# kovachii 'Grande' x self



## Silvan (Oct 6, 2015)

Bought this plant last year from Sam. I got the smaller sized one
offered since I had already one blooming kovachii and I didn't mind
waiting a few years to see it bloom. So, Imagine my surprise when
it started to spike a few months ago. For the longest time I thought
it was mislabelled. 
It's a puny flower (12cm NS), but it can only get better...


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## Carkin (Oct 6, 2015)

What a sweeeeet surprise!!!


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## Erythrone (Oct 6, 2015)

But... it is a cutie!!!!


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## NYEric (Oct 6, 2015)

Very good growing.


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## Justin (Oct 6, 2015)

shows great potential!


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## trdyl (Oct 6, 2015)

Nice!


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## Clark (Oct 6, 2015)

Nice chunk of real estate compared to the amount of foliage.


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## 17andgrowing (Oct 6, 2015)

Lovely. Makes me want to get one for myself, but with summer temps not so sure.


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## Wendy (Oct 6, 2015)

Very nice. I think I am in the minority but I so much prefer the species over any of it's hybrids. A beauty even if it is on the small side.


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## Markhamite (Oct 6, 2015)

I'm with Wendy, I like the species over the hybrids better. Still makes me think of Mickey Mouse.


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## SlipperFan (Oct 6, 2015)

I don't think hybrids of kovachii have reached their potential yet. But it will be hard to beat the species.


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## Silvan (Oct 6, 2015)

Thanks guys! I really wasn't expecting this plant to flower for the next couple of years. I guess that you can flower a kovachii within five years from flasks. 



Clark said:


> Nice chunk of real estate compared to the amount of foliage.



kovachii don't make a lot of foliage... they just grow bigger in time..way bigger.. 
Maybe as they get older with multi growths, but that could take a decade, at least. 



17andgrowing said:


> Lovely. Makes me want to get one for myself, but with summer temps not so sure.



I grow in the basement and my max summer temps is between 80-85F and that lasts for around two months. It was his first summer here and the only thing it did was those weird brown markings we see on the leaves. My most sensible to heat phrags usually only have problems on their first summer here. They bounce back and seem to adapt afterwards. If you grow besseae without problems, you can grow/flower a kovachii



Wendy said:


> Very nice. I think I am in the minority but I so much prefer the species over any of it's hybrids. A beauty even if it is on the small side.



Anything related to kovachii is special to me  species or hybrids I find them all very interesting to grow and bloom. Maybe not to keep them all for the longterm and you kinda have to like all shades of pink. But they are different and you can spot one a mile away! 



Markhamite said:


> I'm with Wendy, I like the species over the hybrids better. Still makes me think of Mickey Mouse.



Nothing wrong with that


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## Silvan (Oct 6, 2015)

Erythrone said:


> But... it is a cutie!!!!



You haven't seen my kovachii 'Galactus' yet


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## abax (Oct 6, 2015)

It doesn't look so puny to me. I think it's lovely and has
that velvety pouch I so admire. I have a besseae x kov,
but I expect it will be a while before I get to see a bloom.
I'll be looking forward to 'Galactus' with anticipation.


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## Achamore (Oct 7, 2015)

Wendy said:


> Very nice. I think I am in the minority but I so much prefer the species over any of it's hybrids. A beauty even if it is on the small side.



I agree, but live in hope that one day we'll see a stunning kovachii hybrid.

Amazing to see this little guy blooming, astonishing for its size..!


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## Linus_Cello (Oct 7, 2015)

Sorry for the tangent Silvan, but you said you grow in the basement- what lighting do you use?


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## eOrchids (Oct 7, 2015)

Stunning!!! :drool:


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## Silvan (Oct 7, 2015)

abax said:


> It doesn't look so puny to me. I think it's lovely and has
> that velvety pouch I so admire. I have a besseae x kov,
> but I expect it will be a while before I get to see a bloom.
> I'll be looking forward to 'Galactus' with anticipation.



Fritz has that velvety/leathery texture also. How old is your plant? I find that LS is more relevant for Paph than it is for Phrags. If you look at the first time I posted my Fritz Schomburg, the plant was small. 
http://www.slippertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=32809



Linus_Cello said:


> Sorry for the tangent Silvan, but you said you grow in the basement- what lighting do you use?



I use a LED fixture of 80diodes x3w. It's sold as being 240watts, but it's actually around 140watts. The top of the pot is 4feet away from the light.
I use something like this :
http://fr.aliexpress.com/item/Helio...w-Chip-Full-Spectrum-Led-Grow/1823463400.html


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## eggshells (Oct 7, 2015)

Fantastic, good growing!


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## naoki (Oct 7, 2015)

Very nice, you are an excellent Pk grower!


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## OrchidIsa (Oct 7, 2015)

My favorite one!! Wow! Gorgeous!!!


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## Hamlet (Oct 8, 2015)

Very nice. The plant looks rather compact.


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## eaborne (Oct 11, 2015)

Love it!


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