# Phrag China Dragon bloom which lasted 99 days



## Achamore (Jul 21, 2015)

Please bear with me if the link doesn't work. Still trying to find my way around Photobucket..!

But this China Dragon, which I had waited to see bloom for 5 years, finally did so this winter / spring. The 2nd bud had been a bit nibbled by an insect in the greenhouse before I brought it into the house, and so I plucked it off. That probably contributed hugely to the longevity of the one open bloom. Probably plucked that bud at a critical moment, so all the juices meant for it were somehow diverted to the first bloom..?





http://s1148.photobucket.com/user/achamore/library/


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## troy (Jul 21, 2015)

The infamous 99 days china dragon, very nice colors!!!


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## Achamore (Jul 21, 2015)

We believe that the Eric Young Foundation used a besseae flavum in creating this. China Dragon is usually a lot deeper red.

By the way, over the 5 years before it spiked, I had probably fed the plant not more than twice, as my fertilising regime is pretty poor. I've now started using Jobs little 'logs' stuck into the pots, a system that works for me.


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## troy (Jul 21, 2015)

I use a swiss made fertilizer of 1.5 - .5 - .5 at a lower than recommended dosage with half r.o. and well water and am witnessing a blast of root growth, I use clear pots


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## NYEric (Jul 21, 2015)

Yay besseae hybrids! Thanks for sharing.


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## SlipperFan (Jul 21, 2015)

That's nice! I think, if it were made with a yellow besseae, it might be lighter or even more yellowish.


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## abax (Jul 22, 2015)

Great to see you here Don! And to see the lovely China
Dragon again as well. Now that you've figured ST out I
hope you post the photos from OSF here too. You grow
glorious Phrags. and this place is a Phrag. lovers paradise.

In addition, the color is true here too.


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## Achamore (Jul 22, 2015)

You're right Angela, the photos show true here. Its very disappointing on the Orchid Source forum that nobody is now able to address that issue.


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## Achamore (Jul 22, 2015)

That was my impression too, but when I look at photos of other China Dragons, they are all so very red by comparison. The EYOF did use a besseae flavum to make China Dragon, I have established that. I suppose I will need to find one of theirs that is definitely made with the yellow form, to be able to make a final judgement.



SlipperFan said:


> That's nice! I think, if it were made with a yellow besseae, it might be lighter or even more yellowish.


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## phrag guy (Jul 22, 2015)

nice one


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## Achamore (Jul 22, 2015)

The real puzzle here is how in the world could a phrag bloom last this long?


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## abax (Jul 22, 2015)

If I may be so bold, Don lives on the Island of Gigha off the southwest coast of Scotland. It's a gloriously beautiful
island and I think there's something in the water that's
quite magical...or maybe the air...or ocean currents...something.


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## Achamore (Jul 23, 2015)

Angela, that is probably another part of the puzzle. My water is spring water with lots of dissolved salts. Have never had the means to install an RO or rainwater system. The water comes from the island of Jura 15 miles to our west. There are hundreds of freshwater springs on Gigha, all flowing from the rain on Jura, and it is these springs that probably gave the reason the old Norse invaders gave it the name "God's Island". The old norse word for that eventually became Gigha.

If I had not experienced this bloom lasting 99 days myself, directly and in person, I think I would probably not believe it could happen. That's why I took photos as it went on longer and longer, with the day's newspapers shown, to verify the dates. I wanted to provide clear evidence, to this outlandish story..!


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## abax (Jul 23, 2015)

It's magic. I knew it!


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## NYEric (Jul 24, 2015)

Wow! Streams flowing between islands!  Magical indeed!


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## Achamore (Jul 24, 2015)

Well, the streams flow deep under the sea, in the bedrock. Some islands in the vicinity have no springs at all, but Gigha is positively blessed with fresh water.


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## NYEric (Jul 24, 2015)

That's still kind of incredible!!


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## Achamore (Jul 24, 2015)

The house we live in is in the middle of a 50 acre garden which belongs these days to the local community Trust. In the garden there are several springs, and they feed into a large tank, and then from there its pumped up the hill every couple of days to another large tank. But the excess water simply flows down a ditch to the sea. I reckon about 50,000 litres each day flow from the garden springs to the sea. And the good thing is that the phrags seem to like this water..!


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## Lanmark (Jul 27, 2015)

99 days of bliss!


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## Ozpaph (Jul 28, 2015)

sounds like a great place.


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## Achamore (Jul 28, 2015)

Well... Here's an opportunity for you then...! We have the house up for sale, as we need to move closer to my wife's dairy farm at the north end of the island.

Ok, since we're pretty far into this thread, perhaps I can be allowed to show the following photos of the greenhouse etc..?


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## Achamore (Jul 28, 2015)




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## Achamore (Jul 28, 2015)




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## Achamore (Jul 28, 2015)

*Achamore House and the greenhouse on the Winter Solstice a few years ago*


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## Achamore (Jul 28, 2015)




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## SlipperFan (Jul 28, 2015)

wow.

You have to move from that?! :sob:


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## Heather (Jul 28, 2015)

Holy cow!


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## Achamore (Jul 29, 2015)

I bought Achamore House just under 12 years ago, to run as a (large) B&B. But on the one hand, after 11 years of changing sheets for guests, you end up growing tired of said activity. And on the other hand my wife really wants to move back up to her farm at the north end. I've been promised an even bigger greenhouse as part of my deal... and it will be far easier & cheaper to heat than this one!


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## Achamore (Jul 29, 2015)

And this is the view we would have. The building plot is the foreground in this photo. Jura and Islay are the islands to our west. On a clear day you can just make out New York which is about 2,500 miles to our west.


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## 17andgrowing (Jul 29, 2015)

Bottle the water and sell it world wide. That's a very lovely home you have too.


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## SlipperFan (Jul 29, 2015)

Looks like a dream to come true!


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## Achamore (Jul 30, 2015)

We looked into that idea of bottling all this water. Two problems. First of all, it is pretty acidic, so not all that great for selling for drink, even though the orchids like it. Secondly, we would need to invest far more money to set it up than any of us have locally. To comply with the various regulations, you're probably looking at a minimum investment of £500,000. Just not feasible for the likes of us. A big house in our case simply means owing the bank far too much already!


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## Achamore (Dec 3, 2015)

I forgot to mention that I had the following email from John Valin of EYOF regarding this remarkable China Dragon. 

70 days does seem a long time for one flower, probably from the Grande now
recognised as Leslie Garay. Often Leslie Garay holds three flowers at the
same time, the first opening well before the last and holding many days. I
have never taken note of how long. Regards, John Valin


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## NYEric (Dec 3, 2015)

I have seen a couple of Paph blooms last that long so...


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## Achamore (Dec 3, 2015)

Of course Paphs do have that endurance. Just have never seen it before in a phrag. So it is interesting what he says about Grande 'Leslie Garay'.


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## trdyl (Dec 3, 2015)

NYEric said:


> I have seen a couple of Paph blooms last that long so...



I had one Paph as a teenager that the flower lasted over 4 months one year. Normally I'd only get 3 months out of it.


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