Phragmipedium besseae 'Big Boy' x 'Colossal'

Erythrone · Jan 27, 2012

It is not the first bloom, but for me it is the first "true" bloom of this plant. I love it.

The first flower and the 2nd were like this...

and the other ones couldn't be called blooms... But now... I really love this plant.

Paph_LdyMacBeth · Jan 27, 2012

Holy crap! This is a reason to keep a poor blooming plant around a while longer.
Did you make any cultural changes? Or do you think this is just do to maturity?

Shiva · Jan 27, 2012

Super joli ce besseae.

phrag guy · Jan 27, 2012

that is very nice,good job you keep it

Erythrone · Jan 27, 2012

Merci Shiva!

thanks Phrag guy!

Paph_LdyMacBeth: I am not really sure why it improves so much.

More mature? I think it can be one of the reasons.

Maybe it is better after adapation to its new environment? I bought it bare roots in nov 2011. I decided to grow it SH in Leca.

The spike grew at the end of summer when the temperature was still warm. When I saw the first 2 flowers were a disaster, I moved it to a lower lit spot. The temperature is cooler now there too (days under 20 C, nights at 11 C). I decided to water it almost every day even if the moss on the top is still wet. I give it slightly more nutrients (65 to 75 ppm N insted or 50).

After thoses changes, I still saw many buds that were not doing real flowers.... But I decided to wait.... I was thinking about discarding the plant, but as my mother often said to me: "Patience est la mère de toute les vertus"!

Patience is the mother of all virtues!