My First Fairieanum

[masaccio]

Thank you! I thought so too, about the dorsal. I really wanted this sort of evaluation. It's also nodding - is that normal for the species? I tied the stem to beyond vertical and I still had to shoot up. The pedicel seems excessively long. A little more subtlety in color would also be nice. I see what you mean by natural light. Smartphones seems to compensate rather well for what would seem to be low lighting. I think I learned to spell it correctly too!

I quoted myself. How annoying!

 

[masaccio]

Tyler's fairieannum totally won the day.

 

[cpmaniac]

If you have access to Frederick Sander: The Orchid King, written by Arther Swinson, there's a fascinating account of the rediscovery of this species in 1905. Also, if you are an AOS member, you can view Theresa Hill's lecture on the species on the society website.

 

[masaccio]

If you have access to Frederick Sander: The Orchid King, written by Arther Swinson, there's a fascinating account of the rediscovery of this species in 1905. Also, if you are an AOS member, you can view Theresa Hill's lecture on the species on the society website.

Done. Also, I should, and will, rejoin the AOS. Thank you.

 

[DrLeslieEe]

The nodding in paphs is normal, especially in fairrieanums, to protect from water getting into pouches in nature.

There are many ways to prep the flower for best visual presentation to counter this nodding feature. One trick is to using the following steps:

1. Let the floral scape to develop naturally without staking

2. When flower opens, let the dorsal open fully before attaching to stake. This is important because the dorsal-pouch angle will expand wider to show better. Many people stake flower too early. In multiflorals, wait till first flower opens, then stake behind it so first flower lies horizontal. The rest will naturally open horizontally.

3. The staking is an art. Make sure the stake is as high as the dorsal tip of the flower after insertion in pot. Then take 3 clips. First clip midway up the inflorescence. Second clip at the point below the ovary of flower (or the point where flower joins the main stem). If this is sufficient, the next step can be forgo.

4. The third clip can be used to tip flower upwards by attaching carefully where the ovary joins the actual flower. This step must be done gently by tilting the flower backwards by the pouch, and attaching the clip on the ovary right behind the flower.

Some people use floral non-stick black tape for these 3 steps.

When all is done the flower is facing forward and tilted up to the viewer. Be gentle or you can snap the flower off!!! You've been warned!

Let me know if this works.

 

[masaccio]

The nodding in paphs is normal, especially in fairrieanums, to protect from water getting into pouches in nature. The trick is to follow the following steps:

1. Let the floral scape to develop naturally without staking
2. When flower opens, let the dorsal open fully before attaching to stake. This is important because the dorsal-pouch angle will expand wider to show better. Many people stake flower too early. In multiflorals, wait till first flower opens, then stake behind it so first flower lies horizontal. The rest will naturally open horizontally.
3. The staking is an art. Make sure the stake is as high as the dorsal tip of the flower after insertion in pot. Then take 3 clips. First clip midway up the inflorescence. Second clip at the point below the ovary of flower (or the point where flower joins the main stem). If this is sufficient, the next step can be forgo. The third clip can be used to tip flower upwards by attaching carefully where the ovary joins the actual flower. This step must be done gently by tilting the flower backwards by the pouch, and attaching the clip on the ovary right behind the flower. Some people use floral non-stick black tape for these 3 steps.

When all is done the flower is facing forward and tilted up to the viewer. Be gentle or you can snap the flower off!!! You've been warned!

Let me know if this works.

Thank you! Steps one and two are good. I remember other warnings against staking too soon. #3 will be a a helpful challenge. I'll take the risk.

 

[GuRu]

This intense colouration was what I ment when I wrote 'looks very promising to me'. So I'm pleased to see it how I expected it.

 

[Michael Bonda]

I think the flower is fantastic in color. Mine bloomed many weeks ago for the first time and here’s what I got:

I purchased the plant years ago and was expecting the standard color. Can’t complain since any blooming is a win win

 

[masaccio]

I think yours has lovely form, the stem impressive! It seems a little larger and to have opened much flatter than mine as well. I might have been disappointed if I was expecting a a coloratum and received an album. I saw your earlier post and I was casting an eagle eye on mine. Thanks for your comment! Maybe the dorsal on mine will be better later on as Leslie hinted.

