# Phrag. besseae 'Carlisle'



## John M (Apr 7, 2017)

Not quite as good as it has been in the past (see http://www.orchidspecies.com/phragbess.htm): but, it was repotted and chopped up last year. So, the plant is not as big as it was. Still, I think it's a stunner.


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## phrag guy (Apr 7, 2017)

It is a beauty John. Are you using all the pollen up off of it.


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## Spaph (Apr 7, 2017)

Stunner indeed!! :clap:


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## coronacars (Apr 7, 2017)

Just beautiful


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## Jaljala (Apr 7, 2017)

Wow, just Wow!!!


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## NYEric (Apr 7, 2017)

Yay besseae!


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## SlipperFan (Apr 7, 2017)

Stunning is an apt descriptor.


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## tomkalina (Apr 7, 2017)

One of the best. Wild clone or line bred?


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## John M (Apr 7, 2017)

Thanks everybody.

Tom, to my knowledge, nothing this nice ever came out of the wild. This plant originated at the Orchid Zone. I have no idea what are the clonal names of the parents.


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## Stone (Apr 7, 2017)

John, check your messages..


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## abax (Apr 7, 2017)

Totally beautiful and perfect besseae flower, John.


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## Ozpaph (Apr 8, 2017)

stunning colour


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## eaborne (Apr 8, 2017)

Love it!


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## Erythrone (Apr 8, 2017)

Always lovely!!! Mine will be in bloom soon too.


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## John M (Apr 8, 2017)

Erythrone.....very nice. I hope your division is growing nice and big now, for you. 



Stone said:


> John, check your messages..



Mike, I got nothing....no p.m. and no e-mail. ?????


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## Erythrone (Apr 9, 2017)

John M said:


> Erythrone.....very nice. I hope your division is growing nice and big now, for you.



Unfortunatly, the plant had severe bacterial rot last spring.


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## John M (Apr 9, 2017)

Erythrone said:


> Unfortunatly, the plant had severe bacterial rot last spring.



Arrrrrgh!!! I'm sorry that happened. However, I'm very happy to know it will be in bloom again soon.....so, it must've survived and done well since then. Fingers crossed that it continues to do well for you. Good luck! Because it's such a special clone, I do keep 3 pieces of it. That way, if one croaks, I have a back up. Sometimes, these rots can run rampant and if you're not lucky, or super quick to catch the problem, a plant can be lost.


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## Erythrone (Apr 9, 2017)

John M said:


> Arrrrrgh!!! I'm sorry that happened. However, I'm very happy to know it will be in bloom again soon.....so, it must've survived and done well since then. Fingers crossed that it continues to do well for you. Good luck! Because it's such a special clone, I do keep 3 pieces of it. That way, if one croaks, I have a back up. Sometimes, these rots can run rampant and if you're not lucky, or super quick to catch the problem, a plant can be lost.



Yes, it has done well since then, but it is not as large as it was.

Let me explain what happened. I was trying to keep a few besseaes and besseae hybrids in a cooler temperature during spring 2016 since it was very warm in the growing room. so I put some plants outdoors, in the gazebo. There have been cold rain on the plants for a few days before I realized they were too close from the screen. I brought them indoors... and Erwinia was everywhere on the plants a few days later. I almost lost a dalessandroi (it still needs tender loving care). My yellow 3N St-Ouen, the wonderful Red Wing, another besseae and my 4N Scarlet O'Hara were amongst the poor diseased plants. Red Wing and Scarlet O'Hara were in very bad shape, but hybrid vigor helping, they are now much bigger than they were last year before the "disaster". The St Ouen 'Franceville" is not as beautiful as it was, but it is now out of danger. I wished besseae 'Carlisle' would have been bigger this year, but no. Only one old fan and a new one (with a spike). Don't think the bloom will be as nice as it could, but the most important thing is that it recovered! I am happy to say I didn't lost any plant.

Good idea for the back up plants, John. It is a wonderful clone and it worths to be propragate.


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## John M (Apr 9, 2017)

Ah well, there's another lesson for you. I too keep learning what NOT to do because of mistakes I continue to make. There is so much to know and so much to keep in mind if you want to be a consistently good grower. For example: I'm sure that I mentioned on ST that last year I fed too much Calcium because when I switched from R.O. water to stream water (which already had enough calcium), I forgot to stop feeding Calcium Nitrate. Big mistake! The learning never stops!

'Carlisle' is a very strong grower. I've had leaf fans on this clone reach 20" across! Since you did get the rot stopped and it's growing again. It will likely continue to do well for you. I do suggest that once it begins to produce multiple leads, you cut one lead growth off and grow it in a separate pot, as a back-up. If you lose one, you've still got another piece of that particular plant. If you do well with both, which is likely, you'll have two lovely pieces of this special plant to enjoy! Of course, I don't keep doubles of all my plants; but, the ones that are very valuable, or very important to me personally, are the ones I give more bench space to by having at least two pieces in separate pots.

I hope all your plants that were damaged recover nicely and become good and strong by summer's end. I'm so happy for you that you did not kill any plants during the "disaster". You have a very nice collection. It'd be really upsetting to lose any of them.


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## Dandrobium (Apr 10, 2017)

I just love this besseae. You grow it amazingly well John. That is definitely one to have redundant clones in case of disaster.

I've kept my division in the same basket since receiving it, and is doing quite well, with a big chunky new growth. I have a shallow clay bonsai pot that I have it slated for, once it needs repotting. I can't wait for it to flower, but no signs yet.


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## John M (Apr 11, 2017)

'Glad your piece is doing quite well, Dan. "Chunky new growth" is great to read! That new growth will likely spike as soon as it fully matures. So, likely within 6 months or so from now you should be on your way to getting some flowers. It grows all year 'round and blooms as soon as each growth matures. This clone also side branches, too, when it's happy and big and strong.


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## Phrag-Plus (Apr 11, 2017)

Gorgeous one for sure!


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## Dandrobium (Apr 28, 2017)

Dandrobium said:


> ... I can't wait for it to flower, but no signs yet.



I think I reverse jinxed it


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## John M (Apr 29, 2017)

WooHoo, Dan! Steady as she goes now....and I'll look forward to the photos in a few weeks!


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## blondie (May 1, 2017)

This species is always a stunning for me hoping to invest in one this year


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