Phragmipedium kovachii

[JPMC]

Beautiful! And warm-growing, you say..? I thought it is a cooler-grower..

I've killed so many phrags. A vendor (Ecuagenera I think that it was) told me that they grow andreettae at sea level and consider it a warm grower. He thought that other phrags might respond to warm conditions too. He was rignt only about kovachii and andreettae. I killed all other phrags in my spare room. I do keep it in a clay pot with wet medium that may allow for evaporative cooling of the roots.

 

[JPMC]

Wow, what's your secret! So beautiful!

No secrets. I grow it in a 50/50 mix of perlite and supersphag in a clay pot. It is watered often enough to keep it wet. I don't let it sit in water though. I fertilize weakly weekly with a urea-free fertilizer. It gets typical paph light (for me that's about 2-3 feet from a 4 foot T5 light with 4 tubes in the fixture). The winter temps are 60F at night and 80F in the day. Summer temps are about 10 degrees higher.

 

[Susie11]

That is a beautiful phrag!

 

[JPMC]

As of today (04-02-2012) the flower is about 5 1/2 inches across. It grew 1 inch in 24 hours.

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[SlipperFan]

Wow!

 

[jjkOC]

How is Super Sphag different from New Zealand sphagnum moss?

 

[JPMC]

How is Super Sphag different from New Zealand sphagnum moss?

I believe that it is the regular NZ sphagnum minus the stems. It was delivered to me from the vendor as a series of dry, compressed cubes that expand many times their size when placed in water.

 

[Ruth]

:clap::drool::clap:

 

[Rick]

I've killed so many phrags. A vendor (Ecuagenera I think that it was) told me that they grow andreettae at sea level and consider it a warm grower. He thought that other phrags might respond to warm conditions too. He was rignt only about kovachii and andreettae. I killed all other phrags in my spare room. I do keep it in a clay pot with wet medium that may allow for evaporative cooling of the roots.

Have you tried longifolium, or its hybrids like sorcerers apprentice? I figure that species is indestructible. Semi hydro growing with something like hydroton balls, and it should fill up your spare room in no time. Mine have always done just fine, but switching to low K high Ca/Mg has increased leaf size and eliminated leaf tip burn.

 

[JPMC]

Have you tried longifolium, or its hybrids like sorcerers apprentice? I figure that species is indestructible. Semi hydro growing with something like hydroton balls, and it should fill up your spare room in no time. Mine have always done just fine, but switching to low K high Ca/Mg has increased leaf size and eliminated leaf tip burn.

Thanks for the suggestion. I have tried longifolium and it also died. I tend to be a purist and do not grow hybrids.

 

[Kavanaru]

As of today (04-02-2012) the flower is about 5 1/2 inches across. It grew 1 inch in 24 hours.

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wow! That's nice.... and knowing it can grow under warmer conditions than what I thought (by the way, you are the third person I've heard from that grows this species under warmer conditions) it seems to be gaining room in my list of plants I could like to try...

 

[e-spice]

Great job. That's quite an accomplishment and a very nice bloom.

 

[Phrag-Plus]

Gorgeous flower! And good info...

 

[JPMC]

I think that today it finally has reached its full size. It measures 6 inches wide. The lip is 1 5/8 inches wide and 2 3/8 inches long.

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[eggshells]

Can you observe how long will the flower last? Thank you!

 

[Evergreen]

Fantastic Phrag! Well done blooming it.

 

[JPMC]

Can you observe how long will the flower last? Thank you!

Yes, I will.

 

[eaborne]

Absolutely stunning!

 

[SlipperKing]

Too cool! I wouldn't dare try this one (at least not this year:evil

 

[KyushuCalanthe]

Congrats on growing and flowering this species so well. I only tried one Phrag so far, Andean Fire, and I killed it in a couple seasons :sob: