# Phrag. vittatum 'Birchwood' (x self)



## tomkalina (Jun 4, 2017)

In spike this morning, these are first bloom seedlings that were grown under T5 lamps. We'll be adding a few smaller Phrag. vittatum seedlings to the Fox Valley website next week. Not the easiest species to grow, but well worth the effort.


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## Florian (Jun 5, 2017)

nice!
how old are these plants?


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## tomkalina (Jun 5, 2017)

Seven years out of flask! Under our conditions, they are very slow growing. I think ST member brasphrag probably gets his to bloom quicker. Hoping to sib these when they bloom. Phrag. vittatum seedlings are not easy to find in the U.S.


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## suzyquec (Jun 5, 2017)

You have my attention-let us know when they are available.

Susan


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## abax (Jun 5, 2017)

Why are they more difficult to grow Tom? I'd be happy to
know when the plants will be available as well.


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## eaborne (Jun 6, 2017)

Can't wait to see them in bloom!


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## tomkalina (Jun 6, 2017)

Angela,

They're difficult because they they seem prone to crown rot if watered from the top and are extremely sensitive to commercially available fertilizer salts in irrigation water. We grow the seedlings in 4" x 4 " net bottom pots sitting in 1" of RO water, and fertilize every week with rain water containing small amounts of dissolved bird droppings (collected from our roof) The rain water is stored in one gallon plastic milk bottles. Using the commonly available fertilizers seems to be the kiss of death for this species, especially in the concentrations commonly applied to our other Phrags. Since the mix we use contains a good amount of milled Canadian sphagnum moss, a thick layer of moss soon covers the mix surface. The plants get a small amount of nitrogen from the amine compounds secreted by the roots of the moss. The mix we use is a combination of quartz sand, non-coniferous charcoal, milled sphagnun moss and small perlite. Each spring, we top-dress each pot with ash produced by burning dried weeds from the prairie. Fellow ST member brasphrag has also had success in using a similar mix and probably has more experience than anyone in growing this species well. When we have seedlings to sell, we always include fairly detailed growing instructions with the plants.


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## abax (Jun 6, 2017)

Thank you Tom. I think maybe this species is a bit more
advanced than my ability to grow them. I'm learning, but
not quite there yet.


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## eteson (Jun 7, 2017)

Wow! This is amazing! Congrats Tom.


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## Dandrobium (Jun 8, 2017)

Yes congrats! I hope to get my hands on one of these someday!


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## SlipperFan (Jun 9, 2017)

The vittatum I got from you, Tom, is doing fine so far. I'm growing it like my other Phrags.

I hope I didn't just jinx it!


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## tomkalina (Jun 10, 2017)

That's great, Dot! Are you growing it in the original mix or have you re-potted into a different mix?


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## SlipperFan (Jun 10, 2017)

I've re-potted it in my regular Phrag mix.


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## Phrag-Plus (Jun 12, 2017)

Great News Tom and congratulation! Such beautiful species...


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## blondie (Jun 15, 2017)

Very nice


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## tomkalina (Jun 29, 2017)

Updated photo, but over-exposed on this sunny morning. Pretty rare species in the U.S. Busy working on the irrigation system pump this week, so have'nt yet had time to add the two vittatum seedlings to the FVO website. Hopefully, this weekend.......


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## Chicago Chad (Jun 29, 2017)

Very nice Tom. Can you tell us the average leaf span of a blooming plant?


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## tomkalina (Jun 29, 2017)

Chad,

This is a first bloom seedling, and it has a 15 inch leaf span. The 'Birchwood' clone had a 27 inch leaf span, but I've heard the plants get much larger in habitat.


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## Phrag-Plus (Jun 29, 2017)

Congratulation what a gorgeous flower!


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## tomkalina (Jun 29, 2017)

J-P, Hoping to do a sib cross. Not too interested in hybridizing with this species except possibly to remake Phrag. Vittabess.


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## Phrag-Plus (Jun 29, 2017)

tomkalina said:


> J-P, Hoping to do a sib cross. Not too interested in hybridizing with this species except possibly to remake Phrag. Vittabess.



Hi Tom,
That will be nice to sib it for sure, I self mine last year seedlings are doing very well I should get them out of flask soon. I made some Vitta-Bess using besseae flavum and those are already in compots.


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## tomkalina (Jul 8, 2017)

You are ahead of me, J-P! I just remade Vitta-Bess with the normal color form of besseae last week and selfed the second vittatum clone because it has better pouch color than the first one (see photo).


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## NYEric (Jul 8, 2017)

What about x besseae flavum?  I would love a Vittabess.


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## tomkalina (Jul 8, 2017)

Eric,

I used Phrag.besseae 'Carlisle' to remake Vita-Bess in an attempt to intensify the pouch/petal color of vittatum. Not sure the flavum form would do this as well.


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## NYEric (Jul 9, 2017)

It would be good to have both.


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## Phrag-Plus (Jul 9, 2017)

tomkalina said:


> You are ahead of me, J-P! I just remade Vitta-Bess with the normal color form of besseae last week and selfed the second vittatum clone because it has better pouch color than the first one (see photo).



Very nice and interesting colouration! I love it!


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## blondie (Jul 9, 2017)

Got a fantastic flower to it I like it very much,


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## Phrag-Plus (Jul 9, 2017)

tomkalina said:


> Eric,
> 
> I used Phrag.besseae 'Carlisle' to remake Vita-Bess in an attempt to intensify the pouch/petal color of vittatum. Not sure the flavum form would do this as well.



Can’t wait to see a Vitta-Bess made with a red besseae, the one we seen are looking more like a cross made with Platipetalum than vittatum. I did attempt to remake that cross using my best besseae too but it dind’t take… Only the yellow did worked out, I'm expecting subtle colouration and patterns from bronze to orange…


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