Phrag. Eumelia Arias 'Red Dancers’ x kovachii 'Full Moon'

[PeteM]

Picked up from Orchid Inn November 2020.
A pre Black Friday Sale.. according to my confirmation email . First bloom seedling for me.. It’s a good week into the first bloom. Decent sized flower on a tall spike. Around this time I started experimenting with growing phrags in grodan mix with different pots. This one is in a smaller plastic net basket, tucked into a taller solid plastic cymbidium pot. Seems to work well for getting the smaller seedlings going. But I plan to move it to a straight large net basket. I have found the roots like to explore the humid space between the net basket and pot. And also the live moss establishes faster and all around the basket with more light.

enjoy.

 

[monocotman]

Very nice. 75% kovachii. How big is the flower?

 

[Linus_Cello]

Nice. I need to find one.

 

[PeteM]

Very nice. 75% kovachii. How big is the flower?

Thanks. Looks to be 12cm across from petal end to end. Vertical width of one petal is about 4.5cm at the widest section.

 

[monocotman]

Nice size. Going to be interesting to see whether it stays flat.

 

[PeteM]

Nice size. Going to be interesting to see whether it stays flat.

Yes, I was just thinking that it never flattened out like Fritz. Even at the start of the bloom it seemed to always have a floppy puppy dog ear look to it. The size is there but it definitely needs another shot of kovachii or besseae to help flatten out the petals, even just for a bit.

 

[monocotman]

Mine was much more purple than yours. Interesting to see these differences. I’d love to see a population of this cross flower!

 

[PeteM]

Mine was much more purple than yours. Interesting to see these differences. I’d love to see a population of this cross flower!

Yes your Phrag. Mem Juan Alberto Arias is much darker and fuller/ flatter. The kovachii is coming through much stronger in your seedling. Even if I took it out from under the LED lights it would not be as dark. Would be very interesting to see more of these.

I’ll have to follow up with Sam at Orchid Inn to find out if he made this particular cross.. seems like in house cultivar names for the parents. I see yours might be from ecuagenera, it would be worth tracking this down as I much prefer the darker shift towards kovachii.

 

[monocotman]

You don’t see this cross for sale very often but for me it’s a bit of a no brainer. 75% kovachii should yield some very interesting things. I’d love a kovachii type flower on something that is much easier to grow.
Unfortunately mine had a bit of a set back in its second year just as the second spike was about to flower. It lost most of its roots. It’s starting up again now and may flower again next autumn.
If it ever blooms I’d like to make another back cross to kovachii. 87.5% kovachii should give clones that are very close to the species but hopefully more vigorous and easy growing.

 

[GuRu]

Very pretty flower on a taaaall stem.

 

[PeteM]

You don’t see this cross for sale very often but for me it’s a bit of a no brainer. 75% kovachii should yield some very interesting things. I’d love a kovachii type flower on something that is much easier to grow.
Unfortunately mine had a bit of a set back in its second year just as the second spike was about to flower. It lost most of its roots. It’s starting up again now and may flower again next autumn.
If it ever blooms I’d like to make another back cross to kovachii. 87.5% kovachii should give clones that are very close to the species but hopefully more vigorous and easy growing.

I actually also have a kovachii on deck and in spike. First one I have been able to get this far in my decade of trying. I’ll include the picture below. I also procured this plant from orchid Inn around the same time. It seems the latest generation of kovachii are slowly starting to become easier to grow. I was even thinking about ordering a flask from chuck Aker a few months ago.. but I’m already sitting on 3 others from 2015. I’m hopeful I have the culture dialed in and the others will follow this one’s lead.

yes, would like to cross back to kovachii, not sure I would use this one I have. I’ll have to contact Woodstream and see if they can / want to use the kovachii in breeding.

 

[awesomei]

Your Juan Alberto Arias, is stunning! I have never seen or heard of it.
Thank you!
George

 

[NYEric]

Yay besseae hybrids! Super long stem!!!

 

[LadySlipper]

Gorgeous.

 

[Cklinger]

Nice size. Going to be interesting to see whether it stays flat.

Is staying flat during bloom a desirable trait? As in, would it be more likely to win show's versus curved petals?

 

[Greenpaph]

All of the above!

 

[Ozpaph]

very attractive flower

 

[PeteM]

Upgraded to a 1 gallon basket, coming in Hot Pink with the LEDs.

 

[monocotman]

Just stunning!

 

[Heather]

Gorgeous!