New acquisition flask Bellatulum x ichiro suzuki x bellatulum

Scott Ware · Aug 8, 2016

Paph. (Ichiro Suzuki 'Red Pepper' x bellatulum 'New Red Moon')

Thought you might like to see an example of a flower from the same grex as the pollen parent. I got this flask from Sam at the 2010 International Slipper Orchid Symposium. This one is very typical of the others that flowered from this flask; we can be sure that Sam chose one of the very best to put back onto Paph. bellatulum for the next generation.

troy · Aug 8, 2016

Sweet!!!!! How long did it take for this one to bloom from flask? What is your culture? Seasonal temps?

Scott Ware · Aug 9, 2016

I'm glad you like it. I think you have a really good cross there.

This is either the second or third flowering for this plant. They started flowering relatively soon - about 3 years out of flask with several stragglers still unflowered almost 6 years later. This is probably due to the absence of environmental flowering triggers that might be present in a less constant environment, but the temperature and periods of light and darkness do not vary where these are growing.

These have spent their entire existence since deflasking in the same 4 square feet on a bottom shelf directly over the hydronic heat elements in the phal house where the temp stays fairly constant between 70-74F, 24/7. Seasons are irrelevant because the environment never changes in this location. The T5 fluorescents about 16" above the surface of the leaves remain on a 12 hour on/off cycle year round. This is the area where I normally first put new compots to become established before moving them to an open bench, but this cross was deliberately left in that location to mature (I have way better luck growing brachy types under lights than on the open bench for some reason). Air movement is strong. Media is a mixture of Orchiata #5, perlite, peat and silica sand. Fertilizer is a continuous low dosage of K-lite.

troy · Aug 9, 2016

I also use silica sand, limestone rock, perlite, orchiata, charcoal. My days are 90 my nights are 70, they are growing very fast, faster than any other flask I've got, although I don't know what the root system looks like. Blooming 3 years out of flask is very good, I wonder why he crossed it back to bellatum?? For a Bigger flower?? Because yours looks great!!

Scott Ware · Aug 9, 2016

It's remarkable how often plants grown directly from flask in ideal conditions will grow and mature faster than those acquired by almost any other means. It has been my experience that it is really important to do everything possible to keep up that momentum because if any adverse conditions slow them down, it's often difficult to get back on course.

Bigger flower would certainly be one good reason. While these have very nice form and markings, they are all on the smallish side.

If the plants you have were then crossed back onto Paph. bellatulum one more time, there is a good chance that at least some of the resulting seedlings from that cross would be nearly impossible to distinguish from 100% Paph. bellatulum.

troy · Aug 9, 2016

Ichiro suzuki has a small percentage of godefroyae and niveum, the niveum could be a contributing small factor but crossed back to bellatulum twice would just about make it 95 ./° bellatulum, you mentioned silica sand...... I was having a hard time with paph angelina kruger sandy x haynaldianum I added sand in the mix in 5 days I had new roots growing on them so I added them to my ichiro flask, don't know why it helps so much.......I keep my flasklings always moist and very warm, I hope I have success