Phragmipedium caudatum - First blooming

[Djthomp28]

I acquired this as a small seedling from Windy Hill about 3 years ago. This is the first time this single growth seedling is blooming. I am hoping this is an indication that it is easier to bloom than my other caudatum clone, which I have had for 5 years. It was a division of a blooming sized plant and has only attempted to bloom once, but the spike blasted... On the plus side, it grows well.

 

[tomkalina]

Very nice. Not the easiest Phrag. species to bloom.

 

[Vox]

Very beautiful. Three flowers is a good count for that plant size.

 

[abax]

Congratulations!!! I'm still tweaking to see exactly what mine prefers...it's a mystery so far.

 

[Duck Slipper]

Excellent. 3 beautiful flowers on a small plant.
Good job!

 

[cpmaniac]

Looks terrific - well done!

 

[musa]

Beautiful!

 

[Happypaphy7]

Ok, someone please tell me the difference between caudatum, homboldtii, warscarwiczii and wallisii (sp?).

 

[Anca86]

I acquired this as a small seedling from Windy Hill about 3 years ago. This is the first time this single growth seedling is blooming. I am hoping this is an indication that it is easier to bloom than my other caudatum clone, which I have had for 5 years. It was a division of a blooming sized plant and has only attempted to bloom once, but the spike blasted... On the plus side, it grows well.

View attachment 26084View attachment 26085

Very nice! How tall is the spike?

 

[Djthomp28]

Thanks all!

Very nice! How tall is the spike?

About 10-12 inches.

 

[mrhappyrotter]

Ok, someone please tell me the difference between caudatum, homboldtii, warscarwiczii and wallisii (sp?).

It's enough to make a grown adult cry. I don't know the specific taxonomic differences that are used to classify them, but the layman's version is ...

Caudatum - The big bad wolf of the group. Flowers can be fairly dark, though usually much less than a typical P. humboldtii, to green/white/pale. Personally I've never seen one as small and compact as the one in this thread, but I'm not going to pretend I'm knowledgeable enough about the variation in this species to weigh in on the ID.

Humboldtii - Dark flowers, formerly classified as warscewiczianum. Small plants. Flowers are often fragrant (I had to throw that in there).

Warscewiczianum - Pale flowers, formerly classified as wallisii. Small plants.

Wallisii - Outdated synonym for warscewiczianum.

Lindenii - Pale flowers, peloric with 3 petals instead of a slipper lip. Small plants. Very similar to warscewiczianum, other than the peloria.

Exstaminodium - Dark flowers, small plant, missing staminode. Very similar to humboldtii, other than the missing staminode.

I think there may be at least one newly discovered species that's been placed into what I colloquially call the "Caudatum group", but at the moment I don't have my resources with me.

 

[NYEric]

Not bad, for a green Phrag. high bloom count for a small, single growth, plant. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Djthomp28]

Humboldtii - Dark flowers, formerly classified as warscewiczianum. Small plants. Flowers are often fragrant (I had to throw that in there).

Thanks for these observations! Very helpful. I will throw in that while humboldtii is fragrant, I don't consider it a pleasant fragrance. It's kind of like old gym clothes. Thankfully mine does not have a strong scent.

 

[Happypaphy7]

Ok, thanks but that does not help. I want to cry. hahaha

 

[abax]

Accckkkkkkk! My Caudatum has three large growths and continues to grow without bloom. Continuing to tweak...I want
blooms like yours!!!!

 

[FrankRC]

Ok, someone please tell me the difference between caudatum, homboldtii, warscarwiczii and wallisii (sp?).

Happy! There is detailed accounting of what the differences are between the three Andean species in the year end special Phrag. edition of the Orchid Digest from last year. You can get a copy from their website. The only morphological difference is in the morphology of the slipper, specifically in the distal edge. The general range of color between caudatum and humboltii overlap. A deep dive into the history of the names for this group is in the works.

Exstaminodium is a synonym of humboltii and is not longer considered a species in its own right.

Hope this helps.

 

[Duck Slipper]

It's enough to make a grown adult cry. I don't know the specific taxonomic differences that are used to classify them, but the layman's version is ...

Caudatum - The big bad wolf of the group. Flowers can be fairly dark, though usually much less than a typical P. humboldtii, to green/white/pale. Personally I've never seen one as small and compact as the one in this thread, but I'm not going to pretend I'm knowledgeable enough about the variation in this species to weigh in on the ID.

Humboldtii - Dark flowers, formerly classified as warscewiczianum. Small plants. Flowers are often fragrant (I had to throw that in there).

Warscewiczianum - Pale flowers, formerly classified as wallisii. Small plants.

Wallisii - Outdated synonym for warscewiczianum.

Lindenii - Pale flowers, peloric with 3 petals instead of a slipper lip. Small plants. Very similar to warscewiczianum, other than the peloria.

Exstaminodium - Dark flowers, small plant, missing staminode. Very similar to humboldtii, other than the missing staminode.

I think there may be at least one newly discovered species that's been placed into what I colloquially call the "Caudatum group", but at the moment I don't have my resources with me.

Good job!

 

[richgarrison]

I acquired this as a small seedling from Windy Hill about 3 years ago. This is the first time this single growth seedling is blooming. ....

looks like you are growing that in coarse bark. Am i seeing that correctly? how often are you watering it? and sorry i should remember this, are you growing in a greenhouse?

....still seeking that silver bullet to success on these... ;-)

 

[abax]

Rich, if you find that silver bullet, please share it. Mine is such a fine looking plant that I despair every time I find that it
isn't starting a spike.

 

[troy]

I'd check the root system