Phragmipedium fischeri

[terryros]

This Phragmipedium fischeri is from a select sib cross made by Orchids Limited, owned by the Fischer family and Jerry Fischer who first identified the species. The species was registered in 1996. I know there are experts who consider it a variant of schlimii, but it is officially still a separate species.


The plants in the wild are considered threatened by habitat loss, so I wanted to grow one to be part of the effort to preserve it (Orchids Limited donates money for habitat preservation). My plant is small, but I think I am just finally getting conditions right for good growth, although it has bloomed for me four years in a row between August and October. This current flower is 4.5 cm in horizontal natural width. The dorsal hoods the reproductive parts.

There are only four AOS-awarded fischeri, the most recent an HCC in 2019, a 4.4 cm flower that I think my flower resembles. My challenge is to get my plant to have multiple growths and spikes, I am sure a multiple year project.

I have only one Phrag hybrid containing fischeri, which is Emma Lommen (a Fischer family grandmother), a pinkish flower from a cross between fischeri and Fritz Schomburg. If I had space, I would get Phrag Samuel Crothers, which is (kovachii x fischeri). I think this would be the most purple of Phrags with an intermediate-sized, roundish flower that would take me out of the red and orange Phrag world that I currently inhabit. However, some of the online pictures of Samuel Crothers show less than ideally shaped flowers.

 

[abax]

VERY cute petite, fat Phrag. The pouch is perfect!

 

[NYEric]

Thanks for sharing. Not easy to grow, in my experience. Any tips?

 

[dodidoki]

i really love this sp.As Eric said, not an easy sp, so i must send my congratulations to you.

 

[richgarrison]

absolutely love fuzzy.... it would seem that for fischeri it's all about the pouch... (even if folks want to call this schlimii var fischeri)

 

[terryros]

During my four years of growth I didn't kill it and gradually got the balance of aeration at the roots with watering frequency correct. I am currently using a four layer "parfait" of Hydration and Grodan cubes as the potting mix in a Rand Aircone pot. I water about every four days. I use Green Jungle fertilizer from Orchids Limited and the plant gets about 100 ppm N per week. I grow under LED lighting at an intensity of about 100-150 micromoles/m2/sec (higher than Paphs but lower than mature Cattleyas). The day length varies from a low of 11.5 hours in the winter to a high of 13 hours in summer. The plant does not get warmer than about 82 degrees or cooler than about 55 degrees. It looks like I am only getting one new growth again this year, but I am hoping to get a double growth in another cycle. Of course, everything I am doing could still be suboptimal. Only careful trial and error with observation gets me anywhere.

 

[awesomei]

This Phragmipedium fischeri is from a select sib cross made by Orchids Limited, owned by the Fischer family and Jerry Fischer who first identified the species. The species was registered in 1996. I know there are experts who consider it a variant of schlimii, but it is officially still a separate species.
View attachment 30112

The plants in the wild are considered threatened by habitat loss, so I wanted to grow one to be part of the effort to preserve it (Orchids Limited donates money for habitat preservation). My plant is small, but I think I am just finally getting conditions right for good growth, although it has bloomed for me four years in a row between August and October. This current flower is 4.5 cm in horizontal natural width. The dorsal hoods the reproductive parts.

There are only four AOS-awarded fischeri, the most recent an HCC in 2019, a 4.4 cm flower that I think my flower resembles. My challenge is to get my plant to have multiple growths and spikes, I am sure a multiple year project.

I have only one Phrag hybrid containing fischeri, which is Emma Lommen (a Fischer family grandmother), a pinkish flower from a cross between fischeri and Fritz Schomburg. If I had space, I would get Phrag Samuel Crothers, which is (kovachii x fischeri). I think this would be the most purple of Phrags with an intermediate-sized, roundish flower that would take me out of the red and orange Phrag world that I currently inhabit. However, some of the online pictures of Samuel Crothers show less than ideally shaped flowers.

Samuel Crothers is notorious for it's poor flower shape and quality!

 

[FrankRC]

This Phragmipedium fischeri is from a select sib cross made by Orchids Limited, owned by the Fischer family and Jerry Fischer who first identified the species. The species was registered in 1996. I know there are experts who consider it a variant of schlimii, but it is officially still a separate species.
View attachment 30112

The plants in the wild are considered threatened by habitat loss, so I wanted to grow one to be part of the effort to preserve it (Orchids Limited donates money for habitat preservation). My plant is small, but I think I am just finally getting conditions right for good growth, although it has bloomed for me four years in a row between August and October. This current flower is 4.5 cm in horizontal natural width. The dorsal hoods the reproductive parts.

There are only four AOS-awarded fischeri, the most recent an HCC in 2019, a 4.4 cm flower that I think my flower resembles. My challenge is to get my plant to have multiple growths and spikes, I am sure a multiple year project.

I have only one Phrag hybrid containing fischeri, which is Emma Lommen (a Fischer family grandmother), a pinkish flower from a cross between fischeri and Fritz Schomburg. If I had space, I would get Phrag Samuel Crothers, which is (kovachii x fischeri). I think this would be the most purple of Phrags with an intermediate-sized, roundish flower that would take me out of the red and orange Phrag world that I currently inhabit. However, some of the online pictures of Samuel Crothers show less than ideally shaped flowers.

Correction. It is officially a synonym of schlimii.

 

[terryros]

I do not find that either Kew or RHS consider fischeri a synonym of schlimi. Can you point me to the source you are using that shows this?

 

[FrankRC]

I do not find that either Kew or RHS consider fischeri a synonym of schlimi. Can you point me to the source you are using that shows this?

Orchid Digest 2020 year end issue, orchid digest spring and summer issues 2021. This species is formally and correctly a synonym of schlimii. Kew will get caught up eventually.

 

[terryros]

Sorry that my Orchid Digest subscription lapsed. Remind me of which group decides this and how Kew then moves to change things? The decision was fischeri is just a synonym and not a variant?

 

[FrankRC]

Sorry that my Orchid Digest subscription lapsed. Remind me of which group decides this and how Kew then moves to change things? The decision was fischeri is just a synonym and not a variant?

Kew has their own internal process. There is an extensive discussion in the year end 2020 issue about the species concept in the genus with an introduction that touches on this. I would recommend getting a copy.

 

[terryros]

Thank you, Frank. I am very sorry not to have recognized that you were a major author in the issue. I do not doubt your expertise and conclusions. I only recognize that Kew determines how hybrids are going to be accepted and named, so excessive delays on their part don't help us. From your knowledge, I should just change my name tag from fischeri to schlimii?