Need an opinion

[Ray]

I recently acquired a couple of phrags that were obviously mislabeled - looked to me like the tags were switched when packed, which is the sender's guess, as well.

If that is the case, one is Phrag. QF Sun Burst, which is:





I know it's a lousy photo, but no matter what I've tried, I cannot get the "peachy" tones to show through, and this was the closest.

Do you think it's properly identified?

 

[Phrag-Plus]

Hi Ray,

I think the identification is correct…
This complex hybrid is composed mainly form species found in the Micropetalum section: (34.38% besseae + 25% dalessandroï + 12.5% kovachii + 3.12% schlimii) + (18.75% longifolium + 6.25% sargentianum)

From my experience in breeding, when using species from different section at the rate of 12,5% or less, the species character are washed away (recessives).
But by interbreeding species from the same section we can keep some characters and especially color that even as a rate as low as 12,5%…

So in this hybrid, besseae + dalessandroï (59.38%) mixed with schlimii and kovachii (15.62%) = 75 %
(I know kovachii is not anymore in the same section but it is having the color character)

From other sections found in this cross are longifolium with 18.75% and 6.25% sargentianum. So we will not talk about the sargentianum influence here…
And at 18,75% longifolium is too low to show petal length like that… (My opinion and experiences)

But, lately I did aware in my breeding program than by using 4n plants some traits are boosted. (see my Eric Young post) And I have to redefine all my calculations… So if that longifolium used in this hybrid is a 4n that will make something like 37.5 longifolium influence instead as 18,75%...
And that will bring more balance...

If that is a possibility, that cross is going to look like something closer to an Eric Young with some dalessandroï influence with a hue of the pink color form the schlimii and kovachii…

Hope it help…
Jean-Pierre

 

[Ray]

Thank you, Jean-Pierre. Looking at its heritage, I had pretty much accepted it as correct, but with the kovachii influence, which I could only speculate, I was a bit unsure.

The tag that it was swapped with was Phrag. QF Haila, which is a bigger, broader-leaved plant, as yet unflowered, and with one kovachii parent, I knew that wasn’t it.

 

[NYEric]

Show us the plant.

 

[Ray]

QF Sun Burst on left, QF Haila on right.

For reference, those are 4" diameter pots.

 

[Linus_Cello]

(love the dog night-light)

 

[Ray]

(love the dog night-light)

A gift from our daughter. Someone created it from a photo of our mini-dachshund.

 

[abax]

Ray, I don't follow the ins/outs of breeding, but the bloom looks exactly like my
Eric Young flavum and the peachy color on my plant is just a bit more pronounced than the photo (as you observed).

 

[Tintin]

View attachment 34255

QF Sun Burst on left, QF Haila on right.

For reference, those are 4" diameter pots.

Very nice. Do you use only leca as media? How often do you water?

 

[Ray]

Very nice. Do you use only leca as media? How often do you water?

All of my phrags are in semi-hydroponic culture, using LECA in a container having a reservoir at the bottom, so in essence, they are constantly being watered by the wicking up of the nutrient solution.

I try to never let them dry out. While they're outdoors on my deck, they can be watered as much as daily in the middle of summer, and it's probably no less than weekly in winter when they're indoors.

 

[NYEric]

The one on the right is obviously a Pk hybrid; on the left looks like simple Nichole Tower.

 

[Tintin]

All of my phrags are in semi-hydroponic culture, using LECA in a container having a reservoir at the bottom, so in essence, they are constantly being watered by the wicking up of the nutrient solution.

I try to never let them dry out. While they're outdoors on my deck, they can be watered as much as daily in the middle of summer, and it's probably no less than weekly in winter when they're indoors.

Do the hairs on the roots grab onto the leca and not let go when you have to change the media (eventually)?

 

[Ray]

To some extent, but it's not an issue.

The sub-surface LECA stays constantly moist in a S/H pot, which limits the precipitation in the first place, and every watering is a true flooding of the pot, keeping the interior relatively free of buildup. Any "pebbles" that are carried on to the next pot are of no consequence.

 

[Tintin]

I use the same system for my phal with great results. Haven't tried slippers with it fearing insufficient moisture for them, especially phrag.

 

[Ray]

I don't know how S/H culture would have insufficient water delivery, unless your conditions are WAY out of whack or you're doing it wrong...

 

[Tintin]

I don't know how S/H culture would have insufficient water delivery, unless your conditions are WAY out of whack or you're doing it wrong...

My humidity is really low (less than 20%), and the top portion of the leca in a tall pot dried way faster than the bottom. I think phrag does better with an even level of moisture throughout the root system.

 

[Phrag-Plus]

My humidity is really low (less than 20%), and the top portion of the leca in a tall pot dried way faster than the bottom. I think phrag does better with an even level of moisture throughout the root system.

For sure 20% humidity its very low!
I'm using S/H culture with Leca too, I'm having some plants in pure Leca with good results but I'm still putting some moss as a topping...
For smaller roots plants I'm adding a layer of an inches of usual mix before the moss (bark, charcoal and perlite) it work fine!

 

[Ray]

My humidity is really low (less than 20%), and the top portion of the leca in a tall pot dried way faster than the bottom. I think phrag does better with an even level of moisture throughout the root system.

As a general comment, most slippers will never see a humidity level that low, so you’d do well to find a way to increase it.

My humidity never gets quite that low, but indoors in winter it can be 30% on rare occasion.

I grow my entire collection in inorganic media, whether that be LECA or an mix of LECA and Grodan Rock Wool cubes. The mix is primarily what my paphs are in, in more traditional (no reservoir) pots, but many folks use the mix in S/H culture. Cause the cubes hold a lot of water, essentially creating “pocket reservoirs” throughout the mix, keeping the moisture more uniform.

Others have done as Jean-Pierre mentioned, using the cubes as a top dressing. I communicated with a grower in Scandinavia who used plastic sheet on top of the medium, forming an evaporation barrier.