 

[BrucherT]

Natural light.
View attachment 24926

Absolutely wonderful. This is a version of how fairrieanum is supposed to look. It’s supposed to be wild and exotic. Screw the moon-ass flat-dorsal ********. This is wonderful. Beautiful. Endlessly intriguing. Healthy. Well grown.

 

[masaccio]

Absolutely wonderful. This is a version of how fairrieanum is supposed to look. It’s supposed to be wild and exotic. Screw the moon-ass flat-dorsal ********. This is wonderful. Beautiful. Endlessly intriguing. Healthy. Well grown.

Thank you for that heart-felt endorsement! "I feel you", as they say. The first time I saw a photo of the species long ago, I was struck by, as you describe, the wild, exotic, even pagan quality of it. I could be wrong of course, but it seems possible to me for it to have had a direct influence on the art and architecture of southern Asia, it's that special. When I see my own photo, I feel better about it. I think I'll try my hand at improving the presentation.

 

[masaccio]

If you have access to Frederick Sander: The Orchid King, written by Arther Swinson, there's a fascinating account of the rediscovery of this species in 1905. Also, if you are an AOS member, you can view Theresa Hill's lecture on the species on the society website.

The book came to day. Very excited. It's a first edition - maybe the only edition, I wouldn't know. There's an unfortunate stamp imprint that went all the way through the dust cover into the otherwise handsome binding. Otherwise it would have been in very good condition for the time. The dust jacket photos, and more importantly the interior plates and text are all in excellent condition, and very interesting. The preface by David Sander bears a dated signature that one assumes is David Sander. The "Sander" part is legible. Anyway, thank you for turning me on to this.

 

[cpmaniac]

It's a great read...you won't be disappointed.

 

[lanthier]

Yeah, your first was far more successful than mine. Mine is now shirveling up and dying out altogether. A tiny new growth has formed, but I am not optimistic!

 

[masaccio]

Yeah, your first was far more successful than mine. Mine is now shirveling up and dying out altogether. A tiny new growth has formed, but I am not optimistic!

You guys are scaring me talking about the difficulty with this one, and killing micranthums too. I swear I'm not doing anything special. I guess I'll just try to continue doing nothing special.

 

[BrucherT]

Yeah, your first was far more successful than mine. Mine is now shirveling up and dying out altogether. A tiny new growth has formed, but I am not optimistic!

What’s the trouble for yours? I was told “never let them dry out completely. I haven’t and all but one (rootless) flaskling survived, heading into 3rd year.

 

[BrucherT]

Thank you for that heart-felt endorsement! "I feel you", as they say. The first time I saw a photo of the species long ago, I was struck by, as you describe, the wild, exotic, even pagan quality of it. I could be wrong of course, but it seems possible to me for it to have had a direct influence on the art and architecture of southern Asia, it's that special. When I see my own photo, I feel better about it. I think I'll try my hand at improving the presentation.

YES! “We be of one blood, thou and I.” That’s some Kipling, lol.

 

[lanthier]

What’s the trouble for yours? I was told “never let them dry out completely. I haven’t and all but one (rootless) flaskling survived, heading into 3rd year.

I bought it in bud and it quickly bloomed. But declined since. May be too cold. Not dried out. But it seems done.

 

[Guldal]

I find it a very nice flower, you've got yourself, masaccio!
(No matter what the OOCD'ists say about the slightly(!) pinched dorsal - of course, if you go for an award, its nice to know what improvement to look for... and to know, that your first time bloomer posseses potential! Otherwise, I would, in your shoes, just enjoy it, every second it flowers! )

 

[Guldal]

I think I learned to spell it correctly too!

Only if you spell it like DLE taught you! The plant is named after an esteemable, victorian orchid gentleman, mr. Fairrie - not after the fairies, no matter how delectably enchanting it appears!