# Phrag. Nitidissimum 'Wilhelmina Laarman' FCC/AOS



## John M (Feb 12, 2010)

I've had this clone for about 20 years. Five or six years ago, I gave Wendy a piece for helping me with an open house - orchid sale that I had. In July 2008, Wendy took her division to judging and won an FCC! Less than 4 months before that, the Mother plant in my greenhouse suffered severe frostbite when the Big Freeze happened. Thankfully, it was one of the plants that pulled through. It had been shortened considerably; but, the rhizome and lower portions of the growths remained viable.....and it grew back. This is the first post-freeze blooming for me. The plant is not yet back up to it's full size again. After blooming, I'm going to repot it and I will expect it to put on some nice sized growths this summer. 'Can't wait 'till next year...maybe I'll get 4 flowers on one stem, like Wendy's piece had when it got awarded.


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## Lanmark (Feb 12, 2010)

For not being up to its full potential, it's pretty darned spectacular! I'm glad you managed to save it from the doom of freezing temperatures.


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## KyushuCalanthe (Feb 12, 2010)

Another spectacular plant John. Congrats on saving it!


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## Phrag-Plus (Feb 12, 2010)

Stunning and gorgeous!


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## SlipperKing (Feb 12, 2010)

Nice save as mentioned! How long are the petals John?


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## Clark (Feb 12, 2010)

Real easy to look at!


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## JeanLux (Feb 12, 2010)

Wow!!!! For a plant that survived a freeze, this one looks extremely good!!! Curious about next years blooming!!! Jean


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## Shiva (Feb 12, 2010)

Wow! Spectacular and beautiful. Congrats for your perseverance. :clap::clap::clap:


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## toddybear (Feb 12, 2010)

I'm so jealous! What a great looking plant and flower!


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## phrag guy (Feb 12, 2010)

very nice John


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## Yoyo_Jo (Feb 12, 2010)

How beautiful! :clap: Do you mind telling what it's growing in?

{_OrchidWiz could use your lovely photos - there's only an old botanical drawing for this hybrid in there now_}


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## NYEric (Feb 12, 2010)

Nice colors!


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## biothanasis (Feb 12, 2010)

Stunning!!!


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## Wendy (Feb 12, 2010)

Nice John! It will be spectacular on the next blooming. :clap: :drool:

I can send Alex the photo of my plant when it was awarded.


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## John M (Feb 12, 2010)

Thanks very much for all your nice comments everyone!




Yoyo_Jo said:


> How beautiful! :clap: Do you mind telling what it's growing in?



I couldn't remember; so, here's a photo. 





It seems to be bits of broken brick in the bottom, chopped styrofoam in the middle and peat/perlit as a top dressing.

Rick: I'll measure the petals and get back to you on that.


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## GuRu (Feb 12, 2010)

Without your explanations I had thought by myself '20 years of growing and that size??' but with them I say 'WOW it survived freezing - what a vigorous plant and further more very beautiful flowers'. It's lovely!!:drool::drool:
Best regards from Germany, rudolf


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## goldenrose (Feb 12, 2010)

Lanmark said:


> For not being up to its full potential, it's pretty darned spectacular! I'm glad you managed to save it from the doom of freezing temperatures.


I couldn't agree more! :drool: :drool: :clap: :clap:


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## paphioland (Feb 12, 2010)

nice


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## John M (Feb 12, 2010)

SlipperKing said:


> Nice save as mentioned! How long are the petals John?



Measurements:

Dorsal Sepal 2.7 cm wide and 14.5 cm long.
Petals 1.6 cm wide and 52.0 cm long.
Synsepal 4.6 cm wide and 12.2 cm long.
Pouch 3.5 cm wide and 7.0 cm long.


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## John M (Feb 12, 2010)

GuRu said:


> Without your explanations I had thought by myself '20 years of growing and that size??' but with them I say 'WOW it survived freezing - what a vigorous plant and further more very beautiful flowers'. It's lovely!!:drool::drool:
> Best regards from Germany, rudolf



LOL! Yes, I guess it does seem a bit small after 20 years of growth. During those years it also suffered a severe setback when I became quite ill in the late 90's and didn't care for my plants very well. It had just got back to good health when I made the division for Wendy. Then, it was looking pretty nice just before the freeze....and really horrible right afterwards!

Overall, the Phrags managed pretty well. Some even died right down to the pot...with no live green left at all; but, they came back from dormant eyes on the rhizome just below the surface.


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## snow (Feb 12, 2010)

great ssurvival story and a wonderfull looking plant:clap:


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## Gilda (Feb 12, 2010)

:drool: Beautiful !! :clap:


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## e-spice (Feb 12, 2010)

Nice job bringing it back to good health!

e-spice


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## Paph_LdyMacBeth (Feb 12, 2010)

I'm in love!


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## SlipperFan (Feb 12, 2010)

Paph_LdyMacBeth said:


> I'm in love!


Me, too. I've seen photos of this hybrid, but none of them were the beautiful color of this one!

Beautiful plant and photos!


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## Greenpaph (Feb 13, 2010)

Congratulations! Very beautiful!


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## smartie2000 (Feb 13, 2010)

Spectacular! I love the pink hues on it


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## cnycharles (Feb 13, 2010)

those are amazing flowers


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## paphioland (Feb 13, 2010)

that's a nice flower. Thanks


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## ohio-guy (Feb 14, 2010)

WOW, I like the color for I long petaled phrag


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## NYEric (Feb 14, 2010)

BTW = Phrag caudatum x (longifolium x caricinum)! Nice color, hmmm.I will not start collecting green phrags, I will not...


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## lady slipper (Apr 2, 2010)

Dear John,
Is this orchid still available on the commerical market? She is a real beauty.
I would love to find a division of this one. I am looking to rebuild my phrags since a short hiatus being away from orchids. I miss the phrags the most.
Thank you for sharing this photo with the group.

Phrag-man


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## raymond (Apr 3, 2010)

very nice flowers


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