# Phragmipedium kovachii



## JPMC (Apr 1, 2012)

Finally, I can say that I am able to grow and bloom two phragmipediums: andreettae and kovachii. All others I have tried have died a slow death. The kovachii just opened its flower yesterday and I decided to document the full opening as it progresses. The plant is about 18 inches tall and wide . The flower is currently 4.5 inches wide, but it was 3.5 inches wide yesterday. I wonder how big it will get? I can say that under my warm indoor conditions, it is easy to grow and in fact grows VERY rapidly. I bought this from Orchids Limited in 2007 or 2008, as I recall, as a seedling that was about 10 inches across. It makes 1-2 growths per year.





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## suss16 (Apr 1, 2012)

Very nice, I love it! Great job!


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## Shiva (Apr 1, 2012)

Great achievement! Congrats! And beautiful too.


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## Rick (Apr 1, 2012)

That looks wonderful!! I'm glad its a fast grower. Can hardly wait for mine to get this big:wink:


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## eOrchids (Apr 1, 2012)

Wow! Congrats!!!


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## phrag guy (Apr 1, 2012)

that is great


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## Justin (Apr 1, 2012)

wow more great growing and looks like a good clone...care to share any culture secrets on this one as well?


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## Chuck (Apr 1, 2012)

Looks very nice. I hope you keep us posted as the bloom progresses.


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## Clark (Apr 1, 2012)




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## goods (Apr 1, 2012)

This is growing warm!? What are your max/min temps throughout the year?


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## SlipperFan (Apr 1, 2012)

Wow! Kovachii and andrettea, the biggest and the little-est--and you can grow and bloom them both. That is great, and I am jealous!


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## W. Beetus (Apr 1, 2012)

Quite a nice bloom!


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## Stone (Apr 1, 2012)

I too am turning green!!!!!


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## jjkOC (Apr 1, 2012)

Wow, what's your secret! So beautiful!


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## NYEric (Apr 1, 2012)

Very nice.


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## Dido (Apr 2, 2012)

Great flower and great growing


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## Kavanaru (Apr 2, 2012)

SlipperFan said:


> Wow! Kovachii and andrettea, the biggest and the little-est--and you can grow and bloom them both. That is great, and I am jealous!



Ditto  specially as andrettea is supposed to be quite difficult... At least that's what I have been told after killing two plants...


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## paphioboy (Apr 2, 2012)

Beautiful! And warm-growing, you say..?  I thought it is a cooler-grower..


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## JPMC (Apr 2, 2012)

Justin said:


> wow more great growing and looks like a good clone...care to share any culture secrets on this one as well?



No secrets. I grow it in a 50/50 mix of perlite and supersphag in a clay pot. It is watered often enough to keep it wet. I don't let it sit in water though. I fertilize weakly weekly with a urea-free fertilizer. It gets typical paph light (for me that's about 2-3 feet from a 4 foot T5 light with 4 tubes in the fixture). The winter temps are 60F at night and 80F in the day. Summer temps are about 10 degrees higher.


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## JPMC (Apr 2, 2012)

goods said:


> This is growing warm!? What are your max/min temps throughout the year?



About 60F at night in winter and 80F in the winter days. Summer temps are about 10F higher. I also grow in a clay pot wioth wet growing medium. I suspect that the evaporation may cool the roots.


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## JPMC (Apr 2, 2012)

paphioboy said:


> Beautiful! And warm-growing, you say..?  I thought it is a cooler-grower..



I've killed so many phrags. A vendor (Ecuagenera I think that it was) told me that they grow andreettae at sea level and consider it a warm grower. He thought that other phrags might respond to warm conditions too. He was rignt only about kovachii and andreettae. I killed all other phrags in my spare room. I do keep it in a clay pot with wet medium that may allow for evaporative cooling of the roots.


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## JPMC (Apr 2, 2012)

jjkOC said:


> Wow, what's your secret! So beautiful!




No secrets. I grow it in a 50/50 mix of perlite and supersphag in a clay pot. It is watered often enough to keep it wet. I don't let it sit in water though. I fertilize weakly weekly with a urea-free fertilizer. It gets typical paph light (for me that's about 2-3 feet from a 4 foot T5 light with 4 tubes in the fixture). The winter temps are 60F at night and 80F in the day. Summer temps are about 10 degrees higher.


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## Susie11 (Apr 2, 2012)

That is a beautiful phrag!


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## JPMC (Apr 2, 2012)

As of today (04-02-2012) the flower is about 5 1/2 inches across. It grew 1 inch in 24 hours.





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## SlipperFan (Apr 2, 2012)

Wow!


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## jjkOC (Apr 2, 2012)

How is Super Sphag different from New Zealand sphagnum moss?


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## JPMC (Apr 2, 2012)

jjkOC said:


> How is Super Sphag different from New Zealand sphagnum moss?



I believe that it is the regular NZ sphagnum minus the stems. It was delivered to me from the vendor as a series of dry, compressed cubes that expand many times their size when placed in water.


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## Ruth (Apr 2, 2012)

:clap::drool::clap:


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## Rick (Apr 2, 2012)

JPMC said:


> I've killed so many phrags. A vendor (Ecuagenera I think that it was) told me that they grow andreettae at sea level and consider it a warm grower. He thought that other phrags might respond to warm conditions too. He was rignt only about kovachii and andreettae. I killed all other phrags in my spare room. I do keep it in a clay pot with wet medium that may allow for evaporative cooling of the roots.




Have you tried longifolium, or its hybrids like sorcerers apprentice? I figure that species is indestructible. Semi hydro growing with something like hydroton balls, and it should fill up your spare room in no time. Mine have always done just fine, but switching to low K high Ca/Mg has increased leaf size and eliminated leaf tip burn.


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## JPMC (Apr 3, 2012)

Rick said:


> Have you tried longifolium, or its hybrids like sorcerers apprentice? I figure that species is indestructible. Semi hydro growing with something like hydroton balls, and it should fill up your spare room in no time. Mine have always done just fine, but switching to low K high Ca/Mg has increased leaf size and eliminated leaf tip burn.



Thanks for the suggestion. I have tried longifolium and it also died. I tend to be a purist and do not grow hybrids.


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## Kavanaru (Apr 3, 2012)

JPMC said:


> As of today (04-02-2012) the flower is about 5 1/2 inches across. It grew 1 inch in 24 hours.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



wow! That's nice.... and knowing it can grow under warmer conditions than what I thought (by the way, you are the third person I've heard from that grows this species under warmer conditions) it seems to be gaining room in my list of plants I could like to try...


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## e-spice (Apr 3, 2012)

Great job. That's quite an accomplishment and a very nice bloom.


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## Phrag-Plus (Apr 4, 2012)

Gorgeous flower! And good info...


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## JPMC (Apr 4, 2012)

I think that today it finally has reached its full size. It measures 6 inches wide. The lip is 1 5/8 inches wide and 2 3/8 inches long.




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## eggshells (Apr 4, 2012)

Can you observe how long will the flower last? Thank you!


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## Evergreen (Apr 4, 2012)

Fantastic Phrag! Well done blooming it.


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## JPMC (Apr 4, 2012)

eggshells said:


> Can you observe how long will the flower last? Thank you!



Yes, I will.


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## eaborne (Apr 4, 2012)

Absolutely stunning!


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## SlipperKing (Apr 5, 2012)

Too cool! I wouldn't dare try this one (at least not this year:evil


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## KyushuCalanthe (Apr 5, 2012)

Congrats on growing and flowering this species so well. I only tried one Phrag so far, Andean Fire, and I killed it in a couple seasons :sob:


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## Berthold (Apr 5, 2012)

KyushuCalanthe said:


> I only tried one Phrag so far, Andean Fire, and I killed it in a couple seasons :sob:



But what is the standard life time of that bastard?


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## Jason Fischer (Apr 5, 2012)

So I'm curious, was this a 'Maximus' x 'Goliath' sib? So far, that cross has given me the best shape overall, and yours is showing much better than average shape. I'd say that's a winner! Congrats!


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## JPMC (Apr 6, 2012)

Jason Fischer said:


> So I'm curious, was this a 'Maximus' x 'Goliath' sib? So far, that cross has given me the best shape overall, and yours is showing much better than average shape. I'd say that's a winner! Congrats!



Thank you. This one is 'Laura' x 'Ana'.


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## KyushuCalanthe (Apr 6, 2012)

Berthold said:


> But what is the standard life time of that bastard?



Eh?


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## TDT (Apr 6, 2012)

Berthold said:


> But what is the standard life time of that bastard?



My Andean Fire is 12 years old or so and it has flowered every year with at least two spikes! I grow it intermediate temps, bright light and sitting in an in of rain or RO water. It is my most reliable plant in a collection of 100.


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## Erythrone (Apr 6, 2012)

Andean Fire is not a kovachii hybrid. Were you talking about Andean Tears?


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## Kavanaru (Apr 7, 2012)

Erythrone said:


> Andean Fire is not a kovachii hybrid. Were you talking about Andean Tears?



I do not think it was meant to be a Pk hybrid... Kyushu only mentioned he has only tried to grow a Phrag (which by chance was Andean Fire!) and killed pretty quick...


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## JPMC (Apr 15, 2012)

*Duration of the flower*

As of today, 04-15-2012, the flower has faded and fallen off the plant. I would estimate that the flower was in good condition for about 2 weeks. I don't know if this is typical or short because of my warm indoor environment rather than a cool greenhouse.


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## eggshells (Apr 15, 2012)

Thanks for letting us know.


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## John M (Apr 15, 2012)

JPMC, This was a very beautiful blooming of kovachii. You've grown the plant to perfection as well. Congratulations! I only hope that I can do as well with my plants one day!


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## likespaphs (Apr 15, 2012)

i thought i heard somewhere that the flowers only last a couple weeks


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## SlipperFan (Apr 15, 2012)

likespaphs said:


> i thought i heard somewhere that the flowers only last a couple weeks


But that's true of most Phrags.


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## likespaphs (Apr 17, 2012)

right
i guess when i heard it i thought the person was inferring the shorter side of Phrag flower life
but i only may have heard it 
i don't really know..........


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