jan 19, 2013)

David you are certainly doing something right to flower it that often. You could be right about the coolness. Here in Toowoomba I've got mine in frony of a large evaporative cooler (especially in the last couple of weeks of mid 30's & higher). It is the best one I've seen around the place & i have seen quite a few. Looks better with 4 flowers though (as when I had it awarded) must dive through all my slides & see if I can find the award pic. cheers Murray


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## annab (Jan 19, 2013)

emydura said:


> > Anna - HCC/QOS what do those letters mean at the end of an orchid name?
> 
> 
> exactly that.
> ...


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## eggshells (Jan 19, 2013)

annab said:


> well I understood QOS mean,Queensland Orchid Society and that is refers to an award that this plant have won, but what mean HCC ?
> I see often on this forum many plant with these letters at the end of orchid name, is always that refers to a prize win or not or is much more of that?.
> if this beautiful Delrosi would not have won nothing ,which should be his name ?
> I don't know nothing about meaning of these letters at the end of orchid name.
> ...


HCC (Highly Commended Certificate)
Awarded to orchid species or hybrids scoring 75 to 79 points inclusive on a 100-point scale.

AM (Award of Merit)
Awarded to orchid species or hybrids scoring 80 to 89 points inclusive on a 100-point scale.

FCC (First Class Certificate)
The highest flower-quality award, awarded to orchid species or hybrids scoring 90 points or more on a 100-point scale.

JC (Judges' Commendation)
Given for distinctive characteristics that the judges unanimously feel should be recognized but cannot be scored in the customary ways.

AD (Award of Distinction)
Awarded once to a cross representing a worthy new direction in Breeding. The award is granted unanimously without scoring by the judging team assigned.

AQ (Award of Quality)
Awarded once to a cross exhibited by a single individual as a group of not less than 12 plants or inflorescences of different clones of a hybrid or cultivated species. At least one of the inflorescences must receive a flower quality award and the overall quality of the group must be an improvement over the former type.

CBR (Certificate of Botanical Recognition)
Awarded to rare and unusual species with educational interest that has received no previous awards. The entire plant must be exhibited. This award is granted provisionally and filed with the judging center Chair pending taxonomic verification supplied by the exhibitor. (see Taxonomic Authorities)

CHM (Certificate of Horticultural Merit)
Awarded to a well-grown and well-flowered species or natural hybrid with characteristics that contribute to the horticultural aspects of orchidology, such as aesthetic appeal. This award is granted provisionally and filed with the judging center Chair pending taxonomic verification supplied by the exhibitor. (see Taxonomic Authorities)

CCM (Certificate of Cultural Merit)
Awarded to the exhibitor of a well-flowered specimen plant of robust health. The plant must score more between 80 and 89 points inclusive on a 100-point scale.

CCE (Certificate of Cultural Excellence)
Awarded to the exhibitor of a well-flowered specimen plant of robust health. The plant must score more than 90 points on a 100-point scale. Plants receiving this award represent the highest level of orchid culture.

http://www.aos.org/Default.aspx?id=40


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## Shiva (Jan 19, 2013)

Fantastic!


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## Rick (Jan 19, 2013)

That looks gorgeous David. Well grown:clap::clap:

The flowers also have great symmetry and form which doesn't always follow this hybrid.

I've seen some pretty big improvements to the parent species in my collection since going low K.

I wouldn't be surprised if we start seeing more from roth and roth hybrids as more growers start cutting back on high K fert systems.


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## Ozpaph (Jan 19, 2013)

Eggshells is correct for the US (AOS) judging system.
The Australian (AOC and states) - HCC = 75-80, AM is 80-85 points and FCC above that.
http://www.orchidsaustralia.com/aoc_judging.html


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## emydura (Jan 19, 2013)

Rick said:


> I wouldn't be surprised if we start seeing more from roth and roth hybrids as more growers start cutting back on high K fert systems.



My roths and roth hybrids are growing fantastic since switching over. I was looking at a Lady Rothschild yesterday that had spent 6 years going nowhere. Since changing fertiliser it has grown well and now has two new leads. I expect it will flower for the first time at the end of the year.

My roths in particular have been my greatest success story. I have 6 of them at varying sizes. Until recently only one of them was doing any good and that was quite big when I bought it. Now they are all thriving and growing well. One was a tiny seedling when I got it and hadn't grown in 10 years. Now it has trippled in size. Another was a medium size seedling that I have had for at least 8 years. It had actually gone backwards and the seedling ended up getting rot at the time I changed fertilisers. It put out a new growth which is growing beautifully. I think it might flower for the first time late next year. My Sam's Best x Rex will flower at the end of this year for the first time. The one roth I have flowered (Janet x Western Springs) put out 3 new leads at the same time doubling to 6 growths. 

I was pretty pessimistic about my roths at one point but now I am confident that they will all flower in time.


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## emydura (Jan 20, 2013)

Murray F said:


> David you are certainly doing something right to flower it that often. You could be right about the coolness. Here in Toowoomba I've got mine in frony of a large evaporative cooler (especially in the last couple of weeks of mid 30's & higher). It is the best one I've seen around the place & i have seen quite a few. Looks better with 4 flowers though (as when I had it awarded) must dive through all my slides & see if I can find the award pic. cheers Murray



Thanks Murray. Do you have a slide scanner? It would be great to see it with four flowers. I can't recall ever seeing a Delrosi with that many flowers.


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## Rick (Jan 20, 2013)

emydura said:


> My roths and roth hybrids are growing fantastic since switching over. I was looking at a Lady Rothschild yesterday that had spent 6 years going nowhere. Since changing fertiliser it has grown well and now has two new leads. I expect it will flower for the first time at the end of the year.



That's exciting David!

Much of the original low K strategy came from physiology data from standard crop plants (corn, rice, wheat) and in those cases the antagonistic action was mostly (but not soley) between K and Ca (Mg was more secondary). I recently got hold of a paper on cotton plants which showed that in that species the primary antagonism was with Mg (not Ca).

Since roths originally came form serpentine areas, the geology they are used to is high Mg (and silicates), low Ca, and virtually non existent K. So with your use of Mag Amp with a low K system maybe we've really unleashed the roths ability to pick up Mg in your system.


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## emydura (Jan 21, 2013)

Rick said:


> That's exciting David!
> 
> 
> Since roths originally came form serpentine areas, the geology they are used to is high Mg (and silicates), low Ca, and virtually non existent K. So with your use of Mag Amp with a low K system maybe we've really unleashed the roths ability to pick up Mg in your system.



That makes sense Rick. I first started using the Mag Amp for a short period (9-12 months) before the CMB Foliar fertiliser and noticed a significant improvement in the roths during that time. The introduction of the low K fertiliser just improved that further.


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## Murray F (Jan 23, 2013)

emydura said:


> Thanks Murray. Do you have a slide scanner? It would be great to see it with four flowers. I can't recall ever seeing a Delrosi with that many flowers.



Yes David have a slide scanner just have to find the slides in amongst the hundreds of slides. Will get to it though over the coming months. Murray


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## chrismende (Jan 24, 2013)

What a stunning plant and gorgeous flowers. I'm getting closer and closer to deciding to try some of my plants on the low-K regime, too.


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## emydura (Feb 9, 2013)

The 2nd spike is fully open now. Unfortunately as the the spikes developed quite far apart in time they haven't presented well. They are facing the opposite direction.


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## Erythrone (Feb 9, 2013)

Impresssive!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Stunning!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wonderful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just hope my 2 plants will bear as many flowers as yours one day!

(BTW, I have young Delrosi made with delenatii vinicolor in bloom by now. Quite dark. Picture tomorrow)


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## Brabantia (Feb 9, 2013)

What you show us is for me a completely exceptional flowering. Congratulations for the grower!


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## quietaustralian (Feb 9, 2013)

Stunning!


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## biothanasis (Feb 9, 2013)

w o w !!!!! :clap:


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## The Orchid Boy (Feb 9, 2013)

Amazing!!!


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## SlipperFan (Feb 9, 2013)

Viewable from any angle!


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## Ozpaph (Feb 9, 2013)

that is stunning - get it judged!!!


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## JeanLux (Feb 10, 2013)

:clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: Jean


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## emydura (Feb 10, 2013)

Erythrone said:


> (BTW, I have young Delrosi made with delenatii vinicolor in bloom by now. Quite dark. Picture tomorrow)



WOW. Looking forward to seeing that. I can't say I have seen this cross. I'm intrigued.



Ozpaph said:


> that is stunning - get it judged!!!



It is already awarded (and it had 4 flowers on a spike then).


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## Ozpaph (Feb 10, 2013)

Darn. You've done a really nice job with it.


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## Susie11 (Feb 10, 2013)

A beauty!


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## Evergreen (Feb 10, 2013)

Most amazing !


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## gnathaniel (Feb 10, 2013)

Beautiful! Gorgeous clone in all regards.


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## myxodex (Feb 11, 2013)

I've also had to change my mind about these. Really stunning !
Would be interesting to cross with Erythrone's dark type ?


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## phraggy (Feb 11, 2013)

A phrag man myself but one of these could possibly change my mind.

Ed


